ML20127H617
| ML20127H617 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Monticello  |
| Issue date: | 05/07/1968 |
| From: | Price H US ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION (AEC) |
| To: | Mondale W SENATE |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9211180562 | |
| Download: ML20127H617 (5) | |
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llonorable Walter F. tbndale United States Senate
Dear Senator Fbniale:
Your mercrandum of thrch 11, 1968, to Office of Congressional Liaison, Atomic L.crgy Comission, concerning a telegram you received from
!Y. IronaN W. levine, dated February 24, 1968, has been referred to I am enclosing a brief report which describes our re6ulatory tr.
review pIncedure and the radiological effects to the environs expected as a result of operation of the bbnticello Nuclear Generating Plant.
In our review of the proposed Fbnticello Nuclear Generating Plant, all items relevant to radiological releases to the environs were con-sidered in detail by the regulatory staff and were found to be in accoMance with the limits set forth in the Ocmdssion's regulations, 10 CPR Part 20. It should also be noted that under present law the Conmission is vested with exclusive responsibility to rer,ulate radio-logical health and safety matters, inolthiing the establistrmnt of limits on radiological releases, in connection with the issuance of licenses to construct and operate nuclear power plants.
In addition to the booklet, " Licensing of Power Reactors," which is referenced in the attached report, I an also enclosing a copy of
" Atomic Power Safety," which describes the operation of the typical water cooled and moderated nuclcar power plants.
If you believe these booklets would be useful to your constituents, I would be gl.ad to i
furnish copies in quantity.
l Sincerely yours, (c,,A ip,% L:-@
Harold L. Price
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Director of Regulation
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Enclosures:
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REGULATION 'IO RF14DVE REERENCE 'ID kvine THERMAL EWECTS. See attached yellow for concurrences. Distribution attached.
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D. C. Fischer SECY (2)
N. Blunt DOS G. Ertter (DR-1643, GM # 83402 RUr PDR CCC (2)
Formal Eccket H. L. Price Suppl.
C. K. Beck REG Reading M. M. bhnn DRL Reading C. L. Henderson RPB-1 Reading R. L. Doan F. Wectern H. Shapar P. A. Morris OFFICE >
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Bonorable Walter F. Mondale United states Senate Dear Senator Hoadale Your memoranden of March 11, 1968, to Office of Congressional Liaison, Atomic F.nergy Coensission, concerning a telegram you received from Mr. Leonard W. Levine, dated February 24,:1968, has been referred to es.
I an enclosing a brief report which describes our reaulatory review procedure and the radiological effects to the environs cupected as a result of operation of the Monticello Euclear Generating Plant.
IThe substantive regulatory jurisdiction of the Atomic Energy Conniesion, under present lar, is limited essentially to matters of radiological health and safety and the common defense and security, and we now lack authority to. impose restrictions regarding thermal effecta of discharges from
. licensed nuclear facilities.
la this regard, in our review of the proposed Monticalle Weelear Generating Plant, all items relevant to radiological releases to the environs were con-sidered in detail by the regulatory staff and were found to be in aceerdanee with the limits set forth ta the rwasion's regulations,10 CFR Part 20.
It should aise be noted that under present law the Connaission La vested with esclusive responsibility to regulate radiological health and safety mattere, imeloding the establishment of limits-on radiological releases, in conmec-time with the issuance of licasses to construct and ' operate suelear power plante.
In addition to the booklet, " Licensing of Power Knactors" which --
is referenced in the attached report, I an also enclosing a copy.-
Honorable Walter F. Mondale '-
of "Ateste Power Safety" which describes the operation of the typical water cooled and moderated evalear power plants.
If you believe these booklete would be useful to your con-etituente, I would be glad to furnish copies in quantity.
/
Sincerely yours, Harold L. Price Director of Regulation 5
Enclosures:
- 1. Report
- 2. " Licensing of Power Reactors"
- 3. " Atomic Power safety"
- 4. Telegram froin L. W. Levine bec: EAGM AGMR AGM0 OCR, H St. (2)
SECY (2)
Distribution:
H. L. Price AEG Pub. Doc. Rm.
C. K. Beck Formal Docket M. M. Mann Suppl.
C. L. Henderson REG Reading R. L. Doan DRL Reading F. Western RPB-1 Reading H. Shapar P. A. Morris F. Schroeder R. S. Boyd D. R. Muller D. C. Fischer N. Blunt G. Ertter, REG (Reg. #1643, Gen.Mgr. #83402)
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RADIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF OPERATING THE MONTICELLO NUCLEAR GENERATING PLANT The application by Northern States Puwer Company for a permit to construct the Monticello plant was reviewed from the standpoint of radiological safety by f
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four bodies in the AEC's process of licensing and regulation, as outlined in
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the enclosed booklet, " Licensing of Power Reactors." These review groups includad the AEC regulatory staff, the Commission's statutory Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS), and an atomic safety and licensing board which conducted a public hearing in the matter on May 28, 1967, at Buffalo, Minnesota.
The initial decision of the board, granting a provisional construction permit, was th(
iewed by the Commission itself.
The construction permit was issued on Junc N
1967.
Each of these review bodies concluded that the proposed plant could be.onstructed and operated without undue risk to the health and safety of the public.
When the applicant completes the plant and applier for an operating license, further safety reviews will be conducted by the AEC regulatory staff and the ACRS. Thereaf ter, if an operating license is granted, the plant will be under AEC surveillance and undergo periodic safety inspections'throughout its lifetime.
During routine operation, very small amounts of radioactive materials generated in the nuclear processes may be released into the environment at controlled rates and in controlled amounts from a nuclear power plant.
This requires a con-tinuous program of monitoring and control to insure that permissible limits are not exceeded. The allowable limits in AEC regulations are based on guides developed by the Federal Radiation Council, a statutory body, and issued by the Pre:' dent for the guidance of Federal agencies.
These permissible limits are suc.. that continuous use at the point of release from the site would not result in exposures exceeding national and international standards for radiation protec-tion of the public. Permissible exposure limits reflected in these standards are well below the level where biological damage has been observed in humans.
It is l
believed that any biological effects that might be produced at such low exposures l
would be too infr'quent, in comparison with the occurrence of sit.lar effects from natural causes, to be observed by epidemiological or other techniques presently available. Thus, the risk to individuals exposed at such levels is so-low as to j
be negligible in comparison with observable risks from natural and other causes.
The concentrations of liquid radioactive effluents released from the plant are further reduced by dilution in the body. of water to which they are discharged. _
t A recent survey of all fourteen operating naciear power _ plants has shown that the concentrations of radioactivity in liquid releases during 1967 were only a small fraction of the permissible limits applicable to the radionuclides in the effluent.
In the case of the Monticello plant, the AEC's evaluations concluded that the design and operation of the radiological waste disposal system would preclude harmful effects on the water supplies of Minneapolis and St. Paul, the nearest communities using the Mississippi River for potable water.
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