IR 05000424/2015006

Annual Assessment Letter for Vogtle Electric Generating Plant Unit 1 and Unit 2 (Report 05000424/2015006 and 05000425/2015006)

ML16062A285
Person / Time
Site:	Vogtle
Issue date:	03/02/2016
From:	Franke M E Division Reactor Projects II
To:	Taber B K Southern Nuclear Operating Co
References
IR 2015006
Download: ML16062A285 (6)

Text

March 2, 2016

Mr. Brian K. Taber, VP Nuclear Plant Site Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant 7821 River Road Waynesboro, GA 30830

SUBJECT: ANNUAL ASSESSMENT LETTER FOR VOGTLE ELECTRIC GENERATING PLANT UNIT 1 AND UNIT 2 (REPORT 05000424/2015006 AND 05000425/2015006)

Dear Mr. Taber:

On February 9, 2016, the NRC completed its end-of-cycle performance review of Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2. The NRC reviewed the most recent quarterly performance indicators (PIs) in addition to inspection results and enforcement actions from January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015. 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 Vogtle Units 1 and 2 during the most recent quarter was within the Licensee Response Column of the NRC's Reactor Oversight Process (ROP) Action Matrix because all inspection findings had very low (i.e., Green) safety significance, and all PIs indicated that your performance was within the nominal, expected range (i.e., Green). Through the first three quarters of the 2015 assessment cycle Vogtle Units 1 and 2 were in the Regulatory Response Column of the ROP Action Matrix based on a White finding that was the subject of Inspection Report 05000424/2014009. After reviewing your performance in addressing the White finding, the NRC concluded that your actions met the objectives of Inspection Procedure 95001, "Supplemental Inspection for One or Two White Inputs in a Strategic Performance Area." Therefore, in accordance with the guidance in Inspection Manual Chapter 0305, "Operating Reactor Assessment Program," this White finding was only considered in assessing plant performance for a total of four quarters. As a result, the NRC determined the performance at Vogtle Units 1 and 2 to be in the Licensee Response Column of the ROP Action Matrix as of October 1, 2015. Therefore, the NRC plans to conduct ROP baseline inspections at your facility. In addition, we will conduct initial reactor operator licensing examinations and Inspection Procedure 37060, "10 CFR 50.69 Risk-Informed Categorization and Treatment of Structures, Systems, and Components Inspection." The enclosed inspection plan lists the inspections scheduled through December 31, 2017. Routine inspections performed by 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 response to the accident at Fukushima, the Commission issued Order EA-12-049, "Order Modifying Licenses with Regard to Requirements for Mitigation Strategies for Beyond-Design-Basis External Events." This Order requires licensees to develop, implement, and maintain guidance and strategies to maintain or restore core cooling, containment, and spent fuel pool cooling capabilities following a beyond-design-basis external event. Additionally, the Commission issued Order EA-12-051, "Order Modifying Licenses with Regard to Reliable Spent Fuel Pool Instrumentation." This Order requires licensees to have a reliable means of remotely monitoring wide-range Spent Fuel Pool levels to support effective prioritization of event mitigation and recovery actions in the event of a beyond-design-basis external event. The NRC is conducting audits of licensee efforts towards compliance with these Orders. The audit was completed for Vogtle Units 1 and 2, and the information gathered will aid staff in development of the Safety Evaluation for the site. After the NRC staff receives the Final Compliance letter for the site, the Final Safety Evaluation will be issued. Then, the NRC staff will confirm through inspections the full implementation of the orders mentioned above by performing Temporary Instruction 191, "Inspection of the Implementation of Mitigation Strategies and Spent Fuel Pool Instrumentation Orders and Emergency Preparedness Communication/Staffing/Multi-Unit Dose Assessment Plans." In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice and Procedure," a copy of this letter 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). 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. Shane Sandal at (404) 997-4513 with any questions you have regarding this letter.

Sincerely,/RA/ Mark Franke, Acting Director Division of Reactor Projects Docket Nos.: 05000424, 05000425 License Nos.: NPF-68 and NPF-81

Enclosure:

Vogtle Activity/Inspection Plan (03/01/2016 - 12/31/2017) cc Distribution via ListServ