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Category:Letter
MONTHYEARML24271A1572024-09-27027 September 2024 Notification of Planned Closing, Trust Fund Balance at Transfer and Proof of Insurance ML24240A1692024-09-18018 September 2024 Cy 2023 Summary of Decommissioning Trust Fund Status ML24165A2812024-06-13013 June 2024 Northstar Vallecitos, LLC, Documentary Evidence of Insurance Vallecitos Nuclear Center ML24157A0882024-06-0505 June 2024 GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas, LLC, Vallecitos Nuclear Center (Vnc) Organization Change ML24151A6482024-06-0303 June 2024 Changes in Reactor Decommissioning Branch Project Management Assignments for Some Decommissioning Facilities IR 05000018/20240012024-05-29029 May 2024 GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy - NRC Inspection Report 05000018/2024-001, 050 00070/2024-001, 050-00183/2024-001, and 050-00073/2024-001 ML24039A0192024-04-25025 April 2024 Order Approving Transfer of the Vallecitos Nuclear Center Licenses and Conforming License Amendments ML24088A2392024-03-28028 March 2024 GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas, LLC, NRC Notice Before Actions Necessary to Accomplish the Indirect Transfers of Control Are Completed - Step Two ML24051A1802024-02-22022 February 2024 Boiling Water Reactor License Termination Plan Request for Additional Information - Letter ML24032A1082024-02-0101 February 2024 GEH Notification of GE Company Stock Beneficial Ownership Filing ML24022A3232024-01-22022 January 2024 Geha/Northstar Response to NRC Request for Additional Information Regarding Direct Transfer of Vnc Licenses IR 05000018/20230022024-01-0909 January 2024 GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy - NRC Inspection Report 05000018/2023002, 05000070/2023002, and 05000183/2023002 ML23345A1222023-12-21021 December 2023 Request for Additional Information Regarding the Direct Transfer of Control of Vallecitos Nuclear Center Licenses and Conforming License Amendments ML23345A0812023-12-11011 December 2023 Request for Exemption from Enhanced Weapons, Firearms Background Checks, and Security Event Notifications Implementation ML23338A1312023-12-0404 December 2023 GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas, LLC, Additional Information to Geha and GNF-A Application for Order Consenting to Indirect Transfer of Control (Reference 1) ML23283A3292023-11-30030 November 2023 NRC Issuance of Order Consenting to Indirect Transfer of Control of Ge/Geha/Gnfa Licenses ML23334A2222023-11-30030 November 2023 GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy - NRC Notice Before Actions Necessary to Accomplish the Indirect Transfers of Control Are Completed ML23279A1322023-11-13013 November 2023 GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy - Vallecitos Nuclear Center, Getr Decommissioning Plan (License Number TR-1, Docket Number 50-70) ML23310A1132023-11-0909 November 2023 FRN-Notice of Consideration of Approval of Direct Transfer of Control of Vallecitos Nuclear Center Licenses Conforming License Amendments Opportunity for a Hearing Transmittal Letter ML23305A0522023-11-0101 November 2023 GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy Additional Supplemental Information - Revised Exhibit H ML23275A1742023-10-26026 October 2023 Acceptance Review of Application for Consent to Direct Transfer of Control of Vallecitos Nuclear Center Licenses and Conforming License Amendments ML23292A3362023-10-19019 October 2023 Northstar Vallecitos, LLC, Supplemental Information - Financial Qualifications ML23276B3952023-10-13013 October 2023 the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Staff Assessment of Ge/Geha/Gnfa Reponses to Acceptance Observations Application for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Consent to Indirect Transfer of Licenses ML23269A1062023-09-26026 September 2023 GEH Description of Process for Decommissioning the Vallecitos Nuclear Center (Vnc) Shutdown Reactors - Getr Decommissioning Plan ML23261A5922023-09-15015 September 2023 GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas, LLC, License Termination Plan for the Vallecitos Boiling Water Reactor License DPR-1 ML23257A2492023-09-14014 September 2023 Cultural Resources Report ML23248A2322023-09-0505 September 2023 GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy - Supplemental Information - Proposed Conforming Amendments & License Conditions ML23244A2472023-09-0101 September 2023 GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas, LLC and Northstar Vallecitos, LLC, Application for Consent to Direct Transfers of Control of Licenses and Related Conforming License Amendments ML23229A5122023-08-17017 August 2023 GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas, LLC, Response to NRC Staff Observations Enclosed with NRC Acceptance Letter (Reference 2) Related to GE, Geha and GNF-A Application (Reference 1) ML23191A8592023-07-27027 July 2023 Acceptance Letter GE GNFA and Geha Application for NRC Consent to Indirect Transfer of Licenses ML23150A0962023-05-30030 May 2023 GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, Nuclear Center (Vnc) Organization Change ML23152A1162023-05-30030 May 2023 Application for Order Consenting to Indirect Transfer of Control with Respect to Reactor Licenses, Materials Licenses, and Export Licenses, and Notification Regarding Other Approvals IR 05000018/20230012023-05-0505 May 2023 GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy - NRC Inspection Report 05000018/2023001, 05000070/2023001, and 05000183/2023001 ML23123A0752023-04-12012 April 2023 Response to NRC Request for Inspection Documents ML23104A4172023-03-31031 March 2023 GNF-AGEH Financial Assurance of Decommissioning Funds - Surety Bond Riders Cover Letter and Affidavit ML23090A1802023-03-31031 March 2023 GEH - Financial Assurance Status Reports ML23083B3402023-03-24024 March 2023 GEH Annual Shutdown Reactor Reports for the Year 2022 ML22361A1022023-02-24024 February 2023 Reactor Decommissioning Branch Project Management Changes for Some Decommissioning Facilities and Establishment of Backup Project Manager for All Decommissioning Facilities ML23054A3332023-02-23023 February 2023 GEH Notification of GE Company Stock Beneficial Ownership Filing ML23018A2832023-01-19019 January 2023 GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas, LLC Response to NRC Inspection Report 050-00018/2022-002; 050-00070/2022-002; 050-00183/2022-002 and Notice of Violation ML22339A1742022-12-13013 December 2022 GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy NRC Inspection Report 05000018/2022002 05000070/2022002 and 05000183/2022002 IR 05000018/20220022022-12-13013 December 2022 GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy NRC Inspection Report 05000018/2022002 05000070/2022002 and 05000183/2022002 ML22335A5262022-12-0101 December 2022 (Vnc) Organization Change ML22326A3522022-11-22022 November 2022 Limited Post Shutdown Decommissioning Activities Report Update ML22300A2102022-10-27027 October 2022 GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas, LLC, Nuclear Center (Vnc) Submittal of Radiological Emergency Plan (REP) Revision 2 ML22265A0442022-09-26026 September 2022 GE Hitachi Vallecitos Nuclear Center, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission'S Analysis of GE Hitachi'S Decommissioning Funding Status Reports for the Shutdown Power Reactors Vallecitos Boiling Water Reactor (License No. DPR-1, Docket No. 50-18 ML22264A3252022-09-21021 September 2022 Decommissioning Limited Post Shutdown Decommissioning Activities Report ML22249A3652022-09-0606 September 2022 GEH Notification of GE Company Stock Beneficial Ownership Filing ML22104A1852022-04-14014 April 2022 GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas, LLC, Vallecitos Nuclear Center (Vnc) Organization Change IR 05000018/20220012022-04-12012 April 2022 GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy - NRC Inspection Report 050 00018/2022-001, 050 00070/2022 001, and 050-00183/2022-001 2024-09-27
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- HITACHI GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy Matt J. Feyrer Site Manaser, Vallecitos Nuclear Center 6705 Vallecitos Rd Sunol, CA 94586 M210030 USA March 10, 2021 T 925 918 6018 Matt.feyrer@ge.cm U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Document Control Desk Washington, D. C. 20555-001
Subject:
GEH NTR Written Report to EN 55113- Requalification Program Due Date Exceedance
References:
- 1) NRC License R-33, Docket 50-73
- 2) GE-Hitachi Event Report 55113, 2/24/2021
- 3) Vallecitos Nuclear Center (VNC) Technical Specifications for the R-33 Nuclear Test Reactor (NTR), 5/15/2007 In accordance with NTR Technical Specification 6.6.2(a)(2), Special Reports, GEH-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas, LLC (GEH) hereby submits a written follow-up report for Event Notification 55113 that was provided to the NRC on February 24, 2021 (Reference 2). As discussed in the initial event report, GEH reported that NTR operator requalification program due dates were exceeded for two licensed NTR operators.
Event Details and Safety Significance On February 23, 2021, it was discovered that two licensed NTR operators had manipulated the plant between April 30, 2020 and July 20, 2020 without being fully qualified. The due dates for both operators' annual operating tests and biennial written tests were exceeded. During the period between April 30 and July 20, the reactor was operated normally by the two operators for a total of 41 startups and shutdowns.
Both operators passed all required exams in July 2020. The first operator's qualifications were fully restored on July B, 2020, after having performed 13 startups and shutdowns while unqualified. The second operator's qualifications were fully restored on July 20, 2020, after having performed 28 startups and shutdowns while unqualified. No unusual occurrences occurred during operation of the NTR during these evolutions and at no time did the loss of qualifications cause the existence or development of an unsafe condition with regard to reactor operations or the health and safety of staff or the public.
Immediate Actions
- 1) The NRC Operations Center HOO was notified on February 241h (Reference 2) per NTR TS 6.6.2 as a deviation from TS 6.1.3.1 , Minimum Staffing.
- 2) Reactor operations were discontinued for two days during which time the extent of the issue was determined and the full qualifications of all staff was reviewed and verified.
Cause of Event This event was primarily the result of a human performance error and less than sufficient oversight of the NTR requalification program.
Historically, the NTR requalification program is tracked, managed, and administered solely by the NTR manager and completed in the first calendar quarter plus 30 days of each year. Typically, the last week of March and first week of April are targeted to complete the required exams and document reviews.
USNRC M210030 March 10, 2021 Page 2 of 2 The VNC Site was shut down for COVID 19 on March 16, 2020. Limited NTR operations resumed on March 20, 2020, with a minimal NTR crew. A split crew schedule was implemented on March 30, 2020.
The NTR Manager attended the second half of one NRC conference call with the TRTR community between March 25, 2020, and April1, 2020. He incorrectly concluded from that call that he had "more time" available in 2020 to complete requalification activities than in prior years due to industry wide COVID restrictions and what seemed to be impending NRC "blanket" exemptions to extend operator licensing activities.
Contributing to this event was a failure to establish backstops in the form of calendar-based prompts for critical license-related due dates. A similar event occurred at the NTR in 2016 (see EN51789). In that event, two operators unintentionally allowed their six-year licenses to lapse. Corrective actions for that event included establishing electronic calendar prompts in the available computer-based tracking tool (Gensuite Compliance Calendar) to remind individual operators every six years when their licenses were about to expire. While determined effective, the corrective action was also very narrow in that it only addressed six-year license expiration and only for the existing licensed staff. There was no consideration of adding calendar prompts for the requalification program nor was a process implemented to ensure six-year license expiration prompts were entered into Compliance Calendar for future operators.
Short Term Corrective Actions
- 1) Condition Report# 36312 was initiated in the GEH Corrective Action Program to track additional findings, causes, and corrective and preventive actions.
- 2) An annual Compliance Calendar task was added for each operator to review and complete their requalification program requirements before their due date. *
- 3) An annual Compliance Calendar task was added tor the NTR Manager to schedule and complete all requalification program requirements before their due date.
- 4) An additional annual Compliance Calendar task was added to provide an independent review of the NTR requalification program requirements, to verify all associated compliance calendar tasks, and review the schedule for compliance with applicable procedures and guidelines.
Longer Term Preventive Actions 1 ) Develop and administer training for all licensed NTR operators on Requalification Program requirements of NTR SOP 9.14, ANSI/ANS 15.4 and NUREG-1478.
- 2) Revise Procedure SOP 9.14 to stipulate that a calendar-based tracking mechanism such as the Compliance Calendar be used to ensure timely completion of all requalification program requirements before their due date.
If there are any questions or additional information required, please contact me at the number above.
Matt Feyrer, Site Manager Vallecitos Nuclear Center cc: D. Hardesty, NRRIDANU/UNPL MJF 21-001