ML072910591
| ML072910591 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Indian Point  |
| Issue date: | 08/15/2007 |
| From: | Thomson R US Dept of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency |
| To: | Collins S Region 1 Administrator |
| References | |
| Download: ML072910591 (1) | |
Text
US. Department of Homeland Security FEMA Region I1 Jacob K. Javits Federal Offce Building 26 Federal Plaza - 13" Floor New York, New York 10278 i
r L FEMA September 24,2007 Mr. Samuel J. Collins Regional Administrator NRC Region I 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406- I4 15
Dear Mr. Collins,
Thank you for your letter of September 14,2007 confirming our conversations on the letter that we sent to the New York State Emergency Management Office (NUSEMO) dated September 12,2007 that included our technical analysis of the status of the newly installed siren system for the Indian Point Energy Center (IPEC). The technical analysis described our observations of the new sirens as installed, and noted that some of the new, and some of the old, sirens have excess foliage and/or siren arrays near them, thus possibly attenuating some of the sound from the sirens. Of particular concern was the inference on NRC's part as to whether the observed interferences amounted to a degradation such that we no longer have reasonable assurance that the existing system is adequate to protect the health and safety of the public.
As we discussed on September 13,2007, FEMA pointed out the interferences as one of the things that need to be addressed before the new system can he considered ready to put into service. We do not believe that the old system is sufficiently negatively impacted by the foliage or new siren placement such that the old system could not adequately alert the public. The old siren system has been performing above required thresholds for reliability during routine siren tests, and is acknowledged to be more than adequate in terms of audibility and coverage of the 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone. Therefore, we affirm our requirement that the old system must stay in place until the new system is brought into compliance and proven to be adequate and reliable is not only reasonable, but critical in ensuring the public health and safety in the event of an incident at IPEC.
Please let us know if you have any additional concerns as solutions to the technical challenges with the new siren system are addressed and resolved.
Rebecca S. Thomson Region 11 REP Program Branch Chief and Regional Assistance Committee Chair cc: Vanessa Quinn, FEMA, Acting Division Director for Technological Hazards