ML041470315
| ML041470315 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png (DPR-028) |
| Issue date: | 05/11/2004 |
| From: | Beebe K, Harlow C, Harlow P, Noyes B Town of Westminster, VT, Selectboard |
| To: | Diaz N NRC/Chairman |
| References | |
| G20040358, LTR-04-0330 | |
| Download: ML041470315 (4) | |
Text
EDO Principal Correspondence Control FROM:
DUE: 06/16/04 EDO CONTROL: G20040358 DOC DT: 05/11/04 FINAL REPLY:
Bill Noyes Christopher Harlow Paul Harlow K. Sheldon Beebe Westminster Selectboard Town of Westminster, Vermont TO:
Chairman Diaz FOR SIGNATURE OF :
ROUTING:
Independent Safety Assessment of Vermont Yankee DATE: 05/25/04 Reyes Norry Virgilio Kane Collins Dean Burns Miller, RI Cyr, OGC ASSIGNED TO:
NRR CONTACT:
Dyer SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:
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OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET Date Printed: May 25, 2004 14:19 PAPER NUMBER:
ACTION OFFICE:
LTR-04-0330 EDO LOGGING DATE: 05/24/2004 AUTHOR:
AFFILIATION:
ADDRESSEE:
SUBJECT:
Christopher Harlow VT Nils Diaz Urges the Commission to do an Independent Safety Assessment of Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee
- ACTION:
DISTRIBUTION:
LETTER DATE:
ACKNOWLEDGED SPECIAL HANDLING:
NOTES:
FILE LOCATION:
DATE DUE:
Direct Reply SECY to Ack 05/11/2004 No ADAMS 06/16/2004 DATE SIGNED:
EDO -- G200403 5 8
TOWN OF WESTMINSTER P.O.BOX147Jl 77MNSTER, VT 05158 TeL 802-7224255 Fax 802-722-9816 westmingsover.net May 11, 2004 Mr. Nils Diaz, Chairman U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852
Dear Mr. Diaz,
The Selectboard of the Town of Westminster, Vermont is writing to urge you to do an Independent Safety Assessment of Entergy Nuclear'Vermont Yankee similar to the thorough examination done af Main6 Yankee in 1996 at the request of then Governor Angus King.
Entergy has requested an uprate which would bring the capacity to 120 percent of the power output it was originally designed for at the time of the plant's opening 31 years ago. In its order of March 15, 2004, the Vermont Public Service Board granted conditional approval of that request, and required that an "independent engineering assessment" be done by the NRC in addition to its usual uprate review. The PSB was constrained in what it could legally require, and the issue of safety is, unbelievably, out of the Board's jurisdiction.;,r I
We, as elected officials, are not so constrained. We believe that our constituents are primarily concerned about safety at this aging plant, and that only a safety assessment that includes the criteria as outlined below and passed in the recent Vermont and New Hampshire Senate resolutions, adequately address safety concerns. We urge you to require that just such an assessment be completed before any further' action on the uprate request is taken. The recent discovery of cracks in the steam dryer at VY and the current crisis of two unaccounted for and highly radioactive fuel rods, confirms the concerns of many Vermonters about this aging facility and makes such an Independent Safety Assessment essential.
At town Meeting in 2003, the town of Westminster, along with eleven other towns in Windham County, voted to bar the relicensing of Vermont Yankee beyond its current license. While the town has no formal
--position on the uprate itself, it is clear that the voters of Westminster are deeply concerned about the safety and oversight at Vermont Yankee. At the very least it would be prudent and appropriate to assure the people of the town and region that the uprate will in no way compromise the safety of the people.
We strongly support the Senate resolution that calls for an inspection that:
- 1) Assesses the conformance of the facility to its design and licensing bases, for operating at both 100 percent and 120 percent of its originally intended power production level, including appropiate reviews atthe plant's site and its corporate offices;.
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- 2) Identifies all deviations, exemptions and/or waivers fromn(a) regulatory requirements applicable to Vermont Yankee and (b) regulatory requirements applicable to a new nuclear reactor (i.e. today's safety Visit us on the world
- ide web at: http:l/estminster.govofrice.com
regulations) and verifies that adequate safety margins are retained despite the cumulative effect of such z 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) Determines the root cause(s) of safety-significant findings and draws conclusions on overall performance.
Thank you for your consideration of this request and we look forward to a reply.
Sincerely, West '
er Selptboard
/ I Noyes, C ir i/
Christopher arlow r, -
Paul rlow Peter Barrett K. QqSho z
Ie K4. Sheldon Beebe cc:
Governor James Douglas Senator James Jeffords Senator Patrick Leahy Representative Bernie Sanders David J. O'Brien, Chairman Department of Public Scrvice Sen. Jeanette White Rep. David Deen Rep. Steve Darrow Visit us on the world wide web at: http:l/westminster.govoffiee.com