IR 05000263/2009502
Download: ML092810526
Text
October 7, 2009
Mr. Timothy Site Vice President Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant Northern States Power Company, Minnesota 2807 West County Road 75 Monticello, MN 55362-9637
SUBJECT: MONTICELLO NUCLEAR GENERATING PLANT BASELINE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS BIENNIAL EXERCISE INSPECTION REPORT 05000263/2009502
Dear Mr. O'Connor:
On August 21, 2009, the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed a Baseline Emergency Preparedness Biennial Exercise inspection at your Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant. The enclosed report documents the inspection findings, which were discussed on August 21, 2009, with Mr. and other members of your staff. The inspection examined activities conducted under your license as they relate to safety and compliance with the Commission's rules and regulations and with the conditions of your license. The inspectors reviewed selected procedures and records, observed activities, and interviewed personnel. Based on the results of this inspection, no NRC-identified and no self-revealed findings of very low safety significance were identified. In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter and its enclosure will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records System (PARS) component of NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS), accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).
Sincerely,/RA by M. Bielby for/
Hironori Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket No. 50-263 License No. DPR-22
Enclosure:
Inspection Report 05000263/2009502(DRS)
w/Attachment:
Supplemental Information cc w/encl: Distribution via ListServ U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION III Docket No: 50-263 License No: DPR-22 Report No: 05000263/2009502 Licensee: Northern States Power Company, Minnesota Facility: Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant Location: Monticello, MN Dates: August 17 through 21, 2009 Inspectors: Robert Jickling, Sr. Emergency Preparedness Inspector Regina Russell, Emergency Preparedness Inspector Dell McNeil; Sr. Reactor Engineer Paul Zurawski, Resident Inspector Jeff Laughlin, Sr. Emergency Preparedness Specialist
Approved by: Hironori Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Enclosure Enclosure 1
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
IR 05000263/2009502; 08/21/2009 - 08/21/2009; Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant; Baseline Emergency Preparedness Biennial Exercise Inspection. This report covers a one week period of announced baseline inspection by two regional inspectors, one resident inspector, one reactor engineer, and one specialist. The significance of most findings is indicated by their color (Green, White, Yellow, Red) using Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC) 0609, "Significance Determination Process" (SDP). Findings for which the SDP does not apply may be Green or be assigned a severity level after NRC management review.
The NRC's program for overseeing the safe operation of commercial nuclear power reactors is described in NUREG-1649, "Reactor Oversight Process," Revision 4, dated December 2006.
A. NRC-Identified
and Self-Revealed Findings
Cornerstone: Emergency Preparedness
No findings of significance were identified.
B. Licensee-Identified Violations
No violations of significance were identified.
2
REPORT DETAILS
REACTOR SAFETY
Cornerstone:
1EP1 Exercise Evaluation
.1 Exercise Evaluation
a. Inspection Scope
The inspectors reviewed the August 18, 2009, biennial emergency preparedness exercise's objectives and scenario to ensure that the exercise would acceptably test major elements of the licensee's emergency plan and to verify that the exercise's simulated problems provided an acceptable framework to support demonstration of the licensee's capability to implement its plan. The inspectors also reviewed records of other drills and exercises conducted in 2007, 2008, and 2009 to verify that those drills' scenarios were sufficiently different from the scenario used in the August 18, 2009, exercise. The inspectors evaluated the licensee's exercise performance, focusing on the risk significant activities of emergency classification, notification, and protective action decision making, implementation of accident mitigation strategies, and correction of past exercise weaknesses in the following emergency response facilities: Control Room Simulator (CRS); Technical Support Center (TSC); Operations Support Center (OSC); and Emergency Operations Facility (EOF). The inspectors also assessed the licensee's recognition of abnormal plant conditions, transfer of responsibilities between facilities, internal communications, interfaces with offsite officials, readiness of emergency facilities and related equipment, and overall implementation of the licensee's emergency plan. The inspectors attended post-exercise critiques in the CRS, TSC, OSC, and EOF to evaluate the licensee's initial self-assessment of its exercise performance. The inspectors later met with the licensee's lead exercise evaluators and managers to obtain the licensee's findings and assessments of its exercise participants' performances.
These self assessments were then compared with the inspectors' independent observations and assessments to assess the licensee's ability to adequately critique its exercise performance. Documents reviewed are listed in the Attachment to this report. This exercise evaluation inspection constituted one sample as defined in Inspection Procedure (IP) 71114.01-05.
b. Findings
No findings of significance were identified.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
4OA1 Performance Indicator (PI) Verification
.1 Drill/Exercise Performance
a. Inspection Scope
The inspectors sampled licensee submittals for the Drill/Exercise Performance Indicator (PI) for the period from the second quarter 2008 through second quarter 2009. To determine the accuracy of the PI data reported during those periods, PI definitions and guidance contained in the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) Document 99-02, "Regulatory Assessment Performance Indicator Guideline," Revision 5, were used. The inspectors reviewed the licensee's records associated with the performance indicator to verify that the licensee accurately reported the indicator in accordance with relevant procedures and the NEI guidance. Specifically, the inspectors reviewed licensee records and processes including procedural guidance on assessing opportunities for the PI; assessments of PI opportunities during pre-designated control room simulator training sessions, and performance during other drills. Documents reviewed are listed in the Attachment to this report. This inspection constituted one drill/exercise performance sample as defined in IP 71151-05.
b. Findings
No findings of significance were identified.
.2 Emergency Response Organization Drill Participation
a. Inspection Scope
The inspectors sampled licensee submittals for the Emergency Response Organization (ERO) Drill Participation PI for the period from the second quarter 2008 through second quarter 2009. To determine the accuracy of the PI data reported during those periods, PI definitions and guidance contained in the NEI Document 99-02, "Regulatory Assessment Performance Indicator Guideline," Revision 5, were used. The inspectors reviewed the licensee's records associated with the PI to verify that the licensee accurately reported the indicator in accordance with relevant procedures and the NEI guidance. Specifically, the inspectors reviewed licensee records and processes including procedural guidance on assessing opportunities for the PI; performance during the 2008 and 2009 exercises and drills; and revisions of the roster of personnel assigned to key emergency response organization positions. Documents reviewed are listed in the Attachment to this report. This inspection constituted one ERO drill participation sample as defined in IP 71151-05.
b. Findings
No findings of significance were identified.
4.3 Alert and Notification System
a. Inspection Scope
The inspectors sampled licensee submittals for the Alert and Notification System (ANS) PI for the period from the second quarter 2008 through second quarter 2009. To determine the accuracy of the PI data reported during those periods, PI definitions and guidance contained in the NEI Document 99-02, "Regulatory Assessment Performance Indicator Guideline," Revision 5, were used. The inspectors reviewed the licensee's records associated with the PI to verify that the licensee accurately reported the indicator in accordance with relevant procedures and the NEI guidance. Specifically, the inspectors reviewed licensee records and processes including procedural guidance on assessing opportunities for the PI and results of periodic scheduled ANS operability tests. Documents reviewed are listed in the Attachment to this report. This inspection constituted one alert and notification system sample as defined in IP 71151-05.
b. Findings
No findings of significance were identified.
4OA5 Other Activities
.1 (Closed) NRC Temporary Instruction 2515/175 "Emergency Response Organization, Drill/Exercise Performance Indicator, Program Review" The inspector performed Temporary Instruction (TI) 2515/175, ensured the
completeness of the TI's Attachment 1, and then forwarded the data to NRC, Headquarters.
4OA6 Management Meetings
.1 Exit Meeting Summary On August 21, 2009, the inspectors presented the inspection results to Mr. T. O'Connor, and other members of the licensee staff.
The licensee acknowledged the issues presented. The inspectors confirmed that none of the potential report input discussed was considered proprietary.
.2 Public and Media Briefing August 21, 2009, the inspector summarized the NRC's preliminary exercise inspection conclusions at a public and media briefing hosted by Department of Homeland
Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency Region V Field Office staff in Buffalo, Minnesota. ATTACHMENT:
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
KEY POINTS OF CONTACT
Licensee
- T. O'Connor, Site Vice President
- L. Anderson, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator
- R. Baumer, Compliance Engineer
- T. Blake, Corporate Emergency Preparedness Manager
- D. Crofoot, Nuclear Oversight Manager (Designee)
- C. Dixon, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator
- M. Holmes, Radiation Protection/Chemistry Manager
- G. Holthaus, Principle Emergency Preparedness Coordinator
- K. Hougen, Emergency Preparedness Instructor
- K. Jepson, Business Support Manager
- S. Oswald, Regulatory Affairs Analyst
- D. Pedersen, Emergency Preparedness Manager
- G. Salamon, Director of Nuclear Licensing and Regulatory Services
- M. Walter, Training Manager
- M. Winter, General Maintenance Supervisor
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- S. Thomas, Senior Resident Inspector
- L. Haeg, Resident Inspector
LIST OF ITEMS
OPENED, CLOSED AND DISCUSSED Opened, Closed, and Discussed None
LIST OF DOCUMENTS REVIEWED
The following is a list of documents reviewed during the inspection.
- Inclusion on this list does not imply that the NRC inspectors reviewed the documents in their entirety, but rather, that selected sections of portions of the documents were evaluated as part of the overall inspection effort.
- Inclusion of a document on this list does not imply NRC acceptance of the document or any part of it, unless this is stated in the body of the inspection report.
- 1EP1 Exercise Evaluation
- A.2-101; Classification of Emergencies; Revision 41 A.2-501; Communications during an Emergency; Revision 19
- MNGP Emergency Plan Exercise Scenario Manual; August 18, 2009 MNGP Drill and Exercise Critique Reports; November 6, 2007 - August 5, 2009
- AR 01185951; 2009 MNGP Pre-Inspection Assessment; August 3, 2009
- 2Corrective Action Program Items from August 18, 2009 Exercise
- AR 01194078; Exercise Issue - Internal Communications Problems
- AR 01194086; Exercise Issue - Tie Priorities to Field Teams
- AR 01194133; Exercise Issue - Radiation Monitor Discrepancies Identified
- AR 01194148; Exercise Issue - Plant Evacuation Process Improvements
- AR 01194149; Exercise Issue - Inaccurate General Emergency Declaration
- AR 01194193; Exercise Issue - Untimely Protective Action Recommendation
- AR 01194158; Exercise Issue - Dose Assessment with Field Team Data Problems
- AR 01194206; Exercise Issue - Untimely General Emergency Notification
- AR 01194220; Exercise Issue - Protective Action Recommendation Problems
- AR 01194246; Exercise Issue - Plant Evacuation Guidance Needed
- AR 01194249; Exercise Issue - Press Release Problems
- AR 01194302; Exercise Issue - Scenario and Control Problems
- AR 01194326/4133/4263; Exercise Issue - Scenario and Simulator Problems
- AR 01194330; Exercise Issue - Core Damage Assessment Procedure Problems
- 4OA1 Performance Indicator Verification
- Quarterly Alert and Notification System Reliability Performance Indicator Summaries; April 2008 - June 2009 Monthly Full Siren Test Failure Matrix; April 2008 - June 2009
- Quarterly Drill and Exercise Performance Indicator Opportunities; April 2008 - June 2009
- Quarterly Emergency Response Organization Participation Records;
- June 2008 - June 2009 Performance Indicator Emergency Preparedness Worksheets and Records;
- April 2008 - June 2009
- 3
LIST OF ACRONYMS
- USED [[]]
AR Action Request
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
CR Condition Report
EOF Emergency Operations Facility EP Emergency Preparedness
ERO Emergency Response Organization
- MN [[]]
GP Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant
NEI Nuclear Energy Institute
Mr. Timothy J. O'Connor Site Vice President Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant Northern States Power Company, Minnesota
2807 West County Road 75 Monticello,
- PLANT [[]]
- EMERGE [[]]
- NCY [[]]
- PREPAR [[]]
- EDNESS [[]]
- BIENNI [[]]
- AL [[]]
- EXERCI [[]]
- SE [[]]
- INSPEC [[]]
- TION [[]]
- REPORT 05000263/2009502 Dear Mr. O'Connor: On August 21, 2009, the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (
- NRC ) completed a Baseline Emergency Preparedness Biennial Exercise inspection at your Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant. The enclosed report documents the inspection findings, which were discussed on August 21, 2009, with Mr.
- T. [[O'Connor and other members of your staff. The inspection examined activities conducted under your license as they relate to safety and compliance with the Commission's rules and regulations and with the conditions of your license. The inspectors reviewed selected procedures and records, observed activities, and interviewed personnel. Based on the results of this inspection, no]]
- NRC -identified and no self-revealed findings of very low safety significance were identified. In accordance with
- NRC 's "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter and its enclosure will be available electronically for public inspection in the
- NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room). Sincerely, /
RA by M. Bielby for/ Hironori Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket No. 50-263
License No.