ML060600115

Comment (58) of Quinn Kepes Opposing the Vermont Yankee Uprate Without an Independent Safety Assessment

ML060600115
Person / Time
Site:	Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png
Issue date:	02/08/2006
From:	Kepes Q - No Known Affiliation
To:	NRC/ADM/DAS/RDB
References
%dam200606, 71FR1774 00058
Download: ML060600115 (1)

Text

02/08/06 Chief, Rules and Directives Branch Division of Administrative Services Office of Administration U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ij)Xj c, Washington, DC 20555 0001 I-I To Whom it May Concern:

As a very concerned citizen and resident of Western Massachustts which is in the near vicinity of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Reactor, I am writing in response to the the VERMONT YANKEE:

NRC open comment period The publication date and page number of this Federal Register notice is:

page 1774 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 7/ Wednesday, January 11, 2006.

You the NRC have said that: "significant uncertainty exists regarding the licensee's method for calculating stress on the (cracked) steam dryer" so you are planning an EXPERIMENTAL POWER ASCENSION TEST. Experimenting with stressing out plant systems while the reactor is on-line is by definition a reduced safety margin. John Olver our Congressman calls it "IRRESPONSIBLE" and "RISKING THE LIVES OF ALL WHO LIVE IN THE VICINTY." He is a scientist, a PhD in Chemistry, a cautious man, and does not say such things lightly.

The defeat of containment overpressure by valves that might be in the wrong position (as recently revealed to be the case by the VT state nuclear engineer in testimony to the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards) means that allowing credit for containment overpressure, even 1br 15 minutes, represents a significant reduction of a safety margin and of "defense in depth." An Independent Study Assessment is needed to ensure containment integrity. Repeated events involving inoperability of the high pressure coolant injection system (HPCI system) call into question defense in depth. An ISA is needed to understand why this is happening and what else might go wrong in other back-upn cooling systems.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) examined how nuclear plant risk assessments are performed and how their results are used. They concluded that the risk assessments are seriously flawed and their results-are being used inappropriately to increase -- not reduce -- the threat to the American public. Scientist Dr Gordon Thompson told us that a serious accident at Vermont Yankee would make Three Mile Island and Chernobyl look miniscule in comparison, due to all the stored nuclear waste rods being improperly stored on the property in a building next to the reactor.

Please seriously consider this extremely serious risk to the American people and the environment before any action is taken.

Sincerely Quinn K 990 Pleasant St, Apt G2 Amherst, MA AiSo20