ML042400321

G20040512 - David Lochbaum Ltr. Re. Non-Risk-Informed Spent Fuel Storage Plans at Indian Point

ML042400321
Person / Time
Site:	Indian Point
Issue date:	10/20/2004
From:	Dyer J Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Lochbaum D Union of Concerned Scientists
Milano P, NRR/DLPM , 415-1457
Shared Package
ML042400332	List: ML042150059 ML042400321
References
CORR-04-0196, G20040512, TAC MC3887, TAC MC3888
Download: ML042400321 (3)

Text

October 20, 2004 Mr. David Lochbaum Union of Concerned Scientists 1707 H Street, NW, Suite 600 Washington, D.C. 20006-3919

Dear Mr. Lochbaum:

I am responding on behalf of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to your letter of July 12, 2004, regarding the proposed storage of spent nuclear fuel at an independent spent fuel storage facility (ISFSI) located at the Indian Point Energy Center. You also raised concerns regarding the spent fuel pools at Indian Point.

At Indian Point, the spent fuel pools are rugged structures constructed of thick reinforced concrete with stainless steel liners (Units 2 and 3) and are located inside the plant protected area. In addition, the Indian Point spent fuel pools are located partially below grade (with the fuel mostly below grade) and are partially shielded by other structures. The results of recently completed and ongoing studies of the capabilities of the available fuel storage options to resist terrorist attack show that significant releases due to a terrorist attack on a spent fuel pool are very unlikely. Under such conditions, there would be time to take mitigating actions and implement off-site emergency plans. These safety and security studies thus confirm that NRCs emergency planning basis remains valid. Therefore, the NRC continues to conclude that fuel is safely stored either in wet pools or in dry storage casks and that significant measures, such as removing large amounts of fuel from pools, are unwarranted.

Recent NRC analyses use updated and more realistic (yet still conservative) analysis methods.

Insights from these more realistic analyses indicate that the spent fuel stored in spent fuel pools is more easily cooled than predicted in earlier NRC studies. Moreover, the radioactive release from a spent fuel pool accident would be smaller and would begin later than previously estimated, providing more time for implementing effective mitigative measures. In particular, the analyses show that: (1) if cooling becomes inadequate, more time is available to implement backup cooling measures than previously estimated; and, (2) if the backup measures were somehow inadequate, the consequences would be less severe than previously estimated because the radioactive release would be smaller.

The NRC appreciates your concern about the safety and security of spent fuel storage at Indian Point. We have concluded that spent fuel is safely stored at the Indian Point reactor site.

Additionally, the NRC will continue to ensure, through our normal regulatory oversight process, that the licensee is safely storing fuel, either in the spent fuel pool or an ISFSI, at Indian Point.

As discussed above, the NRC has been conducting evaluations of the safety and security of spent fuel at all of our Nations nuclear facilities. If the results of these evaluations or any other information indicate that further actions are necessary, the NRC will take appropriate measures to ensure the continued safety and security of these facilities and the health and safety of the public.

I hope that you find this information helpful in addressing your concerns.

Sincerely,

/RA/

J. E. Dyer, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

ML042400321 Incoming: ML042150059 Package: ML042400332 OFFICE PDI-1/PM PDI-1/LA TECH ED SPLB/SC SPSB/SC NSIR RES NMSS NAME PMilano SLittle PKleene SJones MRubin JShea FEltawila JMonninger (JCraig for)

DATE 09/22/04 09/22/04 08/27/04 08/31/04 08/31/04 09/09/04 08/30/04 08/31/04 OFFICE PDI-1/SC PDI/D DRP/RI DLPM/D NRR/D OGC EDO OCM NAME RLaufer CHolden BHolian LMarsh JDyer AFernandez LReyes (JLyons for)

DATE 09/10/04 08/31/04 08/31/04 08/31/04 10/20/04 09/22/04 10/19/04 10/19/04