ML19253B300

Contention 41.Intervenor Health & Safety Are Endangered Due to Inadequacy of Water Level Indicators for Reactor Vessel. W/Certificate of Svc

ML19253B300
Person / Time
Site:	Allens Creek File:Houston Lighting and Power Company icon.png
Issue date:	08/10/1979
From:	Doherty J DOHERTY, J.F.
To:
Shared Package
ML19253B301	List: ML19253B300 ML19253B302
References
NUDOCS 7910100680
Download: ML19253B300 (2)

Text

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

-} , NUCLEAR REGULATORY CCMMISSICN

< BEFORE ""HE ATCMIC SAFE"'T AND LICENSING 3 CARD i

In the Matter of 5 I 5 l ECUSTCN LICHTING AND PCWER CCMPANY 5 Docket No. 50-466 5

(Allens Creek Nuclear Generating 5 Station, Unit 1) 5 JOHN ?. DCHIE!!'S CCUTI3TICN # 41.

On this 10th day of August, Joh= ?. Doherty, !=tervenor in the above constructio= license proceeding files this con-tantion as one based on aew i=for=ation.

Text of Contaction dai:

% Intervenor's health end safety interests are e=dangee ed

, j og due to inadequatewater level 1:dicators for the reactor vessel i for the proposed atomic plant. Thatsuch indicators are often 4

2 .g defective and sislead operators isto actions which aggrivate

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- l reactor incidents are evidenced by two rece=t iscidents at U. S. facilities. At *h ee Mile Island. Unit !!, s:urious II water level indications i= the pressuriser and the reactor g

b vessel resulted is operstor errors which aggrivated the event

(March 29, 1979); and spurious water level 1

dicati: s is the Ovster Creek Nuclear power Flant, resulted is operators failing to take action u=til the water level was dangerously low (May 2,1979)- specifically the operator failed to ope:

. valves which would have allowed coolant to be pumped fres l the condessor to the reactor vessel. I:tervenor conte =ds i Applicant must develope an alterna:ive whereby the water level is sensed : ore zelt, ably by:. 'redu= dant as to Wpe

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level 1:dicators on redundant as to functie= water level indi-cators. Intervenor contends as accident where a core uncover-l ing results from unreliable water level sensing ca lead to a release of radioactivity is excess of 10 CFR 100, enda 6eri:5 his health and safety interests.

Intervisor further contends that inadequate water level 4"" cators will lead to serious accide s for ACNGS, as at Three Mile Island, because the reactor systems are sufficiently similar in design being both dependant on safety systans actuated when reactor water level threatens to reach the top of the fuel rods. Because the proposed ACNG3 has a hi6 her power core density than any BWR this contention is pa:cicularly relevant to this proceeding. The Cvster Creek event provides a basis for showing much of the accident sequence has occured is a 3WR syste=.

Over -

I124 304

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Addittecal Sun- o--ine Mate-iel

"".is contactics was delayed because so reports the 0-rster Creek (3VR) i=cident were released by the NRC or other agencies. "J'..is Interve:or was reluctant to rely c newspaper ace:unts of the ever.t . until sow. That is, it was conceived of as ideal to sut it the ce=tectics relying on Nuclear Safet-r, is orier to avoid inaccuracy, ami have an official version. The earliest this could have been submitted with a basis in Cvster Creek, was May 2,1970 This is ths reason the c:stanti:n was not filed soc =er.

However, there is no #-d4 cation the accidest sequence vill be ec=sidered for a Genersl Ilectri: 3WR/),, MARI-C',

Mr7-238 referenced plant at a=7 other for.:s at this time. In view of the seriousness of the C? ster Creek incident, the ecstestien should be part of the ACNGS re-cord, and will be=efit the p<.cple of South Texas by its being scratinised by the 3 card.  : c it it would be noticable as =ct learsi:s fre= experie::e. No party other than here has raised the contention to date, and it prese=ts a opportunity to more es pletely cover safety aspects of this licensing.

C2 cu OACI C? St m0I I

I hesrby certify that copies of the foregoi=g ' JOE 7. #

DCEI21'!'S CONTIN" CON :A' 1' were served on the following b'y deposia'is the U. S. = ail on this /o th day of August, i

1979 i

$~, Ns Stalden C. Wolfe, Esq. , Chai:=an j At=mic Safetf and Licensing wohn ?. Doher 7 acard Passi U.S. Nuclear Regulaterf C:=missien wmehi Sten, D. C. 20555 Td-kyDC)fggyC Dr. E. Leonard cheat.:2 BMaeA 6/w Rcute 3, Scx 350A , M7"JM 77)p 2,,

Watkissville, Cecrgia 30677 Steve Schiski, Esq.

Mr. Gustave A. Licenberger Staff counsel At:mic Safety and Licansing U. S. Nuclear Regulate:f C =nissi==

Scard Panel -Washingt=n, D. C. 20555 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory C - 4ssica --

Washfagten, 3. C. 20555 Richard Lowerre, Esq.

g Assistant Att :=ey General Chasa R. Stechens . for the State of texas Occketir.; and Servica Secti n P. O. Scx 1 548 Office of the Secrstarf of the Capitol Stati n Austis, texas 73711 C = mission -

U.S. Nuclear Ragulaterf C 8 ssica Washingt:1, 3. C. 20535 W878 E' 280tf S P. O. Sex .335 Rosenberg, taxas 774T.

R. Gcrden Cocch, Esq.

Baker s actts .

wases M. Scott, r.

1701 Pennsylvasia Avenue, N. W. 3304 Albaccre Washings:n, 3. C. 20006 Scusten, taxas 77074 3renda McC rkle 6140 Darnell f **, ',', ",, d ed, r s t e in Scuste:h, texas 77074 ge -.~, . ' S,,023

.exas

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