ML20132D112
| ML20132D112 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 07/19/1985 |
| From: | Dircks W NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Donnelly B HOUSE OF REP. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20132D116 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8507310209 | |
| Download: ML20132D112 (13) | |
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iMRTHE71HL RMBernero RAB' READING FILE DRMuller PDR FJCongel PPAS ODTLynch JUL 191985 EDO 000741 RJSerbu EDO READING FILE LMulley SECY NO: 85-493 #00741 OCA CPaul WJDircks KPulsipher HRDenton DEisenhut The Honorable Brian Donnelly
. United States House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Congressman Donnelly:
I am pleased to respond to your letter of May 30, 1985 to Carlton Kannuer, regarding our current efforts to reduce radiation exposure levels encountered on a daily basis by nuclear power plant workers.
A comprehensive sunnary of our efforts to ensure radiation protection in nuclear power plants is provided in the enclosure.
I trust this information indicates our interest and intent to maintain working personnel and public exposure to radiation and radioactivity as low as is reasonably achievable (ALARA) in conformance with our regulations.
Thank you for your inquiry and concern.
Sincerely,
(;;peVf,Uiam L Did8 William J. Dircks Executive Director for Operations
Enclosure:
Nuclear. Regulatory Commission Radiation Protection '
Programs For Nuclear Power Plants, including NUREG/CR-3469 and NUREG/CR-4254 m
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- SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE D:ED 4 atw gyn OFC :DSI:RAB* :DSI:RAB* :DSI:RAB* :AD:RP* :D:DSl* :DD:NRR* :D:
"NAME :RJSerbu:sj :0DTLynch .:FJCongel :DRMuller :RMBernero :DEisenhut :HR . ton DATE :07/01/85 :07/01/85 :07/01/85 07/01/85 : :07/09/85 :07/15/85 :07/ ./85 l OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
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DISTRIBUTION:
MNf5CTIEE5-RMBernero RAB READING FILE DRMuller POR FJCongel PPAS ODTLynch EDO 000741 RJSerbu E00 READING FILE LMulley SECY N0: 85-493 #00741 OCA CPaul WJDir;ks KPulsipher HRDenton DEisenhut
_The Honorable Brian Donnelly United States House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Congressman Donnelly:
I am pleased to respond to your letter of May 30, 1985 to Carleton Kammerer, regarding our current efforts to reduce radiation exposure levels encountered
, on a daily basis by nuclear power plant workers.
A comprehensive sumary of our efforts to ensure radiation protection in nuclear power plants is provided in the enclosure.
I trust this information indicates our interest and intent to maintain working personnel and public exposure to radiation and radioactivity as low as is reasonably achievable (ALARA) in conformance with our regulations.
Thank you for your inquiry and concern.
Sincerely, (Signed) William L Di@
William J.'Dircks Executive Director for Operations
Enclosure:
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Radiation Protection Programs For Nuclear Power Plants, including NUREG/CR-3469 and NUREG/CR-4254
- SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE D:EDO WJDircks 07/ /85 0FC :DSI:RAB* :DSI:RAB* :DSI:RAB* :AD:RP* :D:DSI* :DD:NRR :D:NRR
_____:.___________:____________:____________:.. _________:____________:__ _y_____.___________
.NAME :RJSerbu:sj :00TLynch :FJCongel :DRMuller :RM8ernero :DE 1 :HRDenton t______.___________
_ _ _ :07/01/85
'DATE __:__ _ _:07/01/85
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- 07/\ _ : _ ./85 0FFICIAL RECORD COPY u
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DISTRIBUTION:
CENTRAL FILES RMBernero RAB READING FILE DRMuller PDR FJCongel PPAS ODTLynch ED0 000741 RJSerbu EDO READING FILE LMulley SECY NO: 85-493 #007417/c OCA CPaul The Honorable Brian Donnelly WJDircks PBrandenberg United States House of Representatives HRDenton Courtesy Copy Washington, D.C. 20515 DEisenhut /( fu45/P//g{
Dear Representative Donnelly:
I am pleased to respond to your letter of May 30, 1985 to Carleton Kammerer, regarding our current efforts to reduce radiation exposure levels encountered on a daily basis by nuclear power plant workers.
A comprehensive suninary of our efforts to ensure radiation protection in nuclear power plants is provided in the Attachment.
I trust this information indicates our interest and intent to maintain working personnel and public exposure to radiation and radioactivity as iow as is reasonably achievable (ALARA) in conformance with our regulations.
Thank you for your inquiry and concern.
Sincerely, (3?ptd WCir. J. D' ds Willir..a J. Dircks Exec;tive Director of Operations
Enclosures:
- 2. NUREG/CR-4254 D:ED0 WJDircks Af% M i 1
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- D:DSI :DD:NRR :D:NRR OFC :D ? :DSI RAB :071: R/ 3 :AD:RP
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NAME :RJ e :sj :0 TL h yFC d jel. ____:
- ___ b ____:: RMBerr r'_ :DEisenhut :HRDenton
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION RADIATION PROTECTION PROGRAMS FOR NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS c
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has several significant efforts underway, or pending, directed at reducing occupational exposure levels encountered on a daily basis by nuclear power plant workers. Additionally, the NRC is cooperating with a number of industry efforts to devise systems and practices to reduce potential radiation exposures in nuclear power plants.
These efforts to reduce occupational radiation exposures to workers at power reactors encompass the following:
(1) During the licensing process, licensee radiation protection programs are reviewed by NRC staff health physicists to insure that measures to keep occupational radiation exposures as low asreasonablyachievable(ALARA)areincorporatedinthelicensee's radiation protection program.
(2) Operating reactor radiation protection programs are routinely inspected in all areas by Regional health physics inspectors.
(3) In order to achieve mutual goals of excellence in radiation protection programs at power reactors, the NRC has entered into ,
a cooperative agreement with the Institute for Nuclear Power L
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Operations (INP0 - an industry group). The NRC will evaluate industry performance under this program.
(4) The NRC assesses licensee performance in radiation protection through non-routine health physics team appraisals.
(5) The SALP (Systematic Assessment of Licensee Performance) process provides an integrated assessment of licensee performance in radiation protection based on inspections and licensing actions.
(6) The NRC collects and disseminates information specifically aimed at reducing individual and collective radiation exposures in the field.
(7) Senior NRC managers, speaking in public forums, have advocated that industry strive to reouce occupational exposures to workers to ALARA levels.
(8) The NRC is cooperating with several industry groups in radiation protection research to minimize duplication of effort and maximize the return on research expenditures in this area and related areas. _
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The following summaries provide additional details outlining these efforts: '
(1) All re~cently licensed power reactors, and those currently under construction and undergoing licensing reviews, are required to incorporate radiation protection design features in their facility design which are directed at keeping radiation exposures for both workers and the general public as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA),
during routine' operations, normal and special maintenance, and the eventual decommissioning of the facility. NRC staff health physicists review each licensee's proposed ALARA measures during the design and construction stages for compliance with detailed NRC criteria (i.e.
Regulatory Guide 8.8 and Standard Review Plan). The staff additionally evaluates the radiation protection organization, management, equipment, facilities, and training programs to assure that licensees possess the capability to implement an effective radiation protection program incorporating the ALARA concept. These staff reviews are documented in Safety Evaluation Reports prepared by the NRC for each facility.
(2) Licensee commitments for radiation protection and ALARA measures, as well as compliance with the Commission's radiation protection requiraments in 10 CFR Part 20, are inspec+.ed at the reactor sites by Regional health physics inspectors during routine and scheduled preoperational and operational inspections. NRR health physicists
7 also conduct a site visit to review design features, equipment, C
facility layouts, personnel qualifications, and ALARA programs during the licensing process. Preoperational inspections verify that radiation protection design features are incorporated into the facility as required by the NRP and described by the license applicant in their Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR), and that the radiation protection program is adequate to assure radiation safety during initial operation of the plant. Subsequent post-criticality inspections by the Regions verify compliance with NRC radiation protection requirements of 10 CFR Part 19, 20, and 50; certain Technical Specifications, and commitments made by the licensee. These inspections follow l
standardized inspection modules covering all areas of radiation protection and ALARA.
(3) Cooperative agreements with industry have also led to a significant effort to reduce radiation exposures to power reactor workers. The NRC staff, undt Commission guidance, has entered into a cooperative agreement with the Institute for Nuclear Power Operations (INPO),
which represents every U.S. nuclear utility. Under a blanket i NRC/INP0 agreement, a " Coordination Plan for Radiological Protection Activities" has been jointly developed, whereby the NRC would l
recognizeINP0effortsinevduationandassistanceinradiation :
protection at nuclear utilities, where these efforts are effective and consistent with NRC regulatory responsibilities. INPO, over the period of 3/83 to 3/85, has sought to establish standards of excellence in radiation protection and ALARA which would result in successful ALARA-integrated radiation protection programs on an overall basis in the power reactor industry. INP0 has developed and introduced a number of criteria for excellence, and has identified and promulgated many " good practices" for radiation protection programs and ALARA measures to the industry. The NRC staff will evaluate the results of this INP0/ industry effort (by 9/85), using the trends of a number of parameters in radiation protection, such as average annual radiation dose per facility, numbers of overexposures (if any), and other performance and management indicators. Initial indications, based on preliminary trends from eleven different criteria, appear to show an improving trend in industry, and indicate that some of the improvement may be due to INP0's efforts.
(4) The NRC staff conducts other non-routine inspections in the areas of radiation protection and ALARA, primarily from the Regional offices.
These have included team inspections composed of several health physics inspectors, and their purpose is to evaluate overall performance 9
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in radiation protection, not merely to assess compliance with :
regulations. The Regions also continue to follow up on licensee commitments stemming from the NRC's Health Physics Appraisal Program, conducted in 1981-1982. This appraisal was performance-based and, in conjunction with follow-up efforts, has been one of the major influences in improved performance in radiation protection and ALARA at power reactors. Additionally, the Office of Inspection and Enforcement sends out Performance Appraisal Teams (PAT) to assess licensee performance in all areas, including radiation protection.
(5) A Systematic Assessment of Licensee Performance (SALP), which encompasses radiation protection performance, is conducted periodi-cally for cach power reactor facility. This SALP is based on inspec-tion results and licensee management response to NRC requirements and staff concerns during various licensing actions.
(6) Information, technologies and experience which can be used to reduce cumulative and individual occupational exposures at power reactors are documented and disseminated to the industry by the NRC. This information is gererally provided as regulatory guides and "NUREG" technical reports. Some recent and current examples are NUREG/
j CR-3540, " Radiological Assessment of Steam Generator Repair and t
Replacement", and pending contract B-2538, " Radiological Assessment of BWR Primary System Pipe Crack Repair and Replacement." Both of these efforts, contracted through Pacific Northwest Laboratories, describe in detail the radiation protection measures employed during major reactor repair efforts, and encompass radiation protection training, task planning and management, applicable technologies, ALARA dose methods and techniques, radioactive waste control, and personnel surveillance and monitoring.
Other current contracts with Brookhaven National Laboratry (BNL) are aimed at specific dose reduction measures applicable to particular high dose maintenance tasks at power reactors. BNL has also sponsored several national and international dose reduction /ALARA conferences in conjunction with NRC contract responsibilities. Two contract NUREG's reflecting NRC's efforts to publicize dose reduction measures are attached.
(7) Senior NRC managers, speaking in public forums, have advocated a strong industry effort to support ALARA radiation protection concepts.
Harold Denton, Director of the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, speaking at an Atomic Industrial Forum ALARA conference in October of 1984, reviewed recent industry occupational dose trends and challenged the power reactor industry to reduce overall average doses at power reactors by 20% over two years. At an American Nuclear L
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Society conference a few months later, Victor Stello, the NRC's Deputy Executive Director for Regional Operations and Generic Requirements, similarly addressed ALARA radiation protection.
(8) In research areas related to radiation protection, such as reactor plant chemistry and maintenance, the NRC has cooperated with industry to avoid duplication of effort to maximize the effect of research expenditures, consistent with NRC regulatory responsibilities. This includes cooperation with and recognition of dose reduction and dose analysis studies by the Atomic Industrial Forum (AIF), the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and various light water reactor owner's groups and independent design review groups (IDRG's).
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- *L s 4 ..,yn ajuq{o,, UNITED STATES 3 o NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION h E WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 S.,*****/ ED0 PRINCIPAL CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL FROM: DUE: 07/03/85 EDO CONTROL: 000741 DOC DT: 05/30/85 REP. BRIAN DONNELLY FINAL REPLY:
TO:
CARLTON KAMMERER FOR SIGNATURE OF: ** GREEN ** SECY NO: 85-493 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DESC: ROUTINO:
REQUEST UPDATE OF ACTIVITIES IN AREA OF PLANT WORKER SAFETY, EFFORTS UNDERWAY OR CONTEMPLATED TO REDUCE RADIATION EXPOSURE LEVELS ENCOUNTERED ON A DAILY BASIS BY NUCLEAR POWER PLANT WORKERS DATE: 06/19/05 g CONTACT: gj%
ASSIONED TO: FIINuuUE CPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS: MC x3*g*
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- RepBrianbonnelly CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET
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SECY "NLMER.'85-493 LOGGING DATE: 6/18/85 0FFICE OF THE SECRETARY ACTION OFFICE: ED0 AUTHOR: Rep 8rian Donnelly AFFILIATION: U. S House of Representatives LETTEA DATE: 5/30/85 FILE CODE:
ADORESSEE: OCA
SUBJECT:
Req update of the Com's activities in the are of plant work safety--ways to reduce radiation exposure etc; ACTION: Direct Reply.. Suspense: June 27 OISTRIBUTION: OCA to Ack SPECIAL MANDLING: None
$!GNATURE DATE: FOR THE C300!55 ION: Champ Rec'd oat .. 0ff..I .iEbO f.
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