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Vermont Yankee Presentation to VSNAP 7/17/13. VY/Entergy Fukushima Response Update Bernard Buteau. Tonight’s Presentation. Overview of NRC issued regulatory requirements (Orders & Info Requests) Overview of VY responses to NRC Orders Current VY status . Background.
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Vermont Yankee Presentation to VSNAP 7/17/13 VY/Entergy Fukushima Response Update Bernard Buteau
Tonight’s Presentation • Overview of NRC issued regulatory requirements (Orders & Info Requests) • Overview of VY responses to NRC Orders • Current VY status
Background • Following the Fukushima Dai-ichi event in March 2011 the NRC established a senior level task force (Near Term Task Force – NTTF) • NTTF conducted a systematic and methodical review of NRC Regulations to identify Safety improvements • As a result of the NTTF assessment the NRC issued a set of Orders to all nuclear plant licensees
NRC Orders & 50.54(f) Requests Orders • Hardened vent modifications – Wetwell and Drywell • Spent Fuel Pool Level Monitoring Instrumentation • Mitigation Strategies for Design Basis External Events (FLEX) 50.54(f) Information Requests • Emergency Planning communication upgrades • Emergency Plan Staffing Upgrades • Seismic analysis and walkdowns • Flooding analysis and walkdowns
Mitigation Strategies for Beyond Design Basis External Events (FLEX) • NRC Order EA-12-049 issued 3/12/2012 • Key Goals – Protect Public Health and Safety by: • Preventing fuel damage (Core and Spent Fuel Pool) • Providing diverse, redundant, “flexible” means to restore and maintain core and fuel pool cooling as well as containment integrity • Assumes Extended Loss of AC Power (ELAP), Motive Force and Loss of Normal Access to the Ultimate Heat Sink • Licensees are required to complete full implementation no later than two (2) refueling cycles after submittal of an overall integrated plan or 12/31/16, whichever comes first • The current due date for Vermont Yankee FLEX modifications is by end of RFO 31 in Fall 2014
Mitigation Strategies for Beyond Design Basis External Events (FLEX) • Vermont Yankee Overall Integrated Plan submitted to NRC on February 28, 2013 • Vermont Yankee’s overall plan meets the guidance provided in NEI 12-06 “Diverse and Flexible Coping Strategies (FLEX) Implementation Guide • Portable equipment that provides means of obtaining power and water to maintain or restore key safety functions • Reasonable staging and protection of portable equipment • Procedures and guidance to implement FLEX strategies • Programmatic controls that assure the continued viability and reliability of the FLEX strategies
Hardened Vent ModificationsWetwell and Drywell • NRC Order EA-13-109 Issued 6/6/2013 • Key Goals – Protect Public Health and Safety by: • Upgrading reliable hardened vents with a containment venting system designed and installed to remain functional during severe accident conditions • Preventing core damage when heat removal capability is lost • Phase 1: Enhance current wetwell venting system; capable of operating under severe accident conditions • Phase 2: Install new drywell venting system; capable of operating under severe accident conditions
Hardened Vent ModificationsWetwell • NRC Requirement for Phase 1 (severe accident capable wetwell venting system): • Enhance no later than startup from the 2nd refueling that begins after June 13, 2014 or June 30, 2018, whichever comes first • For VY the due date is RFO 32 / Spring 2016
Hardened Vent ModificationsDrywell • NRC Requirement for Phase 2 (severe accident capable drywell venting system): • Install no later than startup from the 2nd refueling that begins after June 30, 2017 or June 30, 2019, whichever comes first • For VY the due date is RFO 33 / Fall 2017
Spent Fuel Level Monitoring • NRC Order EA-12-051 issued 3/12/2012 • Key Goal – Protect Public Health and Safety by: • Providing another 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 • Licensees are required to complete full implementation no later than two (2) refueling cycles after submittal of an overall integrated plan or 12/31/16, whichever comes first • Vermont Yankee will complete Spent Fuel Pool Level Monitoring Instrumentation installation by end of RFO 31 in Fall 2014
Emergency Plan Communication Upgrades • Onsite and offsite communications need to be accomplished during area wide (25 mile radius around site) loss of electrical power, seismic and flooding events • Onsite communications will rely on current site radio systems. Upgrades required to radio system power supplies (i.e. batteries) • Offsite communications to rely on current radios and satellite phones. Phones to be located in key emergency response facilities • These modifications are scheduled for completion byFall 2014
Emergency Plan Staffing Upgrades • Ensure adequate on-shift staff to respond to a “beyond design basis external event” • Implement EP response actions • Perform accident mitigation • Assume limited staff augmentation • Identify time and staff needed to perform each emergency task • Assess staff’s ability to implement functions and tasks related to Fukushima Near-Term Task Force (NTTF) Recommendation 4.2 (FLEX) • VY will complete and submit to NRC by June 11, 2014
Flooding Analysis and Walkdowns • NRC 50.54(f) letter of 3/12/12 requested flooding related info: • Complete and document walkdown of all current Licensing Basis Flood Protection features • Walkdown of all Flood Protection Features completed Nov 2012 • Prepare Flooding hazards reevaluation by March 2013 • Flooding hazards reevaluation completed in March 2013 • Prepare Integrated Assessment report by March 2015 for Flood Hazards • Note: NRC audit of VY flooding walkdown effort occurring this week, VT State Nuclear Engineer participating
Seismic Analysis and Walkdowns • 7/5/13 – VY Submitted an updated SeismicWalkdown Report to the NRC • Submit Expedited Seismic Evaluation Process Report by end of 2014 • Complete plant modifications not requiring a refueling outage by end of 2016 • Complete modifications requiring a refueling outage within 2 outages from 12/2014 (VY RFO 32 Fall 2017)