ML081490110

Status of Generic Communications for Review (Tac No. MD8314)

ML081490110
Person / Time
Site:	Watts Bar
Issue date:	05/28/2008
From:	Milano P NRC/NRR/ADRO/DORL/WBSPB
To:	Bhatnagar A Tennessee Valley Authority
Milano P, NRR/DORL , 415-1457
Shared Package
Ml081490093	List: ML081490110
References
TAC MD8314
Download: ML081490110 (6)

Text

May 28, 2008 Mr. Ashok Bhatnagar Senior Vice President Nuclear Generation Development and Construction 6A Lookout Place 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801

SUBJECT:

WATTS BAR NUCLEAR PLANT, UNIT 2 - STATUS OF GENERIC COMMUNICATIONS FOR REVIEW (TAC NO. MD8314)

Dear Mr. Bhatnagar:

By letters dated September 7, 2007, Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) provided to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) its (1) summary of the status of TVA responses to NRC generic communications issued prior to 1995 for Watts Bar Nuclear Plant (WBN) Unit 2 and (2) its initial responses to other Bulletins and Generic Letters issued subsequent to the licensing of WBN Unit 1. Although TVA included generic communications as part of its regulatory framework for the completion of WBN Unit 2 in its letters dated January 29 and March 13, 2008, the discussion only addressed those items that were included within NUREG-0847, Safety Evaluation Related to the Operation of Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2, and its supplements. Thus, in a letter dated March 20, 2008, TVA provided a comprehensive list of generic communications for WBN Unit 2 that TVA has reviewed and categorized regarding the status of completion, including action items under NUREG-0737, TMI Clarification of TMI Action Plan Requirements, with Supplement 1.

The NRC staff has assessed the information presented by TVA. The detailed results of the staffs assessment of all generic communications items can be found in the enclosed Table 1.

Those items that the staff considers open because either further review is needed or inspection verification of completion/implementation needs to be conducted are listed in Tables 2 and 3, respectively. Within the listing in Table 1, the NRC staff notes that the scope of items characterized as Not Applicable includes: (1) items that, due to technical specifications, equipment, design, specific circumstances or special exemptions, have a clear and undeniable status of Non-Applicability. (i.e., boiling-water reactor, Babcock and Wilcox design, etc.),

(2) items that apply or relate to WBN Unit 2 but that do not require any further action or response on behalf of WBN Unit 2.

Although many of the items of generic communications have already been documented and/or otherwise resolved, the NRC staff has determined that there may be circumstances that could result in the need to re-open a previously closed topic. In addition, the staff has found that for certain topics of generic communication, it does not agree with TVAs determination that those topics are closed or not applicable for WBN Unit 2. These items are presented in Table 4.

Thus, the staff will need further information from TVA to reconcile the differences between TVAs determination and the staffs assessment. If TVA is able to submit information that can substantiate the correct status, the NRC staff will reassess the information and, if appropriate, make the necessary changes to its topic listings.

In addition to reconciling the status differences as noted above, TVA should maintain the information in its tables of generic communications status as actions are completed or resolved and proper documentation has been submitted to the NRC staff for review. Within 60 days of the date of this letter, TVA is requested to provide its status reconciliation and, at least every 6 months thereafter, provide an update to the status of all generic communications, including references to closure documentation, as appropriate. The NRC staff will use this information to verify the completion of actions and to coordinate the need for independent validation of implementation through inspections.

If you have questions regarding the staffs assessment or actions requested of TVA, please contact me at 301-415-1457.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Patrick D. Milano, Senior Project Manager Watts Bar Special Projects Branch Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-391

Enclosure:

Tables 1 - 4, Generic Communications Status for TVA Watts Bar Unit 2 cc w/encls: See next page

In addition to reconciling the status differences as noted above, TVA should maintain the information in its tables of generic communications status as actions are completed or resolved and proper documentation has been submitted to the NRC staff for review. Within 60 days of the date of this letter, TVA is requested to provide its status reconciliation and, at least every 6 months thereafter, provide an update to the status of all generic communications, including references to closure documentation, as appropriate. The NRC staff will use this information to verify the completion of actions and to coordinate the need for independent validation of implementation through inspections.

If you have questions regarding the staffs assessment or actions requested of TVA, please contact me at 301-415-1457.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Patrick D. Milano, Senior Project Manager Watts Bar Special Projects Branch Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-391

Enclosure:

Tables 1 - 4, Generic Communications Status for TVA Watts Bar Unit 2 cc w/encls: See next page DISTRIBUTION:

PUBLIC RidsNrrPMPMilano R. Haag, R-II LWPB Reading File RidsNrrLABClayton RidRgn2MailCenter RidsNrrDorlLwsb RidsNrrPMJWilliams RidsAcrsAcnw&mMailCenter RidsNrrDprPgcb J. Uribe, NRR RidsOgcRp J.Bartley W.Bearden ADAMS Accession Number: ML081490110 Package: ML081490093 OFFICE LWPB/PE LWPB/PM LWPB/LA LWPB/BC NAME JUribe PMilano BClayton LRaghavan By e-mail DATE 5 / 28 /08 5 / 28 / 08 5 / 28 / 08 5 / 27 / 08 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

William R. Campbell, Jr.

Tennessee Valley Authority WATTS BAR NUCLEAR PLANT cc:

Mr. Gordon P. Arent New Generation Licensing Manager Tennessee Valley Authority 5A Lookout Place 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Mr. Ashok S. Bhatnagar Senior Vice President Nuclear Generation Development and Construction Tennessee Valley Authority 6A Lookout Place 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Vice President Nuclear Support Tennessee Valley Authority 3R Lookout Place 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Mr. H. Rick Rogers Vice President Nuclear Engineering & Technical Services Tennessee Valley Authority 3R Lookout Place 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 General Counsel Tennessee Valley Authority 6A West Tower 400 West Summit Hill Drive Knoxville, TN 37902 Mr. John C. Fornicola, Manager Nuclear Assurance Tennessee Valley Authority 3R Lookout Place 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Mr. Larry E. Nicholson, General Manager Performance Improvement Tennessee Valley Authority 3R Lookout Place 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Mr. Michael D. Skaggs Site Vice President Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority P. O. Box 2000 Spring City, TN 37381 Mr. Michael A. Purcell Senior Licensing Manager Nuclear Power Group Tennessee Valley Authority 4X Blue Ridge 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Ms. Beth A. Wetzel, Manager Corporate Nuclear Licensing and Industry Affairs Tennessee Valley Authority 4X Blue Ridge 1101 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801 Mr. Masoud Bajestani, Vice President Watts Bar Unit 2 Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority P.O. Box 2000 Spring City, TN 37381 Mr. Michael K. Brandon, Manager Licensing and Industry Affairs Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority P.O. Box 2000 Spring City, TN 37381 Mr. Michael J. Lorek, Plant Manager Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority P.O. Box 2000 Spring City, TN 37381 Senior Resident Inspector Watts Bar Nuclear Plant U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1260 Nuclear Plant Road Spring City, TN 37381 County Executive 375 Church Street Suite 215 Dayton, TN 37321 County Mayor P. O. Box 156 Decatur, TN 37322 Mr. Lawrence E. Nanney, Director Division of Radiological Health Dept. of Environment & Conservation Third Floor, L and C Annex 401 Church Street Nashville, TN 37243-1532

Legend for Tables 1, 2, and 3 C

Closed. Previous staff review of NUREG-0847 and/or Supplements has closed the item either for both units at WBN or explicitly for WBN Unit 2.

CI Closed/Implementation. Staff has approved either for both units at WBN or explicitly for WBN Unit 2; there is no change to the approved design; and implementation is recommended through Regional Inspection.

CT Closed/Technical Specification. Item has been approved either for both units at WBN or explicitly for WBN Unit 2; however, a change to the original approval requires submittal of the Technical Specifications and staff review.

O Open. No action or documentation is provided that shows that TVA staff has reviewed the item for WBN Unit 2.

OT Open/Technical Specifications. No action or documentation is provided that shows that TVA staff has reviewed the item for WBN Unit 2, and the resolution is through submittal of a Technical Specification.

OV Open/Validation. The proposed approach has been approved for WBN Unit 1; the same approach used is proposed for WBN Unit 2 without change.

A-O Applicable, therefore Open (A-O). Items that have been categorized as non-applicable but the staff has found to be applicable. The scope of items that fall under the category of Applicable, therefore Open will include:

Items that have been categorized as Not Applicable by TVA but the staff has reviewed and considers additional information is required. These items may be considered closed with the submittal of additional information that substantiates the review.

NA Not Applicable. The scope of items that the NRC staff has reviewed and determined that fall under the category of Not Applicable will include:

Items that, due to technical specifications, equipment, design, specific circumstances or special exemptions, have a clear and unquestionable status of Non-Applicability (i.e.,

boiling-water reactor, Babcock and Wilcox design, etc.).

Items that apply or relate to WBN 2 but clearly do not require any further action or response on behalf of TVA for WBN Unit 2.