ML17348A215
| ML17348A215 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Turkey Point  |
| Issue date: | 04/30/1990 |
| From: | Taylor J NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Graham B SENATE |
| Shared Package | |
| ML17348A216 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9005040253 | |
| Download: ML17348A215 (10) | |
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t UNITEDSTATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, O. C. 20555 EDO Principal Correspondence Control,,
s', I'I,tI FROM:
Sen.
Bob Graham TO:
OCA FOR SIGNATURE OF:
Executive Director DUE: 04/25/90
- GRN EDO CONTROL: 0005366 DOC DT: 02/21/90 FINAL REPLY:
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CRC'O:
90-0376 DESC:
ENCLOSES LETTERS FROM DOROTHY G.
NICHAMOFF AND DORY AUERBACH CONCERNING TURKEY POINT ROUTING:
- Ebneter, RII DATE: 04/13/90 ASSIGNED TO:
NRR CONTACT: Murley SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:
REPLY TO TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA OFFICE.
MARK ENVELOPE ATTN: BECKY LINER.
NRR RECEIVED:
APRIL 13, 1990 ACTION:
~ORPR:VARGA NRR ROUTING'URLEY/NIRAGLIA PARTLOM RUSSELL CRUTCHF IELD GILLESP IE MOSSBURG E
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OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET PAPER NUMBER:
ACTION OFFICE:
CRC-90-0376 EDO LOGGING DATE: Apr 13 90 AUTHOR AFFILIATION:
LETTER DATE:
SUEGECT:
ACTION:
DISTRIBUTION SPECIAL HANDLING:
NOTES:
DATE DUE:
SIGNATURE:
AFFILIATION:
Graham (Sen)
UNITED STATES SENATE Feb 21 90 FILE CODE:
Constituent's concerns regarding Turkey Point Direct Reply c RW6~k Apr 27 90 DATE SIGNED:
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UNITED,STATES t
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMlSSION WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 April 30, 1990 The Honorable Bob Graham United States Senator P.O.
Box 3050 Tallahassee, Florida 32315 Dear Senator Graham:
I am responding to your letter of February 21, 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 Dorothy Nickamoff and Dory Auerbach.
Regarding the concerns raised in the letters, the NRC notes that the Turkey Point plant had its share of operating problems in earlier years, and concern over its earlier operation is understandable.
NRC recognized operational problems in the early 1980's and increased 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 Im Light Company (FPL, the licensee) has spent several hundred million dollars to improve plant equipment and has made wide-spread management and operational changes.
- Recently, strong evidence has indicated that the improvements at the plant have had a positive effect.
During the years 1988 through 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 Tur key Point from its list of problem plants that require increased NRC attention.
A concern was also noted that more than half of the operating personnel failed a recent examination.
At the time of the requalification examination in March 1989, 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),
the NRC required that FPL make extensive improvements to its program for operator training.
These improvements included a new Training Superintendent, an increased number of instructors, increased training on the reactor control room simulator, and
=-
rev'isions to the training materials.
Licensed operating personnel were given extensive retraining and an NRC-monitored re-examination.
The results of the re-examination were satisfactory; however, the NRC has continued to closely monitor FPL's progress in the area of training.
With respect to a concern 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 pena'Ities to encourage licensee improvement 9005040253 900430 PDR AOOCK 05000250 H
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The'onorable Bob Graham 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.
Radioactive releases from Turkey Point are within regulations and are not considered a threat to the public health and safety.
FPL maintains procedures that implement these 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.
Regarding the planned shutdown of Turkey Point to upgrade the emergency diesel generator system and the security system, I would like to note that the NRC regards these changes'as significant safety improvements, not as repairs as characterized in the newspaper article.
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.
S in cere ly, Original Signed By.
3ames M'. Taylor James H. Taylor Executive Director for Operations
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The Honorable Bob Graham in specific areas.
FPL has continued to increase it security staff, restructure its management, and add system improvements.
The s curity violations that have occurred in the past do not represent a widesprea breakdown of the plant security and do not pose a threat to the public h alth and safety.
A plant security system has many redundant and diverse f atures so that security is not compromised when one feature is weakened.
Releases of radiation from nuclear power plan s are limited by Federal regulations.
FPL maintains procedures that
'mplement these regulations to ensure that limits are not exceeded.
Perma ently installed radiation monitoring equipment is provided at the plant to meas re releases of radioactive material from the plant.
Reports of radioactive r leases are submitted to the
- NRC, and plant records and monitoring equipme t are subject to inspection by the NRC.
Radioactive releases from Turkey oint are within regulations and are not considered a threat o the public heal and safety.
Regarding the planned s utdown of Tur ey Point to upgrade the emergency diesel g'enerator system and the ecurity sy tern, I would like'o note that the NRC regards these changes as s
nifican safety improvements, not as repairs as characterized in the newspap art cle.
In summary, the NRC does not con der the Turkey Point plant to be dangerous and outdated, and closure of the p
t is not warranted.
I hope that this letter adequately responds to y ur co tituents'oncerns.
Sincere James M. Taylor Executive Director for Operations OFC: L:PDII-2 NAME :
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DISTRIBUTION Docket File
'RC PDR w/cy of incoming Local PDR w/cy of incoming EDO ¹0005366 EDO Rdg File T. Murley/F. Miraglia J.
Partlow M. Russell D. Crutchfield F. Gillespie S.
Varga G.
Lainas PD22 Rdg File w/cy of incoming H. Berkow OGC GPA/CA SECY CRC"90"0376 J. Taylor C.
- Smyre, PMAS (EDO ¹0005366) wo/cy of incoming Beverly Clayton G.
Edison w/cy of incoming D. Miller S.
- Ebneter, RII
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