ML19329G086
| ML19329G086 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Hartsville  |
| Issue date: | 06/26/1980 |
| From: | Tedesco R Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Slater S AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8007110570 | |
| Download: ML19329G086 (2) | |
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~,h NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION y
g np WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555
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JUN 2 61980 Miss Sharon D. Slater 147 Glen Hill Drive Hendersonville, Tennessee 37075-
Dear Miss Slater:
4 Your letter to President Carter has been referred to the Nuclear Regulatory Comission (NRC) for response.
I am pleased to provide information on the safety measures being taken to protect the citizerfs of Tennessee.
The Hartsville Nuclear Plant is subject to stringent construction controls, as required by the utility's Quality Assurance Program which must be reviewed and found to satisfy the Commission's requirements described in Appendix B to Part 50 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Each utility is responsible for assuring that its nuclear power plants are built and operated safely in accordance with the above cited regulation.
The NRC's Regional Office of Inspection and Enforcement conducts periodic scheduled and unannounced field inspections of the utility's implementation of its Quality Assurance Program. These field inspections during the construction phase are extensive and cover: (1) a review of the applicant's Quality Assurance performance, including audits of the applicant's Quality Assurance recceds and documentation; (2) a witnessing of the construction practices and an inspection of the facility at various stages of construction; and (3) a review of the qualifications and training of the construction personnel as well as those of the quality assurance and quality control personnel. The review of the qualifications and training of the quality assurance and quality control personnel is conducted for all personnel at the site, including the specialized subcontractors, and at the manufacturing facilities of the vendors and suppliers.
In the event of alleged deficiencies, the Office of Inspection and Enforcement would conduct a thorough investigation of the allegations and require the correction of any deficiencies that were found to exist.
In addition, the Office of Inspection and Enforcement has assigned a full-time resident inspector to the Hartsville Plant to also perform the above duties.
In the matter of low level radiation hazards resulting from routine releases, the Comission has always subscribed to the principle that radiation exposure of the public should be kept as low as is reasonably achievable.
This principle has been a central one in the field of radiation protection for many years.
Operating licenses of nuclear power plants include provisions to limit and control radioactive effluents from the plants. The term "as low as is reasonably achievable" requires taking into account the state of technology, the economics of improvements in relation to benefits to the 'public health and safety, other societal and socioeconomic considerations, and the relationship of these to 8007110570
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Miss Sharon D. Slater JUN 2 61980 the use.of nuclear energy in the public interest.
The Commission has adopted numerical guidelines for design objectives and limiting conditions for operation of nuclear power plants to meet the criterion of "as low as reasonably achievable" for radioactive material in effluents from nuclear power plants. Using these guidelines, the radiation resulting from radioactive release from nuclear power
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plants during normal plant operation is a small fraction of that received from natural background activity.
Although there are many design and operational features which reduce the pro-Lability and consequences of accidents, the possibility of off-site radiation releases does exist.
In the event of an accident in which all protective barriers fail and radiation is released off-site, the public will be protected by an emergency plan. TVA will be required to submit an emergency plan for the Hartsville Nuclear Plant before an operating license is issued. This plan will address both on-site and off-site responses to accidents.
Tne Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has lead responsibility for reviewing and assessing the emergency preparedness of State and local agencies. Accordingly, FEMA will evaluate the adequacy of the off-site portion of the emergency plan, while NRC evaluates the on-site portion. The NRC will then determine the adequacy of the overall plan prior to issuing an operating license.
I trust that the above information has been responsive to your concerns.
Sincerely,
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Robert L. Tedesco, Assistant Director for Licensing Division of Licensing 1
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l May 6, 1980 The President
gg The White House Washington, D.C. 20500 6
Dear Mr. President,
There has been much controversy ove'r the past few years about nuclear power.
This c.ontro-versy has been very active in th fia_r_tsville, yennessee area, which li'less than 100 miles f~_om my home.
r I am writing to say that I think it.is wrong and unfair to subject hundreds of thousands of people to the problems this Hartsville Nuclear Plant could cause if there was a leak.
}0 I would appreciate your views on this matter and any information you could give me on the safety measures being taken to protect the citizens of
,, Tennessee.
Very truly yours, Miss Sharon Slater sds M
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