ML20079P302

Forwards Ecological Studies at Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station,Progress Rept for Sept 1981 - Aug 1982

ML20079P302
Person / Time
Site:	Oyster Creek
Issue date:	02/25/1983
From:	Fiedler P GENERAL PUBLIC UTILITIES CORP.
To:	Haynes R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
Shared Package
ML20079P304	List: ML20079P302 ML20079P332
References
NUDOCS 8303040581
Download: ML20079P302 (1)

Text

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GPU Nuclear g g7 P.O. Box 388 Forked River, New Jersey 08731 609-693-6000 Writer's Direct Dial Number:

February 25, 1983 Mr. Ronald C. Ilaynes, Administrator g -gj p Region I U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 631 Park Avenue King of Prussia, PA 19406 t

De ar !!r. Ila yne s :

Subj ect: Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station Ecological Studies Report In accordance with section 3.1.2 of the Oyster Creek Environmental Technical Specifications, Appendix B, CPU Nuclear, submits two copies of the 1982 Ecological Studies Report.

1 If you have any questions or require additional information please do i not hesitate to contact Mr. Douglas Moore of our Licensing and Regulatory 1 Af fairs Department at (609) 971-4630.

Very truly yours, an a j (W

T _. 1AQ Peter B. Fiedler Vice President and Director Oyster Creek PBF;jal ec: Director (17 copies)

Of fice of Nuclear Reactor Regulations U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washi ngton, D.C. 20555 C/o Distribution Services Branch, DDC, ADM N.J. Bureau of Radiation Protection At tent ion: Chief Division of Environmental Quality United Sierra Building 380 Scotch Road We s t Tre nton , NJ 08625 8303040581 830225 PDR ADOCK 05000 t R

/p GPU Nuclear is a part of the General Pubhc Uthfies System I

SUMMARY

OF ECOLOGICAL STUDIES AT i OYSTER CREEK NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION l

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Biological monitoring of aquatic organisms at the Oyster Creek Nuclear 1

i Generating Station has been conducted by GPUNC consultant Ecological Analysts 1

Inc. since June 1979 at a cost of approximately 1.1 million dollars. The purpose of this program is to evaluate the effects of station operation on the aquatic organisms of Barnegat Bay. The current monitoring program, conducted pursuant to Appendix B, OCNGS Environmental Technical Specifications, examines impingement of aquatic organisms on intake scrt2 ens of the station, fishkill due to thermal shock, and reports on commercial fish landings from the Barnegat Bay area. This report presents results of monitoring studies performed f rom September 1981 through August 1982 at an effort of approximately 6 thousand man-hours. These studies indicate no discernible r

ef fect of station operations on aquatic populations of Barnegat Bay.

I No fishkill events occurred during the study period. The majority of work was performed by sampling fish and macroinvertebrates impinged on the intake screens of the OCNGS.

Estimates of numbers of organisms impinged in most cases were substantially lower than the previous year. To a limited extent, the station shutdown in early 1982 and reduced pumping rates prior to and after shutdown may have contributed to lower annual abundance estimates of some species.

However, the station shutdown is not the main cause in reduced annual abundance estimates of impinged organisms as is evidenced in the uniformity of reduced numbers prior to the shutdown. Based on analyses described in' previous annual reports, impingement on the OCNGS screens is largely a function of the abundance of organisms in Barnegat Bay. Given this premise, Bay populations may have been of reduced size during 1981-1982, due to some unknown environmental factors which would result in lower impingement estimates during the study period.

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