ML18100A611
| ML18100A611 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Salem  |
| Issue date: | 08/13/1993 |
| From: | Hughes W HOUSE OF REP. |
| To: | Selin I, The Chairman NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML18100A610 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9309160197 | |
| Download: ML18100A611 (3) | |
Text
. ~ 'WILLlf'M J.,J-lUGHES 20 DISTRICT, NEW JERSEY COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY SUBCOMMITTEE ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION (CHAIRMAN)
COMMITTEE ON MERCHANT MARINE AND FISHERIES Q:ongrtss of tht llnittd ~tatts iRoust of Rtprtstnntti\\lts
- gtashington, BQ
- 20515-3002 The Honorable Ivan Selin Chairman Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1717 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20555
Dear Mr. Chairman:
August 13, 1993 WASHINGTON OFFICE:
241 CANNON HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON, DC 20515-3002 (202) 225-6572 DISTRICT OFFICES:
CENTRAL PARK EAST BUILDING 4, SUITE 5 222 NEW ROAD LINWOOD, NJ 08221 (609) 927-9063 151 NORTH BROADWAY P.O. Box 248 PENNSVILLE, NJ 08070 (609) 678-3333 r
I am writing to you on behalf of my constituent, Ruth Fisher.
Mrs. Fisher read an article in The Nuclear Monitor about the Lochbaum and Prevatte study.
As you know, the study suggests.
that there exists a potential meltdown threat resulting from power outages at Boiling Water Reactors.
This potential is of great concern to Mrs. Fisher because Salem I and II and Hope Creek I, are located in Southern Jersey.
I have enclosed a copy of the correspondence that I received from Mrs. Fisher for your reference.
I would appreciate your looking into this matter and notifying my Washington office with your findings.
Thank you for addressing the concerns of my constituent.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
With kind personal regards, WJH:nrg ENCLOSURES 9309160197 930907--:.~
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PDR COMNS NRCC CORRESPONDENCE FDR. *
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According to a study issued by two nuclear engineers under contract to Pennsylvania Power & Light (PP&L), there exists a major,
. previously unidentified meltdown threat at all of the nation's Boiling Water Reactors.
The problem occurs ii a reactor loses off-site power for an extended period. Although emergency diesel generators exist to protect a reactor's cooling systems in the event power is lost, there is virtually nothing to protect a reactor's irradiated fuel pool.
According to the engineers, who studied PP&L's Susquehan...,a complex in detail, cooling pumps vital to keeping the fuel pool from overheating and perhaps reaching inadvertent criticality would not function during such a loss-of-power event.
Even worse, back-up cooling systems would be useless. Acco.rding to their calculations, recently reported in Newsday, attempts to initiate the first back-up system would result in death to plant employees within 16 seconds because of high radiation exposures.
The second back-up system, the engineers predict, would fail within one minute.
The problem,is likeiy to prove generic; already the WPPSS-2 reactor has reported similar problems with its fuel pool cooling system. Probably every Boiling Water Reactor faces the same issue.
Although PP&L is generally regarded-especially on Wall Street-as a "good" utility, it clearly tried to cover up this severe safety issue. The problem was uncovered last.
March when the engineers were hired to identify any possible problems associated with :.*.
,.. * )*'1P-easing Siisequehanna's power rating... <.' ;; * *
. ',,~.. Instead of sigriing"off on the power increase, the engirleers noticed the failures of the fuel pool cooling system, and reported them to the utility.
Instead of taking immediate action, as the engineers' anticipated, the utility sat on their consultants' findings. When the engineers A Publlrollon of the Nuclear /~formation &. ResourC'<' Servi""
Editor:, Michael Mariotte Staff: Carol Bellin, Diane D'Arrigo, Paul Gunter, Mary Olson, Josh Thomson 2
protested, the utility issued a Licensee Event Report, but still refused to take decisive action.
The engineers, Lochbaum & Prevatte, then took the issue to the NRC, which sent a letter to PP&L, but did not warn. other utilities of the identified problem.
Just to get a partial response from PP&L has taken several months, according to computer checks with the NRC's Public Document Room. In the meantime, the NRC has allowed all BWRs to operate without ensuring wflether then-fuel pool cooling systems are adequate to withStand a loss-of-power situation.
It IS not just an academic ISsue. DUrliig Hurricane Andrew, the Turkey Point nuclear facility (Pressurized Water Reactor;) lost off-site power for dozens of hours. Sirnilarly-sized storms are considered highly conceivable,
~specially for Eastern Shore BWRs such as Brunswick on the North Carolina coast-a two-unit plant already on the NRC's problem plant list. And the NRC has identified loss-of-power accidents as one of the primary contriibutors to "risk" -along with fire-at many of the nation's reactors, with "risk" defined as the combination of probability times consequences.
The Lochbaum and Prevatte study may be the first which directly warns of the possibility of meltdown caused by failure of spent fuel pool cooling.
Copies of the Lochbaum and Prevatte study and related articles are available from NIRS for the cost of copying and postage: $3.00.
INDUSTRY PRESSES TO END FIRE PROTECTION
- REGULATIONS.
- 'i..
The nuclear power industry is mounting a full-scale assault on fire protection regulations in the wake of the Thermo-Lag scandal and new evidence that even competing products may not meet regulatory requirements. Rather than Copyright 1993 by NIRS The Nuclear Mqnitor is published biweekly by.
the Nuclear Infonnation and Resource Service, 1424 16th Street NW, Suite 601, Washington, DC 20036. 202-328-0002.
Subscription rates: $250/year; $50/year public and academic libraries; $35/year environmental activists. ISSN 0889-3411.
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