ML19290D337
| ML19290D337 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Rancho Seco |
| Issue date: | 01/24/1980 |
| From: | Ahearne J NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Brooks J HOUSE OF REP., GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19290D338 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8002210177 | |
| Download: ML19290D337 (39) | |
Text
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.Au UNITED STATES
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)WiS NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 0-311 I
W ASHINGTON, D.C. 20555
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January 24, 1980 OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN al-The Honorable Jack Brooks, Chairman
/
Comittee on Government Operations United States House of Representatives Washington, D. C.
20515
Dear Mr. Chairman:
We have reviewed the GA0 report entitled " Emergency Preparedness Around the Rancho Seco Nuclear Power Plant:
A Case Study" dated October 2,1979 and distributed on October 15, 1979. Although we do not agree with all statements in the body of the report, we do agree with the thrust of the report's recomendations. Each of the recomendations directed to the NRC is addressed in the enclosure.
We note that the report indicates, correctly as of the date of the report, that the Comission had not acted on the recomendations of de NRC/ EPA task force report. The Comission, on October 18, 1979 endorsed this report in a policy statement, which is enclosed.
This action, in conjunction with current rulemaking activity, is also responsive to the GA0 recommendation, contained in their March 30, 1979 report that an emergency planning zone of about 10 miles be established about each nuclear power plant. A copy of a proposed rule on emergency preparedness requirements, which was published for coment on December 19, 1979, is enclosed.
Two factors in addition to those mentioned in the GA0 report are being emphasized by the NRC staff in their current efforts to upgrade emergency preparedness capabilities at all nuclear power plants. These important factors are (1) pronpt notification of the public of an emergency and (2) assessment by the' licensee of the course of the accident.
We believe that the NRC actions described in the enclosure are fully responsive to the GA0 recomendations. The inprovement of emergency preparedness capabilities around nuclear power plants will, of course, require the continued efforts of all concerned.
Sincerely, h
k 9
Jot.n F. Ahearne Chairman
Enclosures:
1.
Responses to GAO Report 2.
Policy Statement f
3.
Proposed Rul 00g210 cc:
Rep. Frank Horton
NRC RESPONSES TO GA0 REPORT
" EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AROUND THE RANCHO SEC0 NUCLEAR POWER PLANT:
A CAN STUDY" The four recomendations directed to the Chairman, Nuclear Regulatory Comission and our responses follow.
1.
GA0 Recomendation
--Establish criteria for exercising emergency-response plans which realistically test their effectiveness. This might include requiring longer exercises with involvement from all emergency-response agencies and stipulating that periodic exercises be held at night and on weekends.
In developing this criteria, the Chairman should also consider the most appropriate method to defray increased costs incurred by State and local governments.
NRC Response NRC guidance for States and local governments indicates that annual exercises are required to maintain concurrence. This exercise must include mobilization of State and local personnel and resources adequate to verify the capability to respond to a given accident scenario.
We are oeveloping scenarios which can be used for this purpose.
In addition, the proposed rule on emergency preparedness published for coment on December 19, 1979, would require a joint Federal, State, local and licensee exercise at each facility on a periodic basis (e.g., every 3 or 5 years).
Current exercises are critiqued by a Regional Advisory Comittee composed of six federal agencies and cochaired by FEMA and the NRC. Standard forms have been developed for observers of these exercises. We, never-theless, agree that more specific criteria are desirable and have initiated efforts to develop these. Contractor assistance has been obtained and a preliminary work scope written.
The effort will include specifying the characteristics of an appropriate scenario and exercise evaluation criteria. The final criteria to be used for evaluating emergency response plans will be developed with FEMA in acco: nnte with the President's decision to have FEMA responsible for all offsite emergency planning.
With respect to funding, the NRC staff has recently published a report "Beyond Defense-in-Depth" (NUREG-0553) (copy enclosed) which addresses the subject of funding State and local government radiological emergency response plans. The report was published for public comment on November 9,1979 and following this ccanent period, which expires December 31, 1979, we will be considering the recomendations made in it.
,, 2.
GAO Recommendation
--Require that at least one member of the utility emergency-response team be assigned the sole responsibility of connunicating with State and local emergency officials.
NRC Response The NRC staff has recently published for interim use and conynent
" Action Level Guidelines", NUREG-0610. Four classes of action levels are defined. The two most serious classes specify that the licensee provide a dedicated individual for plant status updates to offsite authorities. Other actions include requirements for establishment of a near-site Emergency Operations Center at which State and local officials would have designated representatives.
3.
GA0 Recommendation
--Require the installation of the Atmospheric Release Advisory Capability computer modeling system at Rancho Seco to enhance emergency planning and preparedness around that power plant and test the system for possible use nationwide.
NRC Response The NRC staff has been evaluating the ARAC system for some time and has recently had discussions with the Department of Energy (DOE) for installing it as a pilot project at a consnercial nuclear power facility.
Our Office of State Programs has proposed a phased, pilot installation of ARAC which would include equipment in L: or three State emergency operations centers, replicate equipment at a reactor site and local government emergency operations centers in those States, and an installation at the NRC Operations Center.
This action would allow a greater under-standing and evaluation of the technology and meth.sdology associated with ARAC and would highlight any institutional or technological problems involved in the use of such a system.
The staff intends that the first installation should be in New York State (Indian Point) followed closely by installations in Illinois (Zion) and California (Rancho Seco). We have requested funds in the FY-80 Supplement budget for this purpose.
4.
GA0 Recommendation
--Determine the feasibility and desirability of requiring installation of atmospheric release conputer modeling systems at nuclear power plants nationwide.
, NRC Response The pilot studies described in the response to item 3 above would be done for the purpose of determining the feasibility and desirability of the ARAC system.
Some atmospheric release computer modeling capa-bility now exists at certain facilities, although not as complex as the ARAC system.
Whether ARAC or some simpler system is ultimately chosen is, at this peint, open but a requirement for some such system is likely. We favor moving ahead with a pilot stuc(y on ARAC because it is readily available from a National Laboratory.
In closing, we note that the GA0 found that, in the case of Rancho Seco
" emergency officials from each county appear well informed concerning their responsibilities during an accident, despite the absence of a formal plan in some Cases."
l-Federal R@r / Vol 44. No. 206 / Tuesday. October 23, 1979 / Notices 61123 priate and prudent for emergency NUREG-0306. EPA 520/1-78.-016. dated a
December 1978. Single copies of the p ' ting guidance to take into report can be obtained by writing to the consideration the principal Director. Division of Technical charactartstica (such as nuclides Information and Document Control, released and distances likely to be Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Involved) of a spectrum of design basis Washington D.C. 20555. The task force and core melt accidents. While the report was published for public Commission recognizes that the comment in the Federal Register on guidance may have signhnt response December 15.1978 and the comment impacts for many local jurisdictions, it period was extended to May15.1979 to believes that implementation of the allow additional comments resulting guidance is nevethelena needed to from the accident at nree Mile Island.
Improve emergency response plannmg A synopsia of the comments received
- and preparedness around nuclear power and the task force consideration of these reactors.
comments is available from the ne Commission is directionits staff Assistant Disector for Emergency to incorporate the planmng basis Preparedness. Office of State Programs, guidance ints existing dv=nts used U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, in the evaluation of stata an local.
Wa shington. D.C. 20555.
emergency response plans to the M=nt pract2 cable.ne NRC has recantly Planning Baala published and. Advance Notice of The mafor recommendation of the Proposed F"1=he concerning report is that two Emergency Planning additional regulations on emergency Zones (EPZs] should be established plans,44 FR 41484. Tuesday. July 17 around light water nuclear power plants. 1979. Additionalguidance willbe The EPZ for airbome exposure has a provided following this rulemaking. This radius of abou110 miles; the EPZ for additional guidance can be expected to contaminated food has a radius of about consider how local conditions such as 50 miles. Predetermined protective demography, land use and meteorology action plans are needed for the EPZs.
can influence the size an shape of the The exatet size and shape of each EPZ EPZs and to addm., other Isanes.such -
will be decided by emergency plannmg as evacustion planmne ofScials after they consider the specific Specific impler,antation dates for full conditions at each site.These distances implementation of the taskforce are considered large enough to provide a recommendations and any others that response base which would support are developed will be established as activity outside the planmng zone part of the ongomg rula naldng effort. '
Planning Basis for Emergency Responses to Nuclear Power Reactoe should this ever be needed..
De Commission also expects the staff Accidents The report also provides planning to assist state andlocal governments in basis guidance in the form of a range of improving their m.m response AnENcn Nuclear Regulatory time values in which emergency capabilities at existing sites in the Cmiesbm response ofHcials should be prepared to immediate future.
Acmove NRC Policy Statement.
implement protective action.The report a
meislas day of indicatae that, depending on such g$a PufPO'*
factors as the specific sequence of gg
. This is a statement of polic" with events during an accident which results S*"4 N' regard to an Environmental Protection in the release of radioactivity to the A:ency (EPA) and Nuclear Regulatory atmoshpere and the prevailing Secretary cWoem.se m Commission (NRC) taak force report on meteorological conditions, protective-I"D= 7*n N ** **8 W name coor remoms guidance for use in state and local action may be required from perhapa radiological emergency response plans one-half hour to one day after the at nuclear power plants.
intiation of the accidcut. Development and periodic testing of procedures for Badground rapid notiDcation of emergency
%e NRC received a request from the response officials is encouraged, sincur -
Conference of Radiation Control the time available for action is strongly Program Directors, an organization of afrected by the time corrsumed in State officials, to "make a determination notification.
of the most servere accident basis for The chemical and physical which radiological emergency response characteristics of those radionuclides plans should be developed by offsite which contribute most significantly to agencies."In response, an EPA and NRC human exposure are presented.
task force was established which NRC Poh.ey prepared a report entitled " Plan &g Basis for the Development of State and NRC concurs in and endorses for use tocal Government Radiological the guidance contained in the task force-Emergency Responsa Plans in Support of report. In endorstag this guidance, the Light Watee Nelsu Powee Plants."
Commission recogrGzes that it is
NUREG-0553 Beyond Defense-In-Depth Cost and Funding of State and Local Government Radiological Emergency Response Plans and Preparedness in Support of Commercial Nuclear Power Stations Stephen N. Salomon Office of State Programs U.S, Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1
Sp f @ pg 9
8
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