ML20322A036

Summary of October 19, 2020, Presubmittal Teleconference with Energy Northwest Regarding Proposed COVID-19 Related Biennial Emergency Preparedness Exercise Exemption Request for Columbia Generating Station

ML20322A036
Person / Time
Site:	Columbia
Issue date:	11/19/2020
From:	Mahesh Chawla Plant Licensing Branch IV
To:	Energy Northwest
Chawla M
References
EPID L-2020-LRM-0093
Download: ML20322A036 (4)

Text

November 19, 2020 LICENSEE: Energy Northwest FACILITY: Columbia Generating Station

SUMMARY

OF OCTOBER 19, 2020, PRESUBMITTAL TELECONFERENCE WITH ENERGY NORTHWEST REGARDING PROPOSED COVID-19 RELATED BIENNIAL EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS EXERCISE EXEMPTION REQUEST FOR COLUMBIA GENERATING STATION (EPID L-2020-LRM-0093)

On October 19, 2020, a Category 1 presubmittal public teleconference was held between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff and representatives of Energy Northwest (the licensee). The purpose of the meeting was to discuss a proposed COVID-19 related biennial emergency preparedness (EP) exercise exemption request for Columbia Generating Station (Columbia). The proposed exemption request would defer the full participation biennial EP exercise from December 2020 to Calendar Year (CY) 2021. The meeting notice and agenda, dated October 2, 2020, are available in the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) at Accession No. ML20276A330. A list of attendees is enclosed.

The licensee stated that due to the National COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, and its impact on the community and region, Energy Northwest intends to submit a request to the NRC to grant an exemption from Title 10 (10 CFR) of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 50, Appendix E, Section IV.F.2.b and IV.F.2.c. The licensee intends to request the NRC to postpone the CY 2020 full participation biennial EP exercise from the currently planned date of October 27, 2020, to the fourth quarter of CY 2021. The submittal will further explain that completion of the full participation biennial EP exercise in the fall of CY 2021 will preclude the need for Columbia to request exemption from any other exercise requirements associated with the 8-year inspection cycle.

Columbias previous EP biennial exercise was conducted on March 27, 2018. Since that time the licensee indicated that it has successfully conducted drills, exercises, and other training activities that exercised emergency response strategies in coordination with offsite response organizations. This full participation biennial EP exercise originally scheduled for March 24, 2020, was initially rescheduled to occur on October 27, 2020.

The licensee indicated they are coordinating with their offsite partners (State of Washington and State of Oregon, and Benton and Franklin Counties in Washington, along with Federal Emergency Management Agency Region X and NRC Region IV) on selection of a fall CY 2021 date for a rescheduled full participation biennial EP exercise. Because the proposed fall CY 2021 exercise date is more than 35 months from Columbias most recent biennial exercise in March 2018, an EP baseline program inspection was coordinated with NRC Region IV to be conducted in CY 2020 in lieu of the exercise inspection. This inspection is scheduled to occur at Columbia beginning on November 2, 2020. The exemption request will also explain that a

new date in the fourth quarter of CY 2021 will allow for a full participation biennial EP exercise to be conducted safely, after the physical health emergency conditions have improved based on reasonable forecasts from public health authorities.

One member of the public called into the meeting and had no comments. No regulatory decisions or commitments were made at the meeting. Additionally, the NRC staff did not receive Public Meeting Feedback forms.

Please direct any inquiries to me at 301-415-8371 or by e-mail at Mahesh.Chawla@nrc.gov.

/RA/

Mahesh L. Chawla, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch IV Division of Operator Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-397

Enclosure:

List of Attendees cc: Listserv

LIST OF ATTENDEES OCTOBER 19, 2020, PRESUBMITTAL TELECONFERENCE REGARDING PROPOSED COVID-19 RELATED BIENNIAL EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS EXERCISE EXEMPTION REQUEST ENERGY NORTHWEST COLUMBIA GENERATING STATION U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission J. Dixon-Herrity M. Chawla J. Quichocho R. Kahler M. Norris R. Kinard C. Murray K. Mott R. Alexander S. Hedger A. Patz Energy Northwest R. Wynegar R. Garcia A. J. Fahnstock S. Sullivan D. Wolfgramm D. Cook Enclosure

ML20322A036 *via e-mail OFFICE NRR/DORL/LPL4/PM* NRR/DORL/LPL4/LA* NSIR/DPR/RLB/BC*

NAME MChawla PBlechman JQuichocho DATE 11/04/2020 11/17/2020 11/04/2020 OFFICE NRR/DORL/LPL4/BC* NRR/DORL/LPL4/PM*

NAME JDixon-Herrity MChawla DATE 11/19/2020 11/19/2020