ML20008D911
| ML20008D911 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 10/06/1980 |
| From: | Snyder B Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Mikofalvy E AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20008D912 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8010230638 | |
| Download: ML20008D911 (2) | |
Text
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U ET G 1980 Mr. E. Mikofalvy 142 Brunsuick Drive Avon Lake, Ohio 44012
Dear Mr. Nikofalyy:
I am writing in response to your letter to President Carter regarding nuclear power plant safety.
I regret that this answer to your letter has been delayed.
The accident at the Three !!ile Island reactor and its consequences have created a substantial increase in the Commission's workload, which has prevented me from responding to you as promptly as I would have liked.
With regard to your first suggestion, building (another structure around the existing T'11-2 reactor is a viable technology called "entombnent") that has been considered for the THI-2 plant. Entomhaent is insufficient because the reactor's fuel and the heat it is generating (approximately 115 kilowatts) must be removed for safe plant decommissioning. The fuel must be removed from the reactor vessel, put in a safe configuration, and either stored at Three flile Island or shipped offsite for disposal. These safeguards and procedures are established by ?!RC regulations, which serve to assure the pubife health and These matters will be subject to public review during the Enviromental safety.
Impact Statement studies required by law (the !!ational Environmental Policy Act of 1969, Public Law 91-190), which are now being conducted by the Commission.
As to ncus coverage about Three tiile Island, infomation about the accident made available to the public was confusing for a number of reasons. Some problems were attributable to the sources of infomation, some to the way in which infomation was made available to the press, and some to how the press reported the infomation it obtained. flRC's infomation was not always complete nor, in some instances, wholly accurate.
We recognize the importance of making complete and accurate infomation avail-able to the public. Consequently, we have made specific plans for providing information to the public for such potentially serious accidents as occurred at Three Mile Island. These plans include making the availability of public infomation part of tiRC's and the utilities' energency response planning. Under We this policy, the utilities must provide offsite locations for newscenters.
also plan to appoint a senior flRC official responsible for coordinating NRC information activities during an emergency. By centralizing the gathering and dissemination of flRC's information, we will provide the public with relevant and timely infomation, oresca e tva=aw a
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!!r, E. ilikofalvy In answer to your third question about precautions your family can take in a nuclear emergency, designated state or local government officials will pro-vido you with clear instructions on the best course of action.
If evacuation is necessary, you will be told what to do and where to 90.
In some situations shelter will be preferable to evacuation, and you will be infomed accordingly.
The NRC has undertaken extensive efforts to improve licensee emergency pre-paredness at all operating power reactors and at those reactors scheduled for an operating license decision within the next year. !!ectings were held at b
our regional offices to discuss the recent impacts of emergency planning and current regulations. In addition, a team of NRC Emergency Planning Task Force members have visited every operating reactor site in the country to upgrade eaergency preparedness. This effort has been closely coordinated with a similar effort by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to upgrade state and local response plans.
In addition, NRC's Office of Inspection and Enforcement, in conjunction with the Emergency Preparedness Program Office, will initiate a site visit program in the future to verify proper implementation of licensee emergency preparedness activities.
I appreciate your concerns and assura 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.
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Sincerely,
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er ard J. Snyder, Program Director Three !!ile Island Program Office Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation 1
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