ML19331A805

Forwards Constituent Ltr Re Uncontrolled Radioactive Releases from Facility & Inept Handling by NRC

ML19331A805
Person / Time
Site:	Prairie Island, Midland
Issue date:	12/10/1975
From:	Mondale W, Welsh J SENATE
To:	NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
Shared Package
ML19331A807	List: ML19331A805 ML19331A809 ML19331A812
References
NUDOCS 8007230836
Download: ML19331A805 (5)

Text

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g{n'sDd h M AE: 1 DATE: 12/10/75 RE: Northern States Power Co.

Mr. Steven J. Gadler 2120 Carter Avenue <

St. Paul, MN 55103 I

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FOR YOUR CO3SID2 RATION 07 CI3 X: TACE 23 L=32, A ID M2 A REPCHT TO 2C, IU DUPLICAT2 TO ACCC:GAliY RETURN OF ESCLOSUR2S.

ADDITIONAL CC.WK?rS :

Please refer to previous correspondence.

RESPECTFtILLY REFERRED 't'O:

Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1717 H Street .

l Washington, D.C.

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PLEASE REFER RESPONSZ TO AiwdfION OF THE FOLLOWING MEMBER OF MY STAFF, ON THE Ot7FSIDE OF THE ENVELOPE ONLY.

Jan Welsh Vi THANK YOU. j

wALTnR F. uOwnALE

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9561 i Sen. 'Jalter F. Mondale ~ ~

GATE CF DOCUMENT ACTICN COMPLETION DEA 0uNE 12-10-75 1-2-76 TO PREPARE FCR SIGN ATURE OF:

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Encl. ler. f:2. Steven J. Gadler concerning radioactive releases from Prairie Island nuclear reactor and loading Return incocting with reply.

of plutenic= at Big Rock Point and Midland Plants ,

SECY 76-0907 REFERRE3 To l CATE jl5 NOTIFICATICN TO THE JCAE Knuth f/ action 12-19-75 C1.. :L=scne Chap =an Shapar I

Docket Nos. 50-282, 306 I PDR 50-155 l v50-329, 330 i

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. NRC SECRETARIA'T g TO: Commissioner Date 12/17  !

C Exec. DirJOper. Gen. Counset Cong. Liaison Solicitor '

Public Affairs Secretary I

Incoming: W1 t r E Um anie  !

• From: US Senate l i

I To: HEC Date 12/10/75  ;

Subject:

Uncontrolled" radioactive releases rrom i Prairie Island nuclear reactor  ;

b Prepare reply for signature of:

, C Chairman '

Commissioner 1

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_ SUSPENSE DATE: 1/2/76 i e For information For recommendation .

. Remarks: Cy ofincoming to DSSS S OGC

- Ref- Secy ticket #76-0453, Mondale to NKU 4 reply oy j Dircks dtd 10/16 ( In Secy Records)

Etr4rn/G M er h .im RF ,, , .

For the Commission:

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• Send three (3) copies of reply to Secy Mail Facility NRC42 ACTION SLIP e

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.Stev$ J. Gedicr, h.E. 212Marter Ave. Saint Paul, Minnisc' m 551C8

, Telcphone 512-6f 6-5005 Dececber 1, 1975 .

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The Ecnorable Walter F. Mondale l'nited States Senate liashingten, D.C. L

Dear Senator "cndale:

Thank you fer your reponse to ay letter of concern regarding the " uncontrolled" radicactive releases from the Prairie Island nuclear reactor and the inept handling by the i;uclear Regulatory Cocnission.

Since cy letter to ycu, Ncrthern States Power Ccepany has anncunced that the reactor emitted radioactivity in excess of its design cbjectives fer the 13-week period ended August 10th. The Cc pany furtner admits that its design bjectives will be exceeded for a year if the rate ccntinues. These are the levels that ?;SP agreed to ccerate within when it acplied for its license to operate. 7;cw the Ccapany claics that these levels were caly guidelines and that no corrective acticn is necessary since the releases present "no threat to public health." (Since there is no safe level of execsure to radicactivity,

!!SP is caking a statement that no scientific body can support.)

Further, i;SP withheld its report for the 13-week period frca the ERC for nore than 90 days -- apparently in violation of licensing recaire ents for tice-liness. !! hat is the i:RC doing abcut this?

As a board ce-ber of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agercy, I well re enber ilSP approaching this body asking to be released from what it referred to as its "noral" cocclittents to operate its Monticello reactor within emission levels promissed at the time of licensing. The PCA b:3rd refused to release the Cc pany fran those comitments. . . but to no avail. The AEC ignored the Ccepany's cccclitments to the public, allcwing the Ccapany to operate at AEC levels.

It appeart that tiSP will prcaise anything at time of licensing -- and do as it damned well pleases once the license is granted. All with the sancticn of the fiRC.

I believe that activities of the fermer AEC and present ERC have so stressed prcmotien of nuclear reactors that there has been a sericus erosien of regu-lation and control of utilities -- so that utilities now appear to be : aking their cwn regulatory decisions.

An extremely sericus example is the decision of Consu ers Power Cc pany in

!!idland, Michigan to load plutenium in its Big Ecck nuclear plant. In May of '75, the HRC proposed a delay of three years in the use of plutonium recycle fuel because of concerns of a growing nc=ber of scientists and cit-izens. In June, Consu=ers Power Ccapany anr.cunced it would continue to load plutenium at Big Rock. The NRC has confirmed that pluteniva is presently loaded there -- ad that the Cenpany also plans to use pluteniu: at its nuclear reactor in Midlar.d, Michigan which is presently under construction.

Is this a decision the Company is now allcwed te cake? Ecw can they do this

without a public hearing? How can the fiRC allow it? Isn't this in violation of NEPA?

As you know, the state of Minnesota fought for ;the right to set its own

' standards of radioactive releases. . . and that subsequent court decisions ruled that we had no legal right to protect our citizens with stricter stan-dards. flow it appears that federal emission levels are recognized by NSP as being no morb than " guidelines" or " aims".

In the past, when the potential serious health effects have been pointed out of reactors operating at maxicum allowable federal standards, we have been informed that a plant would not be allowed to reach those levels of radioactive release. Yet it appears that design objectives for. licensing reactors are no more than public relations tools, devoid of regulatory pcuer or intent. At what point then will the I;RC take action to protect the public?

Are there, in fact, any meaningful standards for pcctection of public health

and safety?

The amount of radioactive releases frcm Frairie Island is serious. . . and i increasing at alarming rates.

' Yet federal standards for Prairie Island (and other reactors) allow releases to exceed design objectives -- in the case of Prairie Island, by eight times -- before a plant shutdoun is required.

I call your attention to this serious problem because of the need to put a-brake on what is becoming a runaway technology and an uncontrolled industry.

Any information you can give me regarding the questions raised here would be much appreciated.

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Respectfully ( f '.

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- /'lStev.% 'pr,'P.E.

N ._. Gadl l

Enclosures:

1. Letter from PCA to flRC re: excessive radioactive emissions from Prairie Island. . r - <

2. flewspapaper item on same l.

subject. - /M'l'C& E M W 0 ^'W C.C.

Mrs. Marion klatson, Chairperson, Minn. Pollution Control Agency Dr. Charles Huver, Twin Cities Rep, !!orthern Environmental Council Charles Dayton, Esq. , Attorney, Sierra Club

' Dr. S. Steven Chapman, Minn. Public Interest Research Group

' Dr. Don Skinner, President, flinn. Env. Cont. Citizens Assoc.

Milton Pelletier, President, Minn. Conservation Federation Dr. Rodney Loper, President, Clear Air Clear klater

.