ML19331A950
| ML19331A950 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Prairie Island, Big Rock Point, Midland File:Consumers Energy icon.png |
| Issue date: | 12/01/1975 |
| From: | Gove P ECIMPCA, MINNESOTA, STATE OF |
| To: | Boyd R Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8007240537 | |
| Download: ML19331A950 (7) | |
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j December 1, 1975 Iyo - 7t/ t-I I
Mr.
R.S. Boyd, Acting Director Division of Reactor Licensing THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P00R QUAUTY PAGES
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Washington, D.C.
205aa I
RE:
Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant (Docket Mos.
50-232 and 50-306, License Nos. DPR-42 and DPR-60)
Dear Mr. Boyd:
l The Minnesota Pollution Ccntrol Agency, an intervenor 1
in the ongoing licensing hearing for the Prairie Island nuclear Generating Plant, has received a copy of an Unusual Event Report from the Licensee dated November 14, 1975.
The Report indicates that the release rate of long-lived halogens and particulates, when averaged over a three-month period and extrapolated at the same release rate for one year, was greater than two times the Design Objective contained in Technical Specificati,on 3.9.2.b.
Our review of Technical Speci-fication 3.9.B.l.a indicates that in such circumstances the Licensee is required to identify the cause for such excessive release rates, and to define and initiate a program to reduce the rates.
In spite of the rather specific language of that section, the Licensee has failed to make an adequate identifica-tion of the causes and to develop a program to reduce the excessive releases.
It has long been the position of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, in this proceeding as well as in the Monticello licensing proceeding and the Appendix I rulemaking hearing, that routine releases of radioactive plants can and should be signi-ficantly reduced.
In this instance, the Agency has the following specific concerns:
1.
Further explanation of the cause of this excessive rel' ease of halogens and particulates is required.
The only explanation given by the company is that " abnormal amounts of I-131 and Co-58 were released from Unit 1 Containment" as a result of " required purging to permit maintenance."
It is of concern to the Agency that routine maintenance would cause the release of excessive amounts of radioactive gaseous materials.
If extra purging is necessary due to steam leaks in the containment or other causes, this should be fully investigated.
1935 West County Road B2. Roseville, Minnesoto 55113 R*0!onal Offices Duluth / Brainerd / Fergus Falls / MarshcIl / Rochester / Roseville 8007240 D 2
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Mr. R.S. *Boyd, Acting Director Page 2 2.
Information should be provided~as to the extent to which materials released during maintenance purges are treated in the plant's gaseous emission treatment system.
If such releases are not treated, explanation and justification should be provided.
3.
Technical Specifications 3.9.B.l.a and 6.7.B.2 require written Unusual Event Reports to be submitted "within 30 days."
Submission of such a report on November 14 identifying excessive release rates from May 11, 1975, through August 10, 1975, does not seem timely.
4.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency does not believe that, merely because there is some delay in the ultimate imple-i mentation of Appendix I,.the Licensee should be allcued to l
(violate the provisions of its existing Technical Specifications with impunity.
i The Minnesota Pollution Cottrol Agency requests that the i
Nuclear Regulatory Commission KaRp immediate and meaningful action to insure that the congerna expressed above are addressed.
Sin;etbly (eterL.&, jM Gove Executive Director cc:
Jay Silberg, Esq.
O. Gregory Lewis, Esq.
L.O. Mayer e
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CONTROL NUuBER
'LE LCCATICN 9993 Sen. Walter F. Mondale OATE OFocCuuENr ACTION COUPLE Tica oEAoWNE 12-10-75 1-2-76 TO ACTION PROCESSANG OATES PREPARE FCR SsGNATURE OF:
URC Aelinealedged Chei,=c.n s
r Interim Reply Dieester of Reevlee.en
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- E:C.1s PT!CN Ltr. E Original C 0apy C Cthe, REMARKS REF: EDO 9239 Encl. ler. fm. Steven J. Gadler concerning radioactive releases from Prairie Island nuclear reactor and loading Return incoming with reply..
of plutonium at Big Rock Point and Midland Plants e
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SEC*l 76-0907 REFERRED TO DATE jl3 NOTIFICATION TO THE JCAE Knuth f/accion 12-19-75
'c,,. aasc:.e Chapman Shapar Docket Nos. 50-282, 306 l
PDR 50-155 l
50-329,t,3f6 l
DO NOT DETACH THIS COPT DIR ECTCR QF REGULATICH Form HQ.32 (173)
CouuuNICATIONS CCNTROL USA EC,
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"%w 76-G 907 N o,.
Lo,, n, o,,e 32/17f7s
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NRC SECRETARI A'T TO:
O Commissioner oate 12/17 3 Exec. DirJOper.
Gen. Counsel Cong. Liaison Solicitor O Public Affairs Secretary O
Incoming:
V' alter F. Mnndale From:
US Senate To:
NRC 12/10/75 o,3,
Subject:
" Uncontrolled" radicaCt1VO releaCOS frCm Prairie Island nuclear reactor
@ Prepare reply for signature of:
Chairman O Commissioner O.fEQ, GC, CL, SOL. PA, SECY Signature block omitted O
O Return originai of incoming itn response
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- ,c,3 For direct reply
- For appropriate action SUSPENSE DATE:
1/2/76 For information I
For recommendation Remarks:
CV Ofincoming to DSSS S OGC Re f-Secv ticket #76-0453, Mondale to NKL 4 reply oy Dircks dtd 10/16 ( In Secy Records)
EtrditvGadlerrotririmJtF For the Commission:
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s Send three (3) copies of reply to Secy Mail Facility NRC42 ACTION SLIP g
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DATE: 12/10/75 RE: Northern States Power Co.
!.f r. Steven J. Gadler 2120 Carter Avenue St. Paul, MN 55103 FOR YOUR CO3S':023ATION OF T32 AMACZ23 L22;'E2, AND 02 A REPO.T TO IL2, IN DUPLICAT2 TO ACCC;4PANY RETUR:7 OF 2:iCLOSLT3 ADDITIONAL CCSEl7?S:
Picase refer to previous correspondence.
RRSPPCTFIF4Y REFERRED 'IT)t Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1717 11 Street Washington, D.C.
PLEASE REFER RESPONSE TO AfrENTION OF THE FOLLOWING MEMBER OF MY STAFF, ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE ENVELOPE ONLY.
Jan Welsh THANK YOU.
WALTER F. MONDALE U. S. S.
Stev6 J., Gad'ler, P.E.
212" Carter Ave. Saint Paul, Minnes<
55108 Telephone 612-646-5005 A
December 1, 1975
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's The Honorable Walter F. Mondale United States Senate Hashington,.D.C.
L Cear Senator Mondale:
Thank you for your reponse to my letter of concern regarding the " uncontrolled" radioactive releases from the Prairie Island nuclear reactor and the inept handling by the fluclear Regulatory Commission.
Since my letter to you, Northern States Power Company has announced that the reactor emitted radioactivity in excess of its design objectives for the 13-week period ended August 10th.
The Company further admits that its design objectives will be exceeded for a year if the rate continues. These are the levels that I!SP agreed to operate within when it applied for its license to operate.
Now the Company claims that these levels were only guidelines and that no corrective action is necessary since the releases present "no threat to public health."
(Since there is no safe level of exposure to radicactivity, NSP is making a statement that no scientific body can support.)
Further, NSP withheld its report for the 13-week period from the NRC for more than 90 days -- apparently in violation of licensing requirements for time-liness. What is the NRC doing about this,?
As a board member of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, I well remember NSP approaching this body asking to be released frcm what it referred to as its " moral" comitments to operate its Monticello reactor within emission levels promissed at the time of licensing. The PCA board refused to release the Company from those commitments... but to no avail. The AEC ignored the Company's commitments to the public, allowing the Company to operate at AEC levels.
It appears that NSP will promise anything at time of licensing -- and do as it damned well pleases once the license is granted. All with the sanction of the NRC.
I believe that activities of the former AEC and present NRC have so stressed promotion of nuclear reactors that there has been a serious erosion of regu-lation and control of utilities -- so that utilities now appear to be making their own regulatory decisions.
An extremely serious example is the decision of Consumers Power Company in Midland Michigan to load plutonium in its Big Rock nuclear plant.
In May of '75, the NRC proposed a delay of three years in the use of plutonium recycle fuel because of concerns of a growing number of scientists and cit-izens.
In June, Consumers Power Company announced it would continue to load plutonium at Big Rock. The NRC has confirmed that plutonium is presently loaded there -- and that the Company also plans to use plutonium at its nuclear reactor in Midland, Michigan which is presently under construction.
Is this a decision the Company is now allowed to make? How can they do this
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$ithout a public hearing? How can the NRC 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".
i In the past, when the potential serious health effects have been pointed i
out of reactors operating at maximum 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 power or intent.
At what point then will the l'RC take action to protect the public?
Are there, in fact, any meaningful standards for protection of public health j
and safety?
L The amcunt of radioactive releases frcm Prairic Island is serious... and 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 shutdown 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 cuch appreciated.
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Respectfully W~ I,.
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Enclosures:
- 1. Letter from PCA to NRC re: excessive radioactive emissions from Prairie Island.
- 2. Newspapaper item on same subject. - Ac'f f,*-M W# 'M*N[ <
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/!! C C.C.
Mrs. Marion Watson, Chairperson, Minn. Pollution Control Agency Dr. Charles Huver, Twin Cities Rep,florthern Environmental Council Charles Dayton, Esq., Attorney, Sierra Club l
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 Water
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