ML19337A217
| ML19337A217 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | North Anna  |
| Issue date: | 08/08/1980 |
| From: | Ahearne J NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Dalton J VIRGINIA, COMMONWEALTH OF |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19337A218 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8009090330 | |
| Download: ML19337A217 (2) | |
Text
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UNITED STAT ES o,,
8 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION o
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WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555
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August 8, 1980 CHAIRMAN The Honorable John N. Dalten Governor of Virginia Richmond, Virginia 23219
Dear Governor Dalton:
This is in response to your telecom of August 2,1980 regarding the Commission's decision to defer issuance of a full power license for VEPCO's North Anna 2 nuclear power plant. On July 28, 1980, the Comission received a final draft of the NRC staff's Safety Evaluation Report supporting issuance of a full power license for the North Anna 2 plant. However, in forwarding the Safety Evaluation Report to the Comission, the staff was careful to point out that its review of emergency preparedness matters had not been completed, and that in 'its view no license should be issued until the review was com-pleted. Furthermore, the license itself and the related Technical Specifi-cations were still being modified for Commission review.
The Comission meeting on July 31st was intended as a staff briefing for the Comission on the status of the North Anna 2 application. The staff recom-mendation was f7r approval of the license contingent upon satisfactory com-pletion of the integrated emergency preparedness exercise and final approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The Comission had determined that completion of these matters and review by the Comission was essential prior to a final Comission decision on full power operation.
Thus, it is not correct to view the Comission action at the July 31st
. meeting as a deferral of an intended action.
Although these emergency preparedness requirements are not contained in any currently effective NRC rule, they are consistent with the pending revisions to 10 CFR Part 50 (" emergency planning rule") which, when they become effec-tive, will apply to all applications for new operating licenses.
- Indeed, these additional requirements, which the Comission has indicated it will apply on case-by-case basis to new operating license applications until the new regulations become effective, are contained in the Comission's Three Mile Island Action Plan for improving reactor licensing and regulation, and as such are part of a broad program of regulatory improvement.
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The Honorable John N. Dalton Further, the proposed rules for State and local offsite emergency plans recently published for public coment by FEMA require a full exercise of those plans before FEHA can make a detennination on their adequacy. An affirmative FEMA determination is a very important factor in allowing NRC to conclude that the 'overall status of emergency preparedness at and around a particular plant site is adequate.
Comissioner Hendrie notes that he would have preferred the Commission, at its July 31st meeting, to have authorized the Director of Reactor Regulation to issue the North Anna Unit 2 full power operating license as soon as the Director was satisfied with the emergency plans (presumably soon after the August 16th drill) and also to have authorized the Director to permit test-ing at increased power. levels in the interim.
Sincerely,
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g John F. Ahearne n.
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