IR 05000271/2008001
| ML080610011 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png |
| Issue date: | 03/05/2008 |
| From: | David Lew Division Reactor Projects I |
| To: | Ted Sullivan Entergy Nuclear Operations |
| Powell R, RI/DRP/610-337-6967 | |
| References | |
| IR-08-001 | |
| Download: ML080610011 (7) | |
Text
March 3, 2008
SUBJECT:
ANNUAL ASSESSMENT LETTER - VERMONT YANKEE NUCLEAR POWER STATION (REPORT 05000271/2008001)
Dear Mr. Sullivan:
On February 14, 2008, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff completed its performance review of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station (Vermont Yankee). Our technical staff reviewed performance indicators (PIs) for the most recent quarter and inspection results for the period from January 1 through December 31, 2007. 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.
This performance review and enclosed inspection plan do not include security information. A separate letter designated and marked as "Official Use Only--Security Information" will include the security cornerstone review and resultant inspection plan.
Overall, Vermont Yankee operated in a manner that preserved public health and safety and fully met all cornerstone objectives. Plant performance for the most recent quarter for Vermont Yankee was within the Licensee Response column of the NRCs Action Matrix, based on all inspection findings being classified as having very low safety significance (Green) and all PIs indicating performance at a level requiring no additional NRC oversight (Green). Therefore, we plan to conduct reactor oversight process (ROP) baseline inspections at your facility.
While plant performance for the most recent quarter was within the Licensee Response column of the Action Matrix, there was a finding of low to moderate safety significance (White) in the Public Radiation Safety cornerstone affecting the first three quarters of the assessment cycle.
This finding involved the shipment of a package of contaminated equipment from Vermont Yankee on August 31, 2006, that was not properly prepared and shipped in conformance with the Department of Transportation radiation level limitations. Although the surface of the package was not accessible to members of the public, the condition had the potential to adversely affect personnel receiving the package or responding to an incident involving the package. The NRC has completed a supplemental inspection in accordance with inspection procedure 95001. The results of that inspection were provided in NRC Supplemental Inspection Report 05000271/2007009. As a result of that review, this finding was closed and was no longer considered for plant assessment purposes, effective October 1, 2007. The enclosed inspection plan details the inspections, less those related to physical protection, scheduled through June 30, 2009. In addition to baseline inspections, we plan on conducting an independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI) inspection. The inspection plan is provided to allow for the 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 nine months of the inspection plan are tentative and may be revised at the mid-cycle review.
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 Publicly Available Records (PARS) component of NRC's 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).
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 Raymond J. Powell at 610-337-6967 with any questions you may have regarding this letter or the inspection plan.
Sincerely,
/RA/
David C. Lew, Director Division of Reactor Projects
Docket Nos.: 50-271 License Nos.: DPR-28
Enclosure: Vermont Yankee Inspection/Activity Plan
cc w/encl:
Vice President, Operations, Entergy Nuclear Operations Senior Vice President, Entergy Nuclear Operations Vice President, Oversight, Entergy Nuclear Operations Senior Manager, Nuclear Safety & Licensing, Entergy Nuclear Operations Senior Vice President and COO, Entergy Nuclear Operations Assistant General Counsel, Entergy Nuclear Operations Manager, Licensing, Entergy Nuclear Operations G. Edwards S. Lousteau, Treasury Department, Entergy Services, Inc.
D. O Dowd, Administrator, Radiological Health Section, DPHS, State of New Hampshire W. Irwin, Chief, CHP, Radiological Health, Vermont Department of Health Chief, Safety Unit, Office of the Attorney General, Commonwealth of Mass.
D. Lewis, Pillsbury, Winthrop, Shaw, Pittman LLP G. D. Bisbee, Esquire, Deputy Attorney General, Environmental Protection Bureau