Opinion ID: 216911
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Decisions of the NRC

Text: While review of the Initial Decision was pending, Citizens filed a petition for review directly with the NRC requesting that the proceedings be suspended entirely and that the NRC conduct a comprehensive overhaul of the Staff's review of license renewal applications (the Supervision Decision). In support of their claim, Citizens relied on an audit report issued by the NRC's Office of the Inspector General (the OIG Report). The OIG Report described the Staffs implementation of the comprehensive licensing scheme, but also identified areas that could be improved such as the transparency of the Staffs reporting and standardization of the depth of its reviews. The Staff agreed to implement the relevant recommendations. [6] The NRC denied Citizens' petition for review on the ground that the petition impermissibly challenged the adequacy of the Staffs review process and, even if the challenge were proper, the OIG Report did not establish any basis for relief. See In the Matter of AmerGen Energy Co., LLC (Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station), No. 50-219-LR, 68 N.R.C. 461 (2008). Citizens also sought review of the Board's decision denying Citizens' motion to reopen the administrative record and motion to add the Metal Fatigue Contention. The NRC affirmed the Board's decision, determining that Citizens failed to demonstrate the existence of a significant safety issue and that a materially different result would have occurred. See In the Matter of AmerGen Energy Co., LLC (Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station), No. 50-219-LR, 68 N.R.C. 658 (2008). Before the NRC issued a final decision, Exelon notified the NRC that a visual inspection of the drywell shell identified a rust stain and a small area where the epoxy coating was blistered. The Staff determined that this corrosion was of very low safety significance. Exelon subsequently updated the NRC on the status of the corrosion, reporting that small deposits of soluble salts, which often draw moisture through the epoxy coating, were the most likely cause. In addition, Exelon reported that the cracks in the moisture seal were the result of uncured epoxy caulk. In response, the Staff performed an inspection, reviewed the technical information, and concluded that no significant safety conditions relating to the drywell shell would prohibit plant operation. According to the Staff, the problems Exelon identified had a minimal impact on the drywell shell and the corrosion rate was very small. The Staff issued an inspection report to the NRC elaborating on these conclusions. As a result, Citizens filed another motion to reopen the administrative record. The NRC denied the motion. Lastly, Citizens sought review of the Board's denial of the Embedded Region, the Interior Corrosion, the Acceptance Criteria, and the Spatial Scope Contentions, as well as the substantive ruling in the Initial Decision. Concluding that the Board's decisions were well-founded, the NRC affirmed the Initial Decision, refused to reopen the record to allow the inspection report, and denied Citizens' petition for review (the Final Decision). See In the Matter of AmerGen Energy Co., LLC (Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station), No. 50-219-LR, 69 N.R.C. 235 (2009). Commissioner Jaczko dissented in part and would have allowed the inspection report into evidence.