ML20125D045

Responds to Re Us Highway Number 61 Committee Concerning Federal Govt Responsibilities to Regulate Operation of Nuclear Plants.Nrc Requires Each Power Reactor to Operate in Compliance W/Ol & Appended Tech Specs

ML20125D045
Person / Time
Site:	Prairie Island
Issue date:	11/15/1979
From:	Gossick L NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO)
To:	Boschwitz R SENATE
References
NUDOCS 8001130130
Download: ML20125D045 (3)

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Docket t'os. 50-282 and 50-306

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. The Ho.norable Rudy Boschwitz ,

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• United States Senate Washington, D. C. 20515 [:.

Dear Senator Boschwitz:

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, Your letter of ' June 27, 1979 to the Department of Energy, regarding the h letter of t'ay 18, 19.79 to you from the U. S. Highway fio. 61 Comittee k (the Committee) has been referred to the f!RC for reply. ,

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In their letter, the Committee says "Ve believe the Federal government's duty and responsibility is to: F p

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1. Regulate the plant's operation.

2. Regulate the disposal of spent fuel, t.

3. Regulate a safe evacuation ' route of citizens affected by any energency.

(a) The U. 'S. highways #61 in Minnesota and #10 and #63 in Misconsin are inferior roads for fast evacuation routes.

. 4. Provide signals of h catastrophe to alert the citizens. lg:.

5. Provide safe and adequate roads to evacuate the endangered area, which will comply with Federal safety standards."

Our response to this statement follows: 90018215 e EE

1. The flRC requires each commercial power reactor facility ($ ,

E including Prairie Island Units 1 and 2 to operate in full - . l 1

compliance with an tPC issued operating license and appended, [

Tect.nical Specifications. p y

These Technical Specifications set liniting conditions of i cperation and surveillance requirements in order to assure l safe oneration of the plant. In addition the IT.C's Office of l Inseection and Enforcenent conducts inspections of these plants >

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MP.C FOR.M 316 (9 76) NRCM 0240 M u.a. oov a a == = av Pa'avia* osc s i * *'s s.s . s e e v

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Senator Boschwitz- . h

2. The Federal government also recognizes its responsibility to '

regulate the storage or disposal of spent fuel that is generated in nuclear reactors. The most recent publication on this subject is the Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement i.E on Handling and Storage of. Spent Light Water Power Reactor

- Fuel, U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, August 1979 (copy pll t

' enclosed). 'The safety of the spent fuel while stored at the [#

Prairie Island. plant is covered by the NRC operatin~g licenses issued ~'

S for these two units. g

3. The flP.C does not have authority to directly regulate the quality of designated evacuation routes since this is a direct respon-sibility of the State and local officials with Federal funding assistance. in accordance with existing laws as imolemented Ho9ever, we have by the U. S. Department of Transportation.

begun a program involving the licensee and State and local governments which should result in the better definition of suitable safe' evacuation routes as well as in the upgrading of other pertinent features of energency preparedness. This b..

program involves a cooperative effort between the ffP.C, the

!!orthern States Power Company, the States of Minnesota and f;i Wisconsin, and the local authorities, including the U. S. Highway F No. 61 Improvement Committee. This program for the Prairie Island Plant is expected to begin with an area visit by the NRC [

staff and' a meeting with all the above named organizations and . [

the general public. The current schedule would have that visit T

,!Z occur early in 1980. . L I trust that this has been responsive to your reauest. [

,k sincerely, i 6p.mmAL SCED Di R C- I Lee V. Cossick Executive Director for Operations F.

Enclosure:

F As Stated  : 1 90018216 ,

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• N2C FORM 318 (9 76) NRCM 0240 ..............'"..'...,....,,',","....'.,,,"s 8 v.s.**vraa=sa b.

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Distribution Docket E11es 50-282/306 G.Ertter'(ED0-07232)

NRC PDAs (2) M. Jambor Local PDR M. Stine ED0 Rdg J. Butts NRR Rdg C. Parrish

'0RBl Rdg , TERA L. Gossick NSIC

, H. Denton M. Groff -

E. Case D. Eisenhut

, W. Gammill B. Grimes A. Schwencer

.M. Grotenhuis

.I&E (3) '

Attorney, OELD 90018217 9

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NRR OCA EDO I HRDenton LVGossick l 10/ /79 10/ /79 10/ /7 .1

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fD D O D' 0 4i) n t t o O $ u 3 Senator Boschwitz .

2. The Federal ' government also . recognizes its responsibility to "

regulate the storage or disposal of ~ spent fuel that is generated in . nuclear reactors. The most recent publication on this ,

subject is the Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement on Handling and Storage of Spent Light Water' Power Reactor ig

' Fuel, U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,' August 1979 (copy -

?~

- enclosed). The safety of the spent fuel while stored at the =

Prairie Island plant is covered by the NRC operating licenses issued ~ '

for these two units.

3. The HRC does not' have authority to directly regulate the quality of designated evacuation routes since this is a direct respon-sibility of the State and local officials with Federal funding assistance in accordance with existing laws as inplenented g

.q by the U. 'S. Department of Transportation. HoGever, we have l

begun a program involving the licensee and State and local p pi~

governments v;hich should result in the better definition of suitable safe evacuation routes as well as in the upgrading of other pertinent features of energency preparedness. This program involves a cooperative effort between the t'RC, the ,ii j...

Morthern States Power Company, the States of Minnesota and Wisconsin, and the local authorities, including the U. S. Highway is JE No. 61 Improvement Connittee. This' program for the Prairie 'i Island Plant is expected to begin with an area visit by the NRC staff and a meeting with all the above named organizations and .  :.

the general public. The current schedule would have that visit 4 occur early in 1980. ,

I trust that this has been responsive to your request. Dj::

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e Sineerely, ,

p th'.

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[:i Lee V. Cossick Executive Director for Operations [.

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Enclosure:

As Stated  : \

90018218

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