ML17083B805
| ML17083B805 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Diablo Canyon  |
| Issue date: | 10/07/1986 |
| From: | Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Culver N, Ferguson R SAN LUIS OBISPO MOTHERS FOR PEACE, Sierra Club |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8610140173 | |
| Download: ML17083B805 (20) | |
Text
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)e Q r 3+5 Octo er 7, 1986
- Nancy Culver
.San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace 192 Luneta Street San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 Dr. Richard B. Ferguson Sierra Club - Santa Lucia Chapter Rocky Canyon Star Route
- Creston, CA 93432 DISTRIBUTION T.Novak C. Rossi S.
Varga H. Schierling C.
Vogan PDi5i3 Rdg/YT File L. Chandler PPAS D. Mossburg NRC PDR OGC HDenton/RVollmer T.
Chan Local PDR
Dear Ms. Culver and Dr. Ferguson:
In your August 29, 1986 letter to Judge B.
Paul Cotter, Jr.,
- Chairman, Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, the San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace and the Sierra Club requested that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) engage the services of a national laboratory to perform an indepth and independent analysis of Pacific Gas and Electric Company's (PG&E) plan to rerack its spent fuel pools at the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant (DCNPP).
By memorandum dated September 4, 1986, a copy of which was sent to all parties, Judge Cotter referred your request to me.
Your letter stated that because of uncertainties in the availability of a permanent commercial high level waste repository, Diablo Canyon may serve as a "waste repository" for much longer than currently anticipated, and that the performance of necessary analyses by a national laboratory would provide separate assurance that the proposed "interim storage solution" by PG&E would be a safe one.
The NRC staff's evaluation of the technical considerations in PG&E's application for increased spent fuel storage capacity at DCNPP utilized well-qualified experts from the NRC staff and from an independent consultant (Franklin Research Center).
These reviews were comprehensive and exhaustive.
As a result of these review efforts, the Staff issued the "Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact" on May 21, 1986 (51 FR 19430, May 29, 1986) as required by the Commission's regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
In addition, on May 30, 1986, the Staff issued its Safety Evaluation which addresses the health and safety aspects of the proposed reracking (see 51 FR 10725, June 6, 1986).
The Atomic Safety and Licensing Board has established a schedule for hearings in the rerack amendment proceeding to which you are parties.
All contentions which were admitted by the Board will be resolved within this process.
I do not believe that any additional analyses by a national laboratory regarding the technical nature of this matter is necessary or warranted.
" 8bi0140173 Bb1007 PDR
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See next page incerely Original Signed By:
Richard H. Vollmer Harold R. Denton, Office of Nuclear Director Reactor Regulation
- SEE PREVIOUS PDII3 PDP3 OGC TChan*
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Nancy Culver San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace 192 Luneta Street San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Dear Ms. Culver:
DISTRIBUTION T. Novak C.
Rossi S.
Varga H. Schierling C.
Vogan PD¹3 Rdg/YT File L. Chandler PPAS D. Mossbu NRC PDR OGC HDe on/RVollmer T
Chan ocal PDR In your August 29, 1986 letter to Judge B. Paul Cotter, Jr.
- Chairman, Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, the San Luis Obispo Mothers f Peace and the Sierra Club requested that the Nuclear Regulatory Commi ion (NRC) engage the services of a national laboratory to perform an indep and independent analysis of Pacific Gas and Electric Company's (PGtmE) plan t rerack its spent fuel pools at the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant (DCNPP).
Judge Cotter has referred your request to me for consideration.
Your letter stated that because of uncertain/ es in the availability of a permanent commercial high level waste repo itory, Diablo Canyon may serve as a "waste repository" for much longer tha urrently anticipated, and that the performance of necessary analyses by a tional laboratory would provide some separate assurance that the proposed j terim storage solution" by PGImE would be a safe one.
The implication of 4 language is that the NRC in its previous analyses and evaluations of PGImE'rack plans, either did not or could not perform those necessary analyse r quired to ensure public health and safety.
The NRC's evaluation of the e hnical considerations in PGSE's application for increased spent fuel stora~
apacity at DCNPP utilized well-qualified expertise from the NRC staff, and f oy an independent consultant (Franklin Research Center).
These reviews were compr hyhsive and exhaustive.
As a result, the Staff issued the "Environmental Ass spent and Finding of No Significant Impact" on May 21, 1986 (51 FR 19430, Ma 89, 1986) as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
On May 0
1986, the Staff issued its Safety Evaluation including a final finding of "
ignificant hazards consideration",
where upon the requested amendments were m
immediately effective (51 FR 10725, June 6, 1986).
In a Memorandum nd Order dated August 28, 1986, the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) e ablished a schedule for Hearing proceedings.
It is expected that all cont ions which were admitted during the prehearing will be resolved within this ocess.
I do not believe that any additional analyses by a national lab ratory regarding the technical nature of this matter is necessary or warrant~
Sincerely cc:
See next page Harold R. Denton, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation PD¹ PD¹3 TCh n
HSchier ling 9/g/86 9/lij /86 Qd4Af.m SVarga 9/~/86 9/
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Philip A. Crane, Jr.,
Esq.
Pacific Gas
& Electric Company Post Office Box 7442 San Francisco, California 94120 Mr. Malcolm H. Furbush Vice President - General Counsel Pacific Gas
& Electric Company Post Office Box 7442 San Francisco, California 94120 Janice E. Kerr, Esq.
California Public Utilities Commission 350 McAllister Street San Francisco, California 94102 Mr. Frederick Eissler, President Scenic Shoreline Preservation Conference, Inc.
4623 More Mesa Drive Santa Barbara, California 93105 Ms. Elizabeth Apfelberg 1415 Cozadero San Luis Obispo, California 93401 Mr. Gordon A. Silver Ms. Sandra A. Silver 1760 Alisal Street San Luis Obispo, California 93401 Harry M. Willis, Esq.
Seymour
& Willis 601 California Street, Suite 2100 San Francisco, California 94108 Mr. Richard Hubbard MHB Technical Associates Suite K
1725 Hamilton Avenue San Jose, California 95125 Arthur C. Gehr, Esq.
Snell
& Wilmer 3100 Valley Center Phoenix, Arizona 85073 NRC Resident Inspector/Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant c/o U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P. 0.
Box 369 Avila Beach, California 93424 Ms.
Raye Fleming 1920 Mattie Road Shell
- Beach, CaTifornia 93440 Joel
- Reynolds, Esq.
John R. Phillips, Esq.
Center for Law in the Public Interest 10951 West Pico Boulevard Third Floor Los Angeles, California 90064 Mr. Dick Blankenburg Editor
& Co-Publisher South County Publishing Company P. 0.
Box 460 Arroyo Grande, California 93420 Bruce Norton, Esq.
Norton, Burke, Berry
& French, P.C.
202 E. Osborn Road P. 0.
Box 10569 Phoenix, Arizona 85064 Mr. W. C. Gangloff Westinghouse Electric Corporation P. 0.
Box 355 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15230 David F. Fleischaker, Esq.
P. 0.
Box 1178 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73101 Managing Editor San Luis Obispo County Telegram Tribune 1321 Johnson Avenue P. 0.
Box 112 San.Luis Obispo, California 93406
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CC:
Mrs. Jacquelyn Wheeler 2455 Leona Street San Luis Obispo, California 93400 Mr. Leland M. Gustafson, Manager Federal Rel ations Pacific Gas 5 Electric Company 1726 M Street, N.W.
Suite 1100 Washington, DC 20036-4502 Regional Administrator, Region V
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1450 Maria Lane Suite 210 Walnut Creek, California 94596 Michael J. Strumwasser, Esq.
Special Counsel to the Attorney General State of California 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 800 Los Angeles, California 90010 Mr. Tom Harris Sacramento Bee 21st and 0 Streets Sacramento, California 95814 Mr. H. Daniel Nix California Energy Commission 1516 9th Street, MS 18 Sacramento, California 95814 Lewis Shollenberger, Esq.
US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Region V
1450 Maria Lane Suite 210 Walnut Creek, California 94596 Mr. Thomas Devine Government Accountability.
Project Institute for Policy Studies 1901 gue Street, NW Washington, DC 20009'hairman San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors Room 220 County Courthouse Annex San Luis Obispo, California 93401 Director Energy Facilities Siting Division Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission 1516 9th Street Sacramento, California 95814 President California Public Utilities Commission California State Building 350 McAllester Street San Francisco, California 94102 Mr. Joseph
- 0. Ward, Chief Radiological Health Branch State Department of Health Services 714 P Street, Office Building b'8 Sacramento, California 95814 Ms. Laurie McDermott, Coordinator Consumers Organized for Defense of Environmental Safety 731 Pacific Street, Suite 42 San Luis Obispo, California 93401
CC:
Glenn 0. Bright Administrative Judge Atomic Safety and Licensing Board U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Co~ission Washington, DC 20555 Dr. Jerry Harbour Administrative Judge Atomic Safety and Licensing Board U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555 B. Paul Cotter, Jr.,
Chairman Administrative Judge Atomic Safety and Licensing Board U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555
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The Honorable Thomas E. Petri United States House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 Dear Congressman Petri:
This is in response to your August 26, 1986 letter requesting a review of an August 13, 1986 MILWAUKEE JOURNAL article on behalf of Mr. Phillip Vollrath.
The expressed concern relates to the safe operation of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, or any other nuclear power reactor in California following a seismic event.
The newspaper cited certain conclusions from a study by California's Division of Mines and Geology, relating to the effects resulting from a major earth-quake in the vicinity of the Hayward Fault/San Francisco Bay area.
The article's description of possible damage from such an earthquake included power blackouts, pipeline ruptures, fires, and disruption in transportation.
We, at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, understand and share Mr. Vollrath's concerns about the effects of earthquakes on nuclear power plants.
As a consequence, all nuclear power facilities licensed by the NRC are required to be designed to meet stringent seismic requirements, and are designed and constructed to withstand the effects of earthquakes without endangering the health and safety of the public.
Additionally, for the Diablo Canyon Plant a
special Long Term Seismic Program is underway to re-evaluate the seismic design basis of the plant considering new geologic and seismic information.
The program is expected to be completed in mid 1988.
As the article points out, both the Golden Gate Bridge and the subway tunnel would survive the postulated earthquake.
This, of course, is because of the specific considerations given to earthquakes in the design.
Similarly, for nuclear plants, and the Diablo Canyon Plant in particular, very careful consideration was given in the design to the ability of the Diablo Canyon Plant to withstand earthquake forces.
" You may be assured that we will continue to be alert to any new information that could impact on the safety of nuclear plants regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and that appropriate action will be taken to assure the safety of the public against any undue risks.
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