ML052430113
| ML052430113 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Columbia  |
| Issue date: | 08/30/2005 |
| From: | Howell A NRC/RGN-IV/DRP |
| To: | Parrish J Energy Northwest |
| References | |
| Download: ML052430113 (7) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION I V 611 RYAN PLAZA DRIVE, SUITE 400 ARLINGTON, TEXAS 76011-4005 August 30,2005 J. V. Parrish (Mail Drop 1023)
Chief Executive Officer Energy Northwest P.O. Box 968 Richland, WA 99352-0968
SUBJECT:
MIDCYCLE PERFORMANCE REVIEW AND INSPECTION PLAN -
COLUMBIA GENERATING STATION
Dear Mr. Parrish:
On August 4, 2005, the NRC staff completed its performance review of Columbia Generating Station for the first half of the calender year 2005 assessment cycle. Our technical staff reviewed performance indicators (PIS) for the most recent quarter and inspection results over the previous 12 months. The purpose of this letter is to inform you of our assessment of your safety performance during this period and our plans for future inspections at your facility in order for you to inform us of any planned inspections that may conflict with your plant activities.
This performance review and enclosed inspection plan do not include physical protection information. A separate letter designated and marked as "Exempt from Public Disclosure in Accordance with 10 CFR 2.390" will include the physical protection review and resultant inspection plan.
Overall, Columbia Generating Station operated in a manner that preserved public health and safety and fully met all cornerstone objectives. Plant performance for the most recent quarter was within the Regulatory Response Column of the NRC's Action Matrix, based on all inspection findings being classified as having very low safety significance (Green) and two White PIS. One White PI was within the Mitigating Systems Cornerstone (Safety System Unavailability, High Pressure Injection System (HPCS)). The second White PI was within the Initiating Events Cornerstone (Unplanned Scrams per 7000 Critical Hours). Supplemental inspections will be conducted for both of these White PIS to assess the root cause, extent of cause and condition, and corrective actions. These supplemental inspections will be performed in accordance with NRC Inspection Procedure 95001, "Inspection for One or Two White Inputs in a Strategic Performance Area."
In our annual assessment letter dated March 2, 2005, we advised you of a substantive crosscutting issue in the area of human performance. Human performance errors, involving a causal factor of personnel performance, contributed to a number of Green findings in several cornerstones. Multiple Green findings with the same causal factor continued to be identified throughout this assessment period.
Energy Northwest As stated in the annual assessment letter, inspection findings identified in 2004 principally involved instances of failing to follow procedures or a lack of understanding of the procedural requirements and the impact on plant operations. Findings related to this substantive crosscutting issue previously resulted in either plant transients or scrams. Findings identified during this assessment period have similar characteristics and have had similar impacts on plant operations. For example, a maintenance technician failed to verify the configuration of a lifted lead, which resulted in a loss of reactor feedwater and a reactor scram.
The MRC has assessed the actions that Energy Northwest has taken to address human performance. Our inspections indicate that improvements have been made, particularly in the area of operator performance. However, continued NRC focus is warranted in order to determine whether similarly appropriate improvements are made in other applicable areas, such as maintenance. As a result, we will focus our inspections on Energy Northwests actions within these areas through implementation of the baseline inspection program. This heightened focus will continue until our inspections indicate that your actions have resulted in improved performance, specifically with regard to errors that result in consequential impacts on the plant.
The enclosed inspection plan details the inspections, less those related to physical protection, scheduled through March 31, 2007. The inspection plan is provided to minimize the resource impact on your staff and to allow for the early resolution of any scheduling conflicts and personnel availability issues well in advance of inspector arrival onsite. Routine resident inspections are not listed due to their ongoing and continuous nature. The inspections in the last 9 months of the inspection plan are tentative and may be revised at the end-of-cycle review meeting.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRCs Rules of Practice, a copy of this letter and its enclosure will be made available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publically Available Records (PARS) component of NRCs document system (ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible from NRC web site at http://www.nrc.aov/readinq-rm/adams. html (The Public Electronic Reading Room).
If circumstances arise which cause us to change the inspection plan, we will contact you to discuss the change as soon as possible. Please contact Claude Johnson at (817) 860-8148 with any questions you may have regarding this letter or the inspection plan.
Division of Reactor Projects Docket: 50-397 License: NPF-21
Energy Northwest
Enclosure:
Columbia Generating Station Inspection/Activity Plan cc w/enclosure:
W. Scott Oxenford (Mail Drop PE04)
Vice President, Technical Services Energy Northwest P.O. Box 968 Richland, WA 99352-0968 Albert E. Mouncer (Mail Drop PEOI)
Vice President, Corporate Services/
Energy Northwest P.O. Box 968 Richland, WA 99352-0968 General Counsel/CFO Chairman Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council P.O. Box 431 72 Olympia, WA 98504-31 72 Douglas W. Coleman (Mail Drop PE20)
Manager, Regulatory Programs Energy Northwest P.O. Box 968 Richland, WA 99352-0968 Gregory V. Cullen (Mail Drop PE20)
Supervisor, Licensing Energy Northwest P.O. Box 968 Richland, WA 99352-0968 Chairman Benton County Board of Commissioners P.O. Box 190 Prosser, WA 99350-01 90 Dale K. Atkinson (Mail Drop PE08)
Vice President, Nuclear Generation Energy Northwest P.O. Box 968 Richland, WA 99352-0968
Energy Northwest William A. Horin, Esq.
Winston & Strawn 1700 K Street, NW Washington, DC 20006-381 7 Matt Steuerwalt Executive Policy Division Office of the Governor P.O. Box 431 13 Olympia, WA 98504-31 13 Lynn Albin, Radiation Physicist Washington State Department of Health P.O. Box 7827 Olympia, WA 98504-7827 Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO)
Records Center 700 Galleria Parkway SE, Suite 100 Atlanta, GA 30339
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Energy Northwest Electronic distribution by RIV:
Regional Administrator (BSM1)
DRP Director (ATH)
DRS Director (DDC)
DRS Deputy Director (KMK)
Senior Resident Inspector (ZKD)
Branch Chief, DRP/A (CEJ)
Senior Project Engineer, DRP/E (TRF)
Team Leader, DRP/TSS (RLN1)
RITS Coordinator (KEG)
V. Dricks, PA0 (VLD)
W. Maier, RSLO (WAM)
C. Gordon (CJG)
DRS Branch Chiefs (LJS, MPS1, REL, NFO)
S. Richards, Chief, NRWDIPM/IIPB (SAR)
M. Case Deputy Dir. for Inspection and Programs (MJC)
B. Sheron, Associate Dir. for Project Licensing and Technical Analysis (BWS)
H. Berkow, Director, LPD4, NRWDLPM (HNB)
D. Collins, Chief, PDIV-2, NRWDLPM (DXC1)
B. Benney, NRR Project Manager (BJB)
Review Completed:
ADAMS: d 0 No z u b l i c l y Available 0
n-Publicly Available 0 Sensitive