ML19276F142
| ML19276F142 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palisades, Kewaunee, Point Beach, Cook, Big Rock Point, Zion File:Consumers Energy icon.png |
| Issue date: | 01/20/1979 |
| From: | Schaefer J AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| To: | Hendrie J NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML111790168 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7903270397 | |
| Download: ML19276F142 (2) | |
Text
January 20, 1979 Chairman Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555
Dear Sir:
The Board of Directors of Lake Michigan Federation recently initiated a study of the status of spent nuclear fuel storage at the six existing nuclear power plants (Zion, Palisades, Cook, Big Rock, Point Beach, and Kewaunee) around the Lake.
We would very much appreciate your answering the following questions which will be incorporated in a report to the Federation:
(1) Exactly how many spent fuel assemblies are each of the plants presently licensed to store? Do any of these numbers represent amendments to initial operating licenses?
If so, please indicate the original number of spent fuel assemblies each plant was licensed to store, the date the license amendment was granted, and reasons for not permitting increased storage to the extent plant owners had requested in their petitions to amend the license.
(2) Are any of the plants currently requesting permission to amend their licenses to store additional quantities of spent fuel? Please t
delineate the number of assemblies each plant is requesting to
{
O'jy-compact, the status of the amendment petition, and the years during which the spent fuel storage capacity will be depleted under the (kg current operating license and under an amended license, if granted.
Are any of the license amendment petitions being contested by
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public interest groups or state governments?'
4 pl (3) When each current operating license expires, how many spent fuel assemblics are projected to be stored at each plant if there is no other storage option available?
(4) Are there any safety problems with spent fuel storage methods at the plants? Is spent fuel stored in other than water pools at une plants? Which of the spent fuel pools are built into the g.ound and which are suspended within the plants?
Is any pol experiencing leakage of the fuel pool liners?
If so, please indi: ate the volume of leakage, radioactivity content, and any equipment todifications implemented to prevent further leakage.
iias radicactive water leaked i~.to surrounding soil, groundwater, er Lake :'ichigan at any of the plant sites?
7903278 7 77
NRC Chairman Page 2 January 20, 1979 (5) Have any of the plants experienced problems with disintegrating spent fuel assemblies? How many assemblies (or how many spent fuel rods) have experienced loss of integrity at each plant? What pre-cautions are being taken to prevent loss of integrity so the assemblies will be able to be moved whenever another storage option is available?
If encapsulation methods are being implemented at any of the plants, please describe the metallurgical makeup of the capsule and the anticipated time frame during which the capsule will retain integrity while storing the assemblies in the fuel pools.
(6) Are any of the plants licensed for transshipment of spent fuel?
If so, please indicate from which other nuclear plants spent fuel may be sent for storage in any of the six plants along Lake Michigan.
Is any plant licensed to store spent fuel from any other nuclear power plant located outside the United States? Does the Nuclear Regulatory Commission contemplate permitting spent fuel from foreign countries to be stored at any plant along Lake Michigan?
(7) Do any of the six plants have spent fuel stored in either the Nuclear Fuel Services facility in West Valley, New York or the General Electric storage pool in Morris, Illinois? Please delineate the number of spent fuel assemblies each plant owner has in off-site storage and if return of the spent fuel to the Lake Michigan plants is contemplated sometime in the future.
We would like to in'clude your answers in a report to the Federation's Board of Directors on February 24.
Therefore, an early response would be most helpful.
As you may know, Lake Michigan Federation is an " organization of organizations" comprised of 150 Jabor, environmental, industrial, consumer and recreational groups (representing approximately 3300 people) and 800 individual members from the four States surrounding Lake Michigan. The Federation is dedicated to con-serving the Lake for the use of present and future generations.
We all thank you for your time and effort in furnishing us with the requisite information.
9 ) g p[fd[ Cdiromt /nup Sincerely.
Ll AQC Jame Schaefer, hairman Radioactive Waste bbnagement Study Comr Lake Michigan Federation c/o 3741 Koehler Drive Sheboygan, Wiscensin.53081 cc:
Flo Walsh, LMT President Senators Gaylord Nelson, William Proxmire, Adlai E. Stevenson 111, Charles Percy,' Birch Bayh, Richard Lugar, Carl Levin and Donald Riegle, Jr.