ML14112A561

Letter Regarding Watts Bar, Unit 2, Operating License (Docket No. 50-391)

ML14112A561
Person / Time
Site:	Watts Bar
Issue date:	05/19/2014
From:	Michael Brezovec NRC/NSIR/DPR/DDEP
To:	Quinn V Federal Emergency Management Agency
LaVie S
References
Download: ML14112A561 (4)

Text

May 19, 2014

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program ATTN: Vanessa E. Quinn, Chief 1800 S. Bell St.

8th Floor

Arlington, VA 20598-3025

SUBJECT:

WATTS BAR NUCLEAR PLANT, UNIT 2, OPERATING LICENSE (DOCKET NO. 50-391)

Dear Ms. Quinn:

In a letter dated December 1, 2008, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) alerted the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) was re-activating its operating license application for the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Unit 2 (WBN Unit 2). In October 2009, FEMA and the NRC met to review the history of the WBN Unit 2, TVA plans for licensing, and FEMA's and NRC's plans for conducting the review. By letter dated March 24, 2010, FEMA provided its Interim Finding Report (IFR) dated October 6, 2009, concluding that FEMA had determined that the plans were adequate and that there was reasonable assurance that the plans can be implemented with no corrections needed. The NRC developed Supplement No. 22 to NUREG-0847 "Safety Evaluation Report Related to the Operation of Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Unit 2" (SSER-22) using the results of its review of the

onsite preparedness along with the FEMA findings and determinations in the IFR. SSER-22 was issued in January 2011.

For various reasons, the applicant's schedule date for power operation, then April 2012, had been postponed and the issuance of the operating license is currently scheduled in February 2015. The NRC has identified two sections in which SSER-22 needs updating prior to license issuance. These issues are described below:

1.Section II.E.6 of the October 2009 IFR confirmed that FEMA's earlier findings and determinations regarding the public alert and notification system (ANS) for WBN Unit 1 would be applicable to WBN Unit 2. The NRC used this re-confirmation as a basis for its finding in SSER-22 Section 13.3.2.7 that TVA has met its obligation to demonstrate that administrative and physical means have been established for alerting and informing the public, with regard to WBN Unit 2.

In 2013, subsequent to the IFR and SSER-22, TVA replaced all of its ANS sirens with new sirens having battery backup power. In addition, TVA was required to identify a backup alerting capability by the final emergency preparedness rulemaking issued in November 2011.

V. Quinn

The NRC requests that FEMA reconfirm that the WBN ANS, as modified in 2013, continues to provide an adequate administrative and physical means for alerting and informing the public, with specific regard to WBN Unit 2. Similarly, does the FEMA final ANS design report describe an acceptable backup capability to be used in the event of a failure of the primary system with regard to WBN Unit 2?

2.Section V of the IFR provided FEMA's reasonable assurance determination, but included the statement, "A qualifying exercise w ill be demonstrated by the WBN site in conjunction with offsite state and county participation." The NRC and FEMA discussed the issue of a qualifying exercise for WBN Unit 2. In a letter dated August 19, 2010, and supplemented by an e-mail dated September 23, 2010, FEMA advised the NRC as follows:

Based on the results of the June 10, 2009, exercise and FEMA review of Tennessee's Annual Letters of Certification, the offsite radiological emergency response plans and preparedness for the State of Tennessee and the affected local jurisdictions, site-specific to the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, can be implemented and are adequate to provide reasonable assurance that appropriate measures can and will be taken to protect the health and safety of the public in the event of a radiological emergency at the site.

There were biennial exercises involving the Offsite Response Organization participation conducted on October 19, 2011, and October 30, 2013. Additionally, there have been several Annual Letters of Certification submitted since the IFR was issued. Please confirm that FEMA continues to find, with reasonable assurance, that appropriate measures can and will be taken to protect the health and safety of the public in the event of a radiological emergency at the WBN site. With FEMA's confirmation, the NRC will update the above statement as it appears in SSER-22.

Any questions pertaining to WBN Unit 2 operating license review may be directed to either Daniel Barss (301) 287-3758 or Stephen LaVie (301) 287-3741.

Sincerely, Daniel M. Barrs for

/RA/ Michael S. Brezovec, Acting Chief Operating and New Reactor Licensing Branch

Division of Preparedness and Response Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response

cc: C. Burnside, FEMA RGIV

ML14112A561 *prior concurrence Office NSIR/DPR NRR/DORL/LPL2-2 NSIR/DPR NSIR/DPR:BC Name SLaVie JPoole DBarss MBrezovec*Daniel Barrs for Date 05/01/14 05/02/14 05/05 /14 05/19/14