ML17138A995

Responds to Re Continuing Const of Facility. Before Releases of Radioactive Liquids,Impact Will Be Evaluated & Review Made Available to Public

ML17138A995
Person / Time
Site:	Susquehanna
Issue date:	12/05/1979
From:	Varga S Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Watt C AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED
References
NUDOCS 7912190157
Download: ML17138A995 (7)

Text

OEC5 197S Docket No's.'.

50-'387/388',

mrs. Catherine Watt 52 Tennyson Drive Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17602

Dear Mrs. Watt:

, DISTRIBUTION:

Docket-Fi 1 es '~~&~er NRC PDR FSchroeder Local PDR NRR Reading LWR P3 Fil e,

-'Denton ECase HBerkow/WRussell DVassallo.

OParr St1iner MRushbrook (w/cy of inc'.)

t1Groff (NRR-3104)

EHughes (w/cy of inc.)

'Moore DEis'enhut This letter is in reply to your letter of July 31, 1979 regarding concerns

-you have with nuclear power in the State of Pennsylvania and specifically the, continuing construction of the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station in Salem Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.

I am sorry that this reply has been delayed.

As,.you may know, the NRC has been 'occupied with continued support of the, efforts at Three Mile Island, appearances before the President's Commission and various committees of Congress that are investigating the Three Nile,Island accident, and the realignment of our own -resources and priorities to give immediate attention to the'problems resulting from the accident.

With. regard to nuclear power in Pennsylvania you expressed concern for your family and friends regarding the possible contamination of your drinking water. 'xcept for releases of -liquids containing only low'r nondetectable levels of radioactiyity to the Susquehanna River, such releases are not currently permitted..

Before such releases take place, the impact will be evaluated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the evaluation will be-made available, to the public.

By this course of action, we, will assure that a thorough assessment is completed prior to release of the contaminated liquids and that the health and safety of the offsite population will be protected.

As a result of releases containing only low or nondetectable levels of radioactivity, the levels of radioactivity in the Susquehanna are 'indistin-guishable from existing background levels at public water supply intakes from the river.

These levels have been confirmed by independent'easure'-

ments made by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency and the. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

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mrs. Catherine Hatt DEC S

]979 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has recently authorized use of EPICOR-II water treatment system for. processing the waste water stored in tanks in the auxiliary building.

This processing will clean up the water to the extent that it piill not pose further risk to the public or operations personnel.

Before any of the decontaminated water is disposed of, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission will iuue an environmental assessment that will be made available to the public.'ith regard to the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station the Nuclear Regulatory Coraoission, staff has been conducting an intensive review 'of the design and operational aspects of nuclear power plants and the emergency pro'cedures for coping with potential accidents following.the Three Nile Island accident.

The purpose of these efforts was to identify measures that should be taken in the shor't-term to reduce the likelihood of such accidents and to improve the emergency preparedness in responding to such events.

To carry out this. review, efforts within the NRC Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation were established in four areas:

(a) licensee emergency preparedness, (b) operator licensing, (c) bulletins and orders folios(up

~(primarily in the areas of auxiliary feedwater systems reliabilitylloss of feedwater and small break loss-of-coolant accident analysis; emergency operating guidelines and procedures) and (d) Short-Term Lessons Learned.

Letters have been sent to all plants, including the Susquehanna

plant, setting forth requirements established to date as a result of these efforts.

Additional requirements may be developed as the staff's Lessons Learned Task Force completes it's Long-Term Requirements.

In addition, Commission review of the results of other investigations, including the Presidential Commission and the NRC's Special Inquiry.Group, can be expected to lead to additional requirements.

I thank you for this opportunity to respond to your letter.

Sincerely; priginal signed bg~

g. A. Varga Steven A. Varga, Acting Assistant Director for Light Water Reactors Division of Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation orncs~

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197S Docket Nos.:

50-'387/388 Mrs. Catherine Watt 52 Tennyson Drive Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17602

Dear Mrs. Watt:

DMuller FSchroeder DISTRIBUTION:

Docket Files NRC PDR Local PDR NRR Reading

~

LWR 83 File

" HDenton ECase HBerkow/WRussell DVassallo.

OParr SMiner MRushbrook (w/cy of inc.)

MGroff (NRR-3104)

'Hughes (w/cy of inc.)

EMoore DEisenhut P'his letter is in reply to your letter of July 31, 197S regarding concerns

-you have with nuclear power in the State of'ennsylvania and specifically the continuing construction of the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station in Salem Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.

I am sorry that this reply has been delayed.

As you may know. the NRC has been occupied with continued support of the efforts at Three Mile Island, appearances before the President's Commission and various committees of Congress that are investigating the Three Mile Island accident, and the realignment of our own resources and priorities to give immediate attention to the problems resulting from the accident.

With regard to nuclear power in Pennsylvania you expressed concern for your family and friends regarding the possible contamination of you< drinking water.

Except for releases of liquids containing only low or nondetectable levels of radioactivity to the Susquehanna

River, such releases are not currently permitted.

Before such releases take place, the impact will be evaluated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the evaluation will be made available to the public.

By this course of action, we will assur e tha a thorough assessment is completed prior to release of the contaminated liquids and that the health and safety of the offsite population will be protected.

As a result of releases containing only low or nondetectable levels of radioactivity, the levels of radioactivity in the Susquehanna are 'indistin-guishable from existing background levels at public water supply intakes from the river.

These levels have been confirmed by independent measure-ments made by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Environmen'tal Protection Agency and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

~ Mrs. Catherine Watt 2

DEC 6 1S79 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has recently authorized use of EPICOR-II water treatment system for processing the waste water stored in tanks in

'he auxiliary building.

This processing will clean up the water to the extent, that it.will not pose further risk to the public or operations personnel.

Before any of the decontaminated water is disposed of, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission will issue an environmental assessment that will be made available to the public.'ith regard to the Susquehanna.

Steam Electric Station the Nuclear Regulatory Comoission. staff has been conducting an intensiv'e review of the design and operational aspects of nuclear power plants and the emergency procedures for coping with potential accidents following.the Three Mile Island accident.

The purpose of these efforts was to identify measures that should be taken in the short-tenn to reduce the likelihood of such accidents and to improve the emergency prepar edness in responding to such events.

To carry out this review, efforts within the NRC Office =of Nuclear Reactor Regulation were established in four areas:

(a) licensee emergency preparedness, (b) operator licensing, (c) bulletins. and orders followup (primarily in the areas of auxiliary feedwater systems reliability loss of feedwater and small break loss-of-coolant accident analysis; emergency operating guidelines and procedures) and (d) Short-Term Lessons Learned.

Letters have been sent to all plants, including the Susquehanna

plant, setting forth requirements established to date as a result of these efforts.

Additional requirements may be developed as the staff's Lessons Learned Task Force completes it's Long-Term Requirements.

In addition, Commission review of the results of other investigations, including the Presidential Commission and the NRC's Special Inquiry Group, can be expected to lead to additional requirements.

I thank you for this opportunity to respond to your letter..

Sincerely; 0rgginal signet bg:

-Se A, Var8<

Steven A.'arga, Acting Assistant Director for Light Water Reactors Division of Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation orncc>

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