ML021570222
| ML021570222 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Indian Point  |
| Issue date: | 06/13/2002 |
| From: | Richards S NRC/NRR/DLPM/LPD1 |
| To: | Warrington R - No Known Affiliation |
| Wunder G, NRR/DLPM, 415-1494 | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML021580038 | List: |
| References | |
| TAC MB5181, Y20020156 | |
| Download: ML021570222 (3) | |
Text
June 13, 2002 Mr. Robert Warrington 5 Sunset Dr.
Chappaqua, NY 10514
Dear Mr. Warrington:
I am responding to your May 27, 2002, e-mail to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) allegations coordinator regarding the Indian Point (IP) Nuclear Generating Unit Nos. 2 and 3. In your e-mail, you requested that the NRC close the IP plants. You expressed concern about the safety of operating the plants and stated that the increased power prices resulting from the closure of the plants would be small in comparison to the potential for catastrophic events that they pose.
In your e-mail you state that the IP units are ranked last in terms of safety. While the NRC does not rank plants in this manner, it is true that IP2 is still trying to resolve a red finding from an NRC inspection. This red finding is associated with degraded performance that was revealed during a February 2000 steam generator tube failure. As a result of the degraded performance, the NRC heightened its oversight of IP2, and we will maintain this heightened oversight until we are confident that the licensee has made substantial improvements in the degraded areas. In addition to having two inspectors permanently assigned to IP2, the NRC has planned a variety of activities such as team inspections and site visits; we will also hold quarterly assessments during which we will review performance measures and independently verify licensee corrective actions. In January 2002 the owner of IP2 and 3 submitted a Fundamentals of Improvement Plan (FIP) which is intended to guide their improvement efforts.
The NRC staff met with IP management to discuss the status of the FIP in February 2002 and again in May 2002. We will be sending a team to conduct an inspection at the site this month; the results of this inspection will be key in the NRCs assessment of the progress that IP is making towards improving performance.
In regard to your remarks about the cost of replacement power in the event that the IP units were to be closed, I would like to assure you that the primary mission of the NRC is to ensure public health and safety; we do not consider power prices or other local economic factors in our decisions regarding the issuance or suspension of operating licenses. In spite of some degraded performance, the NRC considers that IP2 and 3 continue to be operated safely.
R. Warrington I trust that this addresses your concerns. If you need further assistance, please contact the IP project manger, Mr. Patrick Milano, at (301) 415-1457.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Stuart A. Richards, Director Project Directorate I Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
R. Warrington I trust that this addresses your concerns. If you need further assistance, please contact the IP project manger, Mr. Patrick Milano, at (301) 415-1457.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Stuart A. Richards, Director Project Directorate I Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation DISTRIBUTION:
PUBLIC PDI-1 R/F (w/inc)
S. Collins/J. Johnson R. Borchardt J. Zwolinski D. Skay G. Wunder B. Sheron K. Johnson S. Little R. Rosano, ERCT H. Miller, RI K. Cyr/J. Goldberg B. Platchek, RI P. Eselgroth, RI P. Milano L. Cox S. Richards R. Laufer J. Goldberg, OGC S. Burns R. Zimmerman T.J. Gorham (YT20020156)
Package: ML021580038 Accession No.: ML021570222 Incoming: ML021690477 OFFICE PDI-1/PM PDI-2/PM PDI-1/LA PDI-1/SC PDI/D NAME PMilano GWunder SLittle RLaufer SRichards DATE 6/13/02 06/12/02 6/12/02 6/13/02 6/13/02 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY