ML15069A356

March 4, 2015, Summary of Public Meeting with Tennessee Valley Authority on ROP Transition for Watts Bar Unit 2

ML15069A356
Person / Time
Site:	Watts Bar
Issue date:	04/10/2015
From:	Justin Poole Watts Bar Special Projects Branch
To:
Minarik A
Shared Package
ML15069A350	List: ML15069A356 ML15070A209
References
Download: ML15069A356 (5)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 April 10, 2015 APPLICANT: Tennessee Valley Authority FACILITY: Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Unit 2

SUMMARY

OF MARCH 4, 2015, MEETING WITH TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY REGARDING THE WATTS BAR NUCLEAR PLANT, UNIT 2 OPERATING LICENSE APPLICATION (REACTOR OVERSIGHT PROCESS TRANSITION)

On March 4, 2015, a Category 1 public teleconference was held between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff and representatives of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The purpose of this meeting was for TVA and the NRC staff to discuss the revisions made to the draft NRC Reactor Oversight Process (ROP) Transition Plan (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML15041A717) for Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Unit 2 (WBN-2) that was made publicly available. TVA had provided its feedback at a previous public meeting held on February 19, 2015. The discussion focused on additional feedback that TVA had on what the NRC staff presented as revisions to the ROP Transition Plan. The meeting notice and agenda, dated February 20, 2015, are available in ADAMS at Accession No. ML15051A477. A list of attendees is enclosed.

The NRC staff presented information (ADAMS Accession No. ML15070A209).

The NRC staff described the current state of the ROP Transition Plan during its presentation time. The staff explained that the NRC does not believe there are overlapping responsibilities between Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC) 2514, "Light Water Reactor Inspection Program -

Startup Testing Phase," and IMC 2515, "Light-Water Reactor Inspection Program - Operations Phase" (NRC baseline inspection). Thus, the NRC will implement the NRC baseline inspection program upon license issuance, even while some portions of both IMC 2514 and IMC 2517, "Watts Bar Unit 2 Construction Inspection Program," remain to be completed. Pertaining to the assessment of findings, the staff explained that three cornerstones will be transitioned to the ROP at the start of IMC 2514, while the other four cornerstones will be transitioned once the plant begins start-up and commercial operation. The staff will assess the findings in the cornerstones of emergency preparedness, public and occupational radiation protection, and security, according to the ROP assessment program, consistent with IMC 0305, "Operating Reactor Assessment Program." However, the NRC will not apply the Action Matrix until all ROP cornerstones have transitioned to the ROP. If there are outstanding safety-significant findings at the time of transition, WBN-2 will enter the Action Matrix in the appropriate column. In the months leading up to full transition, WBN-2 will be expected to gather and submit the data related to the various performance indicators in the ROP to prepare for full transition and implementation. The NRC staff plans to discuss the document further with Region II and finalize it as soon as practical.

TVA asked the staff clarifying questions on the presentation and expressed concern with certain aspects of the NRC's proposed ROP Transition Plan. Primarily, the representatives from TVA

did not agree with the staff that WBN-2 should be subject to the NRC baseline inspection program prior to commercial operation, but after receipt of its license. Additionally, TVA expressed concern that the NRC was treating WBN-2 as a de facto operating plant, regardless of its being exempt from the Action Matrix, if the NRC chose to implement augmented inspections and transitioned three cornerstones to the ROP. Despite not appearing in a column in the Action Matrix, TVA expressed concern that the regulatory burden of increased oversight would be substantial and the safety benefits of additional oversight at a plant that is not yet fully operational would be marginal. The staff listened to these concerns and committed to discussing them more internally and also with TVA prior to finalization.

The staff requested that TVA also submit an opinion on how best to handle the risk profile of the plant in the timeframe between license issuance and full operation. Both TVA and NRC staff agreed to meet on March 18, 2015, to further discuss the ROP Transition Plan. No regulatory decisions were made at this meeting.

Members of the public were in attendance. Public Meeting Feedback Forms were not received.

There were no substantive comments from the public.

Please direct any inquiries to me at 301-415-2048 or justin.poole@nrc.gov.

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, */1 Ju' in ~~oole, Se.~ior Project Manager Watts Bar Special Projects Branch Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-391

Enclosure:

List of Attendees cc w/enclosures: Distribution via Listserv

LIST OF ATTENDEES MARCH 4. 2015, MEETING WITH TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY REGARDING THE WATTS BAR NUCLEAR PLANT. UNIT 2 OPERATING LICENSE APPLICATION REACTOR OVERSIGHT PROCESS TRANSITION)

Applicant: Tennessee Valley Authority Plant: Watts Bar Nuclear Plant. Unit 2 (WBN-2)

Subject:

Reactor Oversight Process Transition Date: March 4. 2015 Location: Teleconference Time: 9:00 a.m. -10:20 a.m.

NAME TITLE ORGANIZATION U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)/Office of Nuclear Reactor Senior Project Manager Watts Regulation (NRR)/Division of Justin Poole Bar Unit 2 Operating Reactor Licensing (DORL)/Watts Bar Special Projects Branch (LPWB)

NRC/NRR/Division of Inspection and Scott Morris Division Director Regional Support (DIRS)

Anthony Minarik Project Manager NRC/NRR/DORL/LPWB NRC/NRR/DIRS/Reactor Inspection Christopher Regan Branch Chief Branch (IRIB)

Senior Reactor Operations NRC/NRR/DIRS/Performance Ronald Frahm Engineer Assessment Branch (IPAB)

Senior Reactor Operations Dan Merzke NRC/NRR/DIRS/IPAB Engineer Gabriel Levasseur Reactor Operations Engineer NRC/NRR/DIRS/IRIB Enclosure

NAME TITLE ORGANIZATION Zachary Hollcraft Reactor Operations Engineer NRC/NRR/DIRS/IPAB NRC/Region II (Rll)/Division of Construction Project Adam Wilson* Construction Projects (DCP) I Inspector Construction Projects Branch 3 NRC/Rll/Division of Reactor Projects Michael King* Branch Chief (DRP)/Reactor Projects Branch 6 NRC/Rll/DCP/Construction Projects Bob Haag* Branch Chief Branch 3 Licensing and Engineering Gene Cobey Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

Management Rusty Stroud Licensing and Engineering TVA Nick Jackiw* Member of Public Southern Nuclear Company Gary Morgan* Member of Public BEST/MATTR Mary Jaworsk*i Member of Public Duke Energy

• via teleconference

did not agree with the staff that WBN-2 should be subject to the NRC baseline inspection program prior to commercial operation, but after receipt of its license. Additionally, TVA expressed concern that the NRC was treating WBN-2 as a de facto operating plant, regardless of its being exempt from the Action Matrix, if the NRC chose to implement augmented inspections and transitioned three cornerstones to the ROP. Despite not appearing in a column in the Action Matrix, TVA expressed concern that the regulatory burden of increased oversight would be substantial and the safety benefits of additional oversight at a plant that is not yet fully operational would be marginal. The staff listened to these concerns and committed to discussing them more internally and also with TVA prior to finalization.

The staff requested that TVA also submit an opinion on how best to handle the risk profile of the plant in the timeframe between license issuance and full operation. Both TVA and NRC staff agreed to meet on March 18, 2015, to further discuss the ROP Transition Plan. No regulatory decisions were made at this meeting.

Members of the public were in attendance. Public Meeting Feedback Forms were not received.

There were no substantive comments from the public.

Please direct any inquiries to me at 301-415-2048 or justin.poole@nrc.gov.

IRA by AMinarik for/

Justin C. Poole, Senior Project Manager Watts Bar Special Projects Branch Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-391

Enclosure:

List of Attendees cc w/enclosures: Distribution via Listserv DISTRIBUTION:

PUBLIC RidsNrrPMWattsBar2 Resource Glevasseur, NRR LPWB Reading RidsNrrLABClayton Resource RFrahm, NRR RidsACRS_MailCTR Resource RidsRgn2MailCenter Resource TWertz, NRR RidsNrrDorllp_WB Resource DFrumkin, NRR AMinarik, NRR AWilson, Rll JDion, NRR CMoulton, NRR RidsNrrDraAfpb Resource Olopez, Rll MWaters, OEDO ZHollcraft, NRR DMerzke, NRR RidsNrrDirs Resource LRonewicz, NRR RidsNrrDirslrib Resource RidsNrrDirslpab ADAMS Accession N os.: p ac k age: ML15069A350 Meetmg s ummary: ML15069A356 OFFICE DORL/LPWB/PM DORL/LPWB/PM DORL/LPWB/LAiT DORL/LPWB/LA NAME AMinarik JPoole LRonewicz BClayton DATE 3/10/15 3/13/15 3/30/15 3/30/15 OFFICE DI RS/I RIB/BC DIRS/IPAB/BC DORL/LPWB/BC DORL/LPWB/PM NAME CRegan NSanfilippo JQuichocho JPoole (AMinarik for)

DATE 3/16/15 3/16/15 3/31/15 4/10/15 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY