ML18019B112

Requests Full Participation on Emergency Exercise Prior to Final Licensing of Plant.Concerns Expressed Re Safety of Residents Surrounding Facility

ML18019B112
Person / Time
Site:	Harris
Issue date:	07/31/1986
From:	Jetter J AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED
To:	Harold Denton, Zech L NRC COMMISSION (OCM), Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
NUDOCS 8608180033
Download: ML18019B112 (4)

Text

t!r. Lando Zech Office of the Chairman U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 2~

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1717 H Street, N.H. (g'Q f<%

Washington, D.C. 20555 July 31, 1986

Dear Chairman Zech:

The SHEARON HARRIS EtKRGENCY RESPOK<E PLAti is vital to the ~ublic health and safety of North Carolina residents .living '.near the slant. As a resic'ent who lives only 7 miles from the Shearon Harris plaInt I believe it is very inoortant for us to have a "run through" exercise if people are going to respond calmly in the event of an actual emergency.

In fact, I have never heard the plant's emercency whistles blow in our area, and have no idea what it sounds like - - if in fact it is different fro., our fire sirens and various ambulance alarms.

On Nay 27, 1986, the Chathan County Commissioners wwithdrew from the plan in response to the concerns of thousands of concerned citizens who questioned the adequacy of the Plan's evacuation provisions. As a result of oromises to imorove the Plan, the Chatham County Commissioners agreed to rejoin the effort to arrive at a satisfactory and adequate plan. It is my understanding that once this reversal was made, the power comoany (CP 6 L) then asked to be exempt from a Pull Emergency Test of the plan.

Other counties in the area are considering requests for expansion and/or revision of the Plan.

Please note that the planf's emergency siren system has never been fully tested and, thesystem has already failed during !)ay 1985 and June-July 1986. A full emergency test is necessary to insure that the system is fully functionina and to insure that participants and residents will know what to do in an emergency.

In view of the become all changes the more orooosed and presumably to be affected in the Plan, critical that the orovisions of 10-'CZR 50, Aopenc'ix E, it has "Section lg.p,.l he fully enforced. he Power Comoany. (fo S I) .w 'ng~uos ecuired Full participation Emergency Exercise unior to final licensinq'gf the Shearon Ferris Plant. This exercise should. certainly take place BEER. its nreercial operation is permitted. While on a tour of the plant, I was told that t>e emergencyhissirens casu>>

would be tested sometime next year, after thek expect to be omratina.

attitude toward safety has me very concerned, and I ask that y>u alease insure that the emergency system is ~full tested through a Full paxticioahion Fxercise before the plant is licensed. Ee have a riqht to know whether, we ar heinq'.orotected hv

.l a fun"tioning emergency plan. Thank you for your attention to this matter-Copies to: Sincerely, Rep. Norris Udall U.S. House Rep. Edward t!arkey Rep. Claudine Schneider

,(I/II, Rep. Bill Cobey Jodi Jetter Rep e Tim Valentine Rt 1, Box 23 Rep. John Dingell Holly Springs, NC 27540 Sen. Jesse helms - U.S. Senate QSen. Jim Broyhill

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August 6, 1986 Senator James Broyhill Hart Senate Office Building Ll Room SH 825-A Washington, D. C. 20510

Dear Senator Broyhill:

We address the same concerns to you, our representative, as are written in our enclosed letter to Chairman Zech of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. We strongly request that the Carolina Power and Light Company be required to conduct a Full Parti-cipation Emergency Exercise to test the Emergency Response Plan for their Shearon Harris nuclear plant as required by federal law (10 CFR 50, Appendix E, Section IV.F.1).

The adequacy and effectiveness of" the Emergency Response Plan is absolutely critical to the health and safety of all who live in this area and it is imperative that th'e Plan indeed be tested before Shearon Harris is allowed to operate and the possibility of an accident and the actual need for an evacuation is presented.

In view of the substantial changes made and anticipated to be made in the Plan, since the previous exercise in May 1985, and of the considerable problems with that previous exercise, plus the demonstrated failures of the emergency siren system in May 1985 and again in June and July 1986, it has become all the more critical that the Company be required to conduct the Full Participation Emergency Exercise. Without this exercise, we cannot be assured that in the case of a possible accident or other emergency at Shearon Harris, the people involved will be protected by the Emergency Response Plan.

The adequacy and effectiveness of the Emergency Response Plan for Shearon Harris nuclear plant is a critical issue for all who live here. The lives and safety of thousands of people are involved. As our representative, we would appreciate your most serious consideration of this issue, and your support in requiring a Full Participation Emergency Exercise by Carolina Power and Light Company before Shearon Harris is licensed for commercial operation.

Josep L. Wiggs Isobel B. Wiggs Route 7, Box 569 Louisburg, North Carolina 27549 (919) 496-6129

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