ML20006F485
| ML20006F485 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 12/19/1989 |
| From: | Lewis H Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards |
| To: | Carr K NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| References | |
| ACRS-M-0025, ACRS-M-25, NUDOCS 9002280078 | |
| Download: ML20006F485 (4) | |
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. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMIAISSION f M ^,/ / NN g)}
I ADVitORY 00ameTTEE ON REACTOR SAFEQUARDS WAsmwovow, o, c. sones December 19, 1989 l
The Honorable Kenneth M. Carr Chairman U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555
Dear Chairman Carr:
Though you will notice that I am a member of your ACRS, I am writing l
this as an individual because the Committee has taken a longer-range view of one problem than I believe is commensurate with its seriousness.
Real safety matters 'are concerned.
I do not claim that any member of the Connittee agrees with what I am about to say.
After our November meeting, the Comunittee responded to your frequent (and commendable) public requests to the comunity to bring to your i
attention casss in which it appears that NRC staff has overstepped its authority in its dealings with licensees. That is a constant temptation i
to the staff, because it has enormous undocumented power over the licensees, and history shows that people with power tend to exercise it.
The letter you received from the Conunittee called to your attention a i
public letter from the Administrator of Region V to the management at PaloVerde,aletterthatis.(inmyview)sooutrageousthatitrequires no detailed discussion here.
However, there is one item in it which is blatantly wrong, and the comunitment to which the Administrator is holding the licensee creates (again in ny view) an immediate threat to the health and safety of the public.
You have responded to the Comunittee letter by forwarding the Region V letter to the Senior Management Survey Team, for their. consideration.
The specific item that concerns me most however, does not lend itself to leisurely treatment, and (m my view) poses a threat that can mani-fest itself without warning.
The issue is accident management.
The Administrator obviously doesn't 4
f understand the difference between power plant design, which should, of course, be done conservatively, and emergency management, which some-times requires bold and decisive action.
He therefore demands that the plant management react to all malfunctions conservatively, which is bad 1
advice.
If, as a consequence, there is an emergency at Palo Verde to which the operators are afraid to react promptly when necessary, for fear of NRC second-guessing, the NRC will bear direct responsibility for the consequences.
It is the concern that this may happen at any time 9002280078 891219
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(after all, there is a finite probability) that prompts this letter.
I hope that you will promptly countermand this (wrong and improper) mandate, and reemphasize the fact that it is the plant management that is responsible for emergency response.
In that context, I would like to call to your attention the difference between the NRC rule governing the carefully circumscribed authority of pilots (copies attachec ).the operator in an emergencyk pilotand the correspondin is in absolute command, and may i
violate any rule to meet an emergency, while a nuclear operator is severely constrained.
A pilot may, of course, later be punished for ineptitude or error, but not for violating a rule.
That is not so in s
the nuclear business, and I think that should be changed.
As you well know, the FAA rule is modeled after the ancient rules of the sea.
l Sincerely, A
1 q
,d H. W. Lewis Attachments:
1.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Rule, 10CFR50.54(x)regardingaction taken by licensee 2.
Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
Rule, " Responsibility and Authority of the Pilot in Connand" r
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50.54(bb) 5.0.54(s).
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minimum, the floonees shall withis a0 mot more than ela snonths.
terminatleen as to whether State and days take all reseamable onepe lo sestore (4) propertyinewonce proceeds beent emersemor plane are adequate Ste coverage to the seguired ama a===
evident to the decontaintnellom priority (t)M licensee shall report to the in pare 8roph (wX3) of thle teollon must esa ma as NRC on AprG1 of each year the survent be payable to a separate trust whether,,the%,,'sg,"pabk or levde of Gde insuranos or finasudet Maasse
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the otranorwe orderthat en
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cosaplete au operations that the L
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aa)Wlioonae sheB be subjectto au Ibie partfora;--M " or etnisation decontaminate the neonor==m,a ely to 2 co(nditione deemed kaposed as a matter a
feeDity of the type desorfbed in permit the laa===== either to comune 6 80.21(b) ce l an.st aball. by June 30.
operation or to n.
- et law by sectione 401(aMI) and 401(d) 1988, take ehta steps to obtain docessadasiastag of the senator. In e a, of the FederalWater pobotles Contret
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- Ad. as===adad (as U.SCA.1Mt(aXa) 1 ! cvaBable et reasonable costs and on c.i aaa's aaa-panonalexposur,
{and (d).)
[ masonable terms from private sources halte in M(FR Part 30. Amy propwty
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g or to demonstrete to the satisfaction of insurance proceeds not atroedy (bb) For operating vm,4ame power
. the Pan'=laaton that it possesses an expended to pleoe the remotor in a safe 3 reactors, the linaname aliau, no later than
< ' equivalent amount of protection and stable condition pursuant to 3 5 years before expiredon of the reactor covering the facility. Provided that:
paragraph (w)(3)(1) of this section shall operating license, submit written a
(1)'Ihis insurance must have a be used first to complete those is notification to the Commission for les minimum coverage limit for the reactor decontamination operetions that are the ; review and preliminary approvalof the ctalion elle of either $106 billion or subject of the Director's order. Such program by which the licerteee intende whatever amount of insurance is order may not be effective for more than to manese and provide funding for the generank available from private sources, one year, at which time it may be management of allieradieted fuel at the whichever is less. lf a licensee's renewed. I'.ach subsequent renewal reactor upon espiration of the reactor M
March 31,1989 ATTACHMENT 1
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,, J $N J
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'l 43 federal Aviation Administration, DOT
$ 91,4 thereto) is avausbic for public inspec- 0 91.4 Pilot in eoamand of alteran re.
. Mon at the Rules Docket AOC-34, gulring enore them one required pileL -
(
4 Federal Aviation Administration, 800 No person amar operate an almaft Independence Avenue, SW., Washing. that is type certifianted for snore than Lon, D.C. 30591. In. addition, Annex 3 - one required puot flight erewmember may be purchased from the Interna-unless the p006 flight crew consists of -
tional Civil Aviation Organisauon (At ' a puot in aammand who sneets the 30-il tenuon: Distribution Officer), P.O.
quirements of 6 31.58 of this chapter.
i7 Box 400, Succursale; Place de L'Avia-Lion Internationale,1000 Sherbrooke (Dec. No. tests, Asadt 91 111, Se PR 3110..
1 Feb.1,1M3, as amended by Asadt 91333,
-1 Jj Street W est, Montreal, Quebec, 41 FR 41338,OeL 38,19763.
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Canada ESA 2R1.
tAandt $133,31 FR 4356, June 16,1908, es 0 814 i estion.
j anweded by Amdt. 9118,36 FR TT44. Har Each pilot in mammand shall, before -
l:
31,1970; AtodL 91 113,38 FR SoH, Mar. 3s. beginning a flight, famtHarlse himself 1973; Amdt 91131, 43 FR 33139, May 3 - with all avauable information eencern-
- I t
1977* Aandt.91-144, 43 FR 64881, Dec. 30, ing that flight,. ' Ibis information must let'., Amdt. 91163,43 FR 36430. June 20, p
lets; A mdt.- 91 181, 80 FR 9388. Mar, e, include *
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Isas) gg) yg,;a fught & IF'R w a 6
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not in the victnttv of an airport, 8912 Certtikste of authorisation for ear, weather reports anc Wacests, fuel so-tain Category 11 operations, quiremenA alternauva pausble if -
The Admistrator may issue a certifi-the planned flight cannot be songdeb-cate of authorization authortsing devi* ed, and any known traffic delays of f
whleh he has been advised by A'IC.
attons than the requirements of (b)Per any Dight runway at ll01A,91.38(f), and 91J4 for the op-erauen of sman aircrafts identified as airports of intended use, and foi-nowing takeoff andlanding distance en-i Category A aircraft in 197J of this formanon:
chapter in Category II operations, if
. (D Pbr civD aircraft for which an ap.
he finds that the proposed operation proved airplane or 30toreraft fught 1'
enn be safely conducted under the manual containing takeoff and land.
E terms of the ceruficate. Such authort-as*Mn does not permit operation of ing distance data b required, the take-off and landing distance data een-
't ilm alteraft carrying persons or peop - tained therein;and ~
l ef ty for compensauce or hire.
- gg)- por civG alteraft other than
+
(AndL 91-48,34 FR 4893. Mar.10,1911, as those specified in paragraph (b)(1) of 1
asneeded by Asadt 91496, St FR 40191, this section, other seliable inforsnation mer.T,1ses) appropriate to the alreraft, relating to 1
ahoraft periorsmance under espected L
891J.8-r-.ama and eatherity of the values of airport elevation and rumray riistla semanand, slope, aircraft grees weight, and wind I
(a) The pDot in aammand of an air. and temperature, erstt is dirocur responsible for, and is taandL 91-87,38 FR Sett, Feb. 5,19T11 the final authority as to, the operation of thatalteraft-091A Casagery 5 and H1 operassem L.
' c (b)In an emergency requiring imine-Ga*'*l *r"*8188 '*8"-
)
l'.'
..dlate acuen, the puot in aammand (a)No person amar operate.dv0 air. -
may deviate from any rule of this sub-eraft in a Category II or Category III h-part or of Subpart B to the extent re-operation unnees:
g, quired to meet that emergency.
(1) The fikhterow of the airwaft (c) Each pilot in aammand who devi-ocasists of a pect. In mammand and a
- stes freen a rule under paragraph (b) escend in mammand who hold the ap-of this esodon shall, upon the request propriate authertentions and ratings of the Administrator, send a ' written presortbed in 6 31J of this chapter;-
report of that devlauon to the Admin-(2)Each fHght crewmember has ade-istrator.
quate knowledge of, and femtMarity 145 1
L; ATTACHMENT 2 p
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