ML19318B604
| ML19318B604 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Big Rock Point File:Consumers Energy icon.png |
| Issue date: | 06/05/1980 |
| From: | Dircks W NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Albosta D HOUSE OF REP. |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8006270159 | |
| Download: ML19318B604 (5) | |
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JUN 51980 Docket No. 50-155 s
The Honorable Don Albosta l
United States House of Representatives Washington, D. C.
20515 l
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Dear Congressman Albosta:
l Your letter dated April 24, 1980, addressed to Chainnan Ahearne has been referred to me for response. You enclosed a letter from your constituent, I
Nikk1 C. Gardner (Enclosure 1), who expressed concern regarding the operation of the Big Rock i'oint Nuclear Plant with the containment vented to the atmos-phere. You requested that we provide you with an explanation and the precedent for allowing this procedure and the amount of radiation expected to oe vented by this plant.
The containment building for Big Rock Point Plant was designed and construct-ed on the basis that the containment would be continuously ventilated. This design was described in the Preliminary Hazards Summary Report and in the Final Hazards Summary Report and was reviewed by the staff prior to issuance of a construction permit and operating license.
Continuous purging of containment was reviewed again during our consideration of the generic issue of containment purging. On Novent>er 29, 1978, we issued a generic letter which requested that power reactor licensees terminate con-tainment purging during normal operation or provide specific justification of the acceptability of such purging.
By letter dated Decest>er 28, 1978 Consumers Power Coupany sununarized the need for continuous ventilation as follows:
" Big Rock Point is designed to continuously ventilate the reactor coatainment building. Plant design utilizes continuous ventilation to provide contamination control for access to operating equipment and cooling to maintain critical equipment operable. During warm weather, the continuous ventilation is essential to maintain the containment tenperature within the limits described in the Final Hazards Sununary Report for large break accident initial conditions. During winter months, inlet air sust be heated to maintain containment temperature above the lower limit considered in the Final Hazards Summary Report."
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The Honorable Don Albosta.
In addition, certain safety-related actions that are performed during routine operation require entry into the containment by licensee personnel.
These actions include monitoring operation of equipment, obtaining samples for chemical and radioactive analysis, performing maintenance, maintaining consumable items at prescribed levels, changing record charts and performing required Technical Specification surveillance tests.
Because of slight 4
leakage of reactor coolant to the reactor building atmosphere, there is some buildup of radioactive gases in the building (all light water reactors experience some such leakage). To reduce the dose which personnel entering 3
the building receive, the building atmosphere is purged before entry.
Purging is not unique to the Big Rock Point; most reactors make some use of purging. However, purging is probably required more often at Big Rock Point than at some newer plants. Consumers Power Company has conraitted to the NRC that Big Rock Point will only be purged during power operation when access is required for safety-related maintenance and surveillance.
In the event that an accident occurs when the plant is purging, valves in the purge system are designed to close to prevent release of radioactivity to the environment. During a postulated loss of coolant accident (LOCA), the I
valves might have to close against an increased pressure.
To ensure that the 1
purge valves at Big Rock Point would close in the event of a LOCA, Consumers 1
Power Company has blocked the valves so they cannot be positioned more than 45 degrees open.
The NRC has reviewed this measure and has concluded that it is safe for Big Rock Point to purge at power to allow access for safety-related maintenance and surveillance. shows the total amount of radioactivity' released in gaseous effluents by Big Rock Point over the last few years. This included all the radioactivity that is released from all sources at Big Rock Point, including the containment purge.
Releases have been and continue to be well within the limits specified in the Technical Specifications (actually, Icss than one-tenth of one percent of the limits).
These releases are also within the NRC design objective in Appendix I to 10 CFR Part 50.
For noble gases, the i
design objective is nominally five millirems per year to the total body.
For other airborne radionuclides, the objective is fifteen millirems per year to any organ.
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b-ihe 1:onorable Don Albosta 3-As long as doses due to plant releases are maintained within the dose design objectivos of Appendix I to 10 CFR Part 50, the ItRC considers the releases to be acceptable. These doses are small compared to the variations of dose due to natural background radiation. As an example, the annual dose due to natural backgrcund radiation in Denver, Colorado is about 80 :aillirems per year greater than the annual dose in Washington, D. C.
I trust that this letter is responsive to your request.
Sincerely, 7 signed)T. A. Rehm William J. Dircks LCt Executive Directoi for Operations
Enclosures:
DISTRIBUTION:
1.
4/10/80 letter Docket 50-155 DEisenhut from Nikki C. Garden NRC PDR DCrutchfield 2.
Big Rock Point Airborne LPDR WPaulson Effluents Chart TERA HSmith NSIC JCook ORB #5 Reading VStello j
NRR Reading BSnyder l
HRDenton BGrimes EGCase RHVollmer WRussell Dross TJCarter SHanauer MGroff RMattson GErtter 0CA (3)
(ED0-08902)
Attorney, OELD WJDircks DNottingham (fS@2)
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