IR 05000255/2014001

Annual Assessment Letter for Palisades Nuclear Plant (Report 05000255/2014001)

ML15062A593
Person / Time
Site:	Palisades
Issue date:	03/04/2015
From:	Boland A T Division Reactor Projects III
To:	Vitale A Entergy Nuclear Operations
References
IR 2014001
Download: ML15062A593 (6)

Text

March 4, 2015

Mr. Anthony Vitale Vice President, Operations Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. Palisades Nuclear Plant 27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway Covert, MI 49043-9530

SUBJECT: ANNUAL ASSESSMENT LETTER FOR PALISADES NUCLEAR PLANT (REPORT 05000255/2014001)

Dear Mr. Vitale:

On February 12, 2015, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed its end-of-cycle performance review of Palisades Nuclear Plant. The NRC reviewed the most recent quarterly performance indicators (PIs) in addition to inspection results and enforcement actions from January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014. This letter informs you of the NRC's assessment of your facility during this period and its plans for future inspections at your facility. The NRC determined the performance at Palisades during the most recent quarter was within the Regulatory Response Column of the NRC's Reactor Oversight Process (ROP) Action Matrix after a finding of low-to-moderate safety significance (White) in the Occupational Radiation Safety cornerstone was identified in the fourth quarter of 2014 and all PIs were within the nominal, expected range (i.e., Green). The White finding was associated with the failure to adequately assess the radiation dose to workers who were replacing control rod drive mechanism housings in February and March 2014. As a result of this White finding, Palisades transitioned from the Licensee Response Column to the Regulatory Response Column of the ROP Action Matrix in the fourth quarter of 2014.

Therefore, in addition to the ROP baseline inspections, the NRC plans to conduct a supplemental inspection in accordance with Inspection Procedure 95001, "Supplemental Inspection for One or Two White Inputs in a Strategic Performance Area," for this White finding. The NRC will conduct the inspection after you notify us of your readiness for the NRC to review your actions to address the performance issues associated with this White finding.

A limited scope Problem Identification and Resolution (PI&R) inspection conducted in December 2013 identified a chilled work environment within the Security Department. Palisades subsequently developed the Security Safety Conscious Work Environment (SCWE) Action Plan to address the issues identified by the NRC. In May 2014, the NRC conducted a biennial PI&R inspection, which concluded that implementation of the Action Plan had been insufficient to understand the cause of the chilled work environment and did not demonstrate a strong commitment to improving the Security Department SCWE at Palisades. In July 2014, Palisades provided, at the NRC's request, an outline of additional actions to improve the SCWE in the Security Department. A focused SCWE inspection conducted in December 2014 concluded that although the Palisades Security Department no longer had a chilled work environment; the cultural improvements remained fragile and vulnerable to events that might be perceived negatively by the security officers. The NRC will determine whether the actions to address Security Department SCWE have been sustained as part of baseline PI&R inspection activities planned for late 2015. Following these inspection activities, the NRC will determine if additional NRC oversight at Palisades is warranted.

The enclosed inspection plan lists the inspections scheduled through June 30, 2016. Routine inspections performed by the resident inspectors are not included in the inspection plan. The inspections listed during the last nine months of the inspection plan are tentative and may be revised at the mid-cycle performance review. The NRC provides the inspection plan to allow for the resolution of any scheduling conflicts and personnel availability issues. The NRC will contact you as soon as possible to discuss changes to the inspection plan should circumstances warrant any changes. This inspection plan does not include security-related inspections, which will be sent via separate, non-publicly available correspondence.

In addition to the ROP baseline inspections, the NRC plans to conduct infrequent inspections related to Inspection Procedure (IP) 92709, "Contingency Plans for Licensee Strikes or Lockouts;" and IP 92711, "Implementation of Licensee Contingency Plans During a Strike/Lockout," if needed due to expiring contracts; and IP 60854.1, "Preoperational Testing of ISFSIs [Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installations] at Operating Plants;" IP 60855.1, "Operation of an ISFSI at Operating Plants;" and IP 60856.1, "Review of 10 CFR 72.212(b) Evaluations at Operating Plants;" related to ISFSI inspections. Additionally, an NRC audit of licensee efforts towards compliance with Order EA-12-049, "Order Modifying Licenses with Regard to Requirements for Mitigation Strategies for Beyond-Design-Basis External Events," and Order EA-12-051, "Order Modifying Licenses with Regard to Reliable Spent Fuel Pool Instrumentation" is ongoing for various sites. The audit includes an onsite visit from the NRC staff to evaluate mitigating strategies as described in the licensee submittals, and to receive and review information relative to associated open items. This onsite audit will occur prior to the first unit at the site achieving compliance with the Orders and the audit will aid NRC staff in developing a final Safety Evaluation for the site. The audit at your site has been scheduled for the week of June 15, 2015. A site-specific audit plan for the visit will be provided in advance to allow sufficient time for preparations.

In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 2.390, "Public Inspections, Exemptions, Requests for Withholding," of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter, its enclosure, and your response (if any) will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC's Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records (PARS) component of the NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room). Please contact Mr. Eric Duncan at 630-829-9620 with any questions you have regarding this letter.

Sincerely,/RA/

Anne T. Boland, Director Division of Reactor Projects Docket No. 50-255 License No. DPR-20

Enclosure:

Palisades Nuclear Plant Inspection/Activity Plan cc w/encl: Distribution via LISTSERV

ML15062A593 Publicly Available Non-Publicly Available Sensitive Non-Sensitive To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the concurrence box "C" = Copy without attach/encl "E" = Copy with attach/encl "N" = No copy OFFICE RIII RIII RIII NAME EDuncan:rj DATE 02/28/15 Page 1 of 203/03/201509:37:30Report 22UnitNumberPlanned DatesStart EndInspection ActivityTitleNo. of Staffon SitePalisadesInspection / Activity Plan03/01/2015-06/30/2016ISFSI-DESIGN REVIEWS11 IPReview of 10 CFR 72.212(b) Evaluations at Operating Plants60856.101/01/201503/31/2015BI FIRE-FIRE PROTECTION INSPECTION AND BAG TRIP61 IPFire Protection [Triennial]7111105T03/16/201504/17/2015BI RP-RADIATION PROTECTION BASELINE INSPECTION11 IPRadiological Hazard Assessment and Exposure Controls71124.0102/08/201602/12/2016ISFSI-ISFSI PREOP TESTING - SCHEDULE DEPENDENT11 IPPreoperational Testing of Independent Spent Fuel Storage Facility Installation at Operating Plants60854.103/01/201505/30/2015BI RP-RADIATION PROTECTION BASELINE INSPECTION21 IPOccupational ALARA Planning and Controls71124.0203/09/201503/13/2015BI RP-RADIATION PROTECTION BASELINE INSPECTION21 IPRadiation Monitoring Instrumentation71124.0503/30/201504/03/2015BI RP-RADIATION PROTECTION BASELINE INSPECTION11 IPRadioactive Solid Waste Processing and Radioactive Material Handling, Storage, and Transportation71124.0804/20/201504/24/2015STRIKE P-STRIKE PREPARATIONS11 IPLicensee Strike Contingency Plans9270905/01/201506/01/2015ISFSI-ISFSI OPERATION - SCHEDULE DEPENDENT21 IPOperation of an Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation at Operating Plants60855.105/01/201506/30/2015OTHER-STRIKE CONTINGENCY PLANS REVIEW31 IPLicensee Strike Contingency Plans9270905/04/201505/29/2015BI EPR-EP ROUTINE INSPECTION / PI VERIFICATION21 IPAlert and Notification System Testing711140206/01/201506/05/20151 IPEmergency Preparedness Organization Staffing and Augmentation System711140306/01/201506/05/20151 IPCorrection of Emergency Preparedness Weaknesses and Deficiencies711140506/01/201506/05/20151 IPPerformance Indicator Verification7115106/01/201506/05/2015BI RP-RADIATION PROTECTION BASELINE INSPECTION11 IPRadioactive Gaseous and Liquid Effluent Treatment71124.0607/13/201507/17/20151 IPPerformance Indicator Verification7115107/13/201507/17/2015BI ISI-ISI INSPECTION11 IPInservice Inspection Activities - PWR7111108P09/21/201510/15/2015BI RP-RADIATION PROTECTION BASELINE INSPECTION11 IPRadiological Hazard Assessment and Exposure Controls71124.0110/05/201510/09/2015This report does not include INPO and OUTAGE activities. This report shows only on-site and announced inspection procedures.

Page 2 of 203/03/201509:37:30Report 22UnitNumberPlanned DatesStart EndInspection ActivityTitleNo. of Staffon SitePalisadesInspection / Activity Plan03/01/2015-06/30/2016BI ENG-TRIENNIAL HEAT SINK INSPECTION21 IPHeat Sink Performance7111107T11/16/201511/20/2015PI&R-BIENNIAL PI&R INSPECTION41 IPProblem Identification and Resolution71152B03/21/201604/08/2016BI RP-RADIATION PROTECTION BASELINE INSPECTION11 IPRadiological Environmental Monitoring Program71124.0706/20/201606/24/2016ENG BI-MODIFICATIONS / 50.59 INSPECTION31 IPEvaluations of Changes, Tests, and Experiments and Permanent Plant Modifications7111117T06/27/201607/15/2016This report does not include INPO and OUTAGE activities. This report shows only on-site and announced inspection procedures.