ML16340A758
| ML16340A758 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Diablo Canyon  |
| Issue date: | 12/17/1979 |
| From: | Gossick L NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Hayakawa S SENATE |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8001160213 | |
| Download: ML16340A758 (22) | |
Text
Honorable S. I. Hayakawa United States Senate Mashington, DC 205l0 Dear Senator Hayakawa:
In reply to your letter dated September 5, 1979, and referred to us by the Department of Energy on November 7, 1979, we are providing information requested by Robert A. Carpenter, President, Cenpac Associates, Inc.
Hr. Carpenter re-quested information concerning the amount and mineral content of radioactive dust that would be put into the air each day by the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant.
In addition, his letter indicated concern for the health and safety of his family.
A member of my staff contacted Nr. Carpenter by telephone to assure that our response addressed his specific concerns.
The operation of a nuclear power plant does not generate significant amounts of-dust, since mos't radioactive particulate matter results from insoluble material in small amounts of reactor system liquid leakage becoming airborne.
Those ef-fluent streams which may contain radioactive dust are filtered through high efficiency filters.
No visible radioactive particulates are present in air borne effluents.
For Diablo Canyon, based on data from similar nuclear
- plants, we estimate that less than 0.0000001 pound per day of radioactive dust will be re-leased to the environment.
The detectable radionuclides in the dust will be manganese-54, iron-59, cobalt-58, cobalt-60, strontium-89, strontium-90,
'cesium-134,'nd cesium-137.
The total radioactivity of the dust released to the air during operation of both reactor units is estimated to be approximately 11 millionths of a curie per day which is an exceedingly small amount of radio-activity.
A curie (Ci) is a basic radioactivity unit equal to 3.7 x 10 di sintegrations per second.
Each potentially radioactive effluent release point will be continuously mon-itored and an environmental monitoring program for direct radiation and airborne radioactivity monitors in areas surrounding the plant will be specified in the license to operate the Diablo Car@on Nuclear Plant.
These monitoring activities are conducted by the licensee, and the results are reviewed by NRC inspectors at the site on a continuing basis to show compliance with Federal Regulations, such as 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix I. 'ur Appendix I radiological impact evaluation. is contained in Section ll of Supplement 6 to the Safety Evaluation of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Station, July 1977.
Me are enclosing a copy of this report as requested by Hr. Carpenter during our telephone conversation.
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Ho'norable S. I. Hayakawa We trust that the above information is responsive to the questions raised by Mr. Carpenter.
Sincerely, ynn) stgned by n. G. SmBIjt Lee V. Gossick Executive Diiector for Operations
Enclosure:
Diablo Canyon Station Safety Evaluation Report DISTRIBUTION: (w/o enclosure)
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Hono le S. I. Hayakawa We trust tha the above information is responsive to the questions raised by Mr. Carpenter.
Sincerely, L. V. Gossick Executive Director for Operations DISTRIBUTION:
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tlonorable S. I. Hayakawa Unfted States Senate Mashfngton, DC 20510 Dear Senator Hayakawa:
DEl; 1 'l $79 In reply to your letter dated September 5, 1979, and referred to us by the Department of Energy on November 7, 1979, ue are providing information requested by Robert A. Carpenter, President, Cenpac Associates, Inc.
ter. Carpenter re-quested information concerning the amount and mineral content of radioactive dust, that would be put into the afr each day by the Diablo Car@on Huclear Plant.
In addition, hfs letter indicated concern for the health and safety of hfs family.
A member of my staff contacted Hr. Carpenter by telephone to assure that our response addressed hfs specific concerns.
The operation of a nuclear power plant does not generate significant amounts of dust, since most radioactive particulate matter results from insoluble material fn small atoounts of reactor system liquid leakage becoming airborne.
Those ef-fluent streams which may contain radioactive dust are filtered through high
, efficiency filters.
No visible radioactive particulates are present fn airborne offluents.
For Diablo Canyon, based on data frea similar nuclear plants, we estimate that less than 0.0000001 pound per day of radioactive dust, wfll be re-leased to the environment.
The detectable radfonuclfdes in the dust s>ill be manganese>>54, fron-59, cobalt-58, cobalt-60, strontfum-89, strontfum-90, cesfum-134, and cesfun-137.
The total radfoactfvfty of the dust released to the afr during operation of both reactor units fs estimated to be approximately 11 milltonths of a curie per day Which fs 'an exceedingly small amount of radio-activity.
A curie (Cf) is a, basic radioactivity unit equal to 3.7 x 1010 dfsfntegrations per second.
Each potentially radfoactfve
'effluent release point will be continuously mon-itored and an envfronmental monitoring program for direct radiation and airborne radioactivity monitors fn areas surrounding the plant will be specified fn the license to operate the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant.
These monitoring activities are conducted by the licensee, and the results are reviewed by NRC inspectors at the site. on a continuing basis to show compliance with Federal Regulations, such as 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix I.
Our-Appendix I radiological impact evaluation fs contained fn Section 11 of Supplement 6 to the Safety Evaluation of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Station, July 1977.
Me are enclosing a copy of, this report as requested by'r. Carpenter during our telephone conversation.
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NRC FORM 318 (9.76) NRCM 0240 OU.S GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1979 289 369
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Honorable S. I. Hayakawa Me trust that the above information is responsive to the questions raised by Hr. Carpenter.
Sincerely, ORIGINALSIGNED BY R. G. SMITH b
Fnclosure; Diablo Canyon Station Safety Evaluation Report Lee V, Gossick Executive Director for Operations DISTRIBUTIOt(:
H. Denton E. Case R. DeYoung D. I'uller M. Kreger J. Collins H. Berks, RES D. Vassallo D. Eisenhut R. Hattson C. Kammerer G. Ertter (EDO-07761)
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Department of Energy Washington, D.C.
20545 Honorable S. I. Hayakawa United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Dear Senator Hayakawa:
Your letter requesting information on the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant to provide to a constituent, Mr. Robert Carpenter, has been referred to this office for consideration.
Inasmuch as matters pertaining to construction, licensing, and operation of commercial nuclear power plants are under the cognizance of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, we are forwarding your letter to them for appropriate action by copy of this letter.
Sincer ely,
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candu)Fo Robert L; Ferguson Program Director for Nuclear Energy CC:
L. Gossick, NRC
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S. t. HAYAKAWA CIA&'OQIIIA 1
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~GRICUt AZURE'. NUTRITION.
ANDFORESTRY FOREIGN RSI ATIONS SMAI I BUSINESS WASHINGTON, D.C.
205 I0 September 5,
1979 Department of Energy Congressional Liaison 7E050 Porrestal Building Washington, D.C.
20 310 Gentlemen:
Enclosed is a copy of correspondence Z
received from Robert Carpenter.
X would
.appreciate any information you could provide regarding this matter.
Please forward your rep'y, in duplica e, to the attention of my staff assistant, Samuel R
- Buck, Room 6217, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C.
20510 S.
X. Hayakawa SIH/sb Enclosu e
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l'enator Hayakawa 6217 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington D.C.,
20510 Dear Senator Hayakawa:
'Hy family and I have been residents of San Luis Obispo, Califo-nia, for many generations.
Recently a nuclear ~ower plant has been completed in our'ounty and may soon Ee tired up.
Q> am very concerned about the health and safety of my $~
/ v'eeyuch want to know how many pounds of radioactive dust - ould be put into our air each day if Diablo Canyon nuclear Plant is turned on (1) under optimum operating conditions and (2) under the actual working conditions experienced by operating nuclear power plants -- within what limits, -nd (3) what minerals the radioactiVe dust would contain'7 Would you please send me a letter answering the above questions'8 (This is>-madder od life and dea"ii no my dami1>. and neidhbors~.
Thank you very much.
Sincerely y urs Robert A, Carpenter President, Cenpac Associat s, Inc.
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DEC 7
l979 Hs. Sharon Daly 1646 Ben Roe Avenue Los Altos, California 94022
Dear Hs. Daly:
i Di-tr'tion:
D et F)le NRC PDR Local PDR EDO Reading NRR Reading LWR ¹1 File H. Denton E.
Case D. Vassallo J. Stolz B. Buckley J
<,~~Is~r E. Hylton R. Hattson
- Attorney, ELD D. Eisenhut G. Ertter (07635)
H. Groff E.
Hughes B. Moore J.
Yore IE (3)
H. Berkow W. Russell D. Huller I
am pleased to respond to your September 26, 1979 letter to the Secretary of Energy which was referred to me for reply.
In your letter you asked the following questions with respect to the nuclear power plant in the vicinity of San Luis Obispo, California:
'l.
When is the power plant opening2 2.
How will the waste be disposed of2 3.
What safety precautions are being taken to ensure that residents will not be exposed to radiation from the wastes or from the plant itself2 We assume you are referring to the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1
8 2 which are located in San Luis Obispo, California.
At this time under present Comission policies, it would appear that the Diablo Canyon Unit 'l plant would not receive approval for an operating license until sometime in 1980.
As you may know, the NRC staff is conducting a thorough investigation of the accident at the Three Nile Island plant.
This investigation includes potential design deficiencies in the plant, plant operator response to the accident, including operator er rors and/or misinterpretation of'lant instrumentation, and all other aspects of the accident which might lead to information that would improve the safety of nuclear power plants.
Requirements regarding the design and operation of nuclear power plants are now in preparation based on the recommendations resulting from the President's Cooeission, the NRC Three Hile Island Special Inquiry Group, and continuing staff'nvestigations.
When the Nuclear Regu'latory Commission approves these requirements, they will be appropriately applied to all nuclear power plants including Diablo Canyon.
In regard to the disposal of radioactive waste, waste such as depleted
- resins, evaporator concentrates and contaminated clothing will be trans-ported in containers that conform with the requirements of Part 71 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations "Packaging of Radioactive Haterials for Transport and Transportation of Radioiactive Haterials Under Certain Conditions."
Whenever the Diablo Canyon plant begins opera-
,, n tion, it is likely that the low-level radioactive wastes generated from the plant operation would be be transported to the operating burial sites at Beatty, Nevada and Hanford, Washington.
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Hs. Sharon Daly Mith respect to spent fuel, 'there is at present no offsite storage facility for radioactive spent fuel.
The Commission has been quite concerned about the matter of long-term offsite storage of radioactive waste.
While the Department of Energy has primary responsibility for developing and constructing waste disposal facilities, the NRC has the responsibility to license such facilities and to insure that nuclear waste storage and disposal will not endanger the health and safety of the public.
The NRC has been working to develop a
regulatory framework for the licensing of high-level waste repositories and has published for 'comment in the Federal Register proposed procedures for such licensing.
(43 FR 53869, November 17, 1978).
The NRC has established an office with divisional statUs, the Division of Waste Management, which deals exclusively with nuclear waste issues.
In addition, the NRC partici-pated in the activities of the Interagency Review GroUp on Nuclear Haste management which was established by President Carter in March of 1978 and charged with developing a government-wide strategy f'r dealing with the waste management problem.
The draft report of this, incorporating a broad range of inputs and views from many scientific groups and members of the public, was issued for public comment in October 1978. It was issued in final form, incorporating many of the three>>thousand comments received, in tlarch of 1979.
The report has been forwarded to the President for action.
It is expected that the recommendations in this report will shape the future handling of the nuclear waste disposal issue.
These activities are indic-ative of the attention being given to the nuclear waste disposal problem at the NRC and at other government agencies.
The Pacific Gas and Electric Company may elect to submit, in the future, a proposal to increase the storage capacity of its spent fuel storage pool.
This would be a short-term solution similat to those previously reviewed and approved for other licensed operating reactors.
In regard to radioactive emission from all sources of radiation from an operating nuclear power plant, the Coomfssion has always subscribed to the principle that radiation exposure of the public should be kept, as low as is reasonably achievable.
This principle has been a central one.in-the field of radiation protection for 'many years.
Operating licenses of'uclear power plants include provisions to limit and control radioactive effluents from the plants to within the numerical guidelines adopted by the Commission to meet this objective.
Using these guidelines, the radiation resulting from radioactive release from nuclear power plants during normal plant oper ation is a small fraction of that received from natural background activity.
In the case of Diablo Canyon, the utility has established at the present
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