ML12349A102
| ML12349A102 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Beaver Valley |
| Issue date: | 01/24/2013 |
| From: | Peter Bamford Plant Licensing Branch 1 |
| To: | Nash S - No Known Affiliation |
| Bamford P NRR/DORL/LPL1-2 301-415-2833 | |
| References | |
| Y020120290 | |
| Download: ML12349A102 (3) | |
Text
January 24, 2013 Ms. Suzanne Nash
[HOME ADDRESS DELETED UNDER 10 CFR 2.390(a)]
SUBJECT:
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING CONCERNS NEAR BEAVER VALLEY POWER STATION
Dear Ms. Nash:
This letter responds to your feedback form sent to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissions (NRCs) Nuclear Security and Incident Response Webservices resource on October 24, 2012.
In your feedback form you stated:
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) just gave Chesapeake Energy a permit to frack only one mile from the Beaver Valley Nuclear Power Station in western Pennsylvania. What role has the NRC taken to ensure the safety of this decision?
The activities associated with drilling and hydraulic-fracturing (or hydro-fracking) are not regulated by the NRC (as you note in your question, the Pennsylvania DEP has the responsibility for regulating the environmental impact from fracking). However, if new research were conducted (for example by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)) that showed that fracking could create larger or more frequent earthquakes, the NRC staff has established processes that would allow it to re-evaluate its regulatory actions based upon that new information. For more information concerning seismic issues, please view the following NRC web page:
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/fs-seismic-issues.html.
Hydro-fracking has not been directly shown to be the cause of significant earthquakes.
However, the disposal of the deep-well injection of the generated wastewater has the potential to trigger local earthquakes. Currently, this issue is an active area of research at the Department of Energy, USGS, and various universities. Open literature sources report that there does appear to be a causal link between the deep-well injection of wastewater and earthquakes at some locations (but not all). Recent, moderate magnitude earthquakes (3.5 M 5.4) have been associated with deep fluid injection in Arkansas, southern Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma and Ohio. Earthquakes of this magnitude have historically had little effect on well-engineered structures such as nuclear power plants.
All currently operating nuclear power reactors, including Beaver Valley Power Station, are designed to withstand the effects of natural phenomena, such as earthquakes. The NRC requires that safety-significant structures, systems, and components be designed to take into account:
The most severe natural phenomena (earthquakes) historically reported for the site and surrounding area. The NRCs regulations require additional design margin be added to account for uncertainties due to a limited historical data record; Appropriate combinations of the effects of normal and accident conditions with the effects of the natural phenomena; and The importance of the safety functions to be performed.
Nonetheless, the NRC continues to monitor the safety of all currently operating nuclear power reactors. This effort includes a request for reactor licensees to re-evaluate seismic hazards as part of the NRC-required actions following the March 2011 Fukushima, Japan accident. Details regarding this request can be found on the NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) using the following Accession Number: ML12053A340. Any significant earthquakes will be considered during this reevaluation.
I would like to thank you for your concern in this matter. Please contact me at 301-415-2833, or at peter.bamford@nrc.gov, if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Peter Bamford, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch I-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-334 and 50-412
The most severe natural phenomena (earthquakes) historically reported for the site and surrounding area. The NRCs regulations require additional design margin be added to account for uncertainties due to a limited historical data record; Appropriate combinations of the effects of normal and accident conditions with the effects of the natural phenomena; and The importance of the safety functions to be performed.
Nonetheless, the NRC continues to monitor the safety of all currently operating nuclear power reactors. This effort includes a request for reactor licensees to re-evaluate seismic hazards as part of the NRC-required actions following the March 2011 Fukushima, Japan accident. Details regarding this request can be found on the NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) using the following Accession Number: ML12053A340. Any significant earthquakes will be considered during this reevaluation.
I would like to thank you for your concern in this matter. Please contact me at 301-415-2833, or at peter.bamford@nrc.gov, if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Peter Bamford, Project Manager Plant Licensing Branch I-2 Division of Operating Reactor Licensing Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-334 and 50-412 DISTRIBUTION: Y020120290 RidsOgcRp Resource LPLI-2 R/F PUBLIC RidsAcrsAcnw_MailCTR Resource RidsNrrLAABaxter Resource GHunegs, RI RidsRgn1MailCenter Resource RidsNrrDorlDpr Resource RidsNrrDorlLpl1-2 Resource RidsNrrPMBeaverValley Resource SMeighan, NRR DSpindler, RI RidsNrrMailCenter Resource DScrenci, RI OPA ADAMS Accession Number: ML12349A102
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OGC, NLO w/comments LPLI-2/BC NAME PBamford ABaxter GHunegs SUttal MKhanna DATE 01/02/13 01/03/13 01/04/13 01/22/13 01/24/13 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY