ML100621039

Annual Assessment Letter - Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2 (05000387-10-001 and 05000388-10-001)

ML100621039
Person / Time
Site:	Susquehanna
Issue date:	03/03/2010
From:	David Lew Reactor Projects Region 1 Branch 4
To:	Rausch T Susquehanna
KROHN P, RI/DRP/PB4/610-337-5120
References
IR-10-001
Download: ML100621039 (6)

See also: IR 05000387/2010001

Text

UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

REGION ~

475 ALLENDALE ROAD

KING OF PRUSSIA, PENNSYLVANIA 19406-1415

March 3, 2010

Mr. Timothy S. Rausch

Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer

PPL Susquehanna, LLC

769 Salem Boulevard

Berwick, PA 18603-0467

SURIECT: ANNUAL ASSESSMENT LETTER -- SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC

STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 (05000387/2010001 and 0500038812010001)

Dear Mr. Rausch:

On February 16,2010, the NRC staff completed its performance review of the Susquehanna

Steam Electric Station (Susquehanna). Our technical staff reviewed performance indicators

(Pis) for the most recent quarter and inspection results for the period from January 1, 2009

through December 31, 2009. 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 Information" will

include the security cornerstone review and resultant inspection plan.

Overall, Susquehanna Units 1 and 2 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) for the six cornerstones under the Reactor and

Radiation Safety strategic performance areas. Therefore, we plan to conduct reactor oversight

process (ROP) baseline inspections at your facility.

On January 28, 2009, we issued you a potential Chilling Effect Letter (CEl) regarding the Safety

Conscious Work Environment (SCWE) at Susquehanna (ML090280115) 1. In that letter we

expressed concem with the progress and effectiveness of your actions to address indications of

a declining SCWE and negative employee perceptions during 2008, as it may have impacted

employee willingness to raise safety concerns and could lead to a chilling effect on site. As

discussed in the 2009 Mid-Cycle Performance Assessment Letter (ML0924402700), issuance of

1 Designation in parenthesis refers to an Agencywide Documents Access and Management System

(ADAMS) accession number. Documents referenced in this letter are publicly available using the

accession number in ADAMS.

T. Rausch 2

the potential CEl met the first criterion for consideration of a SeWE Substantive Cross Cutting

Issue (SCCI) over the next three plant assessment cycles. This assessment is the second

since the issuance of the potential eEL.

During 2009, we reviewed your action plans and root cause evaluation to address SCWE issues

at the site. We also performed targeted inspection samples and trend reviews to monitor your

progress and reviewed the results of an independent culture survey (Ml091330762,

Ml092230158, ML093170375, and Ml100321652). In addition, NRC management conducted

several site visits and held a public meeting on July 6, 2009, to discuss work environment

issues (Ml091940440). Based on these activities, we note that PPL has taken reasonable

actions to improve SCWE at the site. PPL actions included several organizational changes,

improved communications to the workforce, additional SCWE training for supervisors and

managers, work policy revisions, and development of additional means for workers to raise

issues. NRC inspections confirmed the effectiveness of these actions and documented an

improving work environment, SCWE metrics, and safety culture survey results. Furthermore,

we noted that the number of allegations received by the NRC from onsite sources during 2009

(15), although stili greater than the industry norm, was significantly lower than in 2008 (32).

Based on direct inspection, allegation trend data, SCWE metriCS, and survey results, the NRC

has determined that you have made reasonable progress in addressing SCWE issues at

Susquehanna during 2009. Specifically, in evaluating your scope of efforts and progress in

addressing SCWE issues, the staff determined that you recognized the issue impacted multiple

areas across the site; took appropriate and timely actions to address it; and completed a range

of corrective actions which have been implemented and are judged, at this time, to have been

effective in addressing the underlying issues. Therefore, the staff has concluded that a SeWE

SCCI does not exist at this time.

Notwithstanding this progress, the NRC will continue to monitor your activities to address SCWE

issues at Susquehanna through the baseline inspection program. Specifically, the NRC will use

focused inspection samples and a biennial problem identification and resolution team inspection

to continue to review the progress and effectiveness of your corrective actions in this area.

Also, the NRC continues to review some events that occurred during 2008. You will be

informed of the outcome of these deliberations via separate correspondence. The NRC

acknowledges that following your evaluations of SCWE plan effectiveness during 2009, you

made revisions to the plan in a timely manner (ML090760146, ML091800460, ML100260405).

Similarly, PPl wifLneed to continue to evaluate and assess new information going forward to

make appropriate adjustments to SCWE improvement plans, if warranted.

The enclosed inspection plan details the inspections, less those related to physical protection,

scheduled through June 30, 2011. In addition to the baseline inspections, we also plan on

conducting inspection procedure 71004 regarding Unit 1 power uprate activities. 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 made available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public

Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records (PARS) component of NRC's

Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible

from the NRC website at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html(the Public Electronic

Reading Room).

T. Rausch 3

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 Paul Krohn at 610-337-5120 with any

questions you may have regarding this letter or the inspection plan.

(

David C. Lew, Director

Division of Reactor Projects

Region I

Docket Nos. 50-387; 50-388

License Nos. NPF-14, NPF-22

cc w!encl: Distribution via ListServ

Susquehanna Inspection! Activity Plan

I

T. Rausch 3

I

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 Paul Krohn at 610-337-5120 with any

I

questions you may have regarding this letter or the inspection plan.

Sincerely,

IRA!

David C. Lew, Director

Division of Reactor Projects

Distribution w/encl: (via a-mail) P. Finney, DRP, SHI N. Sheehan, RI

S.Collins, RA J. Bream, DRP, Acting RI R Barkley, R

M. Dapas, DRA S. Farrell, DRP, OA John Thompson, NRR

D. Lew, DRP L. Trocine, RI OEDO RidsNrrPMSusquehannaResource

J. Clifford, DRP DRS Directors RidsNrrDirslpab@nrc.gov

P. Krohn, DRP DRS Branch Chiefs (6) ROPreportsResource@nrc.gov

A. RosebrooK, DRP N. McNamara, RI

E. Torres, DRP D. Tifft. RI

J. Bream, DRP D. Serena, RI

SUNSI REVIEW COMPLETE: AAR (Reviewer's Initials) ML100621039

DOC NAME S;\ROP-1 0 EOC RevieW\Branch 4\SSES ROP-10 EOC\Susquehanna 2009 EOC Letter Rev1.doc

After declaring this document "An Official Agency Record n it will be released to the Public.

To receive acopy of ibis document, indicate In the box: 'C' =Copy without attachment/enclosure 'E'" Copy with attachment/enclosure 'N' = No copy

OFFICE IRlfDRP I RIIDRP 1 HQlAAC RlfDRP 1

NAME IARosebrook/ MR PKrohni AAR for LMJarriell AAR* DLewl DCl

DATE 102/23110 03/02/10 03/02 110 03/02/10

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

• CONCUR VIA EMAIL

Page 1 of2 Susquehanna

0212412010 11 :19:41 Inspection I Activity Plan

Report 22

01/01/2010 * 06/3012011

Planned Dates

Start

M!!.!iiM iN t!f:!~.MJ ~!:l!~2!l2nfctiYJt¥ I! !MIl ¥6 WM5%M#W§!!IA S"ga%S%';!et  ;

Title

! tHttiii¥thffih U ¥MfM!M5 ""! ,*w.!!!J lIi\!!MllI!$iW"

71152B -PI&R 4

1,2 01/11/2010 01/15/2010 lP 711528 Identification and Resolution of Problems

1.2 01/2512010 01129/2010 IP 711528 Identification and Resolution of Problems

2515/173 * GROUNDWATER TI

1,2 02/0812010 02/12/2010 IP 25151173 Review of the Implementation of the Industry Ground Water Protection Voluntary Initiative

71004 - UNIT 1 POWER UPRATE INSPECTION 2

03/0212010 04/15/2010 IP 71004 Power Uprate

7111108G * U1 INSERVICE INSPECTION 1

03115/2010 03/1912010 IP 7111108G Inservice Inspection Activities - BWR

71124 -HP

03/15/2010 03/19/2010 IP 71124.01 Radiological Hazard Assessment and Exposure Controls

03f15f2010 03{19(2010 IP 71124.02 Occupational ALARA Planning and Controls

03115/2010 03/19/2010 IP 71124,Q3 In-Plant Airborne Radioactivity Control and Mitigation

71124 -RETS

1.2 05/1012010 05114/2010 IP 71124.05 Radiation Monitoring Instrumentation

1.2 05/1012010 05/14/2010 IP 71124.06 Radioactive Gaseous and liquid Effluent Treatment

71124 -HP

i.2 06128120iQ 07/02/'201U IP 71124.01 Radiologicai Hazard Assessment and Exposure Con trois

1.2 06/28/2010 07(0212010 IP 71124.02 Occupational ALARA Planning and Controls

1,2 06128/2010 07/02/2010 IP 71124.04 Occupational Dose Assessment

71124 - HP &ISFSI 1

1,2 08/23/2010 08/27/2010 IP 60855.1 Operation of an Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation at Operating Plants

1.2 08123/2010 08/2712010 IP 71124.01 Radiological Hazard Assessment and Exposure Controls

1.2 08123/2010 08127/2010 IP 71124.05 Radiation Monitoring Instrumentation

1,2 08123/2010 08/2712010 IP 71151*0R01 Occupational Exposure Control Effectiveness

CDBI - COMPONENT DESIGN BASES INSPECTION 6

1.2 09/1312010 09/17/2010 IP 7111121 Component Design Bases Inspection

1.2 09127/2010 10/0812010 IP 7111121 Component Bases Inspection

12/13EXM - INITIAL OPERATOR LICENSING EXAM 4

12/13/2010 12/1712010 U01793 FY11- SUSQUEHANNA Ul&2INITIAL OPERATOR LICENSING EXAM

01/10/2011 01(14/2011 U01793 FY11* SUSQUEHANNA U1&2INITIAL OPERATOR LICENSING EXAM

EPEX - EP EXERCISE EVALUATION 4

1.2 10/04/2010 10/0812010 IP 7111401 Exercise Evaluation

1.2 10/04/2010 10/08/2010 IP 7111404 Emergency Action Level and Emergency Plan Changes

1.2 10/04/2010 10/0812010 IP 71151-EP01 Drill/Exercise Performance

~hlSrellOrt does not include lNPO iiiia5UrAGE activities.

[ThiS report shom only on-site and announced inspection procedures.

Page 2 of2 ,. Susquehanna

02124/201011 :19:41 Inspection I Activity Plan

Report 22

01/01/2010. - 06/30/2011

lPIanned Dates

. Start End Title

EPEX - EP EXERCISE EVALUATION 4

1,2 10/0412010 10/0812010 IP 71151-EP02 ERO Drill Participation

1.2 10/04/2010 10/0812010 IP 711S1-EP03 Alert & Notification System

71124.08 - RADWASTE

1,2 11/29/2010 1210312010 IP 71124.08 Radioactive Solid Waste Processing and Radioactive Material Handling. Storage. and Transportation

1,2 11/29/2010 12/03/2010 IP 71151-PR01 RETS/ODCM Radiological Effluent

7111108G - U21NSERVICE INSPECTION

2 04/11/2011 04/1512011 IP 7111108G Inservice Inspection Activities - BWR

71124 * HP

2 05/02/2011 0510612011 IP 71124.01 Radiological Hazard Assessment and Exposure Controls

2 05/02/2011 05/0612011 IP 71124.02 Occupational ALARA Planning and Controls

2 05/02/2011 05/06/2011 IP 71124.03 In-Plant Airbome Radioactivity Control and Mitigation

TRI FIRE - TRIENNIAL FIRE PROTECTION INSPECTION 3

1,2 06/06/2011 06/10/2011 IP 71111051 Fire Protection [Triennial!

1,2 06/2012011 06/24/2011 IP 7111105T Fire Protection [Triennial]

71124 - REMP

1,2 06/0612011 06110/2011 lP 71124.07 Public Radiation Safety

his report does not inClude INPO and OUTAGE activities.

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