**NRC INSPECTION MANUAL**IRIB

BASELINE INSPECTION GUIDANCE FOR POWER REACTORS PREPARING FOR TRANSITION TO DECOMMISSIONING PHASE 

2515G-01	PURPOSE

This appendix provides guidance and is not a program requirement, to the regional staff for nuclear power licensees preparing to transition from an operating power reactor to a decommissioning reactor facility.  The guidance is specifically for the period that occurs prior to the transition from oversight in accordance with Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC) 2515, “Light-Water Reactor Inspection Program (ROP) - Operations Phase,” ROP inspection program to IMC 2561, “Decommissioning Power Reactor Inspection Program.” 

2515G-02	 BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The NRC staff developed this guidance using lessons learned from nuclear power plants that have permanently ceased operation (e.g., Vermont Yankee (VY), Kewaunee, Crystal River (CR), and San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station(SONGS)) and are now being inspected and assessed under IMC 2561.  The guidance applies for the period that occurs prior to the transition of oversight from the ROP to IMC 2561, “Decommissioning Power Reactor Inspection Program.”  The attachments to this appendix provides recommendations on potential adjustments to the inspection activities that can be used to perform a more detailed assessment of performance in areas potentially impacted by the impending shutdown.  

Issue Date:  02/01/16	1	IMC 2515 Appendix G

Attachment 1 – SUGGESTED INCREASE IN NUMBER OF INSPECTIONS PERFORMED FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS

Issue Date:  02/01/16	Att1 - 1	IMC 2515 Appendix G

Attachment 2 – SUGGESTED DECREASE IN NUMBER OF INSPECTIONS PERFORMED FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS

Issue Date:  02/01/16	Att2 - 1	IMC 2515 Appendix G

Attachment 3 – NO CHANGES IN NUMBER OF INSPECTIONS PERFORMED FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS

Issue Date:  02/01/16	Att3 - 1	IMC 2515 Appendix G

Attachment 4 - BASELINE INSPECTION PROGRAM TEAM INSPECTIONS:

In addition to the inspection procedures that Resident inspectors complete, baseline inspections continue to be conducted by the regional inspectors such as engineering, radiation protection, emergency preparedness, operator licensing, and security with focus including but not limited to the following: 

· Samples of licensee evaluation and response to License Amendments, Generic Letters, Bulletins and Information Notices after shutdown announcement 

· Potential degradation to radiological controls including increase in dose and area of contamination on site 

· Evaluation of In Service Inspection deferrals 

· Security IPs remain as scheduled until all spent nuclear fuel (SNF) is removed. 

· Availability of emergency facilities, staffing and operability of emergency sirens 

· For Component Design Basis Inspection (CDBI), IP 71111.21,”Component Design Bases Inspection,” if the target date for the permanent shutdown is more than 3 years in the future, the next CDBI should occur as normally scheduled within the current triennial period (sample examples:  standby fuel pool cooling system (pump, pump motor and heat exchanger), normal fuel pool cooling system isolation valve, review of corrective action for NRC Information Notice (IN) 2009-26 – Degraded Neutron Absorber in the Spent Fuel Pool, NRC IN 2011-03 – Non-conservative Criticality Safety Analyses for Fuel).  If the target date for the permanent shutdown is less than 3 years in the future, the Region (in consultation with NRR/DIRS) should consider either cancelling the inspection or combining the CDBI with evaluations of changes, tests or experiments and permanent plant modifications (IP 71111.17T, “Evaluations of Changes, Tests and Experiments and Permanent Plant Modifications”).  Combining the inspections allows flexibility for sample selection to the inspectors for covering CDBI and Plant Modifications.   

· A Biennial Problem Identification and Resolution (PI&R) Inspection, if it falls in the last year of the shutdown cycle, the region can consider reduced scope of the inspection.  A decreasing trend for identifying issues and correcting them in a timely manner may be evaluated by the resident inspectors routinely.

· Consideration should be given to other baseline team inspections performed on a biennial and triennial basis for performance/scope increase or decrease as mentioned in the above CDBI and PI&R discussions.

Issue Date:  02/01/16	Att4 - 1	IMC 2515 Appendix G

END

Issue Date:  02/01/16	Att4 - 2	IMC 2515 Appendix G

Attachment 5

Revision History for IMC 2515 Appendix G

Issue Date:  02/01/16	Att5 - 1	IMC 2515 Appendix G