ML090640291
| ML090640291 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palo Verde  |
| Issue date: | 03/04/2009 |
| From: | Collins E E Region 4 Administrator |
| To: | Edington R K Arizona Public Service Co |
| References | |
| IR-09-001 | |
| Download: ML090640291 (12) | |
Text
UNITED STATESNUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSIONREGION IV612 EAST LAMAR BLVD, SUITE 400ARLINGTON, TEXAS 76011-4125 March 4, 2009 Randall K. Edington Executive Vice President, Nuclear
and Chief Nuclear Officer
Arizona Public Service Company P.O. Box 52034 Phoenix, AZ 85072-2034
SUBJECT:
ANNUAL ASSESSMENT LETTER - PAL0 VERDE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION (NRC INSPECTION REPORTS 05000528/2009001, 05000529/2009001, 05000530/2009001)
Dear Mr. Edington,
On February 11, 2009, the NRC staff completed its performance review of the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS). Our technical staff reviewed performance indicators for the past two quarters 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 does 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, PVNGS operated in a manner that preserved public health and safety. During this assessment period the NRC has noted substantial improvements in many key performance areas as a result of your improvement initiatives related to the Revised Confirmatory Action Letter (CAL), dated February 15, 2008. The NRC recently completed the last planned CAL follow up inspection and currently we are in the process of evaluating the results and the status
of the CAL.
The NRC has continued increased regulatory oversight of PVNGS in response to your entering Column 4 of the NRC's Action Matrix in the fourth quarter of 2006. These activities involved increased inspections and NRC management involvement in monitoring activities at PVNGS. The NRC has continued to follow your performance improvement initiatives related to the 12 key performance areas for improvement discussed in the Revised Confirmatory Action Letter (CAL).
Throughout the assessment period the NRC performed quarterly CAL follow up team inspections and noted that significant progress has been made in addressing the key performance areas that contributed to the placement of PVNGS, Unit 3, into Column 4. Specific performance improvements at the facility have been observed in the areas of operational decision making, quality of engineering products, and the processes to improve equipment reliability. Of the twelve key focus areas described in the CAL five areas have been closed Arizona Public Service Company following our inspection of your progress. These areas involved your actions related to the White finding, resolution of past problems, change management, long standing equipment concerns, and backlog tracking systems. The last planned CAL follow up team inspection recently completed onsite inspection effort on February 27, 2009. This team was chartered to review the remaining items of the seven open CAL key performance areas. These areas involve your actions related to the Yellow finding, problem identification and resolution program effectiveness, human performance improvements, engineering programs, safety culture survey results, accountability, and emergency preparedness.
In the previous PVNGS assessment letter dated September 2, 2008, the NRC advised you of substantive cross-cutting issues in the areas of human performance and problem identification and resolution that would remain open. During the remainder of the assessment period the NRC has noted a significant reduction of findings in all open substantive cross-cutting areas and it appears that your actions have been effective in improving performance in these areas. The last planned CAL follow up team inspection is evaluating your improvement initiatives related to problem identification and resolution and human performance. The substantive cross-cutting issues will remain open while we complete the assessment of the inspection results. We plan to provide you a follow-up letter following our assessment of the inspection results that will discuss the status of both the CAL and the open substantive cross cutting issues.
This assessment letter advises you of our planned inspection effort resulting from the end-of-cycle review. The enclosed inspection plan details the inspections, less those related to physical protection scheduled through June 30, 2010. 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 9 months of the inspection plan are tentative and may be revised at the midcycle review. NRC monitoring of your continuing improvement initiatives may result in additional planned inspections.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter and its enclosure will be made 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.qov/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 Michael Hay at (817) 860-8173 with any questions you may have regarding this letter or the inspection plan.
Sincerely,
/RA/ Elmo E. Collins
Regional Administrator
Dockets: 50-528; 50-529; 50-530 Licenses: NPF-41; NPF-51; NPF-74
Enclosure:
Palo Verde Inspection/Activity Plan Arizona Public Service Company cc w/enclosure:
Louis Trammell, Director Arizona Division of Emergency Management 5636 East McDowell Road Building 101 Phoenix, AZ 85008-3495
Nancy Ward, Regional Director Federal Emergency Management Agency Region IX 1111 Broadway, Suite 1200 Oakland, CA 94607-4052
The Honorable Marie Lopez-Rogers Mayor of Avondale 11465 W. Civic Center Drive, Suite 280
Avondale, AZ 85323
The Honorable Bobby Bryant Mayor of Buckeye 100 North Apache Road
Buckeye, AZ 85326
The Honorable Fred Waterman Mayor of El Mirage P.O. Box 26 El Mirage, AZ 85335
The Honorable Elaine Scruggs Mayor of Glendale 5850 West Glendale Avenue Glendale, AZ 85301 The Honorable James M. Cavanaugh Mayor of Goodyear 119 North Litchfield Road Goodyear, AZ 85338
The Honorable Tom Shoaf Mayor of Litchfield 244 West Wigwam Blvd. Litchfield Park, AZ 85340
The Honorable John Keegan Mayor of Peoria 8401 West Monroe Street
Peoria, AZ 85345
Arizona Public Service Company The Honorable Phil Gordon Mayor of Phoenix
Phoenix City Hall 200 West Washington Phoenix, AZ 85007
The Honorable Joan Shafer Mayor of Surprise 12425 West Bell Road Surprise, AZ 85374 The Honorable Adolfo Gamez Mayor of Tolleson 9555 West Van Buren Street Tolleson, AZ 85353
The Honorable Michael LeVault Mayor of Youngtown
12030 Clubhouse Square Youngtown, AZ 85363
Robin Berry Palo Verde School District P.O. Box 108
Palo Verde, AZ 85343 Chad Turner, Superintendent
Arlington Elementary
School District
9410 S. 355th Avenue Arlington, AZ 85322 Carter Gable Arlington Canal Company P.O. Box 150 Arlington, AZ 85322 Doris Heisler Tonopah Valley Association
3002 N. 423rd Avenue
Tonopah, AZ 85354 Lyle King Buckeye Farmer P.O. Box 224
Arlington, AZ 85322
Chris Larson Arlington CATS Club P.O. Box 194
Arlington, AZ 85322 Arizona Public Service Company Grace Molina
Arlington Hispanic Community
910 N. 343 rd Ave Tonopah, AZ 85354
Les Meredith Arlington Lions Club P.O. Box 69
Arlington, AZ 85322 Pam Miller HC03 Box 85
Palo Verde, AZ 85343
Neil Peters P.O. Box 57 Arlington, AZ 85322
Paul Roetto Friends of Saddle Mountain 3708 N. 339th Avenue
Tonopah, AZ 85354
Roxanne Morris Ruth Fisher Unified School District 38201 W. Indian School Road Tonopah, AZ 85354
Judy Shaw
20 N. 350th Avenue Tonopah, AZ 85354
Robert Hathaway
TVCC 37705 W. Buckeye Road
Tonopah, AZ 85354 Jack Arend Tonopah Valley Community Council P.O. Box 874
Tonopah, AZ 85354 Melba Jury
33228 W. Sunland Ave.
Tonopah, AZ 85354
Andy Jacobs Office of U.S. Senator Jon Kyl 2200 E. Camelback Road, Suite 120 Phoenix, AZ 85016
Arizona Public Service Company Carlos Sierra
Office of U.S. Senator John McCain
5353 North 16th Street, Suite 105 Phoenix, AZ 85016
Ruben H. Reyes, District Director
Office of U.S. Congressman Raul Grijalva
810 E. 22nd Street, Suite 102 Tucson, AZ 85713 Sheriff Joe Arpaio 100 West Washington, Suite 1900 Phoenix, AZ 85003
Fulton Brock, Supervisor, District 1 Board of Supervisors 301 W. Jefferson Phoenix, AZ 85003
Don Stapley, Supervisor, District 2 Board of Supervisors 301 W. Jefferson Phoenix, AZ 85003
Andrew Kunasek, Supervisor, District 3 Board of Supervisors 301 W. Jefferson Phoenix, AZ 85003
Max W. Wilson, Supervisor, District 4 Board of Supervisors 301 W. Jefferson Phoenix, AZ 85003 Mary Rose Wilcox, Supervisor, District 5 Board of Supervisors 301 W. Jefferson Phoenix, AZ 85003
State Representative Manuel V. Alvarez
Arizona House of Representatives 1700 W. Washington Room 129 Phoenix, AZ 85007
State Senator Marsha Arzberger
Arizona Senate 1700 W. Washington Room 213 Phoenix, AZ 85007
Arizona Public Service Company Mr. Steve Olea
Arizona Corporation Commission 1200 W. Washington Street Phoenix, AZ 85007
Mr. Douglas Kent Porter
Senior Counsel
Southern California Edison Company Law Department, Generation Resources P.O. Box 800 Rosemead, CA 91770 Chairman Maricopa County Board of Supervisors 301 W. Jefferson, 10th Floor Phoenix, AZ 85003
Mr. Aubrey V. Godwin, Director
Arizona Radiation Regulatory Agency 4814 South 40 Street Phoenix, AZ 85040
Mr. Scott Bauer, Director
Regulatory Affairs
Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station Mail Station 7636 P.O. Box 52034 Phoenix, AZ 85072-2034
Mr. Dwight C. Mims Vice President Regulatory Affairs and Plant Improvement Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station Mail Station 7605 P.O. Box 52034 Phoenix, AZ 85072-2034 Mr. Jeffrey T. Weikert Assistant General Counsel
El Paso Electric Company Mail Location 167 123 W. Mills El Paso, TX 79901
Mr. Eric Tharp Los Angeles Department of Water & Power Southern California Public Power Authority P.O. Box 51111, Room 1255-C Los Angeles, CA 90051-0100
Arizona Public Service Company Mr. James Ray Public Service Company of New Mexico 2401 Aztec NE, MS Z110 Albuquerque, NM 87107-4224
Mr. Geoffrey M. Cook
Southern California Edison Company 5000 Pacific Coast Hwy. Bldg. D21 San Clemente, CA 92672 Mr. Robert Henry Salt River Project 6504 East Thomas Road Scottsdale, AZ 85251 Mr. Brian Almon Public Utility Commission William B. Travis Building P.O. Box 13326 Austin, TX 78701-3326
Environmental Program Manager City of Phoenix Office of Environmental Programs 200 West Washington Street Phoenix, AZ 85003
Mr. John C. Taylor
Director, Nuclear Generation
El Paso Electric Company 340 East Palm Lane, Suite 310 Phoenix, AZ 85004 Chief, Radiological Emergency Preparedness Section FEMA Region 9 1111 Broadway, Suite 1200 Oakland, CA 94607-4052 Arizona Public Service Company Electronic distribution by RIV:
Regional Administrator (Elmo.Collins@nrc.gov)
Deputy Regional Administrator (Chuck.Casto@nrc.gov) DRP Director (Dwight.Chamberlain@nrc.gov) DRP Deputy Director (Anton.Vegel@nrc.goV)
DRP Director (Roy.Caniano@nrc.gov)
DRP Deputy Director (Troy.Pruett@nrc.gov) Senior Resident Inspector (Ryan.Treadway@nrc.gov) Branch Chief, DRP/ (Michael.Hay@nrc.gov) Senior Project Engineer, DRP/(Don.Allen@nrc.gov) Team Leader, DRP/TSS (Chuck.Paulk@nrc.gov) RITS Coordinator (Marisa.Herrera@nrc.gov)
Public Affairs Officer (Victor.Dricks@nrc.gov)
Regional State Liaison Officer (Bill.Maier@nrc.gov) RA Secretary (Lucy.Owen@nrc.gov) DRA Secretary (Judy.Kilcrease@nrc.gov)
Branch Chief, DRS/EB1 (Thomas.Farnholtz@nrc.gov)
Branch Chief, DRS/EB2 (Neil.OKeefe@nrc.gov)
Branch Chief, DRS/PSB1 (Michael.Shannon@nrc.gov)
Branch Chief, DRS/PSB2 (Greg.Werner@nrc.gov) Branch Chief, DRS/OB (Bernard.Stapleton@nrc.gov)
OEDO RIV Coordinator, Primary (Shawn.Williams@nrc.gov)
OEDO RIV Coordinator, Backup (Eugene.Guthrie@nrc.gov)
OEDO, TRPS (Tamara.Bloomer@nrc.gov)
Deputy Director, DIRS, NRR (Frederick.Brown@nrc.gov) Director, DORL, NRR (Joseph Giitter@nrc.gov) Deputy Director, DORL, NRR (Timothy.McGinty@nrc.gov)
Chief, PLB IV, DORL, NRR (Thomas.Hiltz@nrc.gov)
NRR Project Manager (Fred.Lyon@nrc.gov)
RidsNrrDirslpab Resource@nrc.gov ROPreports.Resource@nrc.gov mortensengk@INPO.org
File located: R:\Reactors\EOC Letters\2008\PV.doc SUNSI Rev Compl. Yes No ADAMS Yes No Reviewer Initials MCH Publicly Avail Yes No Sensitive Yes No Sens. Type Initials MCH RIV:C:DRP/D D:DRS D:DRP RA MCHay RCaniano DChamberlain ECollins /RA/ /RA/ /RA/ /RA/ 2/23/2009 2/23/2009 2/24/2009 2/25/2009 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY T=Telephone E=E-mail F=Fax
Arizona Public Service Company
Inspection / Activity Plan Page 1 of 2 02/23/2009 12:42:27 Report 22 03/01/2009
-06/30/2010 Unit Number Planned Dates Start End Inspection Activity Title No. of Staff on Site Palo Verde EP1-EP EXERCISE EVALUATION 3 1, 2, 3 IP Emergency Response Organization, Drill/Exercise Performance Indicator, Program Review 2515/175 03/02/2009 03/06/2009 1, 2, 3 IP Exercise Evaluation 7111401 03/02/2009 03/06/2009 1, 2, 3 IP Emergency Action Level and Emergency Plan Changes 7111404 03/02/2009 03/06/2009 1, 2, 3 IP Performance Indicator Verification 71151 03/02/2009 03/06/2009 EB2-07T-TRIENNIAL HEAT SINK INSPECTION 2 1, 2, 3 IP Heat Sink Performance 7111107T 03/16/2009 03/20/2009 EB1-08-U3 INSERVICE INSPECTION 2 3 IP Reactor Coolant System Dissimiliar Metal Butt Welds 2515/172 04/06/2009 05/15/2009 3 IP Inservice Inspection Activities - PWR 7111108P 04/06/2009 05/15/2009 RP-ORS4-OCCUPATIONAL RADIATION SAFETY 1 1, 2, 3 IP A ccess Control to Radiologically Significant Areas 7112101 04/13/2009 04/17/2009 1, 2, 3 IP A LARA Planning and Controls 7112102 04/13/2009 04/17/2009 1, 2, 3 IP Performance Indicator Verification 71151 04/13/2009 04/17/2009 EB1-21-CDBI 5 1, 2, 3 IP Component Design Bases Inspection 7111121 06/22/2009 06/26/2009 1, 2, 3 IP Component Design Bases Inspection 7111121 07/06/2009 07/17/2009 EB1-08-U2 INSERVICE INSPECTION ACTIVITIES 1 2 IP Reactor Coolant System Dissimiliar Metal Butt Welds 2515/172 10/03/2009 12/01/2009 2 IP Inservice Inspection Activities - PWR 7111108P 10/03/2009 12/01/2009 EB2-LRI-LICENSE RENEWAL INSPECTION 5 1, 2, 3 IP License Renewal Inspection 71002 11/30/2009 12/04/2009 1, 2, 3 IP License Renewal Inspection 71002 12/14/2009 12/18/2009 EXAM-INITIAL EXAM 6 1 INITIAL EXAM UNIT1-PV (8/2009)
X02413 11/19/2009 11/30/2009 1 INITIAL EXAM UNIT1-PV (8/2009)
X02413 11/19/2009 11/30/2009 2 INITIAL EXAM UNIT 2-PV (8/2009)
X02414 11/19/2009 11/30/2009 3 INITIAL EXAM UNIT 3-PV (8/2009)
X02415 11/19/2009 11/30/2009 RP-ORS5-OCCUPATIONAL RADIATION SAFETY - ALARA 1 1, 2, 3 IP A ccess Control to Radiologically Significant Areas 7112101 12/07/2009 12/11/2009 1, 2, 3 IP A LARA Planning and Controls 7112102 12/07/2009 12/11/2009 1, 2, 3 IP Performance Indicator Verification 71151 12/07/2009 12/11/2009 EB2-05T-TRIENNIAL FIRE PROTECTION 4 1, 2, 3 IP Fire Protection [Triennial]
7111105T 01/25/2010 01/29/2010 1, 2, 3 IP Fire Protection [Triennial]
7111105T 02/08/2010 02/12/2010 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 02/23/2009 12:42:27 Report 22 03/01/2009
-06/30/2010 Unit Number Planned Dates Start End Inspection Activity Title No. of Staff on Site Palo Verde EP-1-BIENNIAL EP PROGRAM INSPECTION 1 1, 2, 3 IP A lert and Notification System Testing 7111402 02/08/2010 02/12/2010 1, 2, 3 IP Emergency Response Organization Augmentation Testing 7111403 02/08/2010 02/12/2010 1, 2, 3 IP Emergency Action Level and Emergency Plan Changes 7111404 02/08/2010 02/12/2010 1, 2, 3 IP Correction of Emergency Preparedness Weaknesses and Deficiencies 7111405 02/08/2010 02/12/2010 1, 2, 3 IP Drill/Exercise Performance 71151-EP01 02/08/2010 02/12/2010 1, 2, 3 IP ERO Drill Participation 71151-EP02 02/08/2010 02/12/2010 1, 2, 3 IP A lert & Notification System 71151-EP03 02/08/2010 02/12/2010 EB1-08P-INSERVICE INSPECTION - U1 3 1 IP Reactor Coolant System Dissimiliar Metal Butt Welds 2515/172 04/05/2010 05/07/2010 1 IP Inservice Inspection Activities - PWR 7111108P 04/05/2010 05/07/2010 This report does not include INPO and OUTAGE activities.
This report shows only on-site and announced inspection procedures.