IR 05000424/2008501

Download: ML083660013

Text

December 31, 2008

Mr. TomVice President Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.

Vogtle Electric Generating Plant 7821 River Road Waynesboro, GA 30830

SUBJECT: VOGTLE - NRC EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS INSPECTION REPORT 05000424/2008-501 AND 05000425/2008-501

Dear Mr. Tynan:

On December 5, 2008, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an inspection at your Vogtle, Units 1 and 2. The enclosed inspection report documents the inspection results, which were discussed on December 5, 2008, with Mr. R. Dedrickson and other members of your staff.

The inspection examined activities conducted under your license as they relate to safety and compliance with the Commission's rules and regulations and with the conditions of your license.

The inspectors reviewed selected procedures and records, observed activities, and interviewed personnel.

Based on the results of this inspection, no findings of significance were identified.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 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 Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records (PARS) component of NRC's document system (ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Website at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).

Sincerely,Ruben Hamilton /RA/ for Brian Bonser, Chief Plant Support Branch 1 Division of Reactor Safety Docket No.(s): 50-424, 50-425 License No.(s): NPF-68, NPF-81

Enclosure:

Inspection Report 05000424/2008-501 and 05000425/2008-501

w/Attachment:

Supplemental Information cc w/encl.: (See page 2)

SNC 2 cc w/encl: Angela Thornhill Managing Attorney and Compliance Officer Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. Electronic Mail Distribution N. J. Stringfellow Manager Licensing Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. Electronic Mail Distribution Jeffrey T. Gasser Executive Vice President Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. Electronic Mail Distribution L. Mike Stinson Vice President Fleet Operations Support Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. Electronic Mail Distribution Michael A. MacFarlane Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. 40 Inverness Center Parkway P.O. Box 1295 Birmingham, AL 35201-1295 David H. Jones Vice President Engineering Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.

Electronic Mail Distribution Bob Masse Resident Manager Vogtle Electric Generating Plant Oglethorpe Power Corporation Electronic Mail Distribution Moanica Caston Vice President and General Counsel Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. Electronic Mail Distribution Laurence Bergen Oglethorpe Power Corporation Electronic Mail Distribution Mr. N. Holcomb Commissioner Department of Natural Resources Electronic Mail Distribution Dr. Carol Couch Director Environmental Protection Department of Natural Resources Electronic Mail Distribution Cynthia Sanders Program Manager Radioactive Materials Program Department of Natural Resources Electronic Mail Distribution Jim Sommerville (Acting) Chief Environmental Protection Division Department of Natural Resources Electronic Mail Distribution Mr. Steven M. Jackson Senior Engineer - Power Supply Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia Electronic Mail Distribution Mr. Reece McAlister Executive Secretary Georgia Public Service Commission Electronic Mail Distribution Office of the Attorney General Electronic Mail Distribution Office of the County Commissioner Burke County Commission Electronic Mail Distribution Arthur H. Domby, Esq. Troutman Sanders Electronic Mail Distribution SNC 3 cc:w/encl Director Consumers' Utility Counsel Division Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs 2 M. L. King, Jr. Drive Plaza Level East; Suite 356 Atlanta, GA 30334-4600 Senior Resident Inspector Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant U.S. NRC 7821 River Road Waynesboro, GA 30830 Susan E. Jenkins Director, Division of Waste Management Bureau of Land and Waste Management S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control Electronic Mail Distribution SNC 4 Letter to Tom

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

IR 05000424/2008-501 and 05000425/2008-501; 06/06/2008 - 12/05/2008; Vogtle Electric

Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2; Emergency Preparedness

The report covered an announced inspection by two emergency preparedness inspectors, a reactor operations engineer, and two resident inspectors. The NRC's program for overseeing the safe operation of commercial nuclear power reactors is described in NUREG-1649, "Reactor

Oversight Process."

A. NRC-Identified and Self-Revealing Findings

No findings of significance were identified.

B. Licensee-Identified Violations

None

REPORT DETAILS

REACTOR SAFETY

Cornerstone:

Emergency Preparedness 1EP1 Exercise Evaluation

a. Inspection Scope

Prior to the inspection activity, the inspectors conducted an in-office review of the exercise objectives and scenario submitted to the NRC to determine if the exercise would test major elements of the emergency plan as required by 10 CFR 50.47(b)(14). This inspection activity represents one sample on a biennial cycle. The onsite inspection consisted of the following review and assessment:

• The adequacy of the licensee's performance in the biennial exercise conducted on December 2, 2008, was reviewed and assessed regarding the implementation of the Risk Significant Planning Standards (RSPSs) in 10 CFR 50.47 (b)(4), (5), (9), and (10), which address emergency classification, offsite notification, radiological assessment, and protective action recommendations, respectively.

• The overall adequacy of the licensee's emergency response facilities with regard to NUREG-0696, "Functional Criteria for Emergency Response Facilities" and Emergency Plan commitments. The facilities assessed were the Control Room simulator, Technical Support Center (TSC), Operations Support Center (OSC) and Emergency Operations Facility (EOF).

• Other performance areas besides the RSPS, such as the emergency response organization's (ERO) recognition of abnormal plant conditions, command and control, intra- and inter-facility communications, prioritization of mitigation activities, utilization of repair and field monitoring teams, interface with offsite agencies, and the overall implementation of the emergency plan and its implementing procedures.

• Past performance issues from NRC inspection reports and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)/Department of Homeland Security (DHS) exercise reports to determine effectiveness of corrective actions as demonstrated during this exercise to ensure compliance with 10 CFR 50.47(b)(14).

• The post-exercise critique process and the presentation to the licensee's senior management conducted on December 4, 2008, to evaluate the licensee's self-assessment of its ERO performance during the exercise and to ensure compliance with 10 CFR 50 Appendix E.IV.F.2.g.

The inspectors reviewed various documents which are listed in the Attachment to this report.

b. Findings

No findings of significance were identified. 1EP4 Emergency Action Level and Emergency Plan Changes

a. Inspection Scope

Since the last NRC inspection of this program area, Revisions 45, 46, 48, 49, and 50 of the Radiological Emergency Response Plan was implemented based on the licensee's determination, in accordance with 10 CFR 50.54(q), that the changes resulted in no decrease in the effectiveness of the Plan, and that the revised Plan continued to meet the requirements of 10 CFR 50.47(b) and Appendix E to 10 CFR Part 50. The inspectors conducted a sampling review of the Plan changes and implementing procedure changes made between September 30, 2007 and October 31, 2008 to evaluate for potential decreases in effectiveness of the Plan. However, this review was not documented in a Safety Evaluation Report and does not constitute formal NRC approval of the changes. Therefore, these changes remain subject to future NRC inspection in their entirety. The inspection was conducted in accordance with NRC Inspection Procedure 71114, Attachment 04, AEmergency Action Level and Emergency Plan Changes.@ The applicable planning standard (PS), 10 CFR 50.47(b)(4) and its related 10 CFR 50, Appendix E requirements were used as reference criteria.

The inspectors reviewed various documents which are listed in the Attachment to this report. This inspection activity satisfied one inspection sample for the emergency action level and emergency plan changes on an annual basis.

b. Findings

No findings of significance were identified.

4OA1 Performance Indicator Verification

a. Inspection Scope

Cornerstone: Emergency Preparedness The inspectors sampled licensee submittals for three Performance Indicators (PI) listed below. For each of the submittals reviewed, the inspectors reviewed the period from January 1, 2007 through March 31, 2008.

To verify the accuracy of the PI data reported during that period, PI definitions and guidance contained in Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) 99-02, ARegulatory Assessment Indicator Guideline,@ Revision 5, were used to verify the basis in reporting for each data element.

$ Emergency Response Organization Drill/Exercise Performance (DEP) $ Emergency Response Organization Readiness (ERO) $ Alert and Notification System Reliability (ANS) The inspectors reviewed portions of the raw PI data developed from monthly performance indicator reports and discussed the methods for compiling and reporting the PIs with cognizant emergency preparedness personnel. The inspectors also independently screened drill and exercise opportunity evaluations, drill participation reports, and drill evaluations. Selected reported values were calculated to verify their accuracy. The inspectors compared graphical representations from the most recent PI report to the raw data to verify that the data was correctly reflected in the report.

Reviewed documents are listed in the Attachment to this report.

b. Findings

No findings of significance were identified.

4OA5 Other Activities

.1 (Closed) NRC Temporary Instruction (TI) 2525/175, Emergency Response Organization, Drill/Exercise Performance Indicator, Program Review

The inspectors completed Temporary Instruction TI 2515/175, Emergency Response Organization, Drill/Exercise Performance Indicator, Program Review. Appropriate documentation of the results was provided to NRC, HQ, as required by the TI.

This completes the Region II inspection requirements for this TI for Vogtle Electric Generating Plant.

4OA6 Meetings, including Exit

On December 5, 2008, the lead inspector presented the inspection results to Mr. R. Dedrickson and other members of his staff. The inspectors confirmed that proprietary information was not provided during the inspection.

ATTACHMENT: