ML040960475
| ML040960475 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png |
| Issue date: | 03/24/2004 |
| From: | Alexander P, Sidebotham D New England Coalition |
| To: | Diaz N NRC/Chairman |
| Shared Package | |
| ML041460574 | List: |
| References | |
| G20040237, LTR-04-0190 | |
| Download: ML040960475 (4) | |
Text
EDO Principal Correspondence Control FROM:
DUE: 05/17/04 EDO CONTROL: G20040237 DOC DT: 03/24/04 FINAL REPLY:
Diana Sidebotham Peter Alexander New England Coalition TO:
Chairman Diaz FOR SIGNATURE OF :
ROUTING:
Independent Safety Assessment of Vermont Yankee DATE: 04/02/04 Travers Norry Paperiello Kane Collins Dean Burns/Cyr Miller, RI ASSIGNED TO:
NRR CONTACT:
Dyer SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:
Ref. G20040228.
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OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET Date Printed: Apr 01, 2004 09:52 PAPER NUMBER:
ACTION OFFICE:
LTR-04-0190 EDO LOGGING DATE: 03/31/2004 AUTHf-R:
AFFILIATION:
ADDRESSEE:
SUBJECT:
Diana Sidebotham VT Nils Diaz Independent Safety Assessment at Vermont Yankee ACTION:
DISTRIBUTION:
LETTER DATE:
ACKNOWLEDGED SPECIAL HANDLING:
Direct Reply.
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03/24/2004 No ADAMS via SECY/EDO/DPC NOTES:
FILE LOCATION:
ADAMS DATE DUE:
O&*,,24OO 511116L1 DATE SIGNED:
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N-YJ POST OFFICE BOX 545, BRATTLEBORO, VERMONT 05302 The Honorable Nils J. Diaz Chairman U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1 1555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852 March 24, 2004 ATTN: Document Control Desk
Dear Chairman Diaz:
On behalf of our members and constituents throughout the New England region, New England Coalition now respectfully requests that you order an Independent Safety Assessment (ISA) to be performed prior to any NRC decision regarding a proposed extended power uprate (EPU) at Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station in Vernon, Vermont.
New England Coalition's request supports, but is distinct, from similar requests recently forwarded by the Vermont Public Service Board and the Vermont State Senate.
While we welcome the recent letter of the Vermont Public Service Board, which calls for an "Independent Engineering Assessment" (IEA), as a good step in the right direction, we are concerned that the IEA as described by the board falls far short of the kind of comprehensive assessment needed to reassure the public that present assumed margins of safety can be maintained at the plant under EPU.
We believe such reassurance could be gained through an ISA that meets the goals and objectives set forth in the Vermont Senate Resolution of March 15, 2004 I) Assesses the conformance ofthe facility to its design and licensing bases, for operating at both 100 percent and 120 percent of its originally intended power production level; k
.2) Identifies all deviations, exemptions and/or waivers from (a) regulatory requirements applicable to Vermont Yankee and (b) regulatory requirements applicable to a new nuclear reactor (i.e. today's safety regulations) and verifies that adequate safety margins are retained despite the cumulative effect of such deviations, exemptions, and/or waivers for both the present licensed power level and under the proposed extended power uprate;
- 3) Assesses the facility's operational safety performance giving risk perspectives where appropriate;
- 4) Evaluates the effectiveness of licensee self-assessments, corrective actions, and improvement plans; and
- 5) Detennines the root cause(s) of safety-significant findings and draws conclusions on overall performance Given that the plant is now over 31 years old and that it is about to enter a new phase where its operators, systems, and components will be subjected to substantially increased stress, we believe that a full Independent Safety Assessment, or its equivalent, is an appropriate, conservative, and prudent measure.
We are confident that you will understand our use of the term "Independent Safety Assessment" to mean an assessment similar in scope and scale to that ordered for the Maine Yankee Atomic Power Station by your predecessor, Dr. Shirley Jackson.
New England Coalition is formally requesting, therefore, that you exercise your prerogative as Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to order a full Independent Safety Assessment at Vermont Yankee as a prerequisite to any decision regarding the pending application for extended power uprate.
New England Coalition now eagerly awaits your response and looks forward to any opportunity you might offer for further dialogue regarding NRC oversight of Vermont Yankee...
Sincerely, Diana Sidebotham Acting Presiden Peter Alexander Executive Director Cc:
Governor James Douglas Governor Craig Benson Governor Mitt Romney Governor George Pataki Senator Patrick Leahy Senator James Jeffords Senator Ted Kennedy Senator John Kerry Senator Hilary Clinton Senator Chuck Shumer Senator Judd Gregg Senator John Sununu Vt. State Senate President Pro Tempore Peter Welch Vt. House Speaker Walter Freed VPSB Chair Michael Dworkin