ML19347A791
| ML19347A791 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 06/17/1980 |
| From: | Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Mcclellan D AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8009300246 | |
| Download: ML19347A791 (4) | |
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+p** ** %,l[o, 8JNITED STATES E,
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION o
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- f WASH WGTON, D. C. 20S55 JUN 171980 lis. Deborah K. McClellan
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P. O. Box 3642 Grand Junction, Colorado 81502
Dear Ms. McClellan:
This is in reply -to your letter to President Carter, po:,tmarked April 15, 1980, about nuclear power plants.
You may be interested in the enclosed statement of December 7, 1979, by the President on the Kemeny Commis'sion Report on Three Mile Island.
This includes the following:
"Every domestic energy source, including nuclear power, is critical if we are to be free as a country from our present over-dependence on unstable and uncertain sources of high priced foreign oil."
An Action Plan has been developed to provide a comprehensive and integrated plan fcr the actions now judged necessary by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to correct or improve the regulation and operation of nuclear facilities based on the experience from the Three Mile Island accident and the official studies and investigations of the accident. -In connection with your comments about selecting a site for a nuclear power plant, I am enclosing an excerpt from the Action Plan on the subject of siting. The stated objective is.to provide an added contribution to safety through the development of siting criteria for new power plants and the reevaluation with regard to the new siting criteria of facilities either under construction or opera ting.
Every effort is being made to ensure the public health and safety of all nuclear power plants that are currently in operation or that may start operating in the future. Any plants that are found to be unsafe
.will not be allowed to operate.
Sincerely, 41Y Harold R. Denton, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Enclosure:
As stated e
8009300246
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FOR IM*1EDI ATE RELEASE DECEM3ER 7,19 79 OFFICE OF THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY THE WHITE HOUSE STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT ON THE EE12:NY col'dISSION REPORT ON THREE MILE ISLAND Room 450, Old Executive Office Building (AT 2:45 P.M. E,ST)
THE' PRESIDENT:
The purpose of this brief statment this afternoon is to outline to you and to the public, both in this country and in other nations of the world, my own assessment of the Kemeny Report recommendations on the Three Mile Island accident and I would like to add, of course, in the presentation some thoughts and actions of my own.
I have reviewed the report of the Commission, which I,,,
established to investigate the acci, dent at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant. The Commission, headed by Dr. John Kemeny, found very serious shortcomings in the way that both the Government and the utility j
industry regulate and manage nuclear pcuer.
The steps that I am taking today will help to assure that nuclear power plants are operated safely.
Safety, as it always has i
been and will remain, is my top priority. As I have said before, in 1
this country nuclear power is an energy sour:e of last resort. By this I meant that as we reach our goals on conservation, on the direct use of coal, on development of solar power and synthetic fuels, and enhanced production of Ans ican oil and natural gas, as we reach those goals, then we can minimize our reliance on nuclear power.
Many of our foreign allies must place much greater reliance than we do on nuclear power, because they do not have the vast natural resources that give us so many alternatives. We must get on with the job of developing alternative energy resources and we must also pass, in order to do this, the legislation that I have proposed to the Congress, making an effort at every level of society to conserve energy.
To conserve energy and to develop energy resources in our country are the two basic answers for which we are seeking. But we cannot shut the door on nuclear power for the United States.
The recent events in Iran have shown us the clear, stark dangers that excessive dependence on imported oil holds for our nation.
We must make every ef fort to lead this country to energy security.
Every domestic energy source, including nuclear power, is critical if we are to be free as a cou,try from our present over-dependence on unstable and uncertain sources of high priced foreign oil.
We do not have the luxury of abandoning nuclear power or imposir, a lengthy moratorium on its further use.
A nuclear power plans.an displace 35,000 barrels of oil per day, or roughly 13 million bar t e' s of oil per year. We must take every possible step to increase the cafety of nuclear power production. I agree fully with the letter and the spirit and the intent of the Keneny Commission reconmendations, scme of which are within my own power to implement, others of which rely on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, or the NF', or the utility indust ry i tself.
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several steps. First, I will send to the Congress a reorganization pie to strengthen the role of the Chairnan of-the NRC, to clarify assignr.?r of authority and responsibility and provide this person with the power to act on a daily basis as a chief executive of ficer, with authority tc put needed safety reoulrements in place and to implement better procedures. The" Chairman must be able'to select key personnel and to act on behalf of the Commission during any emergency Sceond,-I intend to appoint a new Chairperson of the Huclear Regulatory Cor.tission, sencone fron outside that agency, in the i
spirit of the Kemeny Commission reconnendation. In the meantime, I havc asked Commissioner Ahearne, now on the NRC, to serve as the Chairr.an.
Mr. Ahearne will-stress safety and the prompt implementation of the needed reforms.
In addition, I will establish an independent advisory committee to help keep.me and the public of the United Stat'es inforned of the progres of the NRC and the industry in achieving and in making clear the recommendations diat nuclear power will be safer.
Third, I am transferring responsibility to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the FEIM, to head up all off-site emergency activities, and to complete a thorough review of emergency plans in all the states of our country with operating nuc1caE"rcactors by June, 1980.
Fourth, I have directed the Nucicar Regulatory Commission c the other agencies of the Government to accelerate our program to placc a resident rederal inspector at every reactor site.
Fifth, I am asking all relevant Government agencies to implement virtually all of the 'other recommendations of the Ecmeny Commission. I believe there were 44 in all.
A detailed factsneet is being issued to the public and a more extended briefing will be given to the press this,af ternoon.
J' With clear leadership and improved organization, the Executive Branch of Government and the NRC will be better able to act quickly on the crucial issues of improved training and standards, safety procedures, and the other Kemany Conaission reconnendations.
But responsibility to make nuc1 car power safer does not stop with the Federal Government.
In fact, the primary day by day responsibility for safety rests with utility ccmpany managen:nt and with suppliers l
of nuclear equipment. There is no substitute for technically qualifico l
and committed people working on the construction, the operation, und the inspection of nuclear power plants.
personal responsibility must~ be strerred. Some one perron must always be designated s' in charge, both at the corporete level end l
also at the pcwer plant site.
The industry cwes it to the Americzn people to strengthen its commitment to safety.
I call on the utilities to implement the follcwing changes; first, building on the steps aircady ta\\en, the industry must organize itself to develop enhanced standards for safe design, operation, and construction of plants; second, the nuclear industry must work togethem to develop Arod to r.aintain in operation 'a comprehensive training, excmination, and evaluation program for operators and for supervisors.
This training program must pass muster with. the NFC through eceredittati of the training programs to be established.
Third, control rooms in nuclear pcwor plants must be taederni zed,. standardized, and simplified as much as possible, to p.-c. i t n.
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better informed decision-making tmong r:gulcr ep rcting houra cnd, cf course, during emergencies.
I challenge our utility companies to bend every ef fort to improve the safety of nuclear power.
Finally, I would like to discuss how we manage this transition period during which the Kemeny re' commendations are being There are a nunber of new nuclear plants now awaiting irnplemented.
Under lew, the Nucicar operating licenses or construction perinits.
Licensing decisions an independent agency.
Cor. mis s ion Re ulatory Corenission is tr at with the Nucicar Regulatory Commission, and as the Kemeny noted, it has the authority to proceed with licensing these plants on a case by case basis, which may be used as circumstances surrounding a plant or its application dictate.
The NRC has indicated, however, that it will pause in h
issuing any r.cw licenses and construction per. wits in order to devote its f ull attention to putting its own house in order and tightening up I endorse this approach which the NRC has safety requirements.
adopted, but I urge the NRC to complete its work as quickly as possible Once we have and in no event later than six months from today.
instituted the necessary reforms to assure safety, 'we must resume the reduce our licensing process promptly so that the new plants we need tu dependence on foreign oil can be built and operated.
am announcing today will help to insure the safety The steps I Nucle ir power does have a future in the Un'ited States.
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of nuclear plants.
I will join with the utilities It is an option that we m st keep open.ac' tar Regulatory Commission, the executive and their suppliers, the and also the state departments and agencies e f die Federal Government, and local governments to assure that the future is a safe'one.
Now Dr. Trank press, Stu Eizenstat, and John Deutsch will be glad to answer your questions about these decisions and about nuclear power and the future of it in our country. Trank?
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( AT 3:00 p.M. EST)
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Excerpt from report NUREG-0660, Vol. 1, on "NRC Action Plan Developed as a Result of the IMI-2 Act.ident" Task II.A May 1980 TASK II.A SITING Provide an added contribution t,o safety through (1) the OBJECTIVE:
A.
development of siting criteria for new power plantt and (2) the reevaluation with regard to the new siting criteria of facilities either under construction or. operating.
B.
NRC ACTIONS
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1.
Siting policy reformulation.
NRC will establish, through rulemaking, (1) numerical a.
==
Description:==
criteria for population density, distribution (including population centers),
and exclusion distance, considering consequences of all classes of accidents and emergency response preparedness and capability; (2) numerical values for standoff distances from offsite, hazards; and (3) the objectives expressed in the remaining recommendations of the Report of the Siting Policy Task force (NUREG-0625) (except Recommendations 4 and 9, which will be handled by sepa All items are specific recommendations of the NRC Siting Policy Task actions).
Porce (NUREG-0625), and item (1) addresses the President's Commission Recom tion A.6, and the recommendations of the NRC Special Inquiry Group.
During the development of the proposed rule, the staff will identify the principal criteria for evaluating proposed sites'for nuclear power stations, recommend the adoption of these criteria in a Proposed Rule on Siting, and prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement (EIS) of the propo The staff also plans to issue an Advanced revisions so meet NEPA requirements.
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
i This' ef fort is related to other task action plans, including elements of items II.B. " Consideration of Degraded or Helted Cores in Safety Reviews,"
l lic Radiation
. item III.A. "NRC and Licersee Preparedness," and item III.0, " Pub
-Protection Improvements."
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Task II.A O
May 1980
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50 will issue an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking by_
b.
Schedule:
. Draft rule will be published by October 1980.
July 1980.
NRR FY80 - 4.5 my and $400,000, FY81 - 2.0 my and $160,000;
, Resources:
SD FY80 - 1.8 my, FY81' - 3.0 my; RES FY80 - 0~.5 my, FY81 - 0.5 my; AD c.
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0.3 my, $200,000, FY81 - 0.3 my, $200,000.
Sita evaluation of existing facilities.
2.
Prepare an analysis for Commission decision of the NRC a.
==
Description:==
ilities staff plans.to reconsider, with regard to the revised siting policy, fac The analysis would take as a point of either under construction or operating.
departure the criteria expressed in the Proposed Rule on Siting (ite t
and would address a strategy for consideration of siting decisions of plan s Since the elements of that have construction permits or operating licenses.
this analysis are applicable to plants that are to be assessed in item II.8, Ngraded or Melted Cores in Safety Reviews," there will be "Conside.
In addition, the results of Item V.1, close coordination with that action item.
"NRC Policy Statement on Safety," will be directly applicable to this plan, as will the emergency preparedness aspects of items III.A and III.D.
A Commission Action Paper will be issued by October 1980.
b.
Schedule:
HRR FY80 - 1.0 ny.
(This task does not include the Resources:
resources needed in the actuel reviews of past siting decisions.)
c.
C.
1.lCENSEE ACTIONS 1.
Siting policy reformulation.
Applicants will develop and. implement procedures to
==
Description:==
a.
l.
incorporate' siting _ criteria.
This action relates only to applicants for construc-b.
Implementation:
f tion permits filed after the proposed rule is adopted.
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f II.A-2 y
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. Task II.A May 1980
' Reso'urces:
Requires no substantial change.
c.-
2.
Site evalua, tion of existing faci 11 ties: No applicant or ifcensee action is required prior to the start of, review of past siting decisions (which is not
. included in this action item).
l None.
l D.
OTHER ACTIONS:
l E.
REFERENCES President's Commission Report:
Item A.6 l
Other:
NUREG-0625 NUREG/CR-1250, Vo'4. I, pp. 129-131; Vol. II, Part 3, pp. 989, 1027.
Letter from Chairman, ACRS, to Chairman, NRC, dated December 17, 1979,
Subject:
"A Review of NRC Regulatory Processes and Functions" l
Letter from Chairman, ACRS, to Chairman, NRC, dated February 14, 1980,
Subject:
" Report of the Siting Policy Task Force."
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