IR 05000498/2015005
| ML15243A561 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | South Texas  |
| Issue date: | 09/01/2015 |
| From: | Taylor N H NRC/RGN-IV/DRP |
| To: | Koehl D L South Texas |
| Nicholas Taylor | |
| References | |
| IR 2015005 | |
| Download: ML15243A561 (7) | |
Text
September 1, 2015
Mr. Dennis Koehl President and Chief Executive Officer STP Nuclear Operating Company P.O. Box 289 Wadsworth, TX 77483
SUBJECT: MID-CYCLE ASSESSMENT LETTER FOR SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT ELECTRIC GENERATING STATION (REPORT 05000498/2015005 AND 05000499/2015005)
Dear Mr. Koehl:
On August 11, 2015, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed its mid-cycle performance review of South Texas Project Electric Generating Station, Units 1 and 2. The NRC reviewed the most recent quarterly performance indicators (PIs) in addition to inspection results and enforcement actions from July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2015. This letter informs you of the NRC's assessment of your facility during this period and its plans for future inspections at your facility. The NRC determined that overall, South Texas Project Electric Generating Station, Units 1 and 2 operated in a manner that preserved public health and safety and met all cornerstone objectives. The NRC determined the performance at South Texas Project Electric Generating Station, Units 1 and 2 during the most recent quarter was within the Licensee Response Column of the NRC's Reactor Oversight Process (ROP) Action Matrix because all inspection findings had very low (i.e., green) safety significance, and all PIs indicated that your performance was within the nominal, expected range (i.e., green). Therefore, the NRC plans to conduct ROP baseline inspections at your facility. The enclosed inspection plan lists the inspections scheduled through June 30, 2017. Routine inspections performed by resident inspectors are not included in the inspection plan. The inspections listed during the second half of the inspection plan are tentative and may be revised at the end-of-cycle performance review. The NRC provides the inspection plan to allow for the resolution of any scheduling conflicts and personnel availability issues. The NRC will contact you as soon as possible to discuss changes to the inspection plan should circumstances warrant any changes. This inspection plan does not include security related inspections, which will be sent via separate, non-publicly available correspondence. In response to the accident at Fukushima, the Commission issued Order EA-12-049, "Order Modifying Licenses with Regard to Requirements for Mitigation Strategies for Beyond-Design-Basis External Events," which requires licensees to develop, implement, and maintain guidance and strategies to maintain or restore core cooling, containment, and spent fuel pool cooling capabilities following a beyond-design-basis external event. Additionally, the Commission issued Order EA-12-051, "Order Modifying Licenses with Regard to Reliable Spent Fuel Pool Instrumentation," which requires licensees to have a reliable means of remotely monitoring wide-range Spent Fuel Pool levels to support effective prioritization of event mitigation and recovery actions in the event of a beyond-design-basis external event. The NRC is conducting audits of licensee efforts towards compliance with these Orders. The audit has been completed at South Texas Project Electric Generating Station, Units 1 and 2, and the information gathered will aid staff in development of the ultimate Safety Evaluation for the site. After the NRC staff receives the Final Compliance letter for the site, the Final Safety Evaluation will be issued. Then, the NRC staff will confirm through inspections the full implementation of the orders mentioned above by performing Temporary Instruction 2515/191, "Inspection of the Implementation of Mitigating Strategies and Spent Fuel Pool Instrumentation Orders and Emergency Preparedness Communication/Staffing/Multi-Unit Dose Assessment Plans." In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 2.390 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter will be 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).
Please contact me at 817-200-1141 with any questions you have regarding this letter.
Sincerely,/RA/ Nicholas H. Taylor, Branch Chief Project Branch B Division of Reactor Projects Docket Nos.: 50-498; 50-499 License Nos.: NPF-76; NPF-80
Enclosure:
South Texas Project Electric Generating Station, Units 1 and 2 Inspection /Activity Plan