ML13017A040

G20130037/LTR-13-0043 - Ltr. Senator Robert Menendez Provides Questions Concerning the Oyster Creek Nuclear Plant

ML13017A040
Person / Time
Site:	Oyster Creek
Issue date:	01/14/2013
From:	Menendez R US SEN (Senate)
To:	Macfarlane A NRC/Chairman
Roger Rihm 415-1717
References
corr-13-0009, G20130037, LTR-13-0043
Download: ML13017A040 (4)

Text

ETS .US.NRC Ticket No: G20130037 Ur,0-1 S-~¢*N, 'l, 1"p'gh euy"C nrJi(r 1809 . . 11' "t I I "I Assigned Office: OEDO OEDO Due Date: 02/04/2013 Other Assignees: SECY Due Date: 02/06/2013 Date Response Requested by Originator:

Other Parties:

Subject:

Oyster Creek Nuclear Plant - Aftermath of Superstorm Sandy

Description:

CC Routing: NRR, OCA, OGC, Regionl ADAMS Accession Numbers - Incoming: Response / Package:

Cross Reference No: LTR-13-0043 SRM\Other: No 0.

Action Type: Letter OEDO Concurrence: Yes Signature Level: Chairman Macfarlane OCM Concurrence: No Special Instructions: OCA Concurrence: No Please prepare response in accordance with OEDO Notice 2009-0441-02 (ML093290179). Region I anc NRR to provide input to Roger Rihm, OEDO, if required. Roger Rihm will coordinate response with OGC and OCA.

Originator Name: Senator Robert Menendez Date of Incoming: 01/14/2013 Originator Org: Congress Document Received by OEDO Date: 01/16/2013 Addressee: Chairman Macfarlane Incoming Task: Letter OEDO POC: Roger Rihm

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OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET Date Printed: Jan 16, 2013 07:02 PAPER NUMBER: LTR- 13-0043 LOGGING DATE: 01/15/2013 ACTION OFFICE:

EDO AUTHOR: SEN Robert Menendez AFFILIATION: CONG ADDRESSEE: CHRM Allison Macfarlane

SUBJECT:

Provides questions concerning the Oyster Creek Nuclear Plant ACTION: Signature of Chairman DISTRIBUTION: RF, OCA to Ack.

LETTER DATE: 01/14/2013 ACKNOWLEDGED No SPECIAL HANDLING: Commission Correspondence.

NOTES:

FILE LOCATION: ADAMS DATE DUE: 02/06/2013 DATE SIGNED:

EDO -- G20130037

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January 14, 2013 Allison M. Macfarlane Chairman U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001

Dear Chairman Macfarlane:

I am writing this letter to you in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy with concerns about the Oyster Creek Nuclear Plant and for a request for updated information on the integrity of the facility. In the wake of the disaster at Fukushima and in acknowledgement of the fact that Oyster Creek is an aging nuclear facility that shares the same Mark 1 technology, we must be particularly vigilant in ensuring that the plant is safe. I am aware that the NRC conducted a special inspection of Oyster Creek a couple of weeks after the storm and recently released a report on its findings. That report, dated Jlanuary 10, 2013, indicates several areas that need improvement, including heightened awareness of emergency declaration thresholds, clearer documentation in control room records and ensuring reliable back-up power for the plant's emergency operations facility. 1 This report raised some important issues, even if there were no cited violations. The report identifies water levels surged to 7.4 feet at the plant's water intake structure on the morning of October 30, 201.2 2 and portends risks in future storms.

Several troubling issues have been brought to my attention in the storm's aftermath. They include the following:

1) Because of power outages during the storm, 36 out of 43 warning sirens were inoperable 3 so that an alert system in the surrounding community might have failed if it had been needed. It is my understanding that legislation was required at Indian Point to provide this back-up power for sirens. 4 In my view, at a minimum, nuclear power plants that are in areas that are subject to power outages should all be provided this protection. Please provide comments on this issue.

http://adamswebsearch2.nrc.gov/webSearch2/doccontent.jsp?doc={I223AFA5-EA42-4230-9058-FOD36964B9C2.

OYSTER CREEK GENERATING STATION - NRC SPECIAL INSPECTION REPORT 5000219/2012009. Page 5. 1/10/13 2 http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/news/2012/12-045.i.pdf NRC News. NRC Begins Special Inspection at Oyster Creek..-During Hurricane Sandy. 11/13/12 3http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/event-status/event/2012/2012103oen.htnl htt__p/,jwww.harkim.senate.gov_ ress/releasecfZi=302365. 8/22/08

2) Also because of the power outages, I have concerns about the capacity of the generators at the plant. Can you please comment on the capacity of them to operate when power outages are long-lasting and can you help identify if the cooling pumps were close to failure and if they did fail, if there are other sources of cooling water for the generators?

3) Residents have voiced concerns about electrical corrosion that might have been caused by the storm. Can you verify if seawater reached any critical electrical infrastructure at the plant and whether there was corrosion?

4) Residents have also raised concerns about the dry cask storage area. Was the dry cask storage of radioactive waste area compromised and could it be vulnerable to a future storm?

5) In light of the dramatic changes to flood risks as evidenced by FEMA's new flood mapsand the daniage from Sandy, Iask that a revised flood management plan be considered and an overall assessment made on how close we came to a disaster and whether projections indicate the site would be able to withstand damage from future hurricanes.

6) Finally, I ask that the NRC request the release of Exelon data on the analysis of the cracks, precursors to cracks and pinhole leaks that were observed in the reactor nozzle and cooling system. 5 We all need to know whether the system has been weakened or compromised and that everything is being done to assure safety for New Jerseyans.

Thank you for your kind attention to this matter. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely, ROBERT MENENDE United States Senator 5 http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/27/-tilities-operations-exelon-ovster-idUSL1E8MR68120121127.

Reuters. UPDATE 1-Exelon completes nozzle work at NJ Oyster Creek reactor, 11/12/12