ML20132C926
| ML20132C926 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 07/08/1985 |
| From: | Phyllis Clark GENERAL PUBLIC UTILITIES CORP. |
| To: | Asselstine J, Palladino N, Roberts T NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| References | |
| CON-#385-099, CON-#385-99 5211-85-2117, SP, NUDOCS 8509270186 | |
| Download: ML20132C926 (1) | |
Text
s GPU Nuclear Corporation
- Nuclear
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Middletown, Pennsylvania 1705 0 0191 717 944 7621 TELEX 84 2386 Writer's Direct Dial Number:
July 8, 1985 Y[.IS 5211-85-2117
'65 AS -5 /H :43 Nunzio J. Palladino, Chairman Thomas M. Roberts, Commissioner g"i ;, -
James K. Asselstine, Comissioner
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'x Frederick M. Bernthal, Commissioner
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Lando W. Zech, Jr., Comissioner U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1717 'H' Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.
20555 Gentlemen:
Three Mile Island Nuclear Station Unit 1 (TMI-1)
Operating License No. DPR-50 Docket No. 50-28959 Correction to Aamodt Response sent May 28, 1985 On May 28, 1985, we submitted to the Commission a Response to the Aamodts' allegations made May 22, 1985. Our letter number for this response was 5211-85-2105. This number is incorrect and should instead be 5211-85-2112.
Attached is a copy of the corrected letter, with the correct document number, which should replace all previous copies in any Commission, NRC, or public record files.
Very truly yours, 0
v P. R. Clark President PRC/JGB/spb cc:
E. L. Blake, Jr.
Attachment 0305A hDR 9
K DR P
GPU Nuclear Corporation is a subsidiary of the General Public Utilities Corporation
N GPU Nuclear Corporation NUCIMf 100lnrerpace pa kway r
Pars!ccany, New Jersey 07054 1149 (201)263-6500 TELEX 136 482 Writer s Direct Dial Numter May 28,1985 (201) 263-6797 5211-85-2112 Nunzio J. Palladino, Chairman Thomas M. Roberts, Commissioner James K. Asselstine, Commissioner Frederick M. Bernthal, Commissioner Lando W. Zech, Jr., Comissioner United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1717 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20555 Gentlemen:
RE: Three Mile Island Nuclear Station Unit 1 License No. DPR-50 Docket No. 50-289 The presentation to the Commission on May 22, 1985 by the Aamodts (and Dr. Johnson and Mr. Thcmpson who appeared at their request) included a number of statements which were presented as factual but which I am advised are either incorrect or misleading.
The thrust of the Aamodts' statement; i.e.,
that there are substantial health effects around TMI as a result of the operation of Thl-1 and the accident at TMI-2, is, as you know, contrary to the conclusions of all of the recognized scientific studies.
However, you and others may not be
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aware tnat many of the factual statements or allegations on this subject mace by the Aamodts are untrue.
Attached is an evaluation by my staff in conjunction with Dr. John A. Auxier, Head, Health Physics and Dosimetry Task Group of the Kemeny Commission, of four such statements and allegations.
The continued allegations by the Aamodts, regardless of thei r accuracy, are causing concern among the public.
The Aamodts made similar statements at a
press conference and briefing for the Pennsylvania congressional delegation the day before your meeting.
Thus, I wanted to immediately provide at least an initial response lest the allegations presented to you in a public meeting be given unwarranted credibility.
Very truly yours, t' 2. Cdaxb P. R. Clark President Attachment cc: E. Blake, Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge TMI-1 Service List GPU Nuclear Corpcratien is a sutscary cf General P%Cnc Uti!.es Cercorat cn
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- INITIAL EVALUATION OF SEVERAL STATEMENTS / ALLEGATIONS BY THE AAMODTS IN A PRESENTATION TO THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION ON MAY 22, 1985 1.
STATEMENT / ALLEGATION:
Transuranic radionuclides found in the TMI-2 auxiliary building Reference was made to the existence of transuranics in the air in the auxiliary building a year after the accident.
The Aamodts are referring to an eight-day air sample taken in November 1979 in the TMI-2 auxiliary building.
The sample was analyzed by Lovelace Inhalation Toxicology Laboratory
(" Characterization of An Aerosol Sample from the Auxiliary Building of the Three Mile Island Reactor", by George M. Kanapilly, et al, Health Physics Journal, Vol. 45, No. 5, pp. 981-982, November 1983).
Investigators found thirteen alpha disintegrations per minute for a one million ' liter sample of air.
This corresponds to one six-millionth of a picocurie per liter of air, a level less than five one-hundredths of one percent (.0S%) of the allcwable worker level in the building.
Thus, even in the auxiliary building, the level of transuranics was negligible.
Furthemore, there is _ no basis for the Aamodts' assumption that any radionuclides that might have been in the auxiliary building air were released to the outside ' environment.
The building filtration system effectively removed all particulate matter in the exhaust stream.
This was confimed by the off-site monitoring stations which have always been in place and showed no level s above nomal environmental background level s.
The data are provided in reports submitted to the NRC.
2.
STATEMENT / ALLEGATION:
Air samples not counted for alpha radioactivity The Aamodts ma_intained that during the accident, personnel were precluded from measuring samples for alpha radinactivity.
This is incorrect.
Air particulate samples from the station vent and eight environmental stations (off site) were routinely collected and analyzed for aloha radioactivity prior to, during, and following the TMI-2 accident.
The results of the sampling program have been and still are being provided in routine reports submitted to the NRC.
No alpha activity beyond expected background levels has ever been detected'off site.
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STATEMENT / ALLEGATION:
Inadequate alpha monitoring by the Environmental Protection Agency As further confirmation that no TMI-generated alpha radionuclides exist in the environment, the Environmental, Protection-Agency (EPA) perfomed specific surveys of off-site residerices in August 1984.
These surveys were 'in addition to the routine monitoring program and were perfomed at the request of the NRC-TMI Program Office.
Contrary to the Aamodts' suggestion, the methodology employed did not preclude detection of r
2 transurancis.
The monitoring was performed at locations where elevated radiation ' levels had been reported by Mr. and Mrs. Aamodt.
Specifically, the EPA took direct radiation measurements, soil samples, and water samples at three private homes which had been identified by the Aamodts as having elevated radiation levels.
In all cases, the EPA found that specific alpha radionuclides were below detection limits or. within levels normally found in the environment.
In addition, all beta / gamma level s found during the sampling were comensurate with levels normally found in the environment.
[ Letter from W. P. Kirk (EPA) to W. D. Travers (NRC),
Subject:
" Report of EPA Surveys and Radioassays on the West Shore of Susquehanna River Pertaining to Reports by Marjorie and Nonnan Aamodt of -
Elevated Radiation Levels", dated February 25, 1985).
4 STATEMENT / ALLEGATION:
Plume touchdown was not considered in the off-site dose estimates The Aamodts asserted that the plume containing radioactive contaminants from TMI-2 at the time of the accident touched down in particular off-site locations and that this phenomenon was not taken into account.
In fact, the mathematical models used to estimate doses to individuals and the population considered atmospheric dispersion, isotopic release rates, meteo.rological parameters, and topography.
Therefore, tney properly modeled the predicted movement of the plume, including its " touchdown", if predicted conditions caused that resul t.
The effect of using such detailed modeling is that off-site dose estimates that have been conducted include consideration of the phenomenon of " plume touchdown".
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