ML19022A371
| ML19022A371 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Seabrook  |
| Issue date: | 01/18/2019 |
| From: | Markey E, Warren E, Moulton S US Congress |
| To: | Kristine Svinicki NRC/Chairman |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19022A372 | List: |
| References | |
| LTR-19-0023 | |
| Download: ML19022A371 (2) | |
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Qtongress of U1e llnite~ ;i,tntes munl1ington, 1l'IC!! ?05.15 The Honorable Kristine L. Svinicki Chairman Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mail Stop 0-1604 Washington, DC 20555-0001
Dear Chairman Svinicki,
January 18, 2019 We write regarding the recent announcement that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will issue a lice11se amendment to the Seabrook Nuclear Power Station ("Seabrook") on or around January 22, 2019 and a license renewal on or around January 30, 2019. This timeline means that the license amendment to Seabrook will be issued to the plant operator, NextEra, before a key evidentiary hearing occurs in summer 2019. This timeline will effectively silence local stakeholders and minimize their critical role in the amendment review process. Structural degradation linked to the alkali-silica reaction (ASR) has caused Seabrook to operate outside of its design basis, driving the need for a license amendment. We request that the license amendment and renewal be delayed until after the evidentiary hearing takes place, so that concerns over the plant's safety can be properly heard and reflected.
There is no reason why the Seabrook license amendment should be approved before the hearing occurs. The Atomic Safety and Licensing Board determined that the C-10 Research & Education Foundation ("C-1 O") had standing to intervene on the license amendment request, and as such, granted the request for a hearing on contentions that C-10 made against the decision to approve the amendment. These contentions detail safety concerns regarding NextEra's management of damage caused by ASR to reinforced concrete structures at the Seabrook plant. As those contentions have not yet been heard and properly assessed, public safety could be threatened by a premature approval of the license amendment.
The ASR causes cracking in concrete and is exacerbated when concrete is exposed to water.
Because Seabrook sits on a marsh, the concrete continually comes into contact with water, and the operator identified degradation in the concrete as early as 2009. In 2013, a group of Massachusetts members of Congress expressed concerns about the importance of addressing ASR safety issues before renewing the Seabrook license for 2030-2050. More than five years later, the community is still working for a comprehensive plan for inspection, testing, management, and modeling of how ASR affects the integrity of this operational nuclear power plant.
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Even if the license amendment can be changed retroactively following the hearing, it is unacceptable that the NRC plans to approve the license amendment and grant a 20-year license renewal before the community publicly shares its concerns on how NextEra will measure, monitor, and address ASR-related structural degradation at Seabrook. We urge you to reconsider this timeline and appropriately weigh the issues raised by stakeholders at the upcoming public meeting.
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United States Senator Seth Moulton Member of Congress Sincerely, Elizabeth Warren nited States Senator
Mccloskey, Bridin From:
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Hello everyone, Weil, Jenny Friday, January 18, 2019 11:19 AM Belmore, Nancy; Lewis, Antoinette; Remsburg, Kristy; McCloskey, Bridin; Taylor, Renee; Craver, Patti Dacus, Eugene; Decker, David Re: Letter on Seabrook from Massachusetts delegation 2019.01.18 Seabrook License Extension and Amendment Letter.pdf High Please see the attached letter from Senator Markey, Senator Warren, and Congressman Moulton to Chairman Svinicki with concerns about the schedule of the issuance of the license amendment for the Seabrook Station before the hearing takes place.
Jenny 1