ML15261A857

Entergy Nuclear'S Palisades Plant - Reactor Pressure Vessel - Embrittlement Testing

ML15261A857
Person / Time
Site:	Palisades
Issue date:	09/09/2015
From:	Wendy Reed - No Known Affiliation
To:	Pederson C NRC/RGN-III
References
Download: ML15261A857 (2)

Text

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William D. Reed 80015 Ramblewood Drive Covert, MI 49043 September 9, 2015 Ms. Cynthia D. Pederson Regional Administrator Nuclear Regulatory Commission - Region III 2443 Warenville Rd # 210 Lisle, IL 60532-4352

Subject:

Entergy Nuclear' s Palisades Plant - Covert, MI Reactor Pressure Vessel - Embrittlement Testing

Dear Ms. Peterson,

I purchased a residence one half mile from this plant in 1983 & have witnessed many unusual safety issues over the years.

I have become increasingly concerned with Entergy Nuclear' s plan to avoid physically removing an imbedded surveillance capsule-coupon to test for embrittlement in their pressurized reactor vessel. Entergy has decided to disregard this designed past practice & substitute a computerized mathematical estimate & extrapolation of data from other plants, to "theoretically predict" the embrittlement factor at this plant.

There are 4 coupons still available for testing that were installed in the reactor vessel, expressly for this very purpose when the plant was originally built 44 years ago. The last coupon to be physically tested was in 2003, the next scheduled testing was supposed to be accomplished in 2007, however; this plan was disregarded & never actually done. The next currently scheduled test has been pushed further back to 201 7.

Why not test at least one RPV coupon now?

Shouldn 't we all know the results now?

r RECEIVED SEP 14 2015

How can Entergy be allowed to avoid their responsibility for physically testing for this potentially dangerous embrittlement condition in their very old plant, with a very volatile record of poor maintenance & operating performance in recent years?

I am requesting that, as NRC Region III Administrator, you review this very important issue, in cooperation with the ASLPB, & insist that Entergy be required to physically conduct coupon testing for dangerous embrittlement conditions within the plant's critical reactor pressure vessel.

Further continued operation of Entergy' s Covert plant, as has been done in past years, could result in a catastrophic event that well could cause a significant loss of life & be economically devastating for all of Michigan.

Sincerely,