ML20136C410

Responds to Encl to Jm Hendrie Expressing Opinion on TMI-2 Incident,Nuclear Power & Closing of B&W Reactors. Describes NRC Actions Re Revising Operating Procedures, Plant Mods & Addl Personnel Training

ML20136C410
Person / Time
Site:	Three Mile Island
Issue date:	08/14/1979
From:	Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Perez A AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED
References
NUDOCS 7909240205
Download: ML20136C410 (8)

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Ms. Angel A.' Perez -

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Dear Ms. Perez:

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< 4 l Your recent letter to Chairman ~Hendrie conc'erning'the accident at Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 2 was referred to this office for response. ,We appreciate your concerns ~and. assure you that every effort is being made to

' ensure the continued protection of the health and safety of the public not only at the Three Mile Island Nuclar Station,.but also at all nuclear plants.

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We have taken or are taking a number'of actions with respect to all nuclear power plants as a result of the Three Mile Island accident. Specifically, '

full-time inspectors have been assigned to each operating plant. utilizing Babcock & Wilcox pressurized water reactors like those at Three Mile Island.

In adddition, the licensees of all these plants which were not already shut down have voluntarily shut doen their plants. We have issued confirmatory orders to the licensees of all Br.bcock & Wilcox reactors like those at Three

/ Mile Island to assure /that necersary plant modifications,' additional training and revised operating procedures will be. effected prior to resuming operation.

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I Licensees of all operating plants utilizing pressurized water reactors have been instructed to take. specific actions with regard to the status of certain equipment, plant procedures, operator actions and facility designs. Licensees

{ of all operating plants, including those utilizing boiling water reactors, have j' been instructed to provide us with additional information with regard to their facili~ ties in light of the Three Mile Island accident.- In addition, substan-tial effort"is being expended within this agency to evaluate the factors which contributed to the Three Mile Island accident and to prevent a similar occur-

• ence in the future..., , *

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We will carefully review all the information obtained and developed as a result of the Three Mile Island accident and take whatever further action is deemed appropriate.

7909240 2 C f l

.With respect to waste disposal, the Nuclear Regulatory Commision was given l regulatory authority over the storage and disposal of all commercially-generated l

' radioactive wastes upon'its creation in 1974 by the Energy Reorganization Act. '

Totimplement this authority and to prnvide guidance to the Departmert of Energy

. the industry and the public. we, are developing new or revised regulatory

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guidelines will. require conformance with a. fixed set of minimum acceptable per-

< , formance standards (technit:al, social and environmental) for was'te managem 1, activities while providing for flexibility in technological approach. Ther2 i standards and guidelines wil be designed to. assure public health ar.d safety and ,.'

protection.of the environment. ,

In additiion, the Department of Energy has been pursuing a program des.1gned to accomodate the anticipated.need .for disposal of high-level'. waste or spent. fuel- _ ~

that is expect'ed to accumulate as the' nuclear power industry continues to grow. ' -?J This' program includes, among other things, plans to develop several operations for disposal of high-level wastes in stable geological formations. The purpose of '

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! these facilities would be to demonstrate the acceptability of a specific geologi -

l cal formation for permanent disposal-of high-level and transuranic wastes. These f facilities would be* treated as permanent disposal repositories. The Department of l Energy is now awaiting Presidential direction of policy and plans which will occur following completion of studies recommended by an interagency task force formed by the President. There are several methods of high-level waste disposal which are

', technologically feasible. The Department of Energy is expected to continue to investigate options to determine whether superior disposal alternatives can be

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Harold R. Denton. Director

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. ini. cu , i t. ne t. n net t.l.. . e ,r 1: n. r ni . wh i . h Ir. nu- r ,! .I i..ver totelen:

ene rcy , rati.er the education of the general put.I i - nr4 . t. petition you and ot.her o ffice:- for a murat<,rium on a ll now conct,ru ti.m '

I" 'i thocouch review of exictio; structurec is cur.pleted. We alco requert th9 ' Le dinp<:.m1 of opent nuclear rods and other wacte ta me re carefull:/ ti " ht :t "na' n the past.

^ur concern stem: from the ren t.ity tl.nt thin "ac Dient" m. *mt :rpoced to have occurred. ~ rthermore, the tremendcuc amount c,f conf 1! ' 'n.: :rinir.us by the " experts" confcunded and f;-ightened recidents in and around the 1: '

M il e raland plant.

Tu rn l: , bacP. the clock is not poncible, heww/"r, o t u r' st- n::t 0; guaranteed by an independent arency ac Unr ac saitty is concernr ! 'nd "

L'e !ccated in desolate a rea c . Population de'icity ctandardo must tv er i no hi. '. t pric rity.

Nr futurec depend upon intelli.;ent planninc rer'tedinc ' r F'/ , nud cur lives as well oc the livec of future generationc depend up .n a " icn t' n e t. .

Your reponce to the underninned in reques:,ed.

Very truly vcarc, t; .t." tr u.

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Out future t epend ope:1 intellie:ent planning regar lin mer y, m;d cur lives as wel].

as the liven of future generaticns depend uprn sat:en t: . nc <' .

Ycur repense to the undercigned is requested.

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'm con mrn -tems fron,t.he reality that thi.., "a- 'dmTt"  : nct urpc ced to have oe-urr I. Fu r",he rmo rr , the t r< ernlou r amoun t .if n i'i ' r?'ni na by the " experts" confctu.ded und f:*lght>>ned reciden te in and 'arr und the -

' ' lt i., land plant.

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• rvtority.

Our futurec dep nd open intelli :ent planning ren riline .. '. nnd our lives ac weli or tho J ive:* r.f futu re genorn tione depend upon n l.ic n ' e new.

Your reponce to the underci;;ned is requected.

'/ery truly yourc, r;.~ n: ,,,

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Ja r cc,nec rn : t em n l' rt .n the rea li ty L!.u L t!. i . "2."

. nff wt .otpened Lu have oc urre 1 - u r!.h e r no rr . tho t r< mond..n n omc.nn t, o r , n t" pinl~nn by the " experts" cenfounded und f: icht( ned recidenLa in and a ri .und t.he L- !aland plunt.

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N ur repence to the undernigned 10 requested.

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April 4, 1979 Dr. Joseph Hendrie Chairman Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555

Dear Sir:

Needless to say, the events that have transpired over the last week have promoted extreme concern and anxiety amidst the residents of Middletown, Pa., and surrounding areas, as well as for all those living in the U.S. and in fact, the world.

Indeed, it is not a matter of ignorance which has caused great alarm over nuclear energy, rather the education of the general public urging us to petition you and other offices for a moratorium on all new construction while a thorough review of existing structures is completed. We also request that the disposal of spent nuclear rods and other waste be more carefully thought out than in the past.

Our concern stems from the reality that this " accident" was not supposed to have occurred. Furthermore, the tremendous amount of conflicting opinions by the " experts" confounded and frightened residents in and archnd the Three Mile Island plant.

Turning back the clock is not possible, however, future plants must be guaranteed by an independent agency as far as saity is concerned and must be located in desolate areas. Population density standards must be of the highest priority.

Our futures depend upon intelligent planning regarding energy, and our lives as well as the lives of future generations depend upon action taken now.

Your reponse to the undersigned is requested.

Very truly yours, NAME ADDPISS

/ 4gg 141979 i

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. . i i-1 Ms. Angel A. Perez 26-43 18 Street .

. Astoria, NY 11102 -

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Dear Ms. Perez:

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Your recent letter to Chairman Hendrie conc'erning the accident at Three Mile i Island Nuclear Station, Unit 2 was referred to this office for response. We 1 appreciate your concerns ~and assure you that every effort is being made to ensure the continued protection of the health and safety of the public not only at the Three Mile Island Nuclar Station, but also at all nuclear plants.

We have taken or are taking a number of actions with respect to all nuclear power plants as a result of the Three Mile Island accident. Specifically, full-time inspectors have been assigned to each operating plant utilizing Babcock & Wilcox pressurized water reactors like those at Three Mile Island.

In adddition, the licensees of all these plants which were not already shut down have voluntarily shut down their plants. We have issued confirmatory-orders to the licensees of all Babcock & Wilcox reactors like those at Three Mile Island to assure that necessary plant modifications, additional training and revised operating procedures will be effected prior to resuming operation. . j Licensees of all operating plants utilizing pressurized water reactors have l been instructed to take specific actions with regard to the status of certain equipment, plant procedures, operator actions and facil' y designs. Licensees of all operating plants, including those utilizing boil F1 water reactors, have been instructed to provide us with additional informat' tith regard to their facilities in light of the Three Mile Island accident addition, substan-tial effort 'is being expended within this agency to 1 the factors which  !

contributed to the Three Mile Island accident an ' '

• a similar occur-ence in the future.

We will carefully review all the information obtair developed as a result of the Three Mile Island accident and take whatever er action is deemed appropriate.

With respect to waste disposal, the Nuclear Regul.itory Canniston was given

'. regulatory authority over the storage and disposal of all commercially-generated radioactive wastes upon its creation.in 1974 by the Energy Reorganization Act.

To implement this authority and to provide guidance to the Department of Energy the industry and the public, we. are developing new or revised regulatory a ve nus s p a anu yuiucignca sus ausa p6viewc anu utppumal. 6ucaq abanuar us anu l

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Ms. Angel A. Perez , g)G l' l . .

guidelines will require conformance with a fixed set of minimum acceptable per-formance standards (technical, social and environmental) for waste management activities while providing for flexibility in technological approach. These ,

standards and guidelines wil be designed to assure public health and safety and protection of the environment.

In addition, the Department of Energy has been pursuing a prop'am designed ~to accommodate the anticipated need for disposal of high-level was'e or spent fuel that is expected to accumulate as the nuclear power industry continues to grow.

This program includes, among other things, plans to develop several operations for disposal of high-level wastes in stable geological formations. The purpose of ,

these facilities would be to demonstrate the acceptability of a specific geologi- l cal formation for permanent dispos'al-of high-level and transuranic wastes. These  !

facilities would be' treated as permanent disposal repositories. The Department of l Energy is now awaiting Presidential direction of policy and plans which will occur I following completion of studies recomended by an interagency task force formed by the President. There are several methods of high-level waste disposal which are technologically feasible. The Department of Energy is expected to continue to j investigate options to determine whether superior disposal alternatives can be j developed.

Sincerely, Original signed by

\ E G. Case ,

. rold R. Denton, Director ,l

. Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation l

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