ML16341B468
| ML16341B468 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Diablo Canyon  |
| Issue date: | 12/16/1980 |
| From: | Miraglia F Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Sawyer B AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8101120002 | |
| Download: ML16341B468 (10) | |
Text
ggggg (ging lI'5 3a3 Hr. Benjamin Sawyer 148 Pryce Street Santa Cruz, California 95060 Based on the findings of the President's Commission on the accident (The Kemeny Comlission), the recommendations of the Special Inquiry Group directed by Mitchell Rogovin, recommendations developed by internal NRC special task forces, and'ecomendatfons from other sources including the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, a comprehensive NRC Action Plan (NUREG-0660) developed as a
result of the TMI-2 accident, was prepared and published in May 1980.
Consistent with the Nuclear Regulatory Corrmission guidance, the NRC staff is requiring all applicants.for new operating licenses to modify the design and operation of their nuclear plants to conform to TMI-related requirements.
NUREG-0694, published in June 1980, identified these requirements and provided a
schedule by which they must be implemented.
Me have re-examined the Diablo Canyon facility for conformance to the NUREG-0694 requirements as they apply to fuel loading and low power (below 5 percent) testing and on August 6, 1980 issued our safety evaluation on these matters.
Before the NRC staff can issue a license to load fuel and conduct low power tests, all of these requirements must be met, the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board for Diablo Canyon must rule favorably, and the Commission itself will review the record.
In addition, following the TMI accident, Intervenors moved to reopen the record on Class 9 accidents and emergency planning.
On June 5, 1979 the Licensing Board stated that it would not rule on the motion until it received the NRC.
staff's supplemental safety evaluation report on the effects of TMI related to full power license for Diablo Canyon.
This report will be issued early in 1981.
A licensing process similar to the fuel loading and low pointer testing license will be followed for the full power license.
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Dear Mr. Sawyer:
4 Let me first express my regrets for the de'lay in responding to your April 2, 1979 letter addressed to the Nuclear Regulatory Corrmission (NRC) regarding the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Popper Plant.
A large number of letters came to the NRC following the accident at the Three Mile Island (THI) plant, all of which we are trying to answer as fast as our resources permit.
Your letter has been referred to me for reply and I am pleased to make this response.
Let me assure you that the NRC has reacted positively to improve the safety of all nuclear power plants in operation and under construction based on the lessons learned from the Three Mile Island accident.
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$980 Mfth regard to your concern over the dfsposa'1 and storage of high level radio-active waste from Diablo Canyon, our response fs addressed fn the Enclosure to this letter.
In addition, you questioned the potential need for energy and the alternatives available in lieu of a nuclear power plant.
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1.969 requires the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to prepare a detailed statement on each of the following environmental issues associated with the con-struction and operation of the Diablo Canyon facility:
(f)
The environmental fmpact of the proposed action, (fi) any adverse environmental effects which cannot be avoided should the proposal be implemented, (iii) alternatives to the proposed action, (iv) the relationship between local short-term uses of man's environment and the mafntenance and enhancement of long-term productivity, and (v) any irreversible and irretrievable commitments of resources which would be involved fn the proposed action should it be implemented.
Me did this.
Your concerns mentioned above were addressed in our Final Environ-mental Statement (FES) for Diablo Canyon.
In particular, Chapters ll and 12 addressed the matters of need for power and the alternatives available to meet
. that need.
Furthermore, hearfngs were held on these environmental issues before construction permits were issued to construct this facility, and a favorable partial initial decision was issued on September 26, 1979 by the present Atomic Safety and Licensing Board.
That Board considered all issues (including environ-mental issues) that were brought before it for operating licenses for the Diablo Canyon facility.
A copy of the FES as well as other licensing documents, correspondence and Board proceedings can be found in the Local Public Document Room (LPDR) main-tained for Diablo Canyon.
This LPDR fs located at the California Polytechnic State Unfversfty Library, Documents and Haps Department, San Luis Obispo, Cal ifornia 93407.
I trust that this information is responsive to your request.
Sincerely,
Enclosure:
It Frank J. Hiraglfa, Acting Chief Licensing Branch No. 3 Division of Licensing ssa OFFICE
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~h,g ENCLOSURE Concern:
Response
Storage of High Level Radioactive Waste.
A principal source of high level radioactive waste is in spent fuel.
The Pacific Gas 8 Electric Company may elect to submit, in the future, a proposal to increase the storage capacity of the spent fuel storage pool.
Increased spent fuel storage capacity proposals have been previously reviewed and approved for other licensed operating reactors.
The generic problem of interim spent fuel storage has been addressed in a report titled "Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement on Handling 8 Storage of Spent LWR Fuel,"
NUREG-0575 issued by the NRC staff in August 1979.
The staff found that comnercial spent fuel generated through the year 2000 can be accommodated in a safe and environmen-tally sound manner either by modification of storage pools at the reactor sites or by providing independent spent fuel storage facilities located on the site of a parent facility such as a nuclear power station.
The Commission has licensing and regulatory authority with regard to the disposal of commercial spent fuel.
While the Department of Energy has primary responsibility for developing, constructing and operating waste disposal facilities, the NRC has the responsibility to assure that these activities create no unreasonable risk to the health and safety of the public.
On December 6, 1979 the NRC published proposed procedures for the disposal of high-level waste, including spent fuel, in geologic repositories.
On May 13, 1980 the NRC published an advance notice of rulemaking on the technical criteria that would be applied in mak'ing the licensing findings prescribed in those procedures.
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The NRC has established the Division of Waste Management to deal-exclusively with nuclear waste issues.
In addition, the NRC has taken part in the acti vities of such organizations as the Interagency Review Group on Nuclear Waste Management, the Radiation Policy Council, and the State Planning Council on Radioactive Waste Management.,
Furthermore, the NRC is presently conducting a generic proceeding to reassess its degree of confidence that;radioactive wastes produced by nuclear facilities will be safely disposed of, to determine when any such disposal will be available, and whether such wastes can be safely stored until they are safely disposed of.
At this time, the NRC has received statements'of position
'rom the Department of Energy and other interested parties.
These activities are indicative of the attention being given to the nuclear Baste disposal problem at the NRC.
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Amanda Amend 5 Somerset Rise f~onterey, California
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Dear t~s. Amend:
Let me first express my regrets for the delay in responding to your April 14, 1979 letter addressed to ter. Joseph liendrie regarding nuclear power and the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant.
A large number of letters came to the Nuclear Regulatory Comnission following the accident at the Three Nile Island (THI) plant, all of which we are trying to answer as fast, as our resources permit.
Your letter has been referred to me for reply and I am pleased to make this response.
You expressed concern over the effects of low-level radiation, storage of high level radioactive waste, and the proximity of the Hosgri fault to Diablo Canyon site and the ability of the plant to withstand a severe earthquake.
I am pleased to provide the enclosed responses to these concerns.
Me have re-examined the Diablo Canyon facility for conformance to the NUREG-0694 requirements as they apply to fuel loading and low power (below 5 percent) testing and on August 6, 1980 issued our safety evaluation on these matters.
Before the NRC staff can issue a license to load..fuel and conduct low pou'er tests, all of these requirements must be met, the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board for Diablo Canyon must rule favorably, and the Copnission itself will review the record.
Furthermore, following the THI accident, Intervenor s moved to reopen the record on Class 9 accidents and emergency planning.
On June 5, 1979 the Licensing Board stated that it would not rule on the motion until it received the NRC staff's supplemental safety evaluation report on the effects of THI related to full power 'license for Diablo Canyon.
This report will be issued early in 1981.
A licensing process similar to the fuel loading and low power testing C
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In addition, you were concerned over the probability of serious accidents in vie>> of the Three Nile Island (THI) accident.
Let me assure you that the NRC has reacted positively to improve the safety of all nuclear power plants in operation and under construction based on the lessons learned from the Three Mile Island accident.
,Based on the findings of the President's Commission on the accident (The Kemeny Corrmission), the recommendations of the Special Inquiry Group directed by t~itche11 Rogovin, recorrmendations developed by internal NRC special task forces, and recoomendations from other sources including the Advisory Coomittee on Reactor Safeguards, a comprehensive NRC Action Pl,an (NUREG-0660) developed as a
result of the TNI-2 accident, was prepared and published in Hay 1980.
Consistent with the Nuclear Regulatory Coomission guidance, the NRC staff is requiping all applicants for new operating licenses to modify the design'and operation of their nuclear plants to conform to TNI-related requirements.
NUREG-0694, pub'lished in June 1980, identified these requirements and provided a
schedule by which they must be implemented.
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