ML20035G697
| ML20035G697 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palisades  |
| Issue date: | 02/05/1993 |
| From: | Levin C SENATE |
| To: | Selin I, The Chairman NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20034H955 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9304290091 | |
| Download: ML20035G697 (2) | |
Text
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WASHINGTON, DC 2051 4 2202 February 5, 1993 Dr. Ivan Selin Chairman U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mail Stop 16G15 Washington, D.C.
20555
Dear Dr. Selin:
I am writing to express my view relative to the proposed storage of high-level radioactive waste in concrete casks at the Palisades nuclear power plant on Lake Michigan.
I understand that the Commission is currently considering granting a certificate of compliance to allow the storage to occur.
I realize that the nuclear power utility industry is in a difficult position because of the lack of disposal capacity due to the Federal government's slow progress in siting a permanent.
repository.
This lack of progress, despite specific statutory requirements for providing such a repository, and.the future-prospects for. improving on past performance are troublesome.
. It.
is this failure on the part of the Federal government which has required nuclear power plant operators-to consider alternative storage methods, such as dry cask storage and plant shutdown.
Ten years ago, there was an erroneous assumption that the-search for-and construction of a final resting site for high-level waste would be much swifter than it has been.
A
" demonstration" program required by law was supposed to.have been for temporary storage.
Now, however, because of the societal and technical obstacles which radioactive waste disposal presents, even a temporary " demonstration" program is likely to have much longer-term implications.
I do not want temporary dry cask-storage in Michigan to become de facto permanent disposal.
I recommend that you consider requirements that dry cask storage technology should meet in order to ensure that these casks are truly temporary storage.
They could take the form of enhanced, individual cask radionuclide emission monitoring, a thorough emergency response plan in the unlikely event of an-accident during fuel handling or loading, and other safety. review requirements.
Further, the NRC.may wish to consider operating license conditions to help ensure that these temporary storage technologies are not relied upon as a substitute for permanent; storage.
9304290091 930316 PDR
'COMMS NRCC
. CORRESPONDENCE PDR-raiwito ow ntcycLED PAPtR D'
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I believe it is important that these issues be addressed in a timely manner.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely, s
Carl Levin
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