IR 05000413/2006001

Annual Assessment Letter - Catawba Nuclear Station (NRC IR 05000413-06-001 & 05000414-06-001)

ML060610740
Person / Time
Site:	Catawba
Issue date:	03/02/2006
From:	Ernstes M NRC/RGN-II/DRP/RPB1
To:	Jamil D Duke Energy Corp
Shared Package
ML060610733	List: IR 05000413/2006001
References
IR-06-001
Download: ML060610740 (4)

Text

March 2, 2006Duke Energy CorporationATTN:Mr. D. JamilSite Vice President Catawba Nuclear Station4800 Concord Road York, SC 29745SUBJECT: ANNUAL ASSESSMENT LETTER - CATAWBA NUCLEAR STATION(NRC INSPECTION REPORT 05000413/2006001 AND 05000414/2006001)

Dear Mr. Jamil:

On February 7, 2006, the NRC staff completed its performance review of the Catawba NuclearStation. Our technical staff reviewed performance indicators (PIs) for the most recent quarter and inspection results for the period from January 1 through December 31, 2005. 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 physical protectioninformation. A separate letter, designated and marked as "Official Use Only - Security-Related Information," will include the physical protection performance review and resultant inspectionplan.Overall, Catawba Units 1 and 2 operated in a manner that preserved public health and safetyand fully met all cornerstone objectives. Plant performance for the most recent quarter, as well as for the first three quarters of the assessment cycle, was within the Licensee Re sponsecolumn of the NRC's Action Matrix. We base this conclusion on the fact that all inspection findings were classified as having very low safety significance (Green) and all PIs indicated performance at a level requiring no additional NRC oversight (Green). Therefore, we plan toconduct reactor oversight process (ROP) baseline inspections at your facility. We also plan onconducting several non-ROP inspections which include the independent spent fuel storage facility, reactor vessel head and head penetrations, containment emergency recirculation sumpblockage, and initial reactor operator licensing examinations.The enclosed inspection plan details the inspections, less those related to physical protection,scheduled through September 30, 2007. The inspection plan is provided to allow for the resolution of any scheduling conflicts and personnel availability issues well in advance ofinspector 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 tentativeand may be revised at the mid-cycle review. Although our intent is to maintain the enclosedinspection plan fixed for the first nine months, a need may arise to conduct one or more DEC2unanticipated inspections prior to issuing an updated inspection plan with the 2006 assessmentcycle mid-cycle letter. If an inspection of this type becomes necessary, we will notify you of the planned inspection dates as soon as possible to resolve, as much as we can, any scheduling and personnel availability conflicts you may have. In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter and itsenclosure will be made available electronically for public inspection in the NRC PublicDocument Room or from the Publicly Available Records (PARS) component of NRC'sdocument 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 this inspection plan, we will contact you todiscuss the change as soon as possible. Please contact me at (404) 562-4540 with any questions you may have regarding this letter or the inspection plan.

Sincerely,

/RA/Michael E. Ernstes, ChiefReactor Projects Branch 1 Division of Reactor ProjectsDocket Nos.: 50-413, 50-414, 72-45License Nos.: NPF-35, NPF-52Enclosure: Catawba Inspection/Activity Plan DEC3cc w/encl:Randy D. Hart Regulatory Compliance Manager Duke Energy Corporation Electronic Mail DistributionLisa VaughnAssociate General Counsel Duke Energy Corporation526 South Church StreetMail Code EC 07H Charlotte, NC 28201-1244Anne CottinghamWinston & Strawn LLP Electronic Mail DistributionNorth Carolina MPA-1Electronic Mail DistributionHenry J. Porter, Asst. DirectorDiv. of Radioactive Waste Mgmt.

S. C. Department of Health and Environmental Control Electronic Mail DistributionR. Mike GandyDivision of Radioactive Waste Mgmt.

S. C. Department of Health and Environmental Control Electronic Mail DistributionElizabeth McMahonAssistant Attorney General S. C. Attorney General's Office Electronic Mail DistributionVanessa QuinnFederal Emergency Management Agency Electronic Mail DistributionNorth Carolina Electric Membership Corporation Electronic Mail DistributionPeggy ForceAssistant Attorney General N. C. Department of JusticeElectronic Mail DistributionCounty Manager of York County, SCElectronic Mail DistributionPiedmont Municipal Power AgencyElectronic Mail DistributionR. L. Gill, Jr., M anagerNuclear Regulatory Issues and Industry Affairs Duke Energy Corporation 526 S. Church Street Charlotte, NC 28201-0006Distribution w/encl: (See page 4)

_________________________OFFICERII:DRPSIGNATURECWR1NAMECRapp:rcmDATE03/01/20063/ /20063/ /20063/ /20063/ /20063/ /20063/ /2006 E-MAIL COPY? YESNO YESNO YESNO YESNO YESNO YESNO YESNO