ML19242C909
| ML19242C909 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | West Valley Demonstration Project |
| Issue date: | 06/18/1979 |
| From: | Haughney C NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Tapasto S AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7908140143 | |
| Download: ML19242C909 (2) | |
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UNITED STAT'.s g'%
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g,j 1 3 197~o Docket No. 50-201 Ms. Sandra Tapasto 145 Busti Avenue Apartment 104 Buffalo, New York 14201
Dear Ms. Tapasto:
Last January at a Department of Energy sponscred public meeting in Buffalo, I had the opportunity to meet you and discuss several aspects of the Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. reprocessing plant in West Valley, New York. At the meeting you asked a question concerning the risks resulting from the possible crash of an aircraft into the reprocessing plant building at West Valley.
During the meeting I provided an answer to your question and promised to check my answer further and contact you again.
The risk associated with any accident is determined by both the probability of occurrence of that accident and by any consequences that may result from that accident. The probability of an aircraft striking a nuclear power plant has been investigated and documented as part of the Reactor Safety Study (WASH-1400, NUREG-74/014).
The value of this probability ranges between one collision in one million years and one collision in one hundred million years for reactor sites located at least five miles from the nearest active airfield. This probability range would apply as well to the site of the West Valley reprocessing plant.
Although the reprocessing plant building was not specifically designed to resist the impact of crashing aircraft, the bulk of the radioactivity within the plant is contained within massive, five to six foot thick reinforced concrete cells. These cells act as radiation shields as well as structural components of the reprocessing plant building.
Because of the massive construction of these shielded cells, it is highly unlikely that the impact of an aircraft will breach the cells.
Portions of the plant external to the cells could be severely damaged, but those areas do not contain large amounts of radioactivity. Thus, an aircraft impact-ing the reprocessing plant building cannot readily provide a mechanism to i
transport significant quantities of radioactivity beyond the site boundaries.
7008140/43
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Ms. S ndra Tapasto JLW 4,<g77 In summary, the probability of occurrence of an aircraft striking the reprecessing plant building is very small (10-0 to 10-8 per year); and because the bulk of the radioactivity within the building is contained within massive, reinforced concrete cells, this radioactivity would not be transported of f site as a result of the impact. Therefore, the overall risk from such an accident is negligible.
I enjoyed the opportunity ta talk to you during the meeting in Buffalo.
Please do not hesitate tc contact me again, if I can be of any further assistance.
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O Charles J. Hau3 ney Fuel Reprocessing and Recy le Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety o
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