ML101970547

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IR 05000285-10-007; on 01/01/2010 - 06/21/2010; Omaha Public Power District Fort Calhoun Station, Inspection Procedure 92701, Followup
ML101970547
Person / Time
Site: Fort Calhoun Omaha Public Power District icon.png
Issue date: 07/15/2010
From: Caniano R J
Division of Reactor Safety IV
To: Bannister D J
Omaha Public Power District
References
EA-10-084, FOIA/PA-2014-0210 IR-10-007
Download: ML101970547 (32)


See also: IR 05000285/2010007

Text

EA-10-084

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY

COMMISSION

REGION IV 612 EAST LAMAR BLVD, SUITE 400 ARLINGTON, TEXAS 76011-4125

July 15, 2010 David J. Bannister, Vice President

and Chief Nuclear Officer Omaha Public Power District 9610 Power Lane Blair, NE 68008 SUBJECT: FORT CALHOUN STATION -NRC FOLLOWUP INSPECTION

-INSPECTION

REPORT 05000285/2010007;

PRELIMINARY

SUBSTANTIAL

FINDING Dear Mr. Bannister:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission (NRC) completed

an inspection

at the Fort Calhoun Station. The enclosed inspection

report documents

the inspection

findings, which were discussed, with Mr. J. Reinhart Site Vice President, and other members of your staff on June 21,2010. The attached report documents

the results of the inspection, which reviewed an unresolved

item from the 2009 Component

Design Basis Inspection

at the Fort Calhoun Station (URI 05000285/2009006-03).

The inspection

examined activities

conducted

under your license as they relate to safety and compliance

with the NRC's

rules and regulations

with respect to external flooding.

This report discusses

preliminary

results of the inspection

including

a finding, which involves a failure to establish

and maintain procedures

to protect the intake structure

and auxiliary

building during external flooding events. The inspectors

determined

that the protection

strategy discussed

in station operating

procedures, if implemented, would be insufficient

to protect vital station facilities

to an external flood level of 1014 feet mean sea level, as described

in the Fort Calhoun Station Updated Safety Analysis Report and station procedures.

This finding was assessed based on the best available

information, including

influential

assumptions, using the applicable

significance

determination

process. The preliminary

significance (Yellow) was based on the extrapolated

external flood frequencies

established

by the Fort Calhoun Station Individual

Plant Examination

for External Events and credit given for use of a portable gas powered pump system. Additional

details of the primary assumptions

associated

with the preliminary

significance

determination

process are documented

in Attachment

2 of the enclosure.

The finding is also an apparent violation

of NRC requirements

and is being considered

for escalated

enforcement

action in accordance

with the NRC Enforcement

Policy. The current Enforcement

Policy is included on the NRC's Web site at

Omaha Public Power District -2 -Before we make a final decision on this matter, we are providing

you an opportunity

(1) to present to the NRC your perspectives

on the facts and assumptions, used by the NRC to arrive at the finding and its significance, at a Regulatory

Conference

or (2) submit your

position on the finding to the NRC in writing. If you request a Regulatory

Conference, it should be held within 30 days of the receipt of this letter and we encourage

you to submit supporting

documentation

at least one week prior to the conference

in an effort to make the conference

more efficient

and effective.

If a Regulatory

Conference

is held, it will be open for public observation.

If you decide to submit only a written response, such submittal

should be sent to the NRC within 30 days of the receipt of this letter. In accordance

with NRC Inspection

Manual Chapter 0609, we intend to complete our evaluation

using the best available

information

and issue our final determination

of safety significance

within 90 calendar days of the date of this letter. The significance

determination

process encourages

an open dialogue between the NRC staff and the licensee.

However, the dialogue should not impact the timeliness

of the staff's final determination.

Since the NRC has not made a final determination

in this matter, a Notice of Violation

is not being issued for these inspection

findings at this time. In addition, please be advised that the number and characterization

of apparent violations

described

in the enclosed inspection

report may change as a result of further NRC review. If you have additional

questions

about NRC rules and processes, please contact Mr. Thomas Farnholtz

at (817) 860-8243.

In accordance

with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter and its enclosures

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 (the Public Electronic

Reading Room). Sincerely, Docket: 50-285 License: DPR-40 Enclosure:

NRC Inspection

Report 05000285/20010007

w/Attachments:

Attachment

1: Supplemental

Information

Attachment

2: Phase 3 Analysis Attachment

3: SPAR-H Worksheets

Attachment

4: Flooding Frequency

Sensitivity

Attachment

5: Significance

Determination

Processes

Combinations

Attachment

6: Additional

Fault Trees

Omaha Public Power District cc wiEnciosure:

Jeffrey A. Reinhart Site Vice President

Omaha Public Power District Fort Calhoun Station FC-2-4 Adm. P.O. Box 550 Fort Calhoun, NE 68023-0550

William Hansher Manager -Nuclear Licensing

Omaha Public Power District Fort Calhoun Station FC-2-4 Adm. P.O. Box 550 Fort Calhoun, NE 68023-0550

David A. Repka Winston & Strawn 1700 K Street, NW Washington, DC 20006-3817

Chairman Washington

County Board of Supervisors

P.O. Box 466 Blair, NE 68008 Ms. Julia Schmitt, Manager Radiation

Control Program Nebraska Health & Human Services Division of Public Health P.O. Box 95026 Lincoln, NE 68509-5026

Ms. Melanie Rasmussen

Radiation

Control Program Officer Bureau of Radiological

Health Iowa Department

of Public Health Lucas State Office Building, 5th Floor 321 East 12th Street Des Moines, IA 50319 Chief, Technological

Hazards Branch FEMA, Region VII 9221 Ward Parkway Suite 300 Kansas City, MO 64114-3372

-3-

Docket: License: Report Nos.: Licensee:

Facility:

Location:

Dates: Lead Inspector:

Inspectors:

Others: Approved By: 50-285 DPR-40 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY

COMMISSION

REGION IV 05000285/2010007

Omaha Public Power District Fort Calhoun Station 9610 Power Lane Blair, NE 68008 February 9,2010 (Onsite) April 13, 2010 (Onsite) January 1, 2010 -June 14, 201 0 (In-Office)

G. George, Reactor Inspector, Engineering

Branch 1 J. Kirkland, Senior Resident Inspector, Fort Calhoun Station M. Williams, Reactor Inspector, Plant Support Branch 2 G. Replogle, Senior Reactor Analyst, Division of Reactor Safety D. Loveless, Senior Reactor Analyst, Division of Reactor Safety Thomas Farnholtz, Branch Chief, Engineering

Branch 1 -1 -Enclosure

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS IR 05000285/2010007;

01101/2010

-06/21/2010;

Fort Calhoun Station: Inspection

Procedure

92701, Followup.

The report covers a 6-month period of followup inspection

by regional based inspectors

from the NRC Region IV office. One apparent violation

of NRC requirements

with potential

substantial (Yellow) safety significance

was identified.

The significance

of most findings is indicated

by their color (Green, White, Yellow, or Red) using Inspection

Manual Chapter 0609, "Significance

Determination

Process." Findings for which the significance

determination

process 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

Findings and Self-Revealing

Findings Cornerstone:

Mitigating

Systems * Yellow. The inspectors

identified

an apparent violation

of Technical

Specification

5.8.1.a, "Procedures," for failure to establish

and maintain procedures

that protect the intake structure

and auxiliary

building during external flooding events.

The inspectors

determined

that the procedural

guidance of RR-AE-1002, "Flood Control Preparedness

for Sandbagging," was inadequate

because stacking and draping sandbags at a height of four feet over the top of floodgates

would be insufficient

to protect the vital facilities

to 1014 feet mean sea level, as described

in the Updated Safety Analysis Report and station procedures.

The licensee has entered this condition

into their corrective

action program as Condition

Report 2010-2387.

As result of this violation, the licensee has implemented

a corrective

action plan to correct identified

deficiencies

and ensure site readiness.

This performance

deficiency

is more than minor because it adversely

affected the Mitigating

Systems Cornerstone

attribute

of external events and affected the

cornerstone

objective

of ensuring the availability

and reliability

of systems that respond to initiating

events to prevent undesirable

consequences.

The inspectors

determined

the finding resulted in the degradation

of equipment

and functions

specifically

designed to mitigate a flooding initiating

event. In addition, an external flood event would degrade two or more trains of a multi-train

safety system. Therefore, the finding was potentially

risk significant

to flood initiators

and a Phase 3 analysis was required.

The preliminary

change in core damage frequency

was calculated

to be 3.1 E-5/year indicating

that the finding was of substantial

safety significance (Yellow). The

finding was determined

to have a crosscutting

aspect in the area of problem identification

and resolution, corrective

action program, for failure to take appropriate

corrective

actions to address safety issues and adverse trends in a timely manner, commensurate

with their safety significance

and complexity.

Specifically, from 2003 to 2008, the licensee failed to initiate appropriate

corrective

actions to ensure reguiatory

compiiance

of the external flooding design basis was maintained.

[P.i (d)] (Section 40A5.i) -2 -Enclosure

REPORT DETAILS 40A5 Other Activities

.1 IP 92701, "Followup":

URI 05000285/2009006-03, "Failure to Update Flood Protection

for Safety Related Buildings" a. Inspection

Scope As documented

in NRC Inspection

Report 2009006, the NRC inspectors

identified

an unresolved

item concerning

external flood protection

for plant areas considered

vital to allow the reactor to achieve cold shutdown.

The unresolved

item concerned:

(1) the ability of the licensee to protect the Fort Calhoun Station auxiliary

building, intake structure, and turbine building basement from external floods up to flood elevation

1013 feet mean sea level* (MSL) as stated in the Updated Safety Analysis Report (USAR) and station procedures;

and, (2) upon receiving

new flooding information

in November 2003, if the licensee was required to update the USAR. Because further inspection

was necessary, the issue was considered

an unresolved

item pending further NRC Region IV review. The NRC Region IV review was to determine:

1. If the failure to meet the self-imposed

standard of flood protection

up to 1013 feet MSL * is a performance

deficiency

in accordance

with NRC Manual Chapter 0612. 2. If a violation

of NRC requirements

is associated

with the performance

deficiency

because the licensee did not update the external flood design basis when new information

was received in November 2003. *Note: During this inspection, the inspectors

determined

that the Fort Calhoun Station original USAR described

protection

of the facility up to 1014 feet MSL. This unresolved

item was identified

as URI 05000285/2009006-03, "Failure to Update Flood Protection

for Safety Related Buildings." Based on followup inspections

conducted

at the Fort Calhoun Station and the NRC Region IV office, the inspectors

determined

that no further inspection

is necessary.

Therefore, URI 05000285/2009006-03

will be closed. Findings are documented

in the following

section. b. Findings Failure to Maintain External Flood Procedures

Introduction.

The inspectors

identified

a Yellow, apparent violation

of Technical

Specification

5.8.1.a, "Procedures," for failure to establish

and maintain procedures

that protect the intake structure

and auxiliary

building during external flood events. Specifically, stacking and draping sandbags on floodgates

IS not a suffiCient

configuration

to protect the auxiliary

building and intake structure

to an external flood height of 1014 feet MSL as stated in station operating

procedures

and the USAR. -3 -Enclosure

Description.

The inspectors

determined

design basis flood elevations

at the Fort Calhoun Station by reviewing

USAR Chapter 2.7, "Hydrology," USAR Chapter 9.8, "Raw Water System," and Technical

Specification

2.16, "River LeveL" USAR Section 2.7.1.2 states, in part: "The design flood elevation

of 1,006 feet based on a 0.1 percent probability

flood is considered

conservative.

Without special provisions, the plant can accommodate

flood levels of up to 1,007 [feet mean sea level]. Steel flood gates are permanently

mounted above and adjacent to openings in structures

containing

equipment

required for a safe and orderly plant shutdown.

In the event of high water levels, these flood gates can be installed

to provide protection

to a level of 1,009.5 [feet mean sea level]. In the Intake Structure, protection

to 1009.5 [feet] MSL is accomplished

with flood gates and sandbagging.

The plant can be protected

by sandbags, temporary

earth levees and other methods to allow a safe shutdown with a flood elevation

of 1,013 [feet mean sea level]." USAR Section 9.8.6 states, in part: "Protection

for the raw water pumps and their drives against floods is provided at three elevations

as indicated

on Figure 9.8-1. The pumps are permanently

protected

against any water level up to elevation

1007.5 feet MSL by the Class I concrete substructure

of the intake building.

Protection

is provided to elevation

1009.5 [feet MSL] by sandbags around the traveling

screen areas and by gasketed steel closures at exterior doorway openings in the intake structure

reinforced

concrete perimeter

walls. Protection

to elevation

1014.5 feet [MSL] is provided by additional

sandbags around the traveling

screen areas, and by supplementing

the intake structure

perimeter

walls with sandbags.

The water level inside the intake cells can be controlled

by positioning

the exterior sluice gates to restrict the inflow into the cells." Technical

Specification

2.16, "Basis," dated November 1, 2007, states: "The maximum Missouri River level of 1009 feet MSL is the level at which the installed

flood gates will protect the plant. Any increase in river level will require sand bagging to repel the water to a maximum flood level of 1014 feet [MSL] or greater." When the licensee determines

it is necessary

to protect the plant at elevated flood levels, the licensee implements

Section I of procedure

AOP-1, "Acts of Nature." AOP-1 is a procedure

required by Technical

Specification

5.8.1.a and NRC Regulatory

Guide 1.33, Appendix A, Section 6.w. AOP-1 directs the licensee to implement

applicable

sections of procedures

PE-RR-AE-1

001, "F!oodgate

!nstallation

and Removal," and RR-AE-1002, "Flood Control Preparedness

for Sandbagging," when river levels reach specified

heights of 1002, 1004, 1007, and 1009 feet MSL. -4-Enclosure

GM-RR-AE-1002, step 7.4 states: "The primary focus for flood protection

should be directed to those facilities

which are considered

vital with respect to nuclear safety and credited with flood protection

in the Individual

Plant Examination

of External Events Flooding evaluation, Reference

2.3. These facilities

shall be protected

at the sacrifice

of the other facilities

if site conditions

warrant. The vital facilities

are: Auxiliary

Building, Intake Structure, and Turbine Building Basement." Reference

2.3 of procedure

GM-RR-AE-1002

is the Individual

Plant Examination

of External Events for Fort Calhoun Station, Section 5.2, "External

Flooding," Table 5.2.3. This table credited flood protection

by sandbagging

up to 1010.8 ft MSL for the turbine building and up to 1013.5 feet MSL for the auxiliary

building and intake structure.

Table 5.2.3, "Impact of Periodic Flood due to Rain and Snow," comments that "severe core damage results if either intake or auxiliary

building sandbagging

fails." The turbine building, which does not contain safety related equipment

necessary

for safe shutdown, was assumed lost at floods greater than 1010.8 feet MSL. Attachment

9.5 of procedure

GM-RR-AE-1002

contains specific instructions

that plant operators

would use to protect from flood crest above 1009 feet mean sea levei. The attachment

notes that sandbags would be tied and draped over the top of floodgates

to supplement

the protection

capability

to the projected

flood crest. Specifically, the attachment

stated, "Place additional

sandbags on top of the floodgates

to raise the protection

against the expected crest of the flood." Additionally, Attachment

9.8 of GM-RR-AE-1002

stated the intake structure

and auxiliary

building could be protected

to 1014.5 feet MSL with floodgates

and sandbags.

The inspectors

requested

a demonstration

of flood protection

for vital facilities

against flood levels above the probable maximum flood level of 1009 feet MSL. As a result of this demonstration, the inspectors

determined

that the procedural

guidance of AE-1 002 was inadequate

because stacking and draping sandbags at a height of five feet over the top of floodgates

would be insufficient

to protect the vital facilities

to 1014 feet MSL, as described

in the USAR and station procedures.

The sandbagging

activity would be insufficient

because the %-inch cross section on the top of the floodgates

was too small to support a stacked sandbag configuration

that would retain five feet of moving water. Therefore, the inspectors

determined

that a failure of the sandbags would cause potential

damage to the auxiliary

building, intake structure, and turbine building and their equipment

at external flood levels above 1009.5 feet MSL. The inspectors

also identified

plant personnel

would need to take additional

action to prevent flooding through the traveling

screen discharge

trench in the intake structure

or the intake structure

would be potentially

lost at a flood level of 1008 feet MSL. Furthermore, the inspectors

determined

that any actions taken per AOP-1 could be difficult

because of the risk to personnel

safety when flood waters are within the protected

area. While reviewing

the Fort Calhoun Station design basis, the inspectors

discovered

the licensee missed several opportunities

to implement appropriate

corrective

actions when new external flood information

was available.

The failure to implement

appropriate

corrective

actions directly contributed

to the licensee's

failure to identify inadequacies

in their external flood procedures

and strategy. -5 -Enclosure

As documented

in Condition

Report 2002-1296, the licensee obtained external flood information

from the Federal Emergency

Management

Administration

and an Army Corps of Engineers

letter to Omaha Public Power District (OPPD), dated January 14, 1993. The information

estimated

projected

flood elevations

to be three feet greater than the flood elevations

described

in the original USAR. The corrective

actions were to evaluate the information

to determine

if the design basis and procedures

would need to be updated. The licensee determined

that the design basis would remain the same; however, a USAR change would reflect that an evaluation

of the new information's

impact on the design basis was completed.

A USAR change was submitted

to the NRC in January 2008, but no change to operating

procedures

was initiated.

During the evaluation

associated

with Condition

Report 2002-1296, the licensee identified

that more recent external flood information

was available

from the Army Corps of Engineers.

In July 2003, the licensee identified

that external flood frequencies

and associated

Missouri River levels evaluated

in the 2003 draft version of Army Corps of Engineers

report, "Upper Mississippi

River System Flow Frequency

Study (final version January 2004)," had increased

since last evaluated

the Army Corps of Engineers

letter to OPPD, dated January 14, 1993. This condition

was entered into the corrective

action program as Condition

Report 2003-2664.

The licensee's

corrective

action tasked the licensee's

probabilistic

risk assessment

group to evaluate the new 2003 external flood data, update the existing external flood analysis, and develop a set of recommended

strategies

to mitigate high risk external flood scenarios.

This external flood analysis was completed

in August 2005. The licensee realized the new flood elevations

were approximately

three feet higher for each flooding frequency.

Additionally, when the 2003 data was extrapolated

to a 1000-year

flood frequency, the licensee found the 1 OOO-year flood elevation

to be 1010.5 feet MSL. Following

this discovery, the licensee updated the external flood analysis in 2005; however, no corrective

action was written to evaluate the potential

change to the plants design basis or operating

procedures.

Consequently, the 2005 external flood analysis was not mentioned

in the USAR change initiated

in January 2008. Furthermore, the licensee did not develop a corrective

action plan to ensure the design basis and regulatory

compliance

was maintained, as required by corrective

action program. Analysis.

The inspectors

determined

the failure to establish

and maintain adequate procedures

to protect the auxiliary

building and intake structure

to external flood heights between 1008 and 1014 feet MSL is a performance

deficiency.

Specifically, the licensee failed to maintain procedures for

combating

a significant

flood as recommended

by NRC Regulatory

Guide 1.33, Appendix A, Section 6.w, "Acts of Nature." This performance

deficiency

is more than minor because it adversely

affected the Mitigating

Systems Cornerstone

attribute

of external events and affected the

cornerstone

objective

of ensuring the availability

and reliability

of systems that respond to initiating

events to prevent undesirable

consequences.

The inspectors

determined

the finding resulted in the degradation

of equipment

and functions

specifically

designed to mitigate a flooding i_i-f*i,.,,+i

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ItVVU eVC;lll VVVUfU

l,VVV VI IIIUIIf;;J

lIeUlf.::;)

VI a multi-train

safety system. Therefore, the finding was potentially

risk significant

to flood initiators

and a Phase 3 analysis of the significance

determination

process was required. -6 -Enciosure

A Region IV senior reactor analyst performed

the Phase 3 significance

determination.

The preliminary

change in core damage frequency

was calculated

to be 3.1 E-5/year indicating

that the finding was of substantial

safety significance (Yellow).

The risk important

sequence included a station blackout, loss of all dc power, failure of the turbine-driven

auxiliary

feedwater

pump, and failure of the diesel-driven

auxiliary

feedwater

pump. Remaining

mitigation

equipment

that helped to limit the significance

included the licensee's

temporary

gasoline powered pump system that can provide makeup water to the steam generators.

The inspectors

determined

the finding has a crosscutting

aspect in the area of problem identification

and resolution, corrective

action program, for failure to take appropriate

corrective

actions to address safety issues and adverse trends in a timely manner, commensurate

with their safety significance

and complexity.

Specifically, from 2003 to 2008, the licensee failed to initiate appropriate

corrective

actions to ensure regulatory

compliance

of the external flood design basis was maintained.

[P.1 (d)] Enforcement.

Technical

Specification

5.8.1.a, "Procedures," states, "Written procedures

and administrative

policies shall be established, implemented, and maintained

covering the following

activities: (a) The applicable

procedures

recommended

in Regulatory

Guide 1.33, Revision 2, Appendix A, 1978." From 1976 to 1978, Fort Calhoun Station established

written procedures

recommended

by NRC Regulatory

Guide 1.33, Appendix A, Revision 1. NRC Regulatory

Guide 1.33, Appendix A, Section 6 recommends

procedures

for combating

emergencies

and other significant

events. Section 6.w, "Acts of Nature" recommends

procedures

for combating

tornado, dam failure, flood, and earthquakes.

Contrary to Technical

Specification

5.8.1.a and NRC Regulatory

Guide 1.33, since 1976, the licensee failed to maintain written procedures

for combating

a significant

flood as recommended

by NRC Regulatory

Guide 1.33, Appendix A, Section 6.w, "Acts of Nature." Specifically, the licensee failed to establish

and maintain station procedures

that adequately

prescribe

steps to mitigate external flooding conditions

in the auxiliary

building and intake structure

between 1008 and 1014 feet mean sea level. The licensee has entered this condition

into their corrective

action program as Condition

Report 2010-2387.

Pending completion

of a final significance

determination, the performance

deficiency

will be considered

an apparent violation, AV 05000285/2010007-

01, "Failure to Maintain External Flood Procedures." 40A6 Meetings Exit Meeting Summary On June 21, 2010, the inspectors

presented

the inspection

results to Mr. J. Reinhart, and other members of the licensee staff. The licensee acknowledged

the issues presented.

The inspectors

asked the licensee whether any materials

examined during the inspection

should be considered

proprietary.

No proprietary

information was identified.

-7 -Enclosure

SUPPLEMENTAL

!NFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT Licensee Personnel

H. Faulhaber, Manager, Nuclear Engineering

M. Frans, Manager, System Engineering

J. Gasper, Manager, Design Engineering

D. Guinn, Supervisor, Regulatory

Compliance

A. Hackerott, Supervisor, Risk Engineering

J. Herman, Manager, Engineering

Programs K. Hyde, Supervisor, Design Engineering

T. Mathews, Manager, Nuclear Licensing

E. Matzke, Regulatory

Compliance

T. Nellenbach, Plant Manager J. Reinhart, Site Vice President

D. Trausch, Assistant

Plant Manager NRC Personnel

R. Azua, Senior Project Engineer, Projects Branch E M. Markley, Chief, Plant Licensing

Branch IV-1 J. Wingebach, Resident Inspector, Fort Calhoun Station L. Wilkins, Project Manager, Plant Licensing

Branch IV-1 W. Schaup, Project Engineer, Projects Branch E LIST OF ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED

Opened 05000285/2010007

-01 AV Failure to Maintain External Flood Procedures

(40A5.1) Closed 05000285/2009006-03

URI Failure to Update Flood Protection

of Safety Related Buildings

DOCUMENTS

REVIEWED Section 40A5: Other Activities

PROCEDURES

NUMBER AOP-1 AOP-30 EPIP-TSC-2

Acts of Nature Emergency

Fill of Emergency

Feedwater

Storage Tank Emergency

Plan Implementing

Procedure:

Catastrophic

Flooding Preparations

A1-1 REVISION 23 9 7 Attachment

1

PROCEDURES

NUMBER TITLE REVISION FCSG-24 Corrective

Action Program Guideline

22 GM-RR-AE-1002

Repair-Rework:

Flood Control Preparedness

for Sandbagging

8 OCAG-1 Operation

Contingency

Action Guideline

12 PE-RR-AE-1001

Floodgate

Installation

and Removal 3 TBD-AOP-18

Loss of Raw Water 7 TBD-AOP-19

Loss of Shutdown Cooling 14 TBD-AOP-38

Blair Water Main Trouble 3 CALCULATIONS

NUMBER TITLE CCF-103-048-RPT

External Flooding Analysis CORRECTIVE

ACTION DOCUMENT NAME 200201296

201002387

200302664

MISCELLANEOUS

DOCUMENTS

TITLE Fort Calhoun External Action Plan 200904166

A1-2 August 12,2005 201000225

201002101

DATE April 8, 2010 Attachment

1

PHASE 3 ANALYSIS FAILURE TO PROTECT SAFE SHUTDOWN EQUIPMENT

FROM EXTERNAL FLOODING A senior reactor analyst conducted

a Phase 3 significance

determination

process (SOP) analysis in accordance

with Manual Chapter 0609, Appendix A, "Determining

the Significance

of Reactor Inspection

Findings for At-Power Situations." This Phase 3 SOP represents

a estimate risk evaluation

of the performance

deficiency.

1. SOP Assumptions

a. NRC Manual Chapter 0609, Appendix G, "Shutdown

Operations

Significance

Determination

Process," was not used for this SOP. The appendix stated, in part: "Appendix

G is applicable

during refueling

outages, forced outages, and maintenance

outages starting when the licensee has met the entry conditions

for RHR [residual

heat removal] and RHR cooling has been initiated, and ending when the licensee is heating up and RHR has been secured." [Emphasis

added] Since the initiating

event would occur after RHR was secured by procedure (to prevent a containment

bypass pathway) and the reactor coolant system heated up to Mode 3 conditions, the at-power SOP was used for this case. Further, the finding would have required a quantitative

assessment (Phase 3) irrespective

of which significance

determination

procedure

was used. b. The analyst considered

the increase in risk from flooding for the: * Intake structure:

1008 to 1014 feet mean sea level (MSL). The intake structure

housed raw water pumps (service water pumps). * Auxiliary

building:

1010 to 1014 feet MSL. The auxiliary

building was the primary risk driver. Most of the equipment

that was negatively

impacted by the performance

deficiency

was located in the auxiliary

building -emergency

diesel generators, safety related switchgear, auxiliary

feedwater

pumps (basement), safety injection

pumps, etc. c. The performance

deficiency

did not impact flooding of the turbine building.

The licensee did not protect the turbine building above 1009.5 feet MSL by procedure.

The safety related diesel-driven

auxiliary

feedwater

pump was located in the basement.

d. Dam failures were not a factor in the performance

deficiency, but could flood the site to well above 1014 feet MSL. Flooding frequencies

above 1014 feet MSL (Technical

Specification

Bases 2.16 specified

elevation)

were not considered.

e. The performance

deficiency

existed for many years. Therefore, in accordance

with Manuai Chapter 0609, Appendix A, Attachment

oj, Usage Ruie i:i, "Exposure

Time," the analyst determined

that the exposure period was one year. f. When the auxiliary

building, turbine building and intake structure

were assumed lost, the conditional

core damage probability (CCDP) was 1.0. This was expected because all A2-1 Attachment

2

normal plant equipment

was assumed failed by the floodwaters.

This did not include credit for the portable gasoline powered pumps to refill the steam generators.

A correction

to account for gasoline-powered

pump failure was addressed

separately.

Consequently, the SOP reduced to: (1) the flooding frequencies;

(2) the gasoline powered pump system failure probability;

and (3) comparison

to the baseline risk assuming a 10 percent probability

that the sandbagging

protection

failed. g. A fault tree to estimate the failure probability

for the gasoline-powered

pumps was constructed

and solved using the simplified

plant analysis risk (SPAR) model. After flooding greater than 1010 feet MSL, the gasoline powered pumps would be the only equipment

available

to provide makeup water to the steam generators.

The fault tree assumed: III Both pumps must function for the action to be successful.

III Human error probabilities

associated

with installing

the gasoline powered pump system were evaluated

using NUREG/CR 6883, "The SPAR-H Human Reliability

Analysis Method," August 2005 (Attachment

3). From this evaluation, the

analyst inserted a human error probability

basic event into the system fault tree. The SPAR-H worksheets

were broken up into two sections, a "diagnosis" section and an "action" section. The diagnosis

section evaluated

the probability

that operators

would fail to diagnose the problem, such that mitigating

actions would not be taken. The action section estimated

the probability

that operators (or craftsmen)

would fail to successfully

install and operate the system.

II The analyst assumed that operators

would properly diagnose the flood.

  • The "action" portion of the SPAR-H worksheet

was much more difficult

to perform and the probability

of failure was over-riding (when compared to the diagnosis

portion).

III The analyst used the licensee's

estimates

for gasoline pump failure probability.

that would have very low failure probabilities, such as manual isolation

valves, were not included in the fault tree. III The action to obtain sufficient

fuel for long-term

pump operation

was not modeled. While the licensee had a procedural

step that instructed

personnel

to obtain gasoline, no other specifics

were provided.

The pumps' gasoline consumption

was not readily known and the exact methods that might be used to obtain gasoline were unclear. Gasoline was on-site, located in an above ground tank at the 1 004-foot elevation;

however, flooding may make the tank inaccessible (it could float away). Nonetheless, the analyst assumed that plant personnel

could obtain sufficient

gasoline without undue difficulty.

A2-2 Attachment

2

h. The licensee's

Individual

Plant Examination

of External Events (page 5-23) contained

the following

assumptions.

The second, third and fourth table columns specified

the assumed failure probabilities

for equipment

located in the buildings:

Elevation

Intake Turbine bldg Aux bldg (ft MSL) 1007.5-1009.5

0 0 0 1009.5-1010.8

.01 .05 0 1010.8-1012.3

.1 Lost .1 1012.3-1013.5

.9 Lost f"\ .::3 Notes: i. The licensee had assumed a sandbagging

failure probability

of 0.9 for flood elevations

between 1012.3 and 1013.5 feet MSL. The analyst considered

this assumption

unreasonable

for use in a base case evaluation.

A base case evaluation

is an assessment

of the baseline risk, assuming that no performance

deficiency

occurred.

If the performance

deficiency

did not exist, the licensee should have had a high level of assurance

that mitigating

actions (sandbagging)

would be successful.

For the purpose of this analysis, the sandbagging

base case failure probability

was assumed to be 0.1 when flood waters were above 1010.8 feet MSL. ii. A current case evaluation

is a risk estimate that includes the performance

deficiency.

The current case evaluation

assumed that the sandbagging

failed at 1008 feet MSL at the intake structure

and at 1010 feet MSL at the auxiliary

building.

The delta-core

damage frequency (CD F) was the difference

between the base case and current case risk evaluations.

2. Calculation

of Increase in CDF a. Equipment

lost because of the performance

deficiency:

The analyst identified

the risk important

pieces of equipment

and when they would fail. This was accomplished

by reviewing

site procedures

and interviewing

licensee personnel.

Elevation

{feet MSL} Performance

ImQact 1007.5 -Intake Structure

Floor Some water leaks into intake structure.

Sandbag berms within the building should limit the affect of short duration crests. The analyst assumed that significant

flooding would occur at 1008 feet MSL. 1008 -Loss of offsite power (LOOP) and Loss of all four raw water pumps. loss of intake structure

due to flooding (The LOOP was unrelated

to the I performance

deficiency).

A2-3 Attachment

2

Elevation ,feet MSL} Performance

Im12act 1009.5 -Top of auxiliary

building floodgates

Flooding starts in auxiliary

building, and turbine building sandbags.

The diesel-turbine building and technical

support driven auxiliary

feedwater

pump was located center above 1009.5 feet MSL. The in turbine building basement.

All other analyst assumed that small crests remaining

equipment (other than the above 1009.5 feet MSL would not gasoline-powered

pumps) was located in the result in substantial

flooding in the auxiliary

building (pumps in the basement).

buildings.

1010 -0.5 feet above floodgate

All remaining

normal plant equipment

lost because of the performance

deficiency.

1011 -Level when procedures

estimate that floodwaters

spill into emergency

diesel generator

rooms (assuming

drains are appropriately

plugged).

The building structure

prevents water from entering at lower elevations.

However, switchgear

is already lost. b. Base case and current case CCOPs: The analyst calculated

the base and current case CCOPs using the Fort Calhoun SPAR model, Revision 3.45, assuming a truncation

limit of 1 E-13. This portion of the analysis did not credit the gasoline-powered

pumps, as the SPAR model did not include the pumps. The gasoline-powered pumps were

factored into the final SOP by use of a separate fault tree (Attachment

6). * Base case CCOP for each flood elevation:

Assuming no performance

deficiency

and no credit for gasoline-powered

pumps. Credit for the gasoline powered system was provided later in this SOP: Elevation{ft

MSL} CCDP Egui(;!ment

Lost l Increased

1008-1009.5

1.017E-3 Non-recoverable

LOOP initiating

event 1009.5-1010.8

1.046E-3 Non-recoverable

LOOP initiating

event Probability

of raw water pump failure (.01), Probability

of diesel driven auxiliary

feedwater

pump failure (.05) 1010.8-1014

1.1 E-1 Non-recoverable

LOOP initiating

event; Probability

of raw pump failure (0.1), Probability

of diesel driven auxiliary

feedwater

pump failure (1.0), Probability

of emeraencv

diesel aenerator

failure (0 1) _ J _ '-" Probability

of auxiliary

feedwater

pump failure (0.1) A2-4 Attachment

2

3 Current case CCOP for performance

deficiency

elevations:

No gasoline pumps were provided in this step. Increased

failure rates because of the performance

deficiency

are in bold: Elevation{ft

MSL} CCDP

Lost z Increased

Probabilit1!

1008 -1010 1.25E-3 Non-recoverable

LOOP, Probability

of diesel driven auxiliary

feedwater

pump failure (.05). Probability

of raw water pump failure (1.0) 1010 -1014 1.0 Non-recoverable

LOOP; Probability

of diesel driven auxiliary

feedwater

pump failure (1.0), Probability

of 4kV switchgear

failure (1.0), Probability

of all auxiliary

feedwater

pumps failing (1.0) c. Calculation

of Increase in COF: To obtain consistent

elevation

bins for analysis, the above bins must be broken up further. The frequency

for a given elevation

bin (A) was the difference

in the frequency

of exceedance

between the upper and lower bin elevation

limits. Delta CDF = 2:: Abin * (CCDP current -CCDP base) * P gas pump fail Elevation

{ft A CCDP CCDP base P gas HumH fail Delta Time After MSL) current CDF/bin 1004 ft MSL* 1008-1009.5

3.2E-3/yr

1.25E-3 1.017E-3 2.56E-2 1.9E-8/yr

30 hrs 1009.5-1010

4E-4/yr 1.25E-3 1.046E-3 2.56E-2 2.1 E-9/yr 41.25 hrs 1010-1010.8

8E-4/yr 1.0 1.04E-3 2.56E-2 2E-5/yr 45 hrs 1010.8-1014

5E-4/yr 1.0 1.1 E-1 2.56E-2 1.1 E-5/yr 51 hrs to 75 hrs Total 3.1E-5/yr

  • Based on licensee's

flood level increase rate of 4ft/30 hours 3. Sensitivit1!

Cases a. Operator can prevent intake structure

flooding until 1010 feet MSL. This would assume that an operator could successfully

maintain intake structure

level, using raw water pumps and sluice gates, to prevent water from flooding through the traveling

screen discharge

trench. This had little impact on the SOP results. The first two delta-COF

A2-5 Attachment

2

elevation

bins capture this aspect of the assumed event. Setting both to zero would reduce the de!ta-CDF

by about 2E-B/yr. b. Flooding freguencies

differ by significant

amounts. The uncertainty

with the flooding frequencies

was high. The licensee used the shape of the flooding frequency

curve at another station (Cooper Nuclear Station) and applied it to the Fort Calhoun Station flooding frequencies

that were provided by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

The Army Corps of Engineers

only provided information

out to the 500-year flood (2E-3/year).

The licensee extrapolated

the remainder

of the information.

Almost all of the calculated

risk was in the extrapolated

region. To address this uncertainty, the analyst assumed that the Army Corps of Engineers

data was correct but the extrapolated

information

could vary significantly, either higher or lower. For the sensitivity

cases, the analyst targeted the flooding

elevation

at the 1 E-5/year point for comparison.

At the 1 E-5/year point on the Fort Calhoun flood hazard curve, the flood level was 1013.5 feet MSL. The analyst then constructed

alternate

curves, two above and two below this base curve. The curves are shown in Attachment

4. The curves were numbered Case 1 through Case 5. Case 3 was the licensee's

estimate and was considered

the best available

information

for this assessment.

Using data from the 5 curves, the analyst generated

a delta-CDF

for each case. The analyst summarized

the results below: Delta-CDF

by Sensitivity

Case Case 2 Case 5 2.5E-5/year

3.5E-5/year

  • Licensee

assumptions

It's important

to note that Case 1 may be unrealistically

low. After almost 100,000 years of additional

exposure, the flood elevation

at the1 E-5/year point was a little over 1 foot above that predicted

by the Army Corps of Engineers

at the 1/500 year point. Likewise, Case 5 may be unrealistically

high. The plotted line deviates from the Army Corps of Engineers'

estimates

at a sharper angle. c. Alternate

Method of Refilling

Essential

Feedwater

Tank (SPAR-H 2, Attachment

3): The licensee proposed an alternate

method for refilling

the essential

feedwater

tank. The offsite fire water tank (at a higher elevation

across the highway) could be used to refill the essential

feedwater

tank. The advantage

of using this tank was that the reliance on the gasoline-powered

pumps would be reduced. Instead of requiring

that both gasoline powered pumps remain functional (one to fill the steam generators

and one to refill the essential

feedwater

storage tank), the licensee could have one pump fail and still satisfy the steam generator

makeup function.

The alternate

fill method required operators

to attach a fire hose between fittings that could be used to connect the two tanks. It also required that the licensee have water trucks periodically

refill the firewater

tank. The procedure

that drove these actions was normally performed

following

a loss of the Blair water supply. The procedural

steps to use the firewater

tank to refill the essential

feedwater

storage tank would be implemented

after other sources of water became unavailable (it was the last option on the list). The floodwater

was expected to eliminate

the following

water sources, as A2-6 Attachment

2

specified:

(1) demineralized

water system (1008 feet MSL); (2) condensate

storage tank (1008 feet MSL); (3) Blair water (1007 feet MSL); (4) the diesel-driven

auxiliary

feedwater

pump (1009.5 MSL); and (5) the on-site plant fire water system (1008 feet MSL). Therefore, operators

would not likely initiate these actions until the 1009.5-foot

elevation.

At this flood level, two of the components

that would require connection (with a fire hose) would be under water. To evaluate the scenario, the analyst adjusted the gasoline power pumps system fault tree so that a failure of both fire pumps would be needed to fail the system (not just one pump). The analyst added a new basic event to account for the human error probability

for the new manual actions. The analyst also made other adjustments

to model use of the firewater

tank. The adjusted fault tree is shown in Attachment

6, second fault tree. As shown in the SPAR-H worksheet (Attachment

3, SPAR-H-2)

the assumptions

for the new human error probability

included nominal available

time, high stress (fittings

hard to find and work under water), moderate complexity, low experience (connecting

fittings under water), nominal procedures, missing/misleading

ergonomics (location

of fittings under water), nominal fitness for duty, and nominal work processes.

Instead of a failure probability

of 2.56E-2 for

the failure of the gas pump system, a failure probability

of 1.3E-2 was generated.

This would reduce the overall delta-COF

by a factor of two. The resultant

delta-COF

was 1.5E-5/year.

However, since the challenge

of locating and manipulating

components

under water invoked large uncertainties, this action was not credited in the SOP. d. Use of Tabletop Generated, Non-Procedural

Actions: The licensee asked the NRC to credit non-proceduralized

actions that were identified

during a tabletop exercise (installing

metal plates over auxiliary

building doorways).

The licensee's

probabilistic

risk assessment

team had not credited this action in an analysis themselves.

In response to the finding, the licensee conducted

a tabletop exercise to determine

what actions might be specified

by the technical

support center during a simulated

flood. The tabletop team determined

that metal plates could be installed

over auxiliary

building doors (on the water side). They specified

that thick metal plates would be needed (3/4" to 1" thick), that craftsmen

would weld supporting

structures

to the plates and that the plates would be secured, but not welded, to the outside of the doorways.

The analyst noted that it was unclear if the actions would work, and they could cause failure of existing flood barriers before

1 009.5 feet MSL (the leak tight floodgates

and sandbag berms would have to be removed).

The NRC's "Risk Assessment

of Operational

Events Handbook," Revision 1.03, Section 6.3.2 stated, in part: In general, no recovery or repair actions should be credited where ... there is no procedure

or training.

It may be possible to justify exceptions

in unique situations, such as a procedure

is not needed because the recovery is skill of the craft. .. Still, the analyst used the SPAR-H method to evaluate the action. The SPAR-H worksheet (see Attachment

3, SPAR-H-3)

documented

that the failure probability

was very close to 1.0. To implement

the proposed actions, craftsmen

would need to construct

and erect about 10 covers for doors, including

some double doors and at least one rollup door. The licensee did not have an adequate supply of the thick plates on site to cover all of the doors. However, an abundant supply of thinner plates, some 3/8-inch A2-7 Attachment

2

thick and other rough deck plate material, were available.

The yard that housed the plates was outdoors and the ground was covered with gravel, not asphalt (1005 feet MSL). The technical

support center was not manned until floodwaters

were near the yard elevation

(1004 feet MSL); therefore, floodwaters

may already be in the yard before meaningful

recommendations

could be made. If floodwaters

entered the yard, getting the plates to a location to support cutting and welding may be difficult.

There were experienced

welders onsite, but only three welding machines were available

that could be operated on the three available

portable electric generators.

A loss of offsite power was expected at 1008 feet MSL. Cutting the

plates to size would require a cutting machine that may not be available

after a loss of offsite power. No method was specified

for installing

the plates, but the team determined

it was necessary

to install them on the water side of the doors (to let the water pressure help keep them in place). To do this, at least some floodgates

would likely need to be removed. The tabletop team specified

that they would not weld the plates to the doorways.

The current floodgates

had rubber seals (some inflatable)

to help prevent leakage, while the new plates would not have this feature. This would introduce

a new failure mechanism

not previously

considered (substantial

leakage past a plate at an elevation

below 1009.5 feet MSL). Flood projections

often change and are rarely accurate.

If the flood projections

started out below 1009.5 feet MSL and then increased, floodwaters

may be upon the floodgates (and sandbag berms) already, making removing them unmanageable.

The bottoms of some auxiliary

building floodgates

sat at approximately

1007 feet MSL. Large sandbag berms would need to be removed from several doors. Alternate

Evaluation:

The analyst also performed

an alternate

evaluation (Attachment

3, SPAR-H-3, Method 2), assuming that the licensee could be successful

installing

plates over auxiliary

building doors 50 percent of the time. Assuming this chance of success, however, the delta-COF

would be reduced by a factor of two. No formal credit was provided in the SOP. 4. Large Early Release Frequency (LERF): Nominally, for large dry containments, the delta-LERF

was less than 0.1 times the COF. However, the loss of all control room indications

would make it more difficult

to obtain the information

needed to insure a timely public evacuation.

The NRC processes

to evaluate delta-LERF

were not well suited for this finding. The analyst consulted

with a LERF expert in the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.

The expert indicated

that because of the large dry containment, and the relatively

large pressure failure rating of containment, that a large amount of time would be available

to evacuate the public. The analyst then spoke with regional emergency

preparedness

experts and found that the licensee had alternate

means to identify core damage (radiation

levels outside of containment).

Further, the analyst reviewed Fort Calhoun Emergency

Classification

levels and noted that a general area emergency

would be declared if -"conditions

exist which in the judgment of the command and control position warrant declaration

of a General Emergency." In conclusion, the analyst qualitatively

determined

that the color of the delta-LERF

would not exceed that associated

with the estimated

delta-COF.

A2-8 Attachment

2

SPAR-H WORKSHEETS

1. SPAR-H-1 Refill Steam Generators

Using Gasoline Puml2s

Performance

Shal2ing Diagnosis

Action Factor PSF Level Mult i l2 li er PSF Level Mult i l2lier Time Expansive

0.01 >5 times required 0.1 Stress Nominal 1.0 High 2.0 Complexity

Nominal 1.0 Moderate 2.0 Experience

Nominal 1.0 Nominal 1.0 Procedures

Nominal 1.0 Nominal 1.0 Ergonomics

Nominal 1.0 Poor 10.0 Fitness for Duty Nominal 1.0 Nominal 1.0 1W0rk Processes

Nominal 1.0 Nominal 1.0 Nominal Base 1.0E-2 PSFs 1.0E-2 4.0 frotal 1.0E-4 4E-3 Failure Probability

4E-3 Justifications

for Action (over-riding), only items that del2arted

from nominal: Time: Greater than 5 times necessary.

The river was expected to rise at a rate of four feet in 30 hours3.472222e-4 days <br />0.00833 hours <br />4.960317e-5 weeks <br />1.1415e-5 months <br />. The licensee would expect an approximate

two-day notice of a river crest at 1009 feet MSL or higher, assuming that the licensee started taking actions at 1000 feet MSL and received early warning of the coming flood. The analyst assumed that the turbine building would be flooded at approximately

1009.5 feet MSL. Plant personnel

should start installing

the gasoline powered pump system when the Army Corps of Engineers

projects flooding at or above 1009 feet MSL. The procedure

for installing

the system was detailed, all of the equipment

was staged, and plant personnel

should be able to assemble the equipment

in less than one shift without much difficulty.

Testing of one pump could only be accomplished

after the floodwaters

enter the turbine building.

While this would occur after the loss of offsite power, the operators

should have substantial

time before the essential

feedwater

storage tank emptied. Stress: High. Once installed, operation

of the gasoline pump system would rely on alternate

methods of measuring

steam generator

water level. Operators

could either use a portable instrument

to determine

steam generator

water level or overfill the steam generators

and wait a given amount of time before the next filling evolution.

The turbine building would be dark and uncomfortable.

Tho

\hI{"\1 II'; nt=>t=>,;

t() ht=> rt=>fillt=>,;

Ie: \J\It=>1I

Thp nllmn t() *** -----..... -** __ .........

_ .. _ *............

-::::1 ...... _ .....

.* _--"'---.-*..* _-----_ **.**. -r--****I refill this tank must be located close to the floodwaters.

When floodwaters

increase, the pump would need to be moved to a higher elevation.

Failure to do so could cause the gasoline engine to fail. The reliance on this temporary

system to prevent core damage, A3-1 Attachment

3

with minimal indications

of reactor coolant system or containment

conditions, would contribute

to the stress level. Complexity:

Moderately

complex. Craftsmen

would need to remove piping flanges and install new components

that were manufactured

to fit into the piping locations, which may be difficult.

Some of the pieces were heavy. At approximately

1008 feet MSL, the plant would experience

a loss of offsite power and the turbine building would lose artificial

lighting and normal electrical

power. While the system could be installed

into position earlier, the system would need to be filled and tested to ensure that the pumps were not vapor-locked.

The pump that was to refill the essential

feedwater

storage tank would take suction from the floodwaters, which would not enter the turbine building prior to the loss of offsite power. Operators

would need to ensure that the pump was sufficiently

close to the water level to allow for proper suction and filling. Ergonomics:

Poor. The analyst determined

that the ergonomics

for implementing

Procedure

PE-RR-AE-1002, "Installation

of Portable Steam Generator

Makeup Pumps," Revision 2, were "Poor." For system startup and subsequent

operation, operators

and maintenance

personnel

would be working under emergency

lighting conditions

or possibly in the dark. Workers would complete their tasks around and in flood waters. Operations

would involve routine handling of gasoline.

No procedural

steps were provided to instruct the operators

how to obtain or where to store the gasoline, so these actions would need to be developed.

Operators

would periodically

need to tend the system to start and stop it, depending

on the level in the steam generators.

No steam generator

indication

was available

at the location.

Steam generator

level indication

was available

at another location using a portable instrument.

2. SPAR-H-2 Connecting

Fire Hose Between Firewater

Tank and Essential

Feedwater

Tank Performance

Diagnosis

Action Shaeing Factor PSF Level Multielier

PSF Level Multielier

rnme Nominal 1.0 Nominal 1.0 Stress Nominal 1.0 High 2.0 Complexity

Nominal 1.0 Moderate 2.0 Experience

Nominal 1.0 Low 3.0 Procedures

Nominal 1.0 Nominal 1.0 Ergonomics

Nominal 1.0 Missing/Misleading

50.0 Fitness for Duty Nominal 1.0 Nominal 1.0

Processes

Nominal 1.0 Nominal 1.0 Nominal Base 1.0E-2 1.0E-3 [i-'::it-s

[ 1.0[ 600

1.0E-2 3.7E-1 Failure Probability

3.7E-1 A3-2 Attachment

3

Justifications

for Action (over-riding), only items that departed from nominal:

Stress: High. This action was expected to occur after floodwaters

had entered portions of the site. The procedure

that drove the action was used after other water sources were depleted, after floodwaters

reached 1009.5 feet MSL. The floodwater

was expected to fail the demineralized

water system at 1008 feet MSL, condensate

storage tank at 1008 feet MSL, the Blair water system at 1007 feet MSL, the diesel-driven

auxiliary

feedwater

pump at 1009.5 feet MSL, and the plant fire water system at 1008 feet MSL. The action would align an outbuilding

fire water tank up to the essential

feedwater

storage tank via a fire hose and a connection

point on each system. Both connection

points would likely be submerged

and could be difficult

to locate. Concerns about personal safety would also contribute

to the stress level. Complexity:

Moderately

complex. Under normal plant conditions, the action would not be complex. Having floodwaters

cover needed connection

points makes the task much more difficult.

Experience:

Low. This action was not normally performed

by plant personnel

on a routine basis. The action of finding connection

points below the water level and then connecting

the fire hoses was not practiced.

Even very experienced

craftsmen

may have difficulty

accomplishing

this task. Ergonomics:

Missing/Misleading.

Needed information, labeling and location of the valves and connections, would be difficult

to obtain for components

under water. 3. SPAR-H-3 Construct

and Install Steel Plates to Cover Auxilia!y

Building Doors Performance

Diagnosis

Action Sha!;!ing

Factor PSF Level Multil2lier

PSF Level Multi!;!lier

Time Not evaluated

If= time required 10 (actually

may not have sufficient

time) Stress Not evaluated

High 2.0 Complexity

Not evaluated

High 2.0 Experience

Not evaluated

Low 3.0 Procedures

Not evaluated

Not Available

50.0 Ergonomics

Not evaluated

Missing/Misleading

50.0 Fitness for Duty Not evaluated

Nominal 1.0 lWork Processes

Not evaluated

Nominal 1.0 INominal Base I

I 1.0E-3 1 PSFs 300,000' I

9.9E-1 .991 A3-3 Attachment

3

Justifications

for Action (over-riding), only items that departed from nominal: Time: Equals time required.

This action was determined

by a tabletop exercise after the issue was identified.

The licensee wanted to demonstrate

that the emergency

response organization

could develop an acceptable

method to protect safe shutdown equipment

under extreme flooding conditions.

The analyst interviewed

the tabletop team members. The members had varying levels of knowledge

regarding

NRC identified

flooding concerns;

most knew about a flooding seal issue (not part of this performance

deficiency).

A few were aware that the NRC had concerns with the plant's ability to cope with more significant

floods. The exercise lasted about 90 minutes, During the initial portions of the exercise, flooding projections

were within those addressed

by plant procedures.

No additional actions

were developed

by the team during this phase. Then the scenario changed such that the projected

flooding level was 1017 feet MSL. This was outside of the existing procedural guidance

for a flood (other than the action to stack sandbags on top of the floodgates).

The team determined

that stacking sandbags on top of the floodgates

would not work because the narrow ledge of the floodgates

did not allow construction

of a leak tight barrier to 1017 feet MSL. The team identified

the following

additional

mitigation

strategy:

Fabricate

and install steel plates in front of all of the auxiliary

building doors. The team specified

that they would not weld the plates over the door openings but would fasten the plates in place. They were not confident

that the doorframes

would support welding. The team would have plant personnel

weld supporting

structures

to the plates themselves

for stability.

The plates would be cut to size for all of the auxiliary

building doorways and some plates would be welded together to cover rollup doors. They believed that they needed %-inch to 1-inch thick steel plate

for the task. They did not take the simulation

further. Analyst Assessment:

These actions were modeled using SPAR-H and the calculated

failure probability

was close to 1.0. However, no credit was provided in the SOP because it was not clear that the actions would work and the NRC's "Risk Assessment

of Operational

Events Handbook," Revision 1.03, Section 6.3.2 stated, in part: In general, no recovery or repair actions should be credited where ... there is no procedure

or training.

It may be possible to justify exceptions

in unique situations, such as a procedure

is not needed because the recovery is skill of the craft. .. In addition, a different

group of individuals

in the technical

support center at the time of an actual flood might specify different

recommendations.

Craftsmen

'Nould need to construct

and erect about 10 covers for doors, including

some double doors and at least one rollup door. The licensee did not have an adequate supply of the thick plates on site to cover all of the doors. However, an abundant supply of thinner piates, some 3i8 inch thick and other rough deck piate materiai, were available.

The yard that housed the plates was outdoors and the ground was covered with gravel, not asphalt (1005 feet MSL). The technical

support center was not manned until floodwaters

were near the yard elevation

(1004 feet MSL); therefore, floodwaters

could be in the yard before meaningful

recommendations

could be made. If floodwaters

A3-4 Attachment

3

entered the yard, getting the plates to a location to support cutting and welding may be difficult.

Experienced

welders were onsite, but only three welding machines were available

that could be operated on the three available

portable electric generators.

A loss of offsite power was expected at 1008 feet MSL; cutting the plates to size would require a cutting machine that would not likely be available

after a loss of offsite power. No method was specified

for installing

the plates, but the tabletop team determined

it was necessary

to install them on the water side of the doors, to utilize the water pressure to keep them in place. To do this, some floodgates

would likely need to be removed. The floodgates

had rubber seals, some inflatable, to help prevent in-leakage.

The new plates would not have this feature. This could introduce

a new failure mechanism

not previously

considered (substantial

leakage past a plate at an elevation

below 1009.5 feet MSL). Flood projections

often change and are rarely accurate.

If the flood projections

started out below 1009.5 feet MSL and then increased, floodwaters

may be upon the floodgates

and sandbag berms, making removal of floodgates

and berms unmanageable.

The bottoms of some auxiliary

building floodgates

sat at approximately

1007 feet MSL. Large sandbag berms would need to be removed from several doors. The analyst had asked the licensee to demonstrate

the site's capability

to erect and install a steel panel over a representative

door, preferably

the rollup door. However, at the time the significance

determination

was issued, the licensee had not performed

a demonstration.

Based on the above, the analyst determined

that the time required for the action was the same as that available.

Stress: High. The stress encountered

by the workforce

would be high. The welders and other craftsmen

would not likely know that core damage could be imminent if they did not succeed. Nonetheless, the time pressure on the staff would be significant.

In addition, struggling

to complete the task with floodwaters

already on site and with limited resources

would add to the pressure.

Complexity:

High. With no procedural

guidance, the craftsmen

would have to devise strategies

on their own to fabricate

and install the plates. Interference

with floodgates

and sandbag berms would also create obstacles.

Experience:

Low. No personnel

on site would have sufficient

experience

with this task. Welders would be experienced

at welding, but the overall task was much more complex. Procedures:

Not available.

No procedures

were available.

Ergonomics:

Missing/Misleading.

Craftsmen

would likely have to install the new plates over the doorways while the site was at least partially

flooded. At night, it would be dark, if offsite power was lost, and floodwaters

would present a hazardous

condition.

Obtaining

the construction

materials

under flooded conditions

couid be difficuii.

and iarge heavy machinery

may not work in the steel plate storage area. A3-5 Attachment

3

4. Method 2 Alternate

Evaluation:

This method was not part of the NRC's normal processes

for evaluating

the success of operator actions. The analyst assumed that the licensee could protect the auxiliary

building from floods between 1009.5 and 1014 feet MSL by the alternate

means described

above 50 percent of the time. This assumption

would reduce the delta-COF

associated

with the performance

deficiency

by a factor of 2.0. Since this method was outside the NRC processes, no formal credit was provided in the SOP. A3-6 Attachment

3

FLOODING FREQUENCY

SENSITIVITY

1. Flooding frequencies

differ by significant

amounts. The uncertainty

with the flooding frequencies

was high. The licensee used the shape of the flooding frequency

curve at another station (Cooper Nuclear Station) and applied it to the Fort Calhoun Station flooding frequencies

that were provided by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

The Army Corps of Engineers

only provided information

out to the 500-year flood (2E-3/year).

The licensee extrapolated

the remainder

of the information.

A!most a!! of the ca!culated

risk was in the extrapolated

region. To address this uncertainty.

the analyst assumed that the Army Corps of Engineers

data was correct but the extrapolated

information

could vary significantly.

either higher or lower. For the sensitivity

cases, the analyst targeted the flooding elevation

at the 1 E-5/year point for comparison.

At the 1 E-5/year point on the Fort Calhoun flood hazard curve, the flood level was 1013.5 feet MSL. The analyst then constructed

alternate

curves, two above and two below this base curve. The Curves are shown on the following

page. The curves were numbered Case 1 through Case 5. Case 3 was the licensee's

estimate and was considered

the best available

information

for this assessment.

Using data from the 5 curves, the analyst generated

a delta-CDF

for each case. The analyst summarized

the results below: Delta-CDF

by Sensitivity

Case Case 2 Case 3* 2.5E-5/year

3.1 E-5/year *Licensee

assumptions

It's important

to note that Case 1 may be unrealistically

low. After almost 100,000 years of additional

exposure, the flood elevation

at the1 E-5/year point was a little over 1 foot above that predicted

by the Army Corps of Engineers

at the 1/500 year point. Likewise, Case 5 may be unrealistically

high. The plotted line deviated from the Army Corps of Engineers'

estimates

at a sharper angle. A4-1 Attachment

4

Frequency

Extrapolations

-Height versus Logarithm

of Flood Frequency

Excedance

1.00E-06 1.00E-OS LOOE-04 LOOE-03 1.00E-02 LOOE-Ol Case 3 was the best estimate case specified

by the licensee.

1019 1018 1017 1016 1015 1014 1013 1012 1011 1010 1009 ............

Corp Data 1008 lie Extrap 1007 2

C;)SC S 1004 1003 1002 1001 1000 999 7 996 995 LOOE+OO Cases 1 and 2 were sensitivity

cases that assumed that the licensee's

best estimate was overly conservative.

Cases 4 and 5 were sensitivity

cases that assumed that the licensee's

best estimate was non-__ " ____ "_J..! ** _ IjUII:::.tl

VCllIVt. A4-2 Attachment

4

SIGNIFICANCE

DETERMINATION

PROCESS COMBINATIONS

Target Case (Best Estimate)

Licensee's

extrapolated

flood frequencies

No credit for alternate

essential

feedwater

tank filling method (components

under water) No credit for placing panels over doors (in accordance

with SPAR-H) Credit for gasoline powered pump system (without alternate

filling method) De!ta-CDF

= 3.1 E-5 -Yellow Best Case Assumptions

Best Case: flood frequency

Best Case: alternate

essential

feedwater

tank fill (Attachment

3, SPAR H) Best Case: alternate

actions to place panels over doors (Failure probability

= 50 percent, Not Using SPAR-H) I Delta-CDF

= 4E-6 * 0.5 * 0.5 = 1 E-6 -White Worst Case Assumptions

Worst Case Flood Frequency

No Credit for alternate

essential

feedwater

tank filling method No Credit for placing alternate

panels over doors Credit for gasoline powered pump system (without alternate

filling method) Delta-CDF

= 3.5E-5 -Yellow Target Case + 50 percent Credit for Placing Panels on Doors Delta-CDF

= 1.5E-5 -Yellow Target Case + Credit for Alternate

Essential

Feedwater

Tank Fill Licensee's

extrapolated

flood frequency

Credit for alternate

feedwater

tank filling procedure

No credit for placing panels over doors Delta-CDF

= 1.5E-5 -Yellow Target Case + Credit for Alternate

Essential

Feedwater

Tank Fill + 50 percent Credit for Placing Panels on Doors A5-1 Attachment

5

Licensee's

extrapolated

flood frequency

Credit for alternate

feedwater

tank filling procedure

50 percent credit for placing panels over doors Delta-CDF

= 7.5E-6 -White AS-2 Attachment

5

[ EFW*CDp*CCF*RUN*1*4

o-b o 0 EFW*GDP*SSFS*BF

EFW*GDp*FS*1A

ADDITIONAL

FAULT TREES Fault Tree 1 Gasoline Powered Pump System o PORTABLE D D o EFW*XHE*PORTABLE

EFW *GDp*IylECH

o EFW*GDp*CCF*START EFW*GDp*CCFR*BF

EFW*GDp*FR*IA

A6-1 a PUMp*1 A*FA1lS ot o 0 EFW*GDp*FR*1

A EFW*GDP*FS*1A PL Mp*1 B*FA1LS 0----0 EFW*GDp*FR*1B

EFW*GDp*FS*JB

Attachment

6

Fault Tree 2 Gasoline Powered Pump System with Essential

Feedwater

Storage Tank Refill from Firewater

Tank 9 POR1ABU, I 9-9 TANK-AND-PUNI'S-FAIL

EFW-GOP-MECH

I g-9 EFW-XIJE.FIREW

fUER GAS-PUMPS-FAIL

PUMP-IJ3..FAILS

I 9 Tr 9 9 I 9

I'FWGCP-FR-l

J3 HWGCP-FS-lB

99 EFW-GCP-FR-IA

EFW-GCP-IOS-IA

A6-2 9 EIW-GOP-CtT-START

I 9

g--9 EFW-GCP.sSFS-J3F

EFW-GCP-FS-I

A EFW-Gll'-CCTR-BF

EFW-GCP-FR-IA

E1W-GDP-FS-1A

EFW(;CP-FR-l

A Attachment

6