ML060470249
| ML060470249 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Oyster Creek |
| Issue date: | 02/14/2006 |
| From: | Annette Vietti-Cook NRC/SECY |
| To: | Saxton J US HR (House of Representatives) |
| Byrdsong A T | |
| References | |
| 50-219-LR, ASLBP 06-844-01-LR, RAS 11179 | |
| Download: ML060470249 (4) | |
Text
SECRETARY UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 DOCKETED USNRC February 14, 2006 February 15, 2006 (358pm)
OFFICE OF SECRETARY RULEMAKINGS AND ADJUDICATIONS STAFF The Honorable Jim Saxton U.S. House of Representatives washington, D.C. 2051 5 SERVED February 16,2006 Docket No. 50-21 9-LR
Dear Congressman Saxton:
This is a response to your letter dated January 27, 2006, addressed to Chairman Nils J. Diaz, in which you request that Ultrasonic Testing be conducted on the lower region of the reactor vessel containment walls for the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station as part of the consideration by the NRC of the license renewal application for the plant. Your letter has been referred to the NRC staff. The staff will address your specific concerns in a direct reply.
Currently, intervention petitions addressing the license renewal application for the Oyster Creek Station are before an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board. Under Nuclear Regulatory Commission procedural rules for adjudications, the Commission has an appellate role in proceedings commenced before its Atomic Safety and Licensing Boards. Because of that role, I trust that you will understand that the Commissioners must remain impartial during the pendency of a case, whether it is before a Licensing Board or on appeal to the Commission.
A copy of your letter and this response, as well as the response of the NRC staff, when issued, will be served on the participants in the Ovster Creek proceeding.
Sincerely, A
u s
Annette L. Vietti-Cook cc: Service List
JIM SAXTON TNIRD DISTRICT. NEW JERSEY JOINT ECONOMIC COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN RESOURCES COMMllTEE SUBCOMMIlTEES:
FISHERIES AND OCEANS NATIONAL PARKS H+S. Nouge of 3Reyre$entatibee' QlBas'lJington, BQL 20525 January 27,2006 ARMED SERVICES COMMllTEE SUBCDMIvlITrEES:
TERRORISM, UNCOIWENTIONAL THREATS AND CAPABILITIES CHAIRMAN PROJECTION FORCES MILITARY PERSONNEL Dr. Nils J. Diaz, Chairman Nuclear Regulatory Conmission 1 1555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852
Dear Dr. Diaz:
I write to you today regarding the Oyster Creek Nuciear Generating Stalion i11 Forked River, New Jersey.
It has come to my attention that Ultrasonic Testing is conducted on the Upper Region vessel containment walls of the main reactor every two years as the result of an agreement reached between the Nuclear Regulatory Conmission (NRC) and the plant's original owner, GPU Energy.
As I understand it, the NRC times these analyses to take place in conjunction with plant refueling.
It has also come to my attention, however, that Ultrasonic Testing on the Lower Region has not taken place in nearly a decade. While I strongly support the NRC's commitment to testing the Upper Region every two years, I am gravely coilceined about the robustness of the container walls in the Lower Region.
I strongly urge the NRC, as it considers the license renewal application of the nation's oldest operating nuclear power plant, to conduct an Ultrasonic Test of the lower region and to take these findings into consideration before issuing a final decision. Additionally, I request a summary of the most recent findings be made available to the public. The plant is scheduled to go down for refueling in 2006, I am requesting the Lower Region Ultrasonic Tests be conducted at this time.
Past coi-respondence regarding the security of Oyster Creek has prompted the NKC to respond that security is an ongoing issue that is not considered during the license renewal process.
However, conducting routine analysis on the thickness of vessel containment walls at nuclear power plants is an operational safety issue directly related to the relicensure process.
Thank you for your continued attention to this critical matter and I look forward to your response.
d 2 2 1 7 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON, DC 20515-3003 12021 2254765 100 HIGH STREET. SUITE 301 MOUNT HOLLY. NJ 08050-1458 16091 261-5800 247 MAIN STREET TOMS RIVER. NJ 08753-7458 (7321 914-2020
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION In the Matter of
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AMERGEN ENERGY COMPANY, LLC 1
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(Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station)
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Docket No. 50-21 9-LR CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that copies of the foregoing LETTER FROM ANNETTE L. VIETTI-COOK TO CONGRESSMAN SAXTON RESPONDING TO HIS 01/27/06 LETTER (ALSO ENCLOSED)
REGARDING THE OYSTER CREEK PROCEEDING have been served upon the following persons by U.S. mail, first class, or through NRC internal distribution.
Office of Commission Appellate Adjudication U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001 Administrative Judge Paul B. Abramson Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel Mail Stop - T-3 F23 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001 Ann P. Hodgdon, Esq.
Daniel Hugo Fruchter, Esq.
Office of the General Counsel Mail Stop 15 D21 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001 Administrative Judge E. Roy Hawkens, Chair Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel Mail Stop - T-3 F23 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001 Administrative Judge Anthony J. Baratta Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel Mail Stop - T-3 F23 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001 Richard Webster, Esq.
Rutgers Environmental Law Clinic 123 Washington Street Newark, NJ 071 02-5695
2 Docket No. 50-21 9-LR LETTER FROM ANNETTE L. VIETTI-COOK TO CONGRESSMAN SAXTON RESPONDING TO HIS 01/27/06 (ALSO ENCLOSED)
LETTER REGARDING THE OYSTER CREEK PROCEEDING Paul Gunter, Director Reactor Watchdog Project Nuclear Information and Resource Service 1424 1 6th Street, NW, Suite 404 Washington, DC 20036 Bradley M. Campbell, Commissioner New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection P.O. Box 402 Trenton, NJ 08625-0402 Ron Zak New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Nuclear Engineering P.O. Box 41 5 Trenton, NJ 08625-041 5 Suzanne Leta NJPIRG 11 N. Willow St.
Trenton, NJ 08608 Donald J. Silverman, Esq.
Kathryn M. Sutton, Esq.
Alex S. Polonsky, Esq.
Morgan, Lewis, & Bockius LLP 11 11 Pennsyvlania Ave., NW Washington, DC 20004 Jill Lipoti, Director New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Division of Environmental Safety and Health P.O. Box 424 Trenton, NJ 08625-0424 J. Bradley Fewell, Esq.
Exelon Corporation 200 Exelon Way, Suite 200 Kennett Square, PA 19348 John A. Covino, Esq.
Deputy Attorney General Environmental Permitting &
Counseling Section Division of Law Hughes Justice Complex P.O. Box 093 Trenton, NJ 08625 Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 1 6th day of February 2006