ML19331D617
| ML19331D617 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 08/11/1980 |
| From: | Snyder B Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Krout K AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19331D618 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8009030368 | |
| Download: ML19331D617 (3) | |
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THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS fip*"%je P00R QUAUTY PAGES UNITED STATES g
- g NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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p WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 AUG 1119g9 Dr. Kenneth G. Krout 1406 West Market Street York, Pennsylvania 17404 bear Dr. Krout:
Your letter to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission expressing your concerns about nuclear energy has been referred to me for response.
Information about the accident made available to the public was confusing for a number of reasons. Some problems were attributable to the sources of infor-mation, some to the way in which infomation was made available to the press,
.ind some to how the press reported the information it obtained. NRC's infoma-tion was not always complete nce, in some instances, wholly accurate.
Wa rtcognize the importance of making complete and accurate infomation avail-to the public. Consequently, we have made specific plans for providing 4
intsrmation to the public for such potentially serious accidents as occurred at Three Mile Island. These plans include making the availability of public infor-mation part of NPC's and the utilities' emergency response planning. Under this policy, the utilities must provide offsite locations for newscenters. We also plan to appoint a senior NRC official responsible for coordinatirg NRC infoma-tion activities during an emergency. By centralizing the gathering and dis-sanination of NRC's infomation, we will provide the public with relevant and timely infomation.
We have taken a number of actions with respect to all nuclear power plants as a result of the accident at Three Mile Island. Specifically, full-time inspectors have been assigned to each operating plant utilizing Babcock and Wilcox pressur-ized water reactors like those at Three Mile Island.
In addition, all these plants were shut down and the licensees of each plant were instructed to provide us with additional infomation about their facilities in light of the accident.
l After review of the information provided,. orders were issued to the licensees that required them to make immediate plant modifications, to provide additional operator training, and to reverse certain operating procedures. Additional long-term actions were ordered to further upgrade certain plant systems and operator training and procedures. All of these plants, except of course the Three Mile l
Island plant, have complied with the orders and have been permitted to resume l
operation.
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In addition, licensees of all operating plants utilizing pressurized water reactors have been instructed to take specific actions with regard to the status of certain equipment, plant procedures, operator actions, and facility designs.
Licensees of all operating plants, including those utilizing boiling water reactors, l
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a 3r. Kenneth G. Krout have been instructed to provide us with additional infomation with regard to their facilities in light of the accicient at Three Mile Island. We are cur-rently reviewing the infornation provided. As soon as our review is complete, orders for modifications, as appropriate, will be issued to provide additional protection to the health and safety of the public.
In addition to the actions outlined above, as a result of TMI-2, studies were initiated in the areas of errergency preparedness, operator licensing reassess-ment, loss of feedwater event. small-break loss of coolant accilents, and lessons learned from the accident.
In a number of areas work has progressed to the point where additional licensee requirements have been recomended. A number of these recomendations have been approved and efforts have begun to implement them.
With regard to your concern about the management of cleanup activities, the NRC was created by Congress to regulate the commercial use of nuclear energy. Thus, while it is outside the authority of the Comission to physically manage decon-tamination operations at TMI-2, we intend to fully implement the regulatory process in detennining the acceptability of those coerations as conducted by the licensee. Presently,15 Commission professional representatives are at thc TMI site. Their task is to review all proposed cleanup plans, including the re-view and approval of detailed operating procedures, and to maintain surveillance of those operations that NRC has authorized. No future actions can be taken at the site without the NRC's review and approval.
With regard to your concern about the purging of the radioactive krypton gas from the reactor building of TMI Unit 2, Metropolitan Edison Ccmpany submitted to NRC a " Safety Analysis and Environmental Report" (November 13,1979) in which it evaluated alternative methods for the disposal of the krypton gases, such as purging, cryogenic processing, ard selective absorption. NRC also evaluated alternative methods for disposal of the krypton gas to determine what effect decontamination would have on workers, on public health and safety, and on the enviroment. Based on its evaluation, NRC issued an environmental assessment (NUREG-0662 and two addenda) for public comment on March 26, 1980, and received approximately 800 comments. These comments were considered in the staff's preparation of the " Final Enviromental Assessment for Decontarination of the Three Mile Island Unit 2 Reactor Building Atmosphere" (NUREG-0662), vols. I and 2, copies of which are enclosed for your infonnation.
From this process have emerged the following NRC staff conclusions:
- The potential physical health impact on the public of using any of the proposed strategies for removing the krypton-85 is negligiole.
- The potential psychological impact is l'My to grow the longer it takes to reach a decision, get started, and complete the process.
- The purging method is the quickest and the safest for the workers on Three Mile Island to accomplish.
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Dr. Kenneth G. Krout,
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- Overall, no significant environmental impact would result from use of anjt of the alternatives discussed in the assessment.
On Jine 12, 1980, the Commission issued an Order for Temporary Modification of I.fcense, authorizing controlled purging of the krypton-85 from the reactor building atmosphere. In a separate Memorandum and Order, also issued on June 12, 1980, the Commission discussed rationale for its decision. Actual venting operations began on June 28, 1980, and were completed on July 11, 1980. The health doses resulting from the purge were well within those predicted in sec-(
tion 7.1 of volume 1 of NRC's final environmental assessnent. Copies of both Commission issuances are also enclosed.
I appreciate your concerns and assure you that every effort is being made to ensure the continued protection of the health and safety of the public, not only at Three Mile Island, but also at all nuclear power plants.
Sincerely, j
W/-b Bernard J. Snyder, Program Director Three Mile Island Program Office Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Enclosures:
1.
NUREG-0662, vols.1 & 2 2.
Order for Temporary Modification of License of June 12, 1980 3.
Memorandum and Order of June 12, 1980 I
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