ML19281B321
| ML19281B321 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 03/26/1979 |
| From: | Gossick L NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Chris Miller HOUSE OF REP. |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7905090152 | |
| Download: ML19281B321 (3) | |
Text
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lAAR E 3 W9 The Honorable Clarence E. Miller United States House of Representatives Washington, D. C. 20515
Dear Congresuan Miller:
We are pleased to respond to the inquiry of Mr. Thomas J. Harriel, III which you transmitted to us by memorandum dated February 24, 1979. We hope that this letter satisfactorily responds to his concerns.
The standards and criteria established by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for the evaluation of proposed nuclear power plants include provisions for substantial conservatisms in design and operating safety margins.
Through the licensing process these are implemented in the design, construction, and operation of nuclear power plants such that their operation should pose no undue risk to the public health and sa fety.
It is recognized, however, that no body of knowl edge can ever be so complete as to reduce uncertainties and risks to zero. The Commission has, therefore, adopted a policy of prudence in this regard and taken certain additional steps to establish a reasonable state of preparedness for coping with emergency situations.
The::e steps include emergency planning requirements which must be met and maintained by licensees, backed up by planning at the Federal, State and local levels of government.
In answer to Mr. Harriel's particular questions, the Commission's Reactor Site Criteria require that due consideration be given to the population distribution and land use in the environs of a nuclear power plant.
These have led to improved safety features to mitigate the consequences of accidents and to provisions for assuring that any risk due to nearby industrial hazards is acceptably small.
In addition, we require each utility applicant to submit for Commission approval procedures for notifying, and agreements reached with local, State and Federal officials and agencies for the early warning of the public and for public evacu-ation, or other protective measures should such warning, evacuation, or other protective measures become necessary or desirable.
Every operating nuclear power plant must have a physical protection system and security organization which will provide a high degree of protection against successful industrial sabotage from two types of threats:
(1) a determined, violent, external assault, attack by stealth, or deceptive actions carried out by several persons, assisted by an insider; and (2) an internal threat of an insider, including an enployee in any position. The Commission sets the requirenents for an acceptable physical security program, reviews the adequacy of each 790509015.2
Honorable Clarence E. Miller program, and periodically inspects each nuclear power plant to deter-mine whether licensees are complying with Commission requirements and to identify any safeguard weaknesses.
By these means, the plant is protected against deliberate acts which could directly or indirectly endanger the public health and safety by exposure to radiation.
highlight a few of the Nuclear Regulatory These brief. responses Commission activities which are relevant to the inqui ry from Mr. Harriel.
Somewhat more detailed information is contained in our recently published Annual Report 1978, which is enclosed.. You may wish to forward it to Mr. Harri el. Thank you for this opportunity to respond to this expression of interest and concern.
Si ncerely, a-T; '
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Enclosure:
Annual Report 1978 e
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Afsouth Box 114 FPO New York N.Y.
January 24,1979 Clarence A. Miller Representative Capitol Washington D.C.,20515
Dear Mr. Miller:
I am writing this letter concerning the building of safety devices on Nucular Plants.
I'm a dependent overseas living in Naples Italy.
I would like to know what kind of precautions you are taking into building nucular plants for the people who live in the area such as housing and other industries? I also like to know what kind of a warning system do you have for warning the puplic incase the nucular plant have a fault so the people can evacuate if necessary? And last thing is do you have a good security system just incase someone may try to sabatage the plant?
I'm looking foward toward your answers in the future.
Sincerl /~~.
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omas J. E riel III
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