ML19345B948
| ML19345B948 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Pilgrim |
| Issue date: | 11/06/1980 |
| From: | Dircks W NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Studds G HOUSE OF REP. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19345B949 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8012020815 | |
| Download: ML19345B948 (3) | |
Text
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~ 4 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMisslON 4
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%s The Honorable Gerry E. Studds 3
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of Representatives Washington, D. C.
20515
Dear Congressman Studds:
Thank you for forwarding to us the inquiry from your constituent, William A. Caswell, concerning monitoring the radiation received by residents living near nuclear power plants.
While it appears that Mr. Caswell's principal concern is measuring radioactivity levels in the body, radiation is also received from radioactive materials external to the body.
In fact, in most instances, external radiation exposure is the greatest contributor to the dese received by individuals.
There.i s no simple, inexpensive device which would monitor the internal radioactivity levels in residents living near nuclear power plants.
Past experience has shown that emissions of radioactive materials from the routine operation of nuclear power reactors are generally too low to result in any measurable increase in the internal radioactivity levels of nearby residents.
Internal levels of certain radioactive materials can be monitored by measuring radiation emitted from within the body by a technique known as whole-body counting, requiring sophisticated, expensive instruments.
Such monitoring wa.s done on approximately 750 residents living within three miles of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Station following the March 28, 1979 accident.
No abnormal radioactivity levels attributable to radionuclides from either the accident or the normal operation of the Three Mile Island plant were found.
There are relatively inexpensive devices that can be used to monitor radiation doses from external sources such as noble gases and other radionuclides.
These devices, called thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD's), are used in the vicinity of nuclear power stations, such as the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, to measure radiation levels around the facility.
In addition to the thermo-luminescent dosimeters placed by licensees, subsequent to the Tiil-2 accident the NRC also has increased the number of TLD's that it has placed around operating nuclear reactors, including the Pilgrim site.
Rather than monitor individual residents, we require nuclear reactor licensees to nonitor effluents, both prior.
release and during release.
We also require environmental surveillance programs to measure external doses and the radioactivity levels in air, water, and foods.
I copy of the effluent 8012020 @
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i-Congressman Studds_.
and environmental surveillance requirements for the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station is enclosed.
The results obtained from the environmental surveillance program would be available in the local public document room.
The local public document room for the Pilgrim Nuclear Station is located at:
Plymouth Public Library North Street Plymouth, Massachusetts 02360 617 '46-1923 Mr. Caswell might also be interested in knowing that the issue of radiation monitoring around nuclear facilities is one of the agenda topics for the federal Radiation Pol' y Council.
A statement of the issues that will be considered in this regard is enclosed..If Mr. Caswell wishes to provide
' concents to the Radiation Policy Council he may send them to:
Mr. Carl R. Gerber, Executive Director Radiation Policy Council Staff c/o Office of Science and Technology Policy Executive Office of the President New Executive Office Building Room 3105 Washington, D. C.
20500.
Sincer ely,
[
be kWilliam J. Dircks Executive Director for Operations
Enclosures:
1.
Portions of Pilgrim Technical Speci'ications(2 copies) 2.
RPC Agenda Item