ML20148C215

Forwards from La Elisa Which Notified State of Vermont of Deficiency Identified During 970319 Full Participation Exercise W/Vynp.No Remedial Demonstration Was Required & Deficiency Was Considered Corrected

ML20148C215
Person / Time
Site:	Vermont Yankee
Issue date:	05/05/1997
From:	Modes M NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:	Reid D VERMONT YANKEE NUCLEAR POWER CORP.
References
NUDOCS 9705150180
Download: ML20148C215 (4)

Text

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'Q May 5, 1997 /

I Mr. Donald A. Reid Vice President, Operations

, Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation

] RD 5, Box 169 i

Ferry Road  !

Brattleboro, Vermont 05301

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SUBJECT:

FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA) ,

IDENTIFIED DEFICIENCY AT THE MARCH 19,1997 VERMONT l

, YANKEE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT EXERCISE l

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Dear Mr. Reid:

I Enclosed is a letter from Mr. Louis A. Elisa,11, Regional Director for FEMA Region I, dated March 31,1997, which officially notified the State of Vermont of a deficiency identified during the March 19,1997, full-participation exercise with the Vermont Yankee Nuclear ,

Power Plant. )

The deficiency was assessed against the Brattleboro Emergency Operations Center (EOC) ,

for its failure to complete the initial alert and notification sequence within the required time ]

period. However, subsequent alert and notification sequences were completed within the  ;

required times, therefore, no remedial demonstration was required and the deficiency was '

considered corrected. Details of the deficiency are provided in the enclosed FEMA letter.

l No response to this letter is required. If you have any questions concerning this matter, I please contact me at (610) 337-5258.

Sincerely, I

L== -

I Michael C. Modes, Chief Emergency Preparedness and Safeguards y Branch fp35 Division of Reactor Safety Docket No. 50-271

Enclosure:

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FEMA Letter dated March 31,1997 l g0024 Illlll!IllIl.Ill 9705150180 970505 PDR ADOCK 05000271 F PDR u

. . . _ _ . _ . . . _ . . _ . _ _ . _ .._ _ _. _ .. __..___._m _ __ . _ . . . . _ _ _ _ . _ _ _ , _ .

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]J j Mr. Donald A. Reid 2

! cc w/ encl:

R. McCullough, Operating Experience Coordinator - Vermont Yankee R. Wanczyk, Director, Safety and Regulatory Affairs G. Maret, Plant Manager ,

J. Duffy, Licensing Engineer, Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation J. Gilroy, Director, Vermont Public Interest Research Group, Inc.

D. Tefft, Administrator, Bureau of Radiological Health, State of New Hampshire Chief, Safety Unit, Office of the Attorney General, Commonwealth of Massachusetts -

R. Gad, Esquire G. Bisbee, Esquire .

T. Rapone, Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety State of New Hampshire, SLO Designee State of Vermont, SLO Designee Commonwealth of Massachusetts, SLO Designee .

f Distribution w/ encl:

Region i Docket Room (with concurrences)  :

PUBLIC Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC)  :

NRC Resident inspector -l L. Harrison, DRS R. Conte, DRP I H. Eichenholz, DRP' D. Beard, DRP ,

W. Dean, OEDO V. Rooney, NRR '

S. Bajwa, NRR R. Correia, NRR D. Taylor, NRR y[g* , A/M ,

inspection Program BranchdNRR (IPAS)

DRS File ,

DOCUMENT NAME: G:\EP&SB\LAUGHLIR\VYFEMDEF.97 g Ts receive a copy of this document, Indicate in the Dep: 'E5 =\Copyjersthout attachment / enclosure "E" = Copy with attachment / enclosure 'N' = No copy )

0FFICE Rl/DRS d RI%D8% VT / I I 1  !

NAME JLAUGHLIE % % L MMOW to)

DATE 05/02/97 05/).s /97 UKK @S/ /97 05/ /97 05/ /97 0FFICIA_ RECORD COPY l f

F

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l Federal Emergency Management Agency i Region!

. J.W.McConnackPas Of!Le &

Counhouse Building. Room as2 Bostoa.MA 02109 March 31, 1997 George Z.. Lowe, Director verment Emergency Management Agency i Department of Public Safety Waterbury complex H'

i 103 Main Street. Box 2101 l Waterbury, VT 05671 l

. Dear Director Lower - i 1

! This letter officially informa you of the rederal. Emergency Management

! Agency's (FEMA) identification of a Deficiency which occurred during the

, Verment Yankee Nuclear Power Plant Radiological Emergency Properedness l

• exercise conducted on March 19, 1997. This issue was discussed with your  !

. staff on March 21, 1997 and at the post-exercise participants briefing on

! March 24, 1997.

As a result of this Vermont Yankee Nuclear Fewer Station exercise, a <

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• deficiency has been assessed in accordance with NUREG c554 and TEMA- AEF-14 3

page C.16-1. The Deficiency in asnesed against the Brattlebore Emergency operation Center (EoC). j

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The Deficioney is being assessed against the trattleboro Eoc under objective 10:

Alert and Notification. The Deficiency resulted from Brattleboro*s Eoc failure to complete the initial alert and notification seguence within fifteen minutes of the decision te do so. In accordance with FEMA-REP-14, page D.10-3, the identification of a Deficiency is required when a jurisdiction fails to complete the initial alert and notification sequence within 15 minutes after a decision to do so.

At the Brattlebere Eoc, the message for the inJtial siren sounding was received at 1025. Instructions were to sound sirens at 1028 with the RSS message to follow at 1031. There was a delay between the Counsenications center, the Eoc Director, the Clerk, and the rire Department so that the sirens were not sounded until 1033. This resulted in the first sisen sounding occuring after the initial Ess message. The next ESS broadcast aft 6: siren sounding occurred at 1048, 28 minutes after the state's initial decision. All subsequent siren activation sequences directed by the state were completed within the fifteen minutes criterien.

In accordance with 44 CFR 350.9 (d) and FEMh-A57-31, we have thoroughly reviewed and discussed this issue with FDOL Nead.gaarters, the U. 5. Nuclear Regulatory Ceemission, and FEMA Aegion I hadielegical Assistanee committee members. FEMA-REF-14, page C.16-1, defines a Deficiency as ". . . an observed or identified inadequacy of organisational performanes in an exercise that could cause a finding that ef fsite emergency preparedness is not adequate to provide reasonable assurance that appropriate protective measures can be taken in the event of a radiological emergency to protect the health and safety of the public living in the vicinity of a nuclear power plant". Because of the potential impset of a Deficiency en the public health and safety, it should be corrected within 120 days after EL1 exercise through appropriate remedial

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- actions, plan including remedial exercises, drills, or other actions, including revisions.

4 In view of the fact chac all subsequene alert and notification sequences were accomplished in accordance with Stattleboro's plans and procedurea and within j 15 minutes of the state's decision to activate the system, a remedial >

demonstration will not be required. This Deficiency is considered corrected.

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If you have any questions, please sentact Dan Motlhinney, chairperson,

Regional Assistance Cosmaittee. TD(A Region 2, at (6171 223-9567.

l Sincerely,

}

'M Louis A. Elisa II

Regional Director i

t FDIA Region I ,,

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