ML16341D892
| ML16341D892 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Diablo Canyon  |
| Issue date: | 09/24/1986 |
| From: | Stello V NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Fiedler B HOUSE OF REP. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML16341D893 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8610030209 | |
| Download: ML16341D892 (12) | |
Text
gPP 2 4 1986 The Honorable Bobbi Fiedler United States House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 Dear Congresswoman Fiedler:
This is in response to your September 4,
1986 letter forwar8ing a request from Ms.
Deanne Hoehman for a safety hearing regarding the proposal by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PGE) to increase the spent-fuel storage capacity at the Diablo Canyon power plant site in California.
A safety hearing on this issue has already been scheduled.
In accordance with our standard procedures, when the proposal from PGE was received, a public notice of this proposal was published in the Federal Register on January 13, 1986.
In addition-to providing a summary of the proposal, the notice also offered any person whose interest may be affected, an opportunity to request a hearing.
Requests for a hearing and petiti'0ns for leave to intervene were received from San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace, Consumers Organized for Defense of Environ-mental Safety, and the Sierra Club.
A hearing board was established, and following a pre-hearing conference held'on May 13, 1986 in San Luis Obispo, leave to inter-vene was granted to the above-mentioned three parties, and a hearing scheduled to begin on March 26, 1987, or January 15, 1987, in the event no motions for su+nary disposition are filed.
The location of the hearing has not yet been designated, but traditionally such hearings are held close to the site.
In any
- case, the location of the hearing will be announced by the hearing board.
The hearing will address those contentions of the intervenors found acceptable by the board as discussed in the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board's order dated June 27, 1986 (copy enclosed).
This hearing will be open to the public, and the issues discussed and decisions reached will be a matter of public record.
A public document room has been established at the California Polytechnic State University Library, Documents and Maps Department, San Luis Obispo, California 93407.
All documents pertaining to this issue, including the staff's Safety Evaluation Report (copy enclosed),
are available there for public inspection.
By way of clarification, nuclear reactors are operated with fuel contained in rods that are placed in the core of the reactor.
As the reactor is operated, the fuel is gradually consumed and radioactive byproducts accumulate in the fuel rods.
Eventually, the rods must be removed from the reactor and replaced with fresh fuel.
The exhausted fuel rods, known as "spent" fuel rods, are then placed in pools of water for storage at the plant site, pending removal to a permanent waste disposal facility.
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The Honorable Bobbi Fiedler Ms.
Hoehman mentions the Chernobyl accident as resulting from spent fuel stored in pools of water with no containment.
At Chernobyl, it was active fuel in the reactor that underwent an accident, and not spent fuel in the spent fuel pool.
Unlike reactors that have mechanical devices enabling the fuel to be manipulated to bring about a nuclear reaction and produce power, spent fuel pools have no such mechanisms.
- Instead, spent fOel pools have deliberate passive design features to ensure that a nuclear reaction does not occur.
Sincer ely,
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(Signedj T.A. Rehi IVictor Stello, Jr.
. - Executive Director for Operations R:
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Enclosures:
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ASLB Order 2.
Safety Evaluation Report 3.
Ltr dtd 8/28/86 fm Ms.
Deanne Hoehman DISTRIBUTION w/o encl s.
Docket F>1e NRC PDR w/incoming Local PDR w/incoming PAD-3 R/F EDO R/F EDO ¹2114 VStello RVollmer/HDenton JDavis JMartin GCunningham SECY 86-0962 OCA DMossburg (¹2114)
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The Honorable Bobbi Fiedler United States House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 Dear Congresswoman Fiedler:
This is in response to your September 4,
1986 letter forwarding a request from Ms.
Deanne Hoehman for a safety hearing regarding the proposal by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PGE) to increase the spent-fuel storage capacity at the Diablo Can on ower lant site in California.
A safety hearing on this issue has already been scheduled.
In accordance with our standard procedures, when the proposal from PGE was received, a public notice of this proposal was published in the Federal Register on January 13, 1986.
In addition to providing a summary of the proposal, the notice also offered any person whose interest may be affected, an opportunity to request a hearing.
Requests for a hearing and petitions for leave to intervene were received from San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace, Consumers Organized for Defense of Environ-mental Safety, and the Sierra Club.
A hearing board was established, and following a pre-hearing conference held on May 13, 1986 in San Luis Obispo, leave to inter-vene was granted to the above-mentioned three parties, and a hearing scheduled to begin on March 26, 1987, or January 15, 1987, in the event no motions for summary disposition are filed.
The location of the hearing has not yet been designated, but traditionally such hearings are held close to the site.
In any case, the'ocation of the hearing wi 11 be announced by the hearing board.
The hearing will address those contentions of the intervenors found acceptable by the board as.discussed in the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board's order dated June 27, 1986 (copy enclosed).
This hearing will be open to the public, and the issues discussed and decisions reached will be a matter of public record.
A public document room has been established at the California Polytechnic State University Library, Documents and Maps Department, San Luis Obispo, California 93407.
All documents pertaining to this issue, including the staff's Safety Evaluation Report (copy enclosed),
are available there for public inspection.
By way of clarification, nuclear reactors are operated with fuel contained in rods that are placed in the core of the reactor.
As the reactor is operated, the fuel is gradually consumed and radioactive byproducts accumulate in the fuel rods.
Eventually, the rods must be removed from the reactor and replaced with fresh fuel.
The exhausted fuel rods, known as "spent" fuel rods, are then placed in pools of water for storage at the plant site, pending removal to a permanent waste disposal facility.
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.The Honorabl e Bobbi Fiedl er Ms.
Hoehman mentions the Chernobyl accident as resulting from spent fuel stored in pools of water with no containment.
At Chernobyl, it was active fuel in the reactor that underwent an accident, and not spent fuel in the spent fuel pool.
Unlike reactors that have mechanical devices enabling the fuel to be manipulated to bring about a nuclear reaction and produce power, spent 'fuel pools have no such mechanisms.
- Instead, spent fuel pools have deliberate passive design features to ensure that a nuclear reaction does not occur.
Sincerely, y~}T.k Qehm Victor Stello, Jr.
Executive Director for Operations R:
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Enclosures:
1.
ASLB Order 2.
Safety Evaluation Report 3.
Ltr dtd 8/28/86 fm Ms.
Deanne Hoehman DISTRIBUTION w/o encl s.
Docket File NRC PDR w/incoming Local PDR w/incoming PAD-3 R/F EDO R/F EDO ¹2114 VStello RVollmer/HDenton JDavis JMartin GCunningham SECY 86-0962 OCA DMossburg (¹2114)
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0 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 EDO PRINCIPAL CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL FRGN:
REP.
B.
FIEDLER TG DUE: 09/24/86 EDO CONTROL: 002114 DOC DT: 09/04/86 FINAL REPLY:
KANNERER FOR SIGNATURE OF:
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DESC:
GREEN SECY NCI: 86-962 ROUTING:
ENCLOSES LETTER FRON DEANNE HOEL CONCERNING STORAGE OF SPENT FUEL AT DIABLO CANYON REQUEST SAFETY HFARINGS DAVIS JNARTIN GCUNNINGHAN DATE: 09/10/86 ASSIGNED TG:
NRR CONTACT:
DENTON SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR RENARKS:
RETURN INCONING MITH REPLY.
NARK ENVELOPE ATTN'OUISE GESSFORD
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NRR RECE I VED:
9/11/86 ACTI ON:
DPLA:NOVAK,,
NRR ROUTING:
DENTON/VOLLMER PPAS MOSSBURG
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~I OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET PAPER NUMBER:
ACTION OFFICE:
AUTHOR:
AFFILIATION CRC-86-0962 EDO B. Fiedler U.S.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES LOGGING DATE: Sep 9 86 LETTER DATE:
SUBJECT:
ACTION:
DISTRIBUTION:
SPECIAL HANDLING:
NOTES:
DATE DUE:
SIGNATURE:
AFFILIATION:
Sep 4 86 FILE CODE:
Recpxests investigation of constituent concern regarding unsafe storage of spent fuel at Chernobyl as a major factor in the tragedy Direct Reply OCA to Ack Const Ref:
Deanne Hoehman Sep 23 86 DATE SIGNED: