ML043650021
| ML043650021 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Browns Ferry  |
| Issue date: | 12/29/2004 |
| From: | Cahill S Reactor Projects Region 2 Branch 6 |
| To: | Singer K Tennessee Valley Authority |
| References | |
| Download: ML043650021 (4) | |
Text
December 29, 2004 Tennessee Valley Authority ATTN: Mr. K. W. Singer Chief Nuclear Officer and Executive Vice President 6A Lookout Place 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801
SUBJECT:
BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT UNIT 1 RECOVERY - PARTIAL REACTOR OVERSIGHT PROCESS CORNERSTONE TRANSITION
Dear Mr. Singer:
In accordance with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissions (NRC) Inspection Manual Chapter (MC) 2509, Browns Ferry Unit 1 Restart Project Inspection Program, an individual cornerstone of safety may become monitorable by inspection and performance indicators (PIs) under the NRCs routine reactor oversight process (ROP) once it has been determined that: 1) licensee corrective actions for restart issues have been completed, and 2) performance improvement changes have been made. Once a cornerstone is monitorable by the ROP, MC 0609, Significance Determination Process (SDP), will be utilized to characterize the significance of findings resulting from the routine baseline inspection effort of MC 2515, Light-Water Reactor Inspection Program - Operations Phase, for that cornerstone. Likewise, MC 0608, Performance Indicator Program, will be utilized to evaluate and process the PI data submitted for Browns Ferry (BF) for that cornerstone. Additionally, in accordance with MC 2509, enforcement for any findings from NRC inspections in a cornerstone monitorable by the ROP should be administered in accordance with the Commissions current Enforcement Policy.
The transition of Unit 1 to the full oversight provided by the ROP will be a gradual-phased approach to monitoring on an individual cornerstone basis, with the understanding that MC 2515 and MC 0305, Operating Reactor Assessment Program, cannot be fully applied until all cornerstones are monitorable by the ROP.
The NRC has determined the criteria for transitioning the following four cornerstones of safety have been met: Occupational Radiation Safety, Public Radiation Safety, Emergency Preparedness, and Physical Protection. Corrective actions for restart issues have been completed and performance improvement changes have been made in these cornerstone areas. Programmatic aspects of the Radiation Safety, Emergency Preparedness, and Physical Protection programs have been verified as satisfactory during the operation of BF Units 2 and
- 3. The NRC also conducted focused transition inspections of these programs for Unit 1 to verify the suitability of the cornerstone to be monitored under the ROP.
TVA 2
NRC Inspection Reports 05000259/2004006, 05000259/2004007, 05000259/2004008 and 05000259/2004010 document these focused inspection reviews for transitioning the aforementioned cornerstones to the ROP. Information regarding the BF Unit 1 Recovery and NRC Inspection Reports can be found at http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/bf1-recovery.html.
Based on these inspections, the NRC has determined that the ROP cornerstones of Occupational Radiation Safety, Public Radiation Safety, Emergency Preparedness, and Physical Protection will be incorporated into the routine ROP baseline inspection program at your BF Unit 1 reactor facility. These changes will be effective January 1, 2005. Our inspection plan for calendar year (CY) 2005, which will be distributed with our ROP annual assessment letter for the operating units, will reflect this transition of these areas to be monitored solely using the ROP baseline inspections. Additionally, PI data for these four cornerstones would need to be submitted commencing with the first quarter of CY 2005. Because all of the PIs for these four cornerstones are common to the Browns Ferry site and not unit specific, there is no need to submit historical PI data for Unit 1.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRCs 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 NRCs 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). Please contact me if you have any questions regarding this implementation of MC 2509 for the cornerstone transition.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Stephen J. Cahill, Chief Reactor Projects Branch 6 Division of Reactor Projects Docket No. 50-259 License No. DPR-33 cc: (See page 3)
TVA 3
cc:
Ashok S. Bhatnagar Senior Vice President Nuclear Operations Tennessee Valley Authority Electronic Mail Distribution Michael J. Lorek, General Manager Engineering and Technical Services Tennessee Valley Authority Electronic Mail Distribution Michael D. Skaggs Site Vice President Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority Electronic Mail Distribution General Counsel Tennessee Valley Authority Electronic Mail Distribution John C. Fornicola, Manager Nuclear Assurance and Licensing Tennessee Valley Authority Electronic Mail Distribution Kurt L. Krueger, Plant Manager Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority Electronic Mail Distribution Fredrick C. Mashburn Sr. Program Manager Nuclear Licensing Tennessee Valley Authority Electronic Mail Distribution Timothy E. Abney, Manager Licensing and Industry Affairs Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority Electronic Mail Distribution State Health Officer Alabama Dept. of Public Health RSA Tower - Administration Suite 1552 P. O. Box 303017 Montgomery, AL 36130-3017 Chairman Limestone County Commission 310 West Washington Street Athens, AL 35611 Jon R. Rupert, Vice President Browns Ferry Unit 1 Restart Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority P. O. Box 2000 Decatur, AL 35609 Robert G. Jones, Restart Manager Browns Ferry Unit 1 Restart Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority P. O. Box 2000 Decatur, AL 35609 Distribution: (See page 4)
TVA 4
Distribution:
M. Chernoff, NRR M. Marshall, NRR L. Wert, RII DRP D. Coe, NRR, IIPB T. Hsia, OEDO L. Slack, RII EICS RIDSRIDSNRRDIPMLIPB PUBLIC OFFICE DRP/RII DRP/RII DRS/RII DRP/RII PDII-DIPM IIPB/DIPM IIPB/DIPM SIGNATURE MEP SJC for MSL1 SJC per email MM for per email SJC per email SJC per email NAME MPribish SShaeffer MLesser VMcCree MChernoff DCoe SRichards DATE 12/ 16 /04 12/ 29 /04 12/ 20 /04 12/ 29 /04 12/ 29 /04 12/29/04 12/29/04 E-MAIL COPY?
YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO PUBLIC DOCUMENT YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO OFFICIAL RECORD COPY DOCUMENT NAME: E:\\Filenet\\ML043650021.wpd