ML16341B721

Responds to Expressing Concern Re Facility Proximity to Hosgri Fault & Adequacy of Emergency Plans. Facility Adequately Designed to Withstand Effects of Postulated Earthquake.Util Emergency Plan Will Be Updated

ML16341B721
Person / Time
Site:	Diablo Canyon
Issue date:	09/29/1981
From:	Berkow H Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Smallwood J AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED
References
NUDOCS 8110190846
Download: ML16341B721 (14)

Text

Docket Nos. 50-275 and 50-323 Ns. Joan Smallwood 1821 La Coronilla Drive Santa

Barbara, CA 93109

Dear Hs. Smallwood:

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Our apologies for forwarding the wrong letter to you previously.

In your original letter, you expressed concerns about the proximity of the Diablo Canyon facility to the Hosgri Fault and the adequacy of emergency plans.

Hith respect to the Hosgri Fault, it is located 3-1/2 miles from the Diablo Canyon plants and has been the subject of intensive investigation by the Pacific Gas 5 Electric Company (PGBE), the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

As a principal geologic advisor for the Commission, the-USGS in 1975 suggested that a magnitude of 7.5 be assigned as a potential seismic value for the Hosgri Fault. It is important to note that the USGS did not say that the Hosgri Fault, would experience a

7.5M earthquake but from a conservative standpoint that magnitude could not be ruled out.

Comprehensive public hearings on this matter were held by the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) over about a two-month period (fr om December 1978 to ear ly 1979).

Some of this nation' and the world' leading authorities testified and were subject to cross-examination.

The experts from the NRC staff and PG8E went on to say that the plant has been designed to withstand the greater seismic event of 7.5.

On September 26, 1979, the ASLB assigned to conduct the licensing hearings, issued its partial initial decision which found that a 7.5 magnitude earthquake is reasonable and meets regulatory requirements.

On June 23, 1980 the Atomic Safety and Licensing Appeal Board for this matter issued a decision to reopen the hearing record to obtain testimony related to a major earthquake which occur red in California' Imperial Yalley in October 1979 (shortly after the ASLB's favorable partial initial decision in September 1979).

The NRC staff testimony on this issue was submitted to the Appeal Board in August 1980 and the hear ing before the Appeal Board was concluded in October, 1980.

The finding of the Appeal Board on this matter was issued in its Decision, dated June 16, 1981, which concluded that the Diablo Canyon facility was adequately designed to with-stand the effects of the postulated Hosgri earthquake.

As for the emergency

plans, the NRC has been re-examining emergency evacuation plans needed to cope with potential accidents, following the TNI-2 accident.

The recommendations contained in the report by the President's Commission on the lNI-2 accident (the Kemeny Commission) as well as other actions recommended by various task forces within the NRC were considered and requirements have been established and published in NUREG-0694 for Near Term Operating Licenses.

PGSE has met our emergency planning requi rements for fuel loading and low power OFFICE P Bii0190846 Bi0929 o4 PDR ADQCK 05000275 PDR NRC FORM 318 (10-80) NRCM 0240 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

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For a full power license PG8E's plan must be upgraded to be in compliance with NRC criteria in NUREG-0694, NUREG-0654, "Criteria for Pr epa-ration and Evaluation of Radiological Emergency

Response

Plans and Preparedness in Support, of Nuclear Power Plants",

and Commission guidance in the form of the new Appendix E to the Commission's regulations.

The NRC staff will verify that all the applicable requirements have been met by PGSE before a full power license is granted.

In addition, the issue of the adequacy of emergency planning at Diablo Canyon will be the subject of a hearing expected to take place this fall.

Me trust that the above adequately responds to your concerns.

Sincerely, Origina1 Signed'bp'ichard C. Brady Herbert N. Berkow, Chief Management Analysis Branch Planning and Program Analysis Staff Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation DISTRI BUTION:

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San Luis Gbispo County Q;l K

lllTHYEAR No. 179 24 PAGES TODAY 20c PER COP Y WEDNESDAY,MAR. 5, '!980 evv B,A PenA

@~AND.

Foe calls Qiablo evacisation zone a j'oke'y Larry Baupmu told the county Board of Supervisors Nov. 28 Staff Writer that the NRC fs consf e'hat an insult to the people of San Luis Obispo because their safety should be uppermost in their (PG&E's) minds."

PG&E officials reached in San Francisco had no response to Baldwin's remarks or other questions about the emergency plan.

Baldwin was particularly critical of the extent of area surrounding Diablo Canyon (where the) plan says people should be evacuated in case of the most serious emergency described in the plan.

The worst case described in the plan would inv'olve "actual or imminent" melting,of the reactorcoreuu apo n

a orra oactive release into the atmosphere.

In such an acciden e Diablo staff should the plant site, according to the plan.

Evacuation should be conducted or all peope vng vn a

e g us of the plant. The sh-mile zone oes not elude Avila Beach, Los Osos or any other major population area.

A Nuclear Regulatory Commission official would req re extensive revision of the PG&E and county emergency plans.

If the new re ulations a e do ted they wo req re an e county to rewrite plans 'e evacuation procedures for q 0-mile ra<bus hich would include

~13000 peop e n

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Osos, Avila Beach, Laguna Lake, Sunset Palisades and possibly part ofMorroBay.

Dean Kunihfro, head of an NRC team reviewing the emergency

plans, told supervisors that if the county's emer lans aren't b u

u er r, 'Vfe forsee the day that denial of a (reactor) license could come as a result of inadequate local emergency plans."

The county doesn't plan to begin revision of it's emergency evacuaUon and response plans until

June, when the new NRC regulaUons are expected to become official, according to Timothy Ness, the county's emergency services coordinator.

No evacuation o

or o ulation areas su roun ng e

Diablo nyon nucear power plant dd be re uired b a revised emergency plan reease y

e plant's owner, Pacific Gas and Electric Co.

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ocument, was called a "joke" Tuesday by a Friends of the Earth attorney in San Francisco who represents a San Lus Obispo County op-'onent ofthe plant near AvilaBeach.

The plan is PG&E's description of how plant staff members should respond to emergencies that could occur at Diablo Canyon, ifthe plant is put into operaUon.

Andrew Baldwin, legal director forFriends of the Earth and an attorney who represents Mothers for Peace in San Luis Obispo, called the plan insufficient inf"cope and detail.

"Based on my examfnation so far, this plan is a joke, another sad joke froin PG&E,"

Baldwin said in a telephone interview. "It' P@aP Se Wag PMAf ve WVc~ ~ 8-~~l 4

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R EgV Wp0 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

. Office of Public Affairs Washington, D.C. 20555 No.81-153 T01.

301/492-7715 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Tuesday, September 22, 1981)

NRC ISSUES L01'1 P01(ER LICLNSE FOR DIABLO CANYON NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNIT 1

Thc Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation issued a license September 22 authorizing Pacific Gas P L'Iectric Company to load fuel into Unit 1

of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Generation Station and to conduct low power testing up to give per cent of full power.

The facility is located on the Pacific Coast about 12 miles southwest of San Luis Obispo, California.

In a July 17 partial initial decision, the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board authorized the license following a public hearing.

The NRC Commissioners conducted a review to determine whether the decision should become effective and on September 21 authorized issuance of the low po~~er license.

Unit 1 uses a pressurized water reactor and at full power would have an electrical output of about 1084 mega-watts.

Further public hearing will be held before there is

'i decision on a full power license for the facility.

I p I UNITEO STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, O. C, 20555 DC 20555 I!

120555003956 1 CZ US NRC ADM RECORDS FACILITIES BRANCH BRANCH CHJ EF 042 WASHINGTON