ML060870134

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Vermont Yankee - NRC Staff'S Answer to New England Coalition'S Statement on the Scope of NEC Contention 3
ML060870134
Person / Time
Site: Vermont Yankee Entergy icon.png
Issue date: 03/27/2006
From: Sherwin Turk
NRC/OGC
To:
Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel
Turk S
References
50-271-OLA, ASLBP 04-832-02-OLA, RAS 11426
Download: ML060870134 (4)


Text

March 27, 2006 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION BEFORE THE ATOMIC SAFETY AND LICENSING BOARD In the Matter of )

)

ENTERGY NUCLEAR VERMONT YANKEE, ) Docket No. 50-271-OLA LLC and ENTERGY NUCLEAR )

OPERATIONS, INC. ) ASLBP No. 04-832-02-OLA

)

(Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station) )

NRC STAFFS ANSWER TO NEW ENGLAND COALITIONS STATEMENT ON THE SCOPE OF NEC CONTENTION 3 In accordance with the Licensing Boards Order (Supplemental Schedule) dated March 14, 2006, the NRC Staff (Staff) hereby responds to New England Coalitions Statement on the Scope of New England Coalition Contention 3 (Statement), filed by New England Coalition (NEC) on March 21, 2006.

In its Order, the Licensing Board, inter alia, directed NEC to submit a statement or brief concerning NEC Contention 3 (Large Transient Testing), that specifies all of the large transient tests that it believes are necessary. Order at 2, ¶ B.1. Further, if NEC asserts that large transient tests in addition to the main steam isolation valve closure test and the generator load rejection test are required, [NEC is to state] why those two tests do not bound NECs safety concerns. Id.

In response to the Licensing Boards Order, NEC states its view that station blackout testing should also be required (NECs Statement, at 2) - but it concurs with the views expressed by Counsel for Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee, L.L.C. and Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. (ENVY) and Counsel for the Staff,1 that only two large transient tests are the 1

See, e.g., letter from Jay E. Silberg, Esq. to the Licensing Board, dated February 3, 2006; Tr. 711-12, 813-14 (Silberg); Tr. 815-16 (Turk); Tr. 819 (inquiry by Judge Baratta).

subject of this contention: (a) main steam isolation valve closure, and (b) turbine generator load rejection. NEC states as follows:

Upon examination of the history and relevant documentation of Contention 3, and after discussion with NRC Staff and ENVY Counsel, New England Coalition is convinced that any additional type of Large Transient Testing beyond the main steam isolation valve closure test and the generator load rejection test is not within the scope of Contention 3 as admitted.

NEC Statement, at 2; emphasis added.2 The Staff shares NECs view that only the main steam isolation valve closure test and the generator load rejection test are embraced within the scope of this contention, as filed by NEC and admitted by the Licensing Board. Accordingly, in its testimony on NEC Contention 3, the Staff will address the need only for these two tests to be performed.

Respectfully submitted,

/RA/

Sherwin E. Turk Counsel for NRC Staff Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 27th day of March, 2006 2

This statement is consistent with NECs previous statements in the telephone conference call of January 24, 2006. See Tr. 717-19 (Shadis). NECs statement, that it currently believes station blackout testing should also be required (NECs Statement, at 2), is irrelevant, inasmuch as that concern was not raised in NECs Contention 3 - as NEC, itself, concedes. Id.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION BEFORE THE ATOMIC SAFETY AND LICENSING BOARD In the Matter of )

)

ENTERGY NUCLEAR VERMONT YANKEE ) Docket No. 50-271-OLA LLC and ENTERGY NUCLEAR )

OPERATIONS, INC. ) ASLBP No. 04-832-02-OLA

)

(Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station) )

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that copies of NRC STAFF ANSWER TO NEW ENGLAND COALITIONS STATEMENT ON THE SCOPE OF NEC CONTENTION 3, in the above-captioned proceeding have been served on the following by deposit in the United States mail, first class; or as indicated by an asterisk (*), by deposit in the Nuclear Regulatory Commissions internal mail system; and by e-mail as indicated by a double asterisk (**), this 27th day of March, 2006.

Alex S. Karlin, Chair** Dr. Anthony J. Baratta**

Administrative Judge Administrative Judge Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel Mail Stop T-3F23 Mail Stop T-3F23 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001 Washington, DC 20555-0001 E-mail: ask2@nrc.gov E-mail: ajb5@nrc.gov Lester S. Rubenstein** Office of the Secretary**

Administrative Judge ATTN: Rulemaking and Adjudications Staff Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel Mail Stop: O-16C1 4760 East Country Villa Drive U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Tucson, AZ 85718 Washington, DC 20555-0001 E-mail: lesrrr@comcast.net E-mail: HEARINGDOCKET@nrc.gov Office of Commission Appellate Jonathan M. Rund, Esq.**

Adjudication* Law Clerk Mail Stop: O-16C1 Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mail Stop: T-3F23 Washington, DC 20555-0001 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001 (E-mail: jmr3@nrc.gov)

Jered J. Lindsay, Esq.** Sarah Hofmann, Esq.**

Law Clerk Special Counsel Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel Department of Public Service Mail Stop: T-3F23 112 State Street - Drawer 20 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Montpelier, VT 05620-2601 Washington, DC 20555-0001 E-mail: sarah.hofmann@state.vt.us (E-mail: JJL5@nrc.gov)

Jay E. Silberg, Esq.** Anthony Z. Roisman, Esq.**

Matias Travieso-Diaz, Esq.** National Legal Scholars Law Firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP 84 East Thetford Rd.

2300 N St., NW Lyme, NH 03768 Washington, DC 20037-1128 E-mail: aroisman@nationallegalscholars.com E-mail: jay.silberg@pillsburylaw.com, and matias.travieso-diaz@pillsburylaw.com John M. Fulton, Esq. Raymond Shadis**

Assistant General Counsel Staff Technical Advisor Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. New England Coalition 440 Hamilton Avenue P.O. Box 98 White Plains, NY 10601 Edgecomb, ME 04556 E-mail: shadis@prexar.com, shadis@ime.net

/RA/

Sherwin E. Turk Counsel for NRC Staff