ML050770248
| ML050770248 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Browns Ferry  |
| Issue date: | 01/25/2005 |
| From: | Horn S - No Known Affiliation |
| To: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| Shared Package | |
| ML050620210 | List: |
| References | |
| Download: ML050770248 (2) | |
Text
01/28/2005 10:31 9315892778 S ANDERSON PAGE 03 Stwart Hom 495 ree H16low Rd.
New Hope, AL 35760 Janry 25. 2005 The Nuclear R ogudatory Cosmission WsingV D.C.
Th follwing commem re dauhitted concerning the Dmft Supplemental Environmental Impact Sttenlt fur LkIice REnewal at BWs Fcny Nucler Power PMG, Spplmt 21.
I provided cdi t a the !Envirunmemal Scopmg meetig fr Browns Ferry held in Athens last ApriL At dw time I raised cooen about the sfetY of the ctaiment structuwes for the three units as a ret of the contaiment veoels being thermally shocked through reeed autoic shutdowns of the reactor umits. I had previously ralsed hibs issue with 7VA when ft requcsted public comment concernWn cxtending the life of the three rmaiw in 2001. 1 roceived no reponse from TvA conerning my commets L As Many people don't remember and TVA nevr advts, TVA a such hor ib e opting record in the init 10 yes of'operation (I975 to 19S5), th all the rator wor shut down in 19S5 reportedly due to My concens and repeaed safety violations. It took 6 yeO to reopen Unit 2 and 10 years to reopai Uni 3. Unit 1. in which the war disastrous fire occurred, never reopened and has been mothballed for almost 20 yas. During the 10 yer of initial operation, 1VA wa plagued by an amazingly large untnff of RApoiae Occurrences. I voot to the Athens Libray during this time and reviewed some of fte Wtics Inthe wns Fy opeating c b wich, s time, wee mintinedin de libry.
Over a perod of less than four months in the fall of 1980, there were 66 Reportable Oocumrnces at the t
units or mre X
n one every two days at the Browns Fery facility. Tbese events werefairly evenly distributo d am th racts (Unk 1hiad 23, Unit 2 had 21, and Unit 3 bad 22). Ifopeation during the above time poriod was typical of Browns Fery operstion over the firt I0 years, then more ihara Z00 Reportable o 0cureces would have occurred at Browns Fer"y in the first 10 years of operation. I couldn't datermine at the time how sman of the Reportable Occurrenoes bad resulted in SCRAMS or autoatic shutdkwns of the nuclear reactor, bat my g at the time was dt automatic shutdowns often During the 1910, I read a lk about nuclear power genation. 1 learned dth when an abnormal event tiis an ankanic tdown, it is somewhat of an eawgency process. This process is designed to shut down the reat much mo rapidly than when the reactor Is sut dao using nomal Opcrating procedures.
Tbe how tsan normal cooling of the nracto contairunent structure thwrally shocks the structure resulting in great strees thughout the structure with the disturbing potentialof weakening IL Reportdly, this could result in "prcmature aiW of the containment structrre.
After the meeting as April, I went to the Ahens Library to try to dctermine how many automatic shutdowns had octwed at Bowns Fairy.
he hitorical NRC Browns Ferry flles are no longer there. NRC told me that the infomation would be available through the on-line NRC public documentation system.
I glod to try to find the data on-line, but eventually pve up after suffering severe frstration. I then called NRC and xrqested that sonmonc there find the dat for me, but I never received any information.
Tbe only respae I roeived fom the NRC mltive to my comM was at the ue I raised was a safety issue wd would be Prt ofthe safrty review and nt part ofthe environmental review. I was told th the safaty review meetis would be conducted in Washington, and I was not able to atnd these.
Hopefully, this issue was dealt with during the saehy review, and there Is someone at today's meeting that can discuss this and xpahin the reslts of the safety review sod how the above concerns have been resolved What has the NRC done to assure and how does the NRC know that the reactor containmen vessels at the focility re structurally soud and capable of safe operation for 20 years beyond there designed to" life?
01/28/2005 10:31 9315892778 S ANDERSON PAGE 04 Before sppwval is tmted by the NRC to extend reactor life by 50% at least the following should be done as a Minimum:
I.
TVA should report the total number of automatic shutdowns that have occurred at each Browns Ferry reactor during its operation.
- 2. The NRC should investigate (and report to the public about) the Reportable Occurrence autotnafic sho,ws, or oher safty violatiom whih have occurred at each reactor including the significance of these events relative to the safe operating lifetime of the reactors.
- 3. If there Is any possibility of prenutwre aging of any of the containment vessels a discussed above, VA should be required to determine by scientific measurenent the stuchtrl sowndness of each reactor containment vessel using non-invasive techniques or whatever method is available. If these techniques do not exist, TVA should be required (before license approval) to develap the techniques and undertake the testing d analysis to determine and be able to assr the local public And the NRC that ther is no danger of containment vessel faiure.
I believe dtht the have been a sipnficart number of automatic shutdowns of the three Browns Ferry reactors. If thut is the case, and if what I read about the effects of hese event is tbue, this is of major concern to anyone livt In this or downwind. There is the possibility tiat one or more of the Browns Ferry contshunent vessel structures have been weakened and prematurely aged. Thbs could pose a serious Otr for the people of t Tennmes Valley, espially co tidering tthe TVA and te NRC sre infthe process of ex the operion ofal the 50% beyond their designed to' operaional life.
I have nodher question for the NRC regarding relicensing approval of the mothballed Unit I reactor. Have you already renewed the operating license of this reactor, or have you informed TVA that aproval of license renewal is mowted? The TVA has already spent S885,000,000 on this project, and it is beyond belief that they would hve done such a thing ifhere may be the remotest possibility that approval might not be forthcoming. If approval has not already been granted or is not guaanteed, has the NRC encouraged the TVA to Initiae work on this project under these circumstances?
Tbank you for your time and attention. I appreciate the process that includes and encourages the public to comment Sincerely, Stewart V. Horn