IR 05000454/2003010

IR 05000454-03-010(DRS); 05000455-03-010(DRS); 12/01/03 - 12/05/03; Byron Station; Units 1 and 2; Emergency Preparedness Specialist Report

ML033650094
Person / Time
Site:	Byron
Issue date:	12/29/2003
From:	Kenneth Riemer Plant Support Branch II
To:	Skolds J Exelon Generation Co, Exelon Nuclear
References
IR-03-010
Download: ML033650094 (14)

Text

ber 29, 2003

SUBJECT:

BYRON STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 NRC EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS INSPECTION REPORT 05000454/2003010(DRS); 05000455/2003010(DRS)

Dear Mr. Skolds:

On December 5, 2003, the NRC completed an inspection at your Byron Station. The enclosed report documents the inspection findings, which were discussed on December 5, 2003, with you and members of your staff.

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

The inspectors reviewed selected procedures and records, observed activities, and interviewed personnel. Specifically, this inspection focused on emergency preparedness, including your staffs determinations of performance indicators for the Emergency Preparedness Cornerstone.

On the basis of the results of this inspection, no findings of significance were identified.

In accordance with 10 CFR Part 2.790 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). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).

Sincerely,

/RA/

Kenneth Riemer, Chief Plant Support Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket Nos. 50-454; 50-455 License Nos. NPF-37; NPF-66 Enclosure: Inspection Report 05000454/2003010(DRS);

05000455/2003010(DRS)

w/Attachment: Supplemental Information See Attached Distribution

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

IR 05000454/2003010(DRS); 05000455/2003010(DRS); on 12/01/2003 - 12/05/2003; Byron

Station; Units 1 and 2; Emergency Preparedness Specialist Report.

The report covers a one-week baseline inspection by one regional emergency preparedness inspector, a radiation protection inspector, and two resident inspectors. The inspection focused on the Emergency Preparedness Cornerstone in the Reactor Safety strategic performance area during the biennial emergency preparedness exercise. This inspection also included a review of records related to the three emergency preparedness performance indicators for the period April 1, 2002 through September 30, 2003, and emergency action level and emergency plan changes. No findings of significance were identified.

The NRCs program for overseeing the safe operation of commercial nuclear power reactors is described in NUREG-1649, Reactor Oversight Process, Revision 3, dated July 2000.

A. Inspector-Identified and Self-Revealed Findings None

Licensee-Identified Violations

None

REPORT DETAILS

1EP1 Exercise Evaluation

a. Inspection Scope

The inspectors reviewed the December 3, 2003, biennial emergency preparedness exercises objectives and scenario to ensure that the exercise would acceptably test major elements of the licensees emergency plan and to verify that the exercises simulated problems provided an acceptable framework to support demonstration of the licensees capability to implement its plan. The inspectors also reviewed a summary of an emergency preparedness drill, which was conducted on October 22, 2003, to determine whether that scenario was sufficiently different from the scenario used in the December 3, 2003 exercise.

The inspectors evaluated the licensees exercise performance, focusing on the risk-significant activities of emergency classification, notification, and protective action decision making, as well as implementation of accident mitigation strategies in the following emergency response facilities:

• Control Room Simulator (CRS);

• Technical Support Center (TSC);

• Operations Support Center (OSC); and

• Emergency Operations Facility (EOF).

The inspectors also assessed the licensees recognition of abnormal plant conditions, transfer of responsibilities between facilities, internal communications, interfaces with offsite officials, readiness of emergency facilities and related equipment, and overall implementation of the licensees emergency plan.

The inspectors attended post-exercise critiques in the TSC, OSC, and EOF to evaluate the licensees initial self-assessment of its exercise performance. The inspectors later met with the licensees lead exercise evaluators to obtain the licensees refined assessments of its exercise participants performances. These self-assessments were then compared with the inspectors independent observations and assessments to assess the licensees ability to adequately critique station performance during the exercise.

b. Findings

No findings of significance were identified.

1EP4 Emergency Action Level and Emergency Plan Changes

a. Inspection Scope

The inspectors reviewed Revisions 13, 14, and 15 of the Exelon Nuclear Radiological Emergency Plan Annex for Byron to determine whether changes identified reduced the effectiveness of the licensees emergency planning, pending onsite inspection of the implementation of these changes.

b. Findings

No findings of significance were identified.

4OA1 Performance Indicator (PI) Verification

a. Inspection Scope

The inspectors reviewed the licensees records related to each of the three emergency preparedness PIs to verify that the licensees program was implemented consistent with the industry guidelines in Nuclear Energy Institute publication No. 99-02, Regulatory Assessment Performance Indicator Guideline, Revision 2, and related licensee procedures. Specifically, licensee records related to the performance of the Alert and Notification System (ANS), key Emergency Response Organization (ERO) members drill participation, and Drill and Exercise Performance (DEP) were reviewed to verify the accuracy and completeness of the PI data submitted to NRC for the period from April 2002 through September 2003.

b. Findings

No findings of significance were identified.

4OA6 Meetings

.1 Exit Meeting

An exit meeting was conducted for:

• Emergency Preparedness with Mr. D. Hoots and other members of licensee management and staff at the conclusion of the inspection on December 5, 2003.

The licensee acknowledged the information presented. No proprietary information was identified.

.2 Public and Media Briefing

On December 5, 2003, an inspector summarized the NRCs preliminary conclusions on the licensees exercise and critique performances at a public and media briefing hosted by Federal Emergency Management Agency staff in Oregon, Illinois.

ATTACHMENT:

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee

C. Brown, Emergency Preparedness Manager

D. Drawbaugh, NRC Coordinator

K. Hansing, Nuclear Oversight Manager

D. Hoots, Plant Manager

J. Langan, Regulatory Assurance Specialist

S. Merrell, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator

M. Snow, Work Control Manager

LIST OF ITEMS

Opened and Closed

None

Discussed

None