ML12233A314

G20120615/LTR-12-0441/EDATS: SECY-2012-0418 - Ltr William M. Craft, Charles D. Surpitski, Patrick J. Mcnally, Shirley A. Berry, and Nishan D. Mootaflan, Safety Concerns Regarding Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant

ML12233A314
Person / Time
Site:	Seabrook
Issue date:	08/06/2012
From:	Berry S, Craft W, Mcnally P, Mootaflan N, Surpitski C Town of Ipswich, MA, Board of Selectmen
To:	Macfarlane A NRC/Chairman
References
EDATS: SECY-2012-0418, G20120615, LTR-12-0441, SECY-2012-0418
Download: ML12233A314 (6)

Text

EDO Principal Correspondence Control FROM: DUE: 09/13/12 EDO CONTROL: G20120615 DOC DT: 08/06/12 FINAL REPLY:

William M. Craft Charles D. Surpitski Patrick J. McNally Shirley A. Berry Nishan D. Mootaflan Town of Ipswich, Massachusetts Chairman Macfarlane FOR SIGNATURE OF : ** GRN ** CRC NO: 12-0441 Borchardt, EDO DESC: ROUTING:

Safety Concerns Regarding Seabrook Nuclear Power Borchardt Plant (EDATS: SECY-2012-0418) Weber Johnson Ash Mamish OGC/GC DATE: 08/17/12 Dean, RI Wiggins, NSIR ASSIGNED TO: CONTACT: Zobler, OGC Merzke, OEDO NRR Leeds SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:

This has been provided to DPC for Immediate Release per SECY.

EDATS Number: SECY-2012-0418 Source: SECY GIener' InfolIrti Assigned To: NRR OEDO Due Date: 9/13/2012 11:00 PM Other Assignees: SECY Due Date: 9/17/2012 11:00 PM

Subject:

Safety Concerns Regarding Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant

==

Description:==

CC Routing: Regionl; NSIR; OGC ADAMS Accession Numbers - Incoming: NONE Response/Package: NONE O Ifrai Cross Reference Number: G20120615, LTR-12-0441 Staff Initiated: NO Related Task: Recurring Item: NO File Routing: EDATS Agency Lesson Learned: NO OEDO Monthly Report Item: NO Action Type: Letter Priority: Medium Sensitivity: None Signature Level: EDO Urgency: NO Approval Level: No Approval Required OEDO Concurrence: NO OCM Concurrence: NO OCA Concurrence: NO Special Instructions:

Dlcument in mai Originator Name: William M. Craft, et al., Date of Incoming: 8/6/2012 Originating Organization: Town of Ipswich, Document Received by SECY Date: 8/17/2012 Massachusetts Addressee: Chairman Macfarlane Date Response Requested by Originator: NONE Incoming Task Received: Letter Page 1 of I

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET Date Printed: A ug 17, 2012 09:3 7 PAPER NUMBER: LOGGING DATE: 08/14/2012 ACTION OFFICE: EDO AUTHOR: William Craft AFFILIATION: MA ADDRESSEE: CHRM Allison Macfarlane

SUBJECT:

Concerns safety concerns regarding the Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant ACTION: Signature of EDO DISTRIBUTION: RF, SECY to Ack.

LETTER DATE: 08/06/2012 ACKNOWLEDGED No SPECIAL HANDLING: Immediate public release via SECY/EDO/DPC.

NOTES:

FILE LOCATION: ADAMS DATE DUE: 09/17/2012 DATE SIGNED:

EDO -- G20120615

TOWN OF IPSWICH

- IPSWICH, MASSACHUSETTS 01938 TOWN HALL BOARD OF SELECTMEN (978) 356-6604 OFFICE 25 GREEN STREET (978) 356-6616 FAX August 6, 2012 The Honorable Allison Macfarlane, Chairman Nuclear Regulatory Commission 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852

Dear Chairman Macfarlane:

It has recently come to the attention of members of the Ipswich Board of Selectmen that there are significant safety concerns regarding the Nuclear Power Plant located at Seabrook, New Hampshire. Many of our citizen-residents are located across the Great Salt Marsh, in direct line of sight to the Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant and well within the zone of concern should there be a critical incident involving a release of radioactive contamination.

Specifically, we are concerned about the concrete degradation issue at the Seabrook plant, that the NRC has reported on (through your inspection report and other documents), which affects safety-related structures. We understand that groundwater infiltration has led to an alkali-silica reaction (ASR) in tunnels and in the plant's foundation that could pose a threat to long-term plant safety. We appreciate that you are taking steps to require analysis of these problems. However, given that this ASR issue is a novel problem at a US nuclear power plant and, as we are sure you would agree, that public safety is the top priority, we urge the NRC to require the plant to fix the concrete, stop the groundwater infiltration, and undertake all remedial steps that engineering studies indicate are necessary. After these steps are implemented, then the NRC should monitor the plant to determine the effectiveness of the solution.

Fortunately, there are 18 years remaining before the plant's license expires, which provides the NRC an excellent opportunity to fully assess the problem and determine the effectiveness of any remedy before considering relicensing. In other words, the submission of and approval of an "aging management plan" should not be an adequate basis for license renewal in the case of a novel problem of this dimension.

An even more important issue is the fact that the Seabrook plant recently failed the NRC's simulated emergency test of a radiological release, conducted in April 2012. We Macfarlane Page 1

understand that the plant failed to identify the simulated radiological release and thus did not notify emergency management authorities.

Ipswich had no knowledge of the simulated emergency test of a radiological release and this situation causes grave concern, as this would have been an excellent opportunity to test our preparedness for such an emergency. The NRC determined that plant personnel did not become aware of the simulated release until the NRC informed them of the incident. Obviously, we are worried about what would have happened had this had been a real release of radiation. It is disheartening to know that this happened, but even more so that this happened when the plant is trying to renew its license, when one would assume that plant personnel would be demonstrating the utmost vigilance.

Safety at Seabrook and the related safety of our citizens is our primary concern. We urge you to insist on public safety as the overriding priority at the Seabrook nuclear power plant. Specifically, we urge you to insist that deficiencies be corrected and that you actually monitor the effectiveness of any remedies employed - particularly as you focus on the critical case of concrete degradation at the plant. The correction of all deficiencies together with a reasonable period to monitor the effectiveness of the corrective measures should be a requirement prior to considering the relicensing of the Seabrook Nuclear Power plant.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter. We look forward to your reply to our concerns.

Ipswich Board of Selectmen S-h irl ey A. Be rr~y Macfarlane Page 2

Town of Ipswich IPSWICH, MASSACHUSETfS 01938

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