ML052370163

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Letter to Mr. Kenneth A. Tavares: Additional Information on Topics Raised with Commissioner Jaczko
ML052370163
Person / Time
Site: Pilgrim
Issue date: 08/24/2005
From: Brian Holian
Division Reactor Projects I
To: Tavares K
Town of Plymouth, MA
References
IR-04-003
Download: ML052370163 (4)


Text

August 24, 2005 Mr. Kenneth A. Tavares Chairman, Board of Selectman Town of Plymouth 11 Lincoln Street Plymouth, Massachusetts 02360

SUBJECT:

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON TOPICS RAISED WITH COMMISSIONER JACZKO

Dear Chairman Tavares:

Thank you for visiting with Commissioner Jaczko and the Resident Inspectors during the Commissioners visit to Pilgrim Station on July 25, 2005. We appreciate your candid dialogue concerning emergency planning, security, spent fuel storage, and the potential license renewal of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station (PNPS). Please express our gratitude to Mr. Sylvia and Mr. Berger for their participation. The purpose of this letter is to provide additional information to you in the areas of your expressed concerns.

The enclosed Backgrounder Information Sheet, Reactor License Renewal, provides a high level overview of the license renewal process. Requirements for license renewal are codified in 10 CFR Part 51, Environmental protection regulations for domestic licensing and related regulatory functions and 10 CFR Part 54, Requirements for renewal of operating licenses for nuclear power plants. More detailed information on the license renewal process may be obtained at our public website (www.nrc.gov) by selecting the License Renewal link under Key Topics. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has not received a license renewal application for Pilgrim at this time. Entergy has indicated an intention to do so in early 2006.

For a nuclear power plant to operate, the NRC must have reasonable assurance that adequate protective measures can and will be taken in the event of a radiological emergency. Licensees are therefore required by 10 CFR 50.54(q) to maintain in effect and follow emergency plans that meet the requirements and standards set forth in 10 CFR 50.47(b) and 10 CFR 50, Appendix E.

The NRC and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) conduct periodic assessments of Pilgrims emergency preparedness (EP). Assessment activities include on-site inspection of the EP program; observation of EP training and licensee evaluated exercises; biennial, NRC/FEMA evaluated exercises; NRC EP performance indicators; and review of the annual certification by the Commonwealth and local communities of the off-site emergency response plans. Because the adequacy of emergency preparedness is verified on an ongoing basis, emergency preparedness is not reviewed as a part of the license renewal process per 10 CFR 50.47(a)(1). More detailed information on emergency planning may be obtained at the NRCs public website (www.nrc.gov) by selecting the Emergency Preparedness link under Key Topics.

Information regarding FEMAs activities may be obtained at FEMAs website (www.fema.gov).

A copy of the NRC and FEMA reports for the April 14, 2004, evaluated exercise are enclosed.

No significant NRC findings were identified for the on-site response. FEMA identified one deficiency and four areas requiring corrective action for the off-site response. The one deficiency, corrected June 14, 2004, related to the distribution of KI to State Police officers performing traffic control in the plume exposure pathway. The four areas requiring corrective action do not by themselves adversely impact public health and safety. Enclosed information

Mr. Kenneth A. Tavares 2 includes a Backgrounder Information Sheet containing a high level summary of Emergency Planning and Preparedness at Nuclear Power Plants, information on the history of emergency planning and emergency preparedness in response to terrorism, copies of sections of the Code of Federal Regulations relevant to EP (10 CFR 50.47, 50.54, and 10 CFR 50 Appendix E), and information regarding factors affecting emergency evacuations (NUREG/CR-6864, Vol 1).

Also, enclosed is a Fact Sheet on Security post 9-11 and Backgrounder Information Sheet for Dry Cask Storage. Additional information on these topics may also be obtained at our website.

Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have further questions.

Sincerely,

/RA/ Dave Lew signing for Brian E. Holian, Director Division of Reactor Projects

Enclosures:

Backgrounder - Reactor License Renewal Backgrounder - Emergency Planning and Preparedness at Nuclear Power Plants Emergency Preparedness History Emergency Preparedness in Response to Terrorism 50.47 Emergency Plans 50.54 Conditions of Licenses Appendix E to Part 50 - Emergency Planning and Preparedness for Production and Utilization Facilities Evacuation and Sheltering NUREG/CR-6864, Vol.1 - Identification and Analysis of Factors Affecting Emergency Evacuations - (Main Report)

Fact Sheet - Safety and Security Improvements at Nuclear Plants Backgrounder - Nuclear Security Enhancements Since September 11, 2001 Backgrounder on Force-on-Force Exercises at Nuclear Power Plants Fact Sheet - NRC Review of Paper on Reducing Hazards From Stored Spent Nuclear Fuel Backgrounder - Dry Cask Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel FEMA Exercise Report, Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, July 14, 2004 Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station - NRC Evaluated Emergency Preparedness Exercise - Inspection Report 05000293/2004003, May 10, 2003 cc wo/encl.

M. Sylvia, Plymouth Town Manager J. Berger, Plymouth Nuclear Matters Committee

Mr. Kenneth A. Tavares 3 Mr. Kenneth A. Tavares 4 Distribution wo/encl: (via E-mail)

S. Collins, RA M. Dapas, DRA S. Lee, RI EDO Coordinator C. Anderson, DRP D. Florek, DRP T. Walker, ORA J. Shea, PM, NRR R. Ennis, NRR S. Lavie, NSIR P. Kuo, NRR S. Hoffman, NRR W. Raymond, DRP, Senior Resident Inspector C. Welch, DRP, Resident Inspector A. Ford, DRP, Resident OA Region I Docket Room (with concurrences)

DOCUMENT NAME: E:\Filenet\ML052370163.wpd SISP Review Complete: CJA (Reviewers Initials)

After declaring this document An Official Agency Record it will be released to the Public.

To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the box: "C" = Copy without attachment/enclosure "E" = Copy with attachment/enclosure "N" = No copy OFFICE RI/DRP RI/DRP NAME CWelch/CJA CAnderson DATE 08/24/05 08/24/05 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY