IR 05000263/2009001

Annual Assessment Letter - Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant (05000263-09-001)

ML090630251
Person / Time
Site:	Monticello
Issue date:	03/04/2009
From:	Pederson C Division Reactor Projects III
To:	O'Connor T Northern States Power Co
References
IR-09-001
Download: ML090630251 (6)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION III 2443 WARRENVILLE ROAD, SUITE 210 LISLE, IL 60532-4352 March 4, 2009

Mr. Timothy Site Vice President Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant Northern States Power Company, Minnesota 2807 West County Road 75 Monticello, MN 55362-9637

SUBJECT: ANNUAL ASSESSMENT LETTER - MONTICELLO NUCLEAR GENERATING PLANT (05000263/2009001)

Dear Mr. O'Connor:

On February 11, 2009, the NRC staff completed its performance review of Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant. Our technical staff reviewed performance indicators (PIs) for the most recent quarter and inspection results for the period from January 1 through December 31, 2008. The purpose of this letter is to inform you of our assessment of your safety performance during this period and our plans for future inspections at your facility. This performance review and enclosed inspection plan do not include security information. A separate letter designated and marked as "Official Use Only - Security Related Information" will include the Security Cornerstone review and resultant inspection plan. Overall, Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant operated in a manner that preserved public health and safety and fully met all cornerstone objectives. Plant performance for the most recent quarter, as well as for the first three quarters of the assessment cycle, was within the Licensee Response column of the NRC's Action Matrix, based on all inspection findings being classified as having very low safety significance (Green) and all PIs indicating performance at a level requiring no additional NRC oversight (Green). Therefore, we plan to conduct reactor oversight process (ROP) baseline inspections at your facility. The staff identified that there were two areas in which there were more than three green inspection findings for the current 12-mont h assessment period, both with documented human performance (HP) cross-cutting aspects. The first group of findings had a cross-cutting theme in the aspect associated with oversight of work practices H.4(c). The second group of findings had a cross-cutting theme in the aspect associated with correct and accurate procedures H.2(c). The findings involved the Initiating Events, Mitigating Systems, and Barrier Integrity cornerstones. There were 19 findings documented with cross-cutting aspects in the HP area.

In evaluating the licensee's scope of efforts and progress in addressing these cross-cutting themes, the staff determined that the licensee has not yet resolved the issues associated with these cross-cutting area performance deficiencies. Because of the decline in the area of HP, the NRC has concluded that a substantive cross-cu tting issue exists in th is area. Therefore, a new substantive cross-cutting issue with a theme in the aspect of H.2(c) and with a theme of [H.4(C)] will be opened. This substantive cross-cutting issue will remain open until the NRC gains confidence in your efforts and progress in addressing this issue. The enclosed inspection plan details the inspections, including baseline and other infrequently conducted inspections, less those related to security, scheduled through June 30, 2009. The inspection plan is provided to allow for the resolution of any scheduling conflicts and personnel availability issues well in advance of inspector arrival onsite. Routine resident inspections are not listed due to their ongoing and continuous nature. The inspections in the last nine months of the inspection plan are tentative and may be revised at the mid-cycle review.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter and its

enclosure will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records (PARS) component of NRC's document system (ADAMS), accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room). If circumstances arise which cause us to change this inspection plan, we will contact you to discuss the change as soon as possible. Please contact Kenneth Riemer at 630-829-9628 with any questions you may have regarding this letter or the inspection plan.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Cynthia D. Pederson, Director

Division of Reactor Projects Docket No. 50-263 License No. DPR-22

Enclosure: Monticello Inspection/Activity Plan cc w/encl: D. Koehl, Chief Nuclear Officer Manager, Nuclear Safety Assessment P. Glass, Assistant General Counsel Nuclear Asset Manager, Xcel Energy, Inc.

J. Stine, State Liaison Officer, Minnesota Department of Health R. Nelson, President Minnesota Environmental Control Citizens Association (MECCA)

Commissioner, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency R. Hiivala, Auditor/Treasurer, Wright County Government Center Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Commerce Manager - Environmental Protection Division Minnesota Attorney General's Office Chairman, Wright County Board Mayor of Monticello Chairperson, Sherburne County Administrator, City of Monticello G. Mortensen, INPO Inspection / Activity Plan Page 1 of 2 02/25/2009 Report 22 03/01/2009-06/30/2010 Unit Number Planned Dates Start End Inspection Activity Title No. of Staff on Site Monticello OL EXAM-MONTICELLO INITIAL LICENSE EXAMINATION 3 1 OL - INITIAL EXAM - JAN 2009 - MONT W90198 02/23/2009 03/06/2009 RENEWAL-POST-APPROVAL SITE INSP. FOR LR 4 1 IP Post-Approval Site Inspection for License Renewal 71003 03/23/2009 04/03/2009 BI ENG-ENGINEERING INSERVICE INSPECTION 1 1 IP Inservice Inspection Activities - BWR 7111108G 03/23/2009 04/03/2009 BI RP-RADIATION PROTECTION BASELINE INSPECTION 1 1 IP A ccess Control to Radiologically Significant Areas 7112101 04/13/2009 04/17/2009 1 IP A LARA Planning and Controls 7112102 04/13/2009 04/17/2009 BI RP-RADIATION PROTECTION BASELINE INSPECTION 1 1 IP Review of the Implementation of the Industry Ground Water Protection Voluntary Initiative 2515/173 05/18/2009 05/22/2009 1 IP Radiological Environmental Monitoring Program (REMP) And Radioactive Material Control Program 7112203 05/18/2009 05/22/2009 1 IP RETS/ODCM Radiological Effluent 71151-PR01 05/18/2009 05/22/2009 PWR UPR-EROSION/CORROSION PORTION OF IP 71004 1 1 IP Inservice Inspection Activities - BWR 7111108G 06/22/2009 06/26/2009 BI EP-EP EXERCISE INSPECTION / PI VERIFICATION 4 1 IP Emergency Response Organization, Drill/Exercise Performance Indicator, Program Review 2515/175 08/17/2009 08/21/2009 1 IP Exercise Evaluation 7111401 08/17/2009 08/21/2009 1 IP Drill/Exercise Performance 71151-EP01 08/17/2009 08/21/2009 1 IP ERO Drill Participation 71151-EP02 08/17/2009 08/21/2009 1 IP A lert & Notification System 71151-EP03 08/17/2009 08/21/2009 BI ENG-COMPONENT DESIGN BASES INSPECTION 6 1 IP Component Design Bases Inspection 7111121 08/31/2009 10/02/2009 BI OL-LIC. OPERATOR REQUAL. PROGRAM EVALUATION 2 1 IP Licensed Operator Requalification Program 7111111B 09/28/2009 10/02/2009 BI RP-RADIATION PROTECTION BASELINE INSPECTION 1 1 IP Radiation Monitoring Instrumentation and Protective Equipment 7112103 10/19/2009 10/23/2009 1 IP Reactor Coolant System Activity 71151-BI01 10/19/2009 10/23/2009 BI RP-RADIATION PROTECTION BASELINE INSPECTION 1 1 IP A ccess Control to Radiologically Significant Areas 7112101 12/14/2009 12/18/2009 1 IP A LARA Planning and Controls 7112102 12/14/2009 12/18/2009 1 IP Occupational Exposure Control Effectiveness 71151-OR01 12/14/2009 12/18/2009 BI RP-RADIATION PROTECTION BASELINE INSPECTION 1 1 IP A ccess Control to Radiologically Significant Areas 7112101 01/04/2010 01/08/2010 1 IP A LARA Planning and Controls 7112102 01/04/2010 01/08/2010 This report does not include INPO and OUTAGE activities.

This report shows only on-site and announced inspection procedures.

Inspection / Activity Plan Page 2 of 2 02/25/2009 Report 22 03/01/2009-06/30/2010 Unit Number Planned Dates Start End Inspection Activity Title No. of Staff on Site Monticello BI ENG-HEAD DROP ANALYSES 1 1 IP Refueling and Other Outage Activities 7111120 01/25/2010 02/12/2010 BI ENG-ENGINEERING MODIFICATIONS / 50.59 3 1 IP Evaluations of Changes, Tests, or Experiments and Permanent Plant Modifications 7111117T 03/08/2010 03/26/2010 BI RP-RADIATION PROTECTION BASELINE INSPECTION 1 1 IP Radioactive Gaseous and Liquid Effluent Treatment and Monitoring Systems 7112201 03/15/2010 03/19/2010 1 IP Reactor Coolant System Activity 71151-BI01 03/15/2010 03/19/2010 1 IP RETS/ODCM Radiological Effluent 71151-PR01 03/15/2010 03/19/2010 BI ENG-TRIENNIAL HEAT SINK INSPECTION 1 1 IP Heat Sink Performance 7111107T 04/12/2010 04/16/2010 BI RP-RADIATION PROTECTION BASELINE INSPECTION 1 1 IP Radioactive Material Processing and Transportation 7112202 05/24/2010 05/28/2010 RENEWAL-LICENSE RENEWAL PHASE 2 2 1 IP Post-Approval Site Inspection for License Renewal 71003 06/14/2010 07/02/2010 BI EP-EP ROUTINE INSPECTION / PI VERIFICATION 1 1 IP A lert and Notification System Testing 7111402 06/28/2010 07/02/2010 1 IP Emergency Response Organization Augmentation Testing 7111403 06/28/2010 07/02/2010 1 IP Correction of Emergency Preparedness Weaknesses and Deficiencies 7111405 06/28/2010 07/02/2010 1 IP Drill/Exercise Performance 71151-EP01 06/28/2010 07/02/2010 1 IP ERO Drill Participation 71151-EP02 06/28/2010 07/02/2010 1 IP A lert & Notification System 71151-EP03 06/28/2010 07/02/2010 This report does not include INPO and OUTAGE activities.

This report shows only on-site and announced inspection procedures.