ML19248D272
| ML19248D272 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 04/27/1979 |
| From: | Kepford C AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19248D268 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7908150483 | |
| Download: ML19248D272 (5) | |
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ENCLOSURE 1
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3 APR 2.71979 > r
-C UNITO STAT 2S CF AM:~R.ICA Ej 4
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Nil e In the Matter of
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12TRCPCLITAN DISCN CCMPANI, et al,.
Docket No. 50-320
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(Three Mile Island Nuclear Statics, Unit 2)
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REI:IFST TO TE DIRECTCR OF NUCIZAR RMCTOR REGUIATIO" FOR EP.22GDICT ACTICN ET TE NUCLEAR REr.UIATCH CC-2'ISSIGI This is an c=ergency recuest for i=ediate acti' by the h elear Regulatcry Cc=issien (NRC), brcught under Sec. 2.202Aa)(1) and 2.206(s) p o w.eu of the Cc= issien's Eules and under Sec.186 cf the Atc=ic riergy Act (A2) 4 as amended. As a resu2t of tus nes: catastrephe at the 2.res 13.le Island Nuclear uencrating Statics, Unit 2 (Cu-2) en March 28; 1979, extenrive damage to the reacter core of CC-2 has been reported (See, for exc=cle, testi=cny of Mr. Darr7 1 Eicenhut 1
before the Subec ittee en Huclear Regulation af the Senate Cm.ttee en Environment and Public t'orks, April 10, 1979, ae,and NRC IE Sulletin 79-OSA, a
April, 1979. See also hishington Post, April 8,s 1979.) 27ents 1.tich have been publicly repcrted Since about April h,1979, have suggested a stable situation -ith fission product decs7 heat being slowly but adecuately re=cved fren the ds= aged core of OU.-2.
The purpo:e of this e=crgency petitien is to recuest the Cc issien to held public hearing: prier to activatien of a: 7 plans to alter in a.:7 va7 the ec-ent (i.e., as -
April 23,19'79) e cperinental and cocrational st.tus of CC-2 net i.s acecriance with the publichei Technical Specific: tions of 22-2 (Appendin A 79081504% 3 4 o.,
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to' License !!o. DTd-73, Febraar7 8,1978).
The Stervenors observe that the Rules of the Cc=ission ecatain procedures for tho nodificatica of a license, modificn. ion of the technical specifications,..=d for experinental prograns at licensed facilities. See Parts 50.5Me), (f), (h), (n); 50.f9 ta), (b), (c); an:150.90, 50.91, and 50.100.
Interest The Interrenors in the TM-2 Operating lic ense proceeding, which is not yet ec=leted--the !crk Cc ittee for a Safe hvirernent and the Citi: ens fer a Gafe krirc =ent (both of which are me=ber groups of the hviremental Coalition on !!uclear rower ( O!?>--have = embers, as does ~CW, vno live in tne vicinity cf TI-2-2, within a distance of about 0.75 m o d the facility.
These Intervencrs, new to be joined by their p: rent organisation, fCN, are fully av.a.re of the heelth d:ngerJof CCntinuing releases of radioaf,T.ive materials fren.this nuclear facility and believe that any procelal or opera-tional charges fren the status cue =ay be exceedingly dangercus to their health and scfety, includira the possibm ty of death by acute rndiation injur,r, shculd the proposed e=:erinental procedures or operations fail or initiate further dana 6e to the reactor. These Intervenors and Petitioners assert that their interest win be affectai by future e :erinentations at 32-2.
Concerns of the Int'rv:ners Serious viol),1cns of the Technical Specifications (Tech. Specs.)
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by the licensee have already occcrred which have led to the current degraded conditic=s cf the 22-2 reacter core. An7 change frca the c= rent reactor core cooling e thod either to convective ecoling c-to the use of higher pepi.g speed, now cc:s titutes a new experimental situation whose safety implicaticas are unenolcred 2nd uner:1uated, and any such ch:nge or changes in procedures and operations are therefers not covered by the Tech. Scecc. of the 0:erating License pres..tly in effect.
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Due to the degraded conditien of the core and uncertainty cf instn:nontation accur:cies, there is no assurance that convective cooling cen or will remove decay heat rapidly encuCn from those regicns where coolant vatar flow r:nges from being restricted to being blocked. One Possible consecuence of s failure of convective cooling n y be the necessity of restartinC the pu=p or pr.ps, currently in operation, or the restarting of ad:ittion:1 punps, which ceuld lead to unevaluated consequences, such as a dirruption or rearrangement of what re=ains of dxsaged fuel pellets. The potential exists for a possible rapid reactivity insertien, folloued by a catastrophic nuclar exc=sion or nmauay; these poter.ti:1 results of altered procedures require full safety evaluatien prior to undertakdng any change in the cooling nodo.
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A furtAcr consequence of the failure of ce=7ective cooling =2y be r, ore overheating, acec-panied by nere fuel rod c2 adding _resetion witu water and stesa. ':his reaction produces not only 1:rge cuantities of hydrogen gas, There is a but also is a potential scece of lege ecunts cf energy.
possibility, if the reaction begins, that this energy can be g-nerated at a rate faster than this heat c:n be re=cved by convective cooling. Again, a need *,o restart pu= ing na7 lead to unintended, and potenti:lly catastrophic, consecuences, yet unevaluated as required by 2C rules and the Ate ic Iherg7 Act.
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Dae to the unusual ability of the hydrogen atc= and =clecule to penetrate and cenbine with many netals, the pessibility Ats tfiat, due to the lege qu:ntitiesef hydregen present in the pressure vessel under relative 17 high pressures (cerhau. s ut. to 2000 p.s.i.j and tencerstres in the neighbor-g hood of 500 to 6co degrees F. en or abcut Earch 30, 1979, thren;h April 2, 1979, considerable qu:ntities cf hf rogen may have penetrated, ad subsecuen'@
i c=brittled, the pressure vessel. As a resul, of this pcsible e= brittle =ent, the reacter pressurevessel =zy new not have the struct=al capability of due to withstanding pressuri:stion, should pressuri:.tien becene necessar7 W
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.b-insufficiently evalmted experinental procedures.
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5 Si=ilarly, the hich hydro:en eressures, ec=bined with relative 17 high tcmocre.tures, may have caused./dre:en c=brittlc= cat of unenidi::d Y
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As a result of the fu.1 cladding-steam reaction already cenpleted end associated high temperatures (1000F. to perhaps 3C00 degrees F.) the internal structural ec=penents of the top areas of the core may be seriously wea'cened due to oxidation or embrittlement. Again, should reficoding of the core prove necessary, if convective cooling faib, unuticipated new crcblens and unevaluated results =ay occur, ncne the least of which 47 be the recentl7 announced core lift phenomenen identified in :3abcock and Wilecx reactors.
Relief Recuested
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The Interveners recuest that a. Safety 17aluatics Report,be =ade t vailable to the Intervencrs and to the public prier to a.v further experimentation at 22-2 which nay affect the health and safet7 cf the public.
The Inter 7enors reg:est that a public hearing be held pricr to 4.
arW further e=crinentation at CII-2.
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The Inter 7eners request that they and their special censultant be further c:rcr nentatics er change cf licensed procedures d
info =ed prior to an7 cr other alteratien of the facd'dt7 whica =s7 affect the h:alth and safet7 of the public, h.
The Interven:rs also recuest that, prior to any further exneri=en-tation at 0:I-2, the public be evacuated fres ar7 areas that veuld be affected, shou.E the em eriment fail and control of the reacter be lost.
5 the intervenors request that an array of Eve, real-tir.e ra:Hation detectors be depicyed in the vicinity of OII-2 and out to a radius of LO miles to neasure radiation levels in areas where exposures ci'rrently take Placs but are not measured by the Comission.
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'Ihe Intervencrs request that the T.C order and rigidly enferee an i=ediate h21t to the centinuing unanncunced releases of radioactive =aterials from Z~d-2, :nd that public enneuncenent be reenired prior to any further plan d releases of radioactive =sterials frc= IC-2.
7.
Lastly, in order to ssve time and to excedite matters, Intervenors requ-st th..t all cw...:nicatiens be directed to the authorized representative of the Intervencr=, Dr. Chauncey Kepford, h33 Orla=do Avenue, State College, ca. -1630',
, (814) 237-39CO, and, si=altaneously, 'co the speciel consultant of the Intervenors, Dr. Richsrd Wabb, 2653 luth St., Toledo, Ohio h.:611 (bl9) 729-232h AND To y
CouN5GL 1*I DA NSH3 i ROSERT (cP,2f Esq, //38 f/NS <s7.pt So) tejjjLghe2pyjjjy PEMM1LYANIA l'y o f; f,gjg) Qq, gjqq,, (g, 93,g Hespectfully sub=itted,
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d Channee/-'R. Kepford h33 C 1ando State College, A.16801 (81h) 237-3900 D. Sd this 2 day of April, 1979 le&I(v.:t s L,s..a l.a k fN. Ein ',fA w,'? l The & N r~ws.sv.S.); a
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