ML18086B160

Emergency Planning Info.

ML18086B160
Person / Time
Site:	Salem
Issue date:	12/18/1981
From:	Dupont P DELAWARE, STATE OF
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ML18086B158	List: ML18086B157 ML18086B160 ML18086B161
References
NUDOCS 8112290472
Download: ML18086B160 (14)

Text

EMERGENCY PlANNING INFORMATION TO NEIGHBORS OF SALEM GENERATING STATION 81122904720~66~~~2

~DR ADOCK PDR DELAWARE

l TO NEIGHBORS

Dear Resident:

OF SALEM This brochure is part of an extensive, on-going GENERATING STATION program by the State of Delaware and New Castle and Kent Counties to ensure the safety of persons living near the Salem Generating Station. Since radioactive materials are involved in the production of electricity at Salem, a Radiological Emergency Response Plan (RERP) has been developed to provide area residents with maximum protection in the case of a radiological accident. This brochure gives information on Salem and the Radiological Emergency Response Plan.

I ask you to read this brochure now and then keep it with your other important papers for future reference.

Sincerely yours, Pierre S. duPont Governor Delaware

• c What is the purpose of Why do we need How does Salem this pamphlet? emergency plans? Station work?

This pamphlet is provided to you, The oil, chemical and transportation In a "fossil fueled " power plant, coal, the neighbors of Salem Generating industries all have emergency plans. oil, or gas is burned in a furnace Station, to give you information about So does the nuclear industry. Should to provide heat to change water to the emergency plans which would be a serious accident ever occur at the steam. The steam, under high pres-implemented in the event of a nuclear Salem Station, the emergency provi- sure, rushes against the blades of a power plant emergency. sions which we will briefly explain machine called a turbine-much like have been established to minimize wind passing through a windmill.

or prevent any public health con- The turbine turns a large magnet sequences. inside a coil of wire, and electricity The Three Mile Island accident showed is generated.

that when a serious nuclear accident At a nuclear power plant like Salem occurs, there is a considerable amount Station, the furnace mentioned above of time between the occurrence of is replaced by a nuclear reactor. Heat th e accident and the potential for a is produced in the reactor by split-release of radioactivity which could ting atoms.

reach the public. This time allows a Uranium, because it is the only sub-wide variety of protective actions to stance found in nature whose atoms be taken. Recent changes to Federal 2 split readily, is the fuel used in a regulations require utilities and state fission reactor. When an atom of and local governments to develop or uranium is h it by a minute particle im prove plans to protect people in called a neutron, the result is fission.

what they call the emergency plan-This fission releases lightweight ning wnes. These zones are described atoms, energy as heat, and several on page 6.

new neutrons. The supply of neu-trons in the nuclear power plant's reactor is controlled to maintain the fission process (chain reaction). The heat produced is used to turn water into steam. A nuclear plant uses this steam to produce electricity in exactly the same way as in plants fueled by coal, oil, or natural gas.

Power ad justed by con trol TTT rods 11 D r-~---~~-.... Spent steam co ndensed

- - - - - - - - for re-use

¢:i PUMP

3 Is Salem Station safe? the Three Mile Island accident, no What about the member of the public has ever been Safety is the primary consideration in exposed to any significant radiation. possibility of a nuclear the design of all nuclear power plants. explosion?

At the first sign of an abnormal opera- The nuclear power industry remains tion, automatic safety devices will shut the most strictly regulated industrial Power reactors cannot the reactor down. The Salem Station enterprise in United States history. undergo a nuclear explosion reactors, like those in all commercial No energy system is perfectly safe. The amount of fissionable uranium nuclear power plants, have many Nuclear power plants are designed to needed for an explosion must be very overlapping safety features. Even if the highest quality standards. Many concentrated and then must be rapidly several should fail, there would still be layered safety systems are incorpo- forced together into a compact shape. A back-up systems to assure the safety rated to prevent any accident that power reactor contains only 3 percent of the plant. could cause the release of radioactivity fissionable material. The remaining Salem Station and all other nuclear and to minimize the consequences 97 percent of the fuel is material that power units have an outstanding safety should one occur. However, accidents does not fission readily. Instead it record. After 25 years of operation of that can result in the release of sub- tends to stop the nuclear reaction, commercial nuclear power plants, and stantial quantities of radioactivity are and acts as a safety feature.

despite what you may have read about theoretically possible.

What is Radiation? We have been living with radiation'.

from the beginning of time. Radia-Radiation is energy in motion. It is tion comes from the air we breathe, invisible, tasteless and silent-and food we eat, water we drink, the perhaps this is the reason that som e home we live in, and the earth under believe there is something m ysterious our feet . All of this radiation occurs about radiation. There isn 't; w e know naturally. Other radiation is man made a great deal about it. Heat, light and and includes X-rays used in medical radio w aves are types of radiation. and dental diagnosis and therapy.

The radiation from the operation of a nuclear plant is no different from our natural background " radiation.

It consists of a stream of particles or rays which come from the centers of some types of atom s. Ther e ar e three types of radiation which need to be described: alpha particles which tra-vel about an inch in air and can be stopped by a sheet of paper, beta par-ticles which travel a few feet and can 4 b e stopped by an inch of wood, and gamma rays which travel a greater distance and can b e stopped by a dense material such as lead or concrete shielding. Radiation occurs in a nuclear reactor as a result ofthe fission process.

Low-level radiation can be measured in millirems, an accurate unit of mea-sure of radiation 's biological effect on man. One thousand millirems equals one rem.

The average resident of New jersey or Delaware is exposed to approximately 125 millirems per year from natural sources. Man-made sources such as den-tal and medical X-rays can contribute, on the average, another 90 millirems per year. These amounts are not consid-ered of any significance to health. In fact , the additional exposure to radi-ation experienced by a person living TYPICAL RADIATION EXPOSURE LEVELS immediately outside a typical nuclear plant property only rarely exceeds Natural Millirems Man-made 1 millirem per year.

Background Per Sources of To put the risk ofradiation in perspec-Radiation Yea r Radiation Millirem s

~~~~~~~~~~~

tive, consider these facts. The average From cosmic rays (the sun) 35 From coast-to-coast jet fli ght 4 American receives 6 millirems a year From air 5 From color television 6 from watching color TV for three From building materials 34 From one ch est X-ray 50 hours a day or 3000 times more than From fo od 25 From li vi ng within a 0.002 from a plant. The average jet plane 50-mile radius of a (per yeal') passenger receives 4 millirems from From ground 11 nuclear p ow er p lant a round trip between New York and California or 2000 times more than from a plant.

The truth is that a nuclear plant adds so little radiation to the environment that it is difficult even to measure it against the natural background radiation.

How does radiation affect us?

- - Reinforced concrete Any effect from radiation will depend containment building upon the nature and energy level of

.-+-+----Steel containment liner the particles and rays to which you are exposed, the length of time you r - -- ----f+---+- - - Reactor vessel are exposed to them, how much of nQ :r+-- ----+---1--- Fuel cladding your body is exposed and how much radioactive material is collected in uul-t--t--------+--+---- Fuel your body.

When emissions from radioactive substances enter the human body in large enough amounts they can damage cells by ionizing (removing the electrons from) atoms. If the damage is great due to an unusually large amount of radiation, adequate steam generators and pumps and repairs may be impossible and the How is the public goes below-ground as well as above.

consequences severe. Ifthe dam - protected from radiation

2. Reactor Vessel and Steel age is slight, or takes place slowly, in a nuclear power plant? Piping. The reactor vessel, 5 the body can usually make repairs.

The main idea behind the power which holds all the fuel assem-plant design is to keep the radiation blies, has 81h-inch-thick steel How is radiation inside the plant. This involves plac- walls. The piping is made com-detected? ing barriers between the radiation pletely from thick-walled stain-and human beings. less steel.

Although radiation is invisible, tasteless, odorless, and silent, it can be The barriers at Salem Station are: 3. Fuel Cladding. This is a 12-detected and measured by many types 1. Containment Building. This foot -long sealed metal tube made of instruments. These instruments is a leak-tight, concrete and steel of zirconium alloy. These tubes, allow federal, state and utility person- building. Its walls are made from called rods, contain fuel pellets.

nel to continuously monitor radiation 41h-foot-thick reinforced concrete levels around Salem Station. In the lined with steel plate, which is event of an accident, these monitoring attached to a 16-foot-thick rein-activities would be greatly increased forced concrete floor. More than to obtain accurate information in any just a building, the containment area that might be affected. completely encircles the reactor,

What happens should agencies is to protect the public fro"m exposure to direct radiation from the radioactivity be released? plant or from radioactive material To provide a basis for emergency which may have been released into planning, Federal authorities analyzed the air or water.

possible releases of radioactive mate-rial to the environment. This detailed It is for this area that protective actions analysis, which took into account the such as sheltering and evacuation effects of a radioactive release from may be used in the event of a potential a serious accident, resulted in the release or actual release of radioactive establishment of predesignated areas material. These actions are explained surrounding a nuclear power plant. on pages 7 and 8 and on the enclosed These areas are called emergency placard.

planning zones. 1\vo such zones The second zone is the ingestion were established. exposure zone and is the area within The first zone is the plume exposure a circle having a radius of 50 miles.

zone and is the area within a 10-mile The station is at the center ofthe circle.

radius from the station. Within this Within this area the consumption of area the first concern of emergency potentially contaminated foods such as 6

How are events or accidents classified and what actions may have to be taken during each?

Four classifications are used by the p lant emergency response personnel to notify state emergency management officials and the public of the severity of an emergency at Salem Station. A description of these classifications, as well as utility, state, local and pub lic response actions, are outlined below.

CLASSIFI CATION DESCRIPTION AND EXAMPLE UTILITY ACTION STATE ACTION COUNTY ANO LOCAL ACTION PUBLIC ACTION Notificatio n A Notification of an Unusua l 1. Evaluate situation. 1. Acknowledge utility No ad ion. No action.

o f an Unusu a l Event would be required by 2. Notify state. information.

Event minor event s which are often 2. No further action.

non-nuclear, such as the injury to a p lan t worker, an a utomatic plant shutdown or potentially severe weather conditions.

Alert An Alert is required by 1. Evaluate situation . 1. Acknowledge utility 1. Acknowledge sta te No action.

events which are either 2. Notify state. information. information. Public may be provided adversely affecting or may 3. Adivate the Onsite 2. Notify local authorities. 2. No further action. information by state over adversely affed reador Emergency Center. 3. Partially activate Stat e EBS radio.

safety. Examples of such 4. May adivate the 0 ffsite Emergency Operations conditions would be the Emergency Center. Center.

failure of a component in a 4. Put Radiation Monitoring safety system or an event teams on standby.

outside the plant such as a tornado or hurricane. Prob-lems leading to an A lert, ordinarily, would not cause a release ofradioactivity although the release of small quantities is possible.

Site Area A Site Area Emergency des- 1. Evaluate situation. 1. Acknowledge utility 1. Acknowledge state The public should tune Em e rge n cy ignates problems such as 2. Notify state. inforn1ation. infonnation. to EBS radio station . (See serious leakage of water 3. Activate the Onsite 2. Notify count y a uthorities. 2. Activate Emergency enclosed placa rd.) State from the reactor coolant Emergency Center. 3. Activate Emergency Operations Center. officials w ill provide infor- '

system, d amage to stored 4. Adivate the Offsite Operations Center and 3. Mobilize local emergency 111ation over EBS on \vhat used fuel , m* a fire in a safety Emergency Center. mobilize the stat e's response organ izat ions. actions sh ould be taken.

a rea or in a safety system . emergency response Releases of radioactivity are organizations.

possible or may already be 4. Provide information to occurring. the public over the EBS radio sta tions.

General A General Emergency is 1. Evaluate situation.

Emergency declared for a serious con- 2. Notify state.

dition such as an accident 3. Notify counties dired ly.

where there exists a clear 4. Adivate the Onsite potential for damage to the Emergency Center.

fuel in the reactor. Releases 5. Adivate the Offsit e ofradioactivity are possible Emergency Center.

or may already be occurring.

rnlik or fresh vegetables is the main concern of emergency agencies. Pro-tective actions for this emergency

---

.::/

EMERGENCY PLANNING zo (EPZ- INGESTION) 50mi.

~,

I ~ * ~

planning wne may include: restricting consumption of water (except bottled (80 km) ~

,, Indicates variable response boundary water) and unprocessed milk and wash-ing fresh fruits and vegetables. ,, /

What happens at Salem EtJIERGENCY PLANNING

- - - - - . . ...,ZOtvE

,, ~v:~

Station if an accident -- (EPZ - PLUME) - -...... ~' \\ direction

,, ~j, 10mi. ~

should occur? ~}

(16km) ,,

\

Assessment of an accident and evalu-ation of the possibility of a release of radiation is the responsibility of the staff at Salem Station. In accordance

\ The response with federal guidelines, they deter- \ area for the mine the appropriate classification. \ ingestion exposure pathway would What happens next?

~~~~~~1~~~-

r! \ have the same relative shape but would be 7

The station Emergency Duty Officer immediately notifies the Nuclear Reg- * = ............=

ulatory Commission and New Jersey Reactor site and Delaware officials who are respon- I Transport of milk to dairy sible for implementing the state's radiological emergency plans.

I processing center Following this notification procedure, and depending on the severity of the accident , municipal, county, state and Is that all I need do at Do not call the police or fire depart-federal emergency personnel would ments for information. They will need be mobilized, if necessary, to protect first-turn on a radio? to keep their phone lines clear for the public. Yes. The radio stations listed on the emergency phone calls.

enclosed placard are members of the You are also asked to limit the use Emergency Broadcast System. (Please How will I be notified? post this card within easy reach, of your telephone to essential calls to Area residents within the 10-mile ensure that the telephones are available perhaps attach it to the side of your plume exposure zone will be notified for emergency calls.

refrigerator.)

by a combination of sirens and radios, and police and fire depart- The Emergency Broadcast System ment personnel using public address (EBS) is used by local agencies to systems. The siren sound would be inform the public in New Jersey and distinctive with each cycle lasting 3 Delaware of severe weather condi-to 5 minutes. Upon hearing an alert, tions and other events that might you should turn to a radio station threaten their health, safety or well-listed on the enclosed placard. The being. The Emergency Broadcast Sys-Coast Guard and marine police will tem allows state officials to interrupt alert boaters. regular radio programming with emergency information and repeat the broadcasts as often as required.

By tuning to this system you will have the most timely and accurate information concerning the accident and how it may affect you.

What type of tioners and all ventilation leading outdoors.

information or

2. Listen to your radio fo r furth er instructions will I instructions. Do not evacuate un less receive over the radio? a n order is given.

The typ e of instructions or informa- Evacuate. You may be advised to tion you will receive w ill depend evacuate.

on the ar ea in w hich you live, the Once you are ordered to evacuate, manner in w hich any radiation is you should:

8 1. Close all doors and windows, turn released , the am ount released and the direction and speed of the wind. off stoves, heaters, fans and air For instance, sh ould a significant conditioners.

r elease of radioactive material to the 2. Place a white piece of cloth or any air occur and b e carried away by a other similar white object on your relatively slow wind, people within mailbox or on the front door so the area downwind from the plant that it is clearly visible.

might b e directed to: 3. Consult the card attached to the back of this booklet for evacua-Take Shelter. The take sh elter tion routes.

directive would r equire that you: 4 . Follow radio instructions to evac-

1. Go indoors, close external doors, uate to a specific Registration windows, and tw*n off air condi- Center.

What plans have been made for school children?

Special care has been taken in preparing Delaware's emergency plan to protect school children. At the begin-ning of the school year, the parents will receive a letter outlining the features of the school evacuation plan. The plan contains the following provisions:

• If an accident occurs, school officials will be con-tacted by the local emergency management organization.

• The children will be assembled, counted, and transported on school buses to a specific Relo-cation Center.

• Once the school buses arrive at the designated Relocation Center for that school, the children will be counted once again, and cared for until their parents arrive. They may then be driven by their parents to family's assigned Reloca-tion Center.

It is important for parents to read and retain the letter containing details of the evacuation plan for sch ool children . It sp ecifies the Relocation Center their children w ill b e taken to, in format ion on h ow to p ick up their children on ce they h ave arrived th ere, and emergency number s to call for addition al inform ation .

Sh ould parents lose this letter, copies are readily available at the school.

What do I do if I do not have transportation?

Those unable to drive or without personal means of transportation should complete and return the card insert in the back of this pamphlet.

Agencies maintain rosters of individ-uals with special transportation needs and will provide help. Please mail this card as soon as possible so that assist-ance can be provided dw*ing an emergency.

Where are the Registration Centers located?

1. Dover Downs Route 13 Dover 9

2. William Penn High School William Penn High School Basin Road New Castle

6. Lake Forest High School 13. Concord High School R.D.1 2501 Ebright Road Where are the Felton Wilmington Relocation Centers 7. W.T. Chipmanjr. High School 14. Elmar School located? Center Street 688 New London Rd.

Harrington Newark

1. Dover High School 625 Walker Road 8. Milford High School Dover 1019 N. Walnut Street Milford

2. Dover Central Middle School Delaware Ave. 9. Milford Middle School Dover 612 Lakeview Ave.

Milford

3. William Henry Middle School Carver Rd. 10. Mount Pleasant High School Dover Washington St. Ext . &

Marsh Road

4. Caesar Rodney High School Wilmington 239 Old North Road Camden-Wyoming 11. Claymont High School Green St.

5. Caesar Rodney Junior High School Claymont 25 E. Camden-Wyoming Ave.

Camden-Wyoming 12. Brandywine High School 1400 Foulk Road Wilmington

What do I take to Are Take Shelter Relocation Center if I'm and Evacuate the only evacuating? protective actions I Avoid excess baggage. Suggested might have to take?

items to take are: No, you may be asked to:

Personal items: Restrict your Movement. Dur-

a. Prescription medicines and ing an emergency, officials may ask prescriptions you to avoid certain areas. Officials b . Soap and towels may erect barriers, roadblocks, etc.,

c. Shaving articles to control access to evacuation or take-d . Sanitary supplies shelter areas. The objective of Access

e. Toothpaste and Control is to prevent the public from toothbrushes inadvertently entering potentially

f. Toilet paper contaminated regions.

g. Eyeglasses and dentures

h. Important personal effects Restrict Consumption ofIbod, Milk and Water. You may be asked Children and infant's to restrict your consumption of water, supplies: milk or fresh vegetables until the

a. Disposable diapers and possibility of contamination is over.

10 powder

b. Bottles

c. Milk/formula (dry or canned only)

d. Favorite go-to-sleep toy Other supplies ifreadily available:

a. Flashlight

b. Portable radio/batteries

c. Plastic or paper bags

d. Hand tools (for car repairs)

A5suming an area is I'm a farmer-what do I have to do?

evacuated, how will Because a major accident at Salem Farmer's Information homes be protected? Station might have a significant impact P.O. Box 570 on your activities, a special brochure Newark, NJ 07101 Access to and from evacuated areas has been prepared to provide detailed Attn: Emergency Preparedness-15A will be controlled by state and local information. To receive this publica-law enforcement forces. Police and tion, please mail the attached card fire crews will constantly patrol as soon as possible or send a letter to:

evacuated areas to protect property.

As a first protective step, all doors and windows should be locked by homeowners prior to departure.

11

How do we know that Is this plan only for this emergency plan radiological emergencies?

will work? Federal and state officials are con-The State and Utility emergency stantly improving methods for dealing plans are jointly tested in a major with emergencies, whether the emer-exercise every year. Past exercises gencies are caused by natural or man-have been observed by federal offi- made hazards (floods, storms, train cials and have demonstrated that the derailments). There is, however, a plans can protect the health and safety real need for us as individuals to of the public. They are regularly think about how we should act, and reviewed and revised to take into what we should do in an emergency.

consideration changes to the emer- Our hope is that this pamphlet has gency organizations and lessons prompted this type of thinking.

learned during the yearly exercise. Remember, although the emergency plan outlined here is directed toward a nuclear accident , th e concepts, emergency equipment and training provided for these plans can be used to cope with any type of emergency.

12

SALEM GENER ATING STATION

" \\'HATTO DO \\'HERE TO GO IN CASE OF A EVACUATION NUCLEAR ACCIDENT ROUTES I

LISTEN FOR 3 TO 5 MINUTE SIREN BLASTS AND HORNS 2 TURN ON YOUR RADIO The radio sta t ions listec 3 IF ORDERED TO TAKE SHELTER Police. fire department and below will p rovide the most Remain in your home, Coast Guard personnel using up-to-date information close all doors and winclows, public address systems will concerning what to turn o ff air conditioners, provk:Je basic instructions. assemble, what to clo and and use phone only during whereto go. a personal emergency.

woov 1410 WDSD-FM 94. 7 WLRB-FM 92. 7 WDEL 1150 WAMS 13BO WXDR-FM 91 . 3 WKEN 1600 WJWL 900 WAFL-FM 97 . 7 (WSTW -FM 93. 7) WILM 1450 WJBR-FM 99. 5 WTHD 930 WWTR-FM 95. 9 WNRK 1260 WSFD 1280 WJBR-AM 1290 WMPH -FM 91 . 7 WSEA-FM 93. 5 (WSFD-FM 9B . 3) WZZE-FM 88 . 7 WSTW-FM 93. 7 4 IF YOU ARE ORDERED TO EVACUATE Bring these items with you Additional information Check these v' Clothing, rneddnes. baby food, Handicappec - non o Shut off water. electricity, gas blankets, pillows, food. sanitary ambulatory- register with your O Close a ll blinds. draperies supplies. portable radio. flashlight, local fire department for O Check your home for security first aid kit. batteries. assistance. O Lock the doors 0 Check your neighbor If school is in session children will be transportec to a safe area and carec for until you arrive.

Their safety is first and foremost.

Please clon't go to schools to pick up children. DOVER DOWNS REGISTRATION CENTER@

Follow police instructions, stay tunec to your ra dio and remain NOTES . _ EVACUATION ROUTE ROUTE 30 1 (LOCATED OUTSIDE THE l 0 calm. e REPRESENTS MILE EPZ) CAN SERVE AS AN ALTERNATE ACCESS CONTROL POINTS FOR ROUTE 13N, S EVACUATION CAPABLILITIES TO THE NORTH, SOUTH, AND WEST