ML19269E381

Discusses Effect of TMI-2 Incident on Proposed Const of Nuclear Facilities

ML19269E381
Person / Time
Site:	Limerick
Issue date:	05/11/1979
From:	Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Reynier R POTTSTOWN, PA
References
NUDOCS 7906280033
Download: ML19269E381 (3)

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Decket Nes. 50-352 and 50-353 Mr. Ronald H. Reynier -

Solicitor, Limirick Tcwnship

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A24 King Street Pottstown, Pennsylvania 19464 tp

Dear Mr. Reynier:

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Since rulings and decisions relating to the Limerick N ;1 ear Generating

'f Station could be subject

',o review by the Comission, it would not be

. t:5 appropriate for the Comission to comment at this time.

Accordingly, F

your letter of April 13, 1979 regarding the effe'ct of the. recident at Unit -

1ll 2 of Thrae Mile Island Nuclear Station on the Limerick Nuclear Generating 4

Station has been referred to r..e for response.s On behalf of the Board f

of Supervisors of the Limerick Tcunship, ycu made the.following specific p

e requests:

(1)

That the Soard of Supervisors be specifically~ advised of "any

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new regulations as to safety requirecents and any other amend-ments or changes which the Nuclear Regulatory Comission will require of Philadelphia Electric Cocpany in relationship.to the construction of the nuclear power plant.new under construc-tion in Lir.terick Tcunship".

(2)

That the Beard of Supervisors "be specifically advised as to what particular position the Nuclear P.egulatory Comission will be instituting in relationship to the continuation of the construction of this plant..."

(3)

That "the' Nuclear Regulatory Comission conduct specific in-vestigations as to the safety in regard to the Literick nuclear plant".

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First, I will briefly describe the activities that the Nuclear Regulatory Comission (HRC) staff currently has underway as a result of the accident at the Three Mile Island plant; then I will e 'iress the specific requests' cited above.

g.4 The NRC staff is currently conducting a thorough investigation of the 4.. e +. 4 yh n i

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!!r. Ronald H. Reynier study of potential design deficiencies in the plant, plant' operator p"

response to the accident including operator errors and/or misinterpreta-

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tion of plant instrumentation, and all other aspects of the accident which f

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might lead to. information that would improve the safety of nuclear pcwer,

g plints. For obvious reasons, the major emphasis of the current staff.

g, effort is focused on nuclear power plants that are presently license However, the results of the staff's investigations will also operate.

.be applied to plantis that are currently under construction and plants for which construction permits.have been applied for but het yet issued.

.e It should be noted that the Limerick' plant.is a boiling water reactor (while the Three Mile Island plant is a pressurized water reacter) and some of the results of the staff's investigation may not be directly -

4 applicable to the Limerick plant.

It is the intent of the Commissicn and the staff to assure that the plant design and method of operation affords a minimum of risk to the public health and safety.

--In regard to the three specific requests contained in your lettet:

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(1)

The Board of Supervisors of Limerick Township will be put.on F

the distribution list for major reports published by the E

staff regarding the results of its investigation of the Three Mile Islan' accident. These reports my cor.tain recom-IfE mendations regarling safety requirenents that are applicable to plants such.s the Limerick plant.

The Chiman of the Board of Super"isors is already on the distribution list for major Comirsion or staff actions on the Limerick plant such p

P as Federal f.egister Motices, Safety Evaluation Reports and Environmental Statecents.

Further, a local public document

'roca has been established at the Pottstoun Public Library.

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6 A copy of all correspondence to or from.the. NRC on the Limerick plant is sent to that local public document roca.

(2)

There are no current 'hlans to cease construction of nuclear

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. power plants.

The holders of all construction per: sits, including Philadelphia Electric Company, will be notified of any new requirements for the Limerick plant that the NRC develops, either as a result of the investigation of the Three Nile Island accident or any other JRC effort. As stated previously, a copy of all such corr.espondence con-cerning the Limerick plant will be sent to th,e local public documnt. room.

(3)

The Limerick' plant _will be. formally reviewed by the RC staff prior to issuance of an operating' license.

This c'perating 3-license review, which is a normal part of the licensing pro.-

cess, will consider results of the investigat. ion. of. the Three Mile Island plant accident and the applicability of 21 o ). z 5 0.

,,c this infornation to the Limerick plant.

Further, the NRC will publ sn a SaTety E /a luat.1on keptr: on he LuxricK p w.L

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3-F.r. Ronald H. Reynier that will be revies.ed by the Advisory Cornittee on Reactor s

Safeguards.. An Environmental Statement will also be pub'-

lished by the NRC staff.

In addition, there will be an <

opportunity for public hearings on the piant.

The oper-ating license will not be issued until all of these actions have been completed.

. p In regard to the oppcrtunity for public participation, a E

copy of the Federal Recister Notice advising that the appli-cation for cperating licenses for the tt;o units of t':e l

Licerick plant will be sent to the Chairman of the Board E

of Supervisers. of Limerick Tov.nship.

In addition, similar notices will be published in various newspapers that serve your local area.

In closing, let ac again ea;hasize that it is the intent of the Cor.v.ission to ;horoughly investigate all arpects 6f the accident at the Three File-Island p1' ant.

The results of the investigations tray lead to new safety requi recents.

Such requirerents will be applied to the Licerick plant to the extent that they are applicable. -

y idTtfabgned By Roger S. Boyd T

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OHarold R. Denton, Director

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Cffice of Fuclear Reactor Regulation i

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P00R DEliR 2169 s,51

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