ML17347B615

Responds to Re Constituent Concerns About Plant Operation.Util Spent Millions of Dollars to Improve Plant Equipment & Made Widespread Mgt & Operational Changes.Nrc Does Not Consider Plant Dangerous & Outdated

ML17347B615
Person / Time
Site:	Turkey Point
Issue date:	03/13/1990
From:	Taylor J NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO)
To:	Mack C SENATE
Shared Package
ML17347B616	List: ML17347B615 ML17347B617
References
NUDOCS 9003220123
Download: ML17347B615 (13)

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~O O*yy1 UNITEDSTATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON,D. C. 20556 March 13, 1990 The Honorable Connie Hack United States Senator Fort Hyers Regional 0ffice Suite 27 1342 Colonial 8oulevard Fort Hyers, Florida 33907.

Dear Senator Hack:

I am responding to your letter of February 12, 1990, in which you wrote to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) concerning the Turkey Point nuclear plant and enclosed letters you had received from your constituents.

In your letter, you requested that we inform you of NRC's action on this matter.

We have reviewed the enclosed letters and have determined that they do not raise any issues of which we were not aware and which have not been previously considered.

As discussed

below, no new public health or safety concerns were raised by the letters and no NRC regulatory action is needed in response to the letters'n response to the concerns raised in the letters, the NRC notes that the plant has had its share of oper'ating problems in earlier years, and concern over its earlier operation is understandable.

NRC recognized operations problems in the early 1980's and stepped up its inspection and oversight activities, which resulted in numerous NRC citations and fines, a series of orders requiring improvements, and a number of meetings with the licensee.

Since that time, Florida Power 5 Lir;ht Company (FPL, the licensee) has spent several hundred million dollars to 1mprove plant equipment and has made widespread management and operational changes.

There recently have been strong indications that the improvements at the plant have had a positive effect.

Ouring 1988,

1989, and 1990, the plant operational experience has

improved, and FPL has raised its performance in the most recent NRC systematic assessment of licensee performance.

In addition, on February 15, 1990, the NRC removed Turkey Point from its list of problem plants that require increased NRC attention.

The letters also noted more than half of the operating personnel failed a recent examination.

At the time of the requalification examination, Turkey Point 3 and 4 had a complement of 56 licensed operating personnel.

When half of those licensed operating personnel who took the requalification examination failed (12 failures out of 24 tested),

extensive improvements were required of FPL's operator training.

These improvements included a

new Training Superintendent, increased number of instructors, increased training on the reactor control room simulator, and revisions to the training materials.

Licensed operating personnel were given extensive retraining and an NRC-monitored re-examination.

The results o< the re-examination were satisfactory;

however, the NRC has continued to closely monitor FPL's progress in the area of training.

With respect to the concerns expressed about security violations, the NRC has also been concerned with security at the Turkey Point plant in the past.

This concern is evidenced by the citations issued

and, where significant violations of regulations have occurred, civil penalties to encourage licensee improvement ygi: '<'."'.CI I.;:~

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in specific areas.

FPL has continued to increase its security staff, restructure its management, and add system improvements.

The security violations that have occurred in the past do not represent a widespread breakdown of the plant security and do not pose a threat to the public health and safety.

A plant security system has many redundant and diverse features so that security is not compromised when one feature is weakened.

Releases of radiation from nuclear power plants are limited by Federal regulations.

FPL maintains procedures that implement the regulations to ensure that limits are not exceeded.

Permanently installed radiation monitoring equipment is provided at the plant to measure releases of radioactive material from the plant, Reports of radioactive releases are submitted to,the NRC and plant records and monitoring equipment are subject to inspection by the NRC.

Radioactive releases from Turkey Point are within regulations and are not considered a threat to the public health and safety.

In summary, the NRC does not consider the Turkey Point plant to be dangerous and outdated, and closure of the plant is not warranted.

I hope that this letter adequately responds to your constituents'oncerns.

As requested, I am returning your, letter to the NRC, dated February 12, 1990.

Sincerely, Original Signed Bgi James M. Taylor, ~,

Enclosure:

Letter dated 2/12/90 from Honorable C.

Hack James H. Taylor Executive Director for Operations DISTRIBUTION See Attached List "SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE OFC

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The Honorable Connie Mack personnel were given extensive retraining and an NRC-monitored re-examinapon.

The results of the re-examination were satisfactory;

however, the NRC.h((s continued to closely monitor FPL's progress in the area of training~.

With iit.spect to the concerns expressed about security violatiotis, the NRC has also bQn concerned with security at the Turkey Point pla t in the past.

This concern',is evidenced by the citations issued and, wher ignificant violations of regulktions have occurred, civil penalties to en rage licensee irtprovement in specific areas.

FPL has continued to increas ts security staff, restructure its manage nt, and add system improveaants.

e security violations that have occurred in the past do not represent a wi pread breakdown of the plant security an ado not pose a significant t eat to the public health and safety.

A plant secuAg system has many redu nt and diverse features so that security is no't compromised when o

feature is weakened.

Releases of radigtion from nucg ar power plants are limited by Federal regulations.

FPL'eiaintains pfocedures that implement the regulations to ensure that limitsgare no exceeded.

Permanently installed radiation nunitoring equipaant is provided aP the plant to measure releases of radioactive material from the plant.

Rep s of radioactive releases are submitted to the NRC and plant records rtd monitoring equipment are subJect to inspection by the NRC.

Radioactiv rele ses from Turkey Point ar e within regulations and are not considered a t eat to he public health and safety.

Based on th

above, the C does not consider the Turkey Point plant to be dangerous nd outdated, an closure of the plant is not warranted.

I hope that this le er adequately resp nds to your consti tuents'oncerns.

Sincere ly, James H. Taylor ecu tive Director or Operations 0 IS TR IBUTI ON L$

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The Honorable Connie Hack soar of the Turkey Point licensed personnel at the requalificatiog examination, licensed personnel wer given extensive retraining and an NRC-monitored re-examination.

The res its of the re-examination were satisfactory;

however, the NRC has continued to osely monitor FPL's progress in-fhe area of training.

Mith respect to the concerns ressed about security violations, the NRC has also been concerned with securi at the Turkey Point plant in tfie past.

This concern is evidenced by the citat ns issued and, where significant violations of regulations have occurred, civil enalties. to encourage licensee improve~ant in specific areas.

FPL has continue o increase its security staff, restructure its management, and add system improve ts.

The security violations that have occurred in the past do not represent espread breakdown of the plant security and do not pose a significa thre to the public health and safety.

A plant security system has margr r undant an diverse features so that security is not coapromised whe ne feature is eakened.

Releases of radiation from clear power plants ar limited by Federal regulations.

FPL maintaf procedures that implemngthe regulations to ensure that limits are exceeded.

Permanently instX led radiation moni toring equipment is provided t the plant to aeasure releases o

radioactive material from the plant.

Rep ts of radioactive releases are subm tted to the NRC and plant records d monitoring equipment are subject to inspection by the NRC.

Radioactiv releases from Turkey Point are within regula ions and are not considered a t eat to the public health and safety.

Based on t

above, the NRC does riot consider the Turkey Point p1an dangerous nd outdated, and closure of the plant is not warranted.

this le er adequately responds to your constituents'oncerns.

Sincere ly,

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r The Honorable Connie Hack Potnt operators at the reqealtftcatton esasdnat$ on, the operatog&eere given extensive retraining and an NRC-monitored re<<examination.

Thp results of the re-examination were satisfactory; however, the NRC has con sued to closely monitor FPL's progress in the area'f training.

tt With respect to the concerns expressed over securit iolations, the NRC has also been concerned with security at the Turkey P

nt plant in the past.

This is evidenced by the citations <ssued and, where ignificant violations of regulations have occurred, civil penalties t ncourag~

licensee improvement in specific areas.

FPL has continued to incr se its security staff, restructure its management and add system improvemen The security violations that have occurred in the past do not represent idespread breakdown of the plant security and do not pose a significa threat to the public health and safety.

A plant security system has mary r undant and diverse features so that security is not compromised when ne feature is weakened.

Releases of radiation from nu ear power plants are limited by Federal regulations.

FPL maintains procedures wh h implement the regulations to ensure that lim!ts are not exceeded.

Perma tly installed radiation monitoring equiparant is provided at the plant t measure releases of radioactive material from the plant.

Reports of ra oactive releases are submitted

".o the NRC and Plant records and monitori g equipment are subject to inspection by the NRC.

Radioactive re1eas from Turk~a Point are within regulations and are not considered a thr t to public health and safety.

Based on the ove, the NRC does not consider the Turkey Point plant to be dangerous a

out-dated and closure nf the plant, as requested, is not warranted.

I hope th this letter adequately responds to your constituents'oncerns.

Sincerely, DISTRIBUTION tt t James H. Taylor Executive Director for Op rations

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,.~i;NUCLEAR PLANT DATE." 02/20/90

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CONTACT:

NRR Hurley'<I. ,"

'.'.'.SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS REPLY TO FORT HYERS, FLORIDA OFFICE

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LOGGING DATE: Feb 17 90 Closure of the Turkey Point plant Direct Reply OCA to Ack, DSB t

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE"CONTROL TICKET CRC 90 0161 ',

'r,,'DO Connie Mack-Const Refs UNITED STATES 'SENATE Feb 12 90 FILE CODE: ID&R-5 Turks-.y Point SPECIAL HANDLING: None NOTES:

DATE DUE:

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AFFILIATION:

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