ML16265A529
| ML16265A529 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Pilgrim |
| Issue date: | 09/21/2016 |
| From: | Agnew D, Azarovitz J, Azarovitz T, Edwards H, Frantin L, Garb J, Holt J, Holt R, Hubbard R, Kahn O, Nichols J, Paine I, Rice-Moir M, Rosenkranz A, Shapiro R, Beverly Smith Pilgrim Legislative Advisory Coalition |
| To: | Arthur Burritt, Erin Carfang Division Reactor Projects I |
| arthur burritt | |
| References | |
| Download: ML16265A529 (2) | |
Text
Pilgrim Legisla,ve Advisory Coali,on P.O. Box 2712, Orleans MA 02653 Pilgrim Legislative Advisory Coalition works to protect the economic, environmental, health, and safety interests of Massachusetts citizens by advocating for responsible public policy on nuclear energy.
Supporting Organizations Associa,on to Preserve Cape Cod Cape Downwinders Coopera,ve Down Cape Downwinders Pilgrim Watch Protect Our Cape Cod Aquifer Toxic Ac,on Center (Boston)
August 29, 2016 Arthur Burritt, Chief NRC Director of Reactor Projects Erin Carfang, NRC Senior Resident Inspector for Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station
Dear Chief Burritt and Inspector Carfang,
The recent failure of the Main Steam Isolation Valve (MSIV) is yet more evidence of Entergy's unwillingness to maintain Pilgrim Station. It is also evidence of the NRC's willingness to put the public at risk rather than requiring the operator to spend sucient money on safety. This is nothing new. For example, "re-prevention regulations adopted in the wake of the 1975 Brown's Ferry near-double-meltdown are largely unimplemented 40 years later, and Davis Besse came within 3/8" of a meltdown because the NRC allowed the operator to ignore evidence of corrosion of the reactor head.
Here in Massachusetts, it is quite obvious that Entergy's safety culture is severely lacking and that they consciously choose to jeopardize public safety. Here is a brief summary:
In 2015 Pilgrim posted workers on "re watch, 23 years after ignoring a federal advisory regarding remote reactor shutdown; last February we learned that Entergy had falsi"ed 200 "re watch logs. The NRC could have imposed $20 million in "nes, but didn't.
A system to provide emergency meteorological information vital to any evacuation eort malfunctioned 8 times over 3 years. The NRC has allowed Pilgrim to experience LOOPs and SCRAMs with complications eight times since 1978 during extreme winter weather conditions in which safe evacuations were impossible.
Pilgrim's overstued spent fuel pool relies upon Bora"ex that is known to be faulty, yet the NRC has not required the only reasonable "x: thinning the pool.
Nearly 3 years ago Pilgrim was #1 in the U.S. for most SCRAMs and was rated by the NRC as one of the 4 worst-run U.S. reactors. Since then it has alternated between being one of the 9 worst-run or 3 worst-run reactors in the nation. And now, a year after the NRC moved Pilgrim back to the bottom column due to failure of the Main Steam Isolation Valve system, that same critical system has failed again.
Document Date: September 21, 2016 ADAMS Accession No: ML16265A529
Pilgrim Legisla,ve Advisory Coali,on Page 2 Entergy's job is to make money. The regulator's job is to ensure that the reactor is operated safely, but the NRC continues to allow Entergy to apply band-aids. Entergy is doing it's job; the NRC is not.
Because of the Mark 1 containment's known inability to contain a severe accident, Pilgrim should not have been licensed in 1972; because Fukushima proved the Mark 1's weakness, it should have been closed on March 12, 2011; because the relicensing process was incomplete, Pilgrim should not have been relicensed in May of 2012.
Pilgrim's retirement is long overdue, as is the NRC's time to do it's job. Close Pilgrim. Now.
Sincerely, David Agnew, 18 Marthas Lane, Harwich, MA 02645 Janet and Tom Azarovitz, Falmouth, MA Herb Edwards, Falmouth, MA Lillia Frantin, Falmouth, MA James Garb MD, Yarmouth Port, MA Robert and Joan Holt, Truro Robin Hubbard, Orleans Olga Kahn, Well"eet John Nichols, East Orleans, MA Irene Paine, Yarmouth, MA Margaret Rice-Moir, Brewster, MA Ann Rosenkranz on behalf of 350 Martha's Vineyard Island, West Tisbury, MA Rosanne Shapiro, Harwich, MA Betsy Smith, Brewster, MA cc:
Governor Charlie Baker Senator Edward Markey Senator Elizabeth Warren Rep. William Keating MEMA Director Kurt Schwartz OEE Secretary Matthew Beaton Attorney General Maura Healey NRC Chair Stephen Burns Sen. Daniel Wolf Sen. Vinny deMacedo Rep. Sarah Peake BCREPC Chair Sean OBrien