ML20138G373

Requests That W Spring Concerns Re Declining Performance Trend at Point Beach Nuclear Plant in Two Rivers,Wi,Be Investigated

ML20138G373
Person / Time
Site:	Point Beach
Issue date:	04/02/1997
From:	Feingold R SENATE
To:	Rathbun D NRC OFFICE OF CONGRESSIONAL AFFAIRS (OCA)
Shared Package
ML20138G352	List: ML20138G348 ML20138G373
References
NUDOCS 9705060276
Download: ML20138G373 (8)

Text

.' RUSSELL D. FEINGOLD couwma oN m Juoiemv

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April 2, 1997 Nuclear Regulatory Commission Dennis Rathbun Director, Office of Congressional Affairs Washington, DC 20555-0001

Dear Mr. Rathbun:

i My office has been contacted by Mrs. Winifred Spring who has concerns regarding the declining performance trend at Point Beach Nuclear Plant in Two Rivers, Wisconsin.

Mrs. Spring believes that this decline poses an extreme risk not only to the personal health and safety of area residents, but also to the ecological conditions of this lakeshore region.

While the NRC has, duly acknowledged the trend, Mrs. Spring would like to see more attention given to this matter and more action taken towards its resolve.

Please investigate Mrs. Spring's concerns and respond to Jeri Gabrielson in niy Milwaukee office.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely, 1

Russell D.

Feingold United States Senator 1

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Jert Gabrielson U.S. Senator Russ Feingold 517 E. Wisconsin Ave., Suite 408 Milwaukee, WI 53202 Any problem with transmission, please call 414/276-7282. Our FAX number is 414/276-7284.

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04/21/97 MON 08:25FEX4142767384 SENATOR FEINGOLD MIID

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Electnc PONER COMPANY Point Beoch Nuclear Plant 6610 Nuclear Rd., Two hers. WI 5424i January 31,1957 (414) 755-2321

Dear Neighbor,

formally notifying management of a declining pe Nuclear Plant. While plant operations adequately protect public health and safety, it is clear that our recent performance is not up to our standards or t NRC's.

NRC, to take early corrective actions before concer work toward this common improvement goal until we mee We have put the president of the company, Richard Grigg, in direct charge nuclear operations, and we have hired expert consultants to help us make the operational adjustments as quickly as possible.

As a Point Beach neighbor, we want you to be aware of these development of our desire to achieve a new level of excellence at Point Beach as quic possible.

If you have any questions, please call me at 755-6214 or Lauretta Krema-Ol at 755-8400.

Sincerely, Gill Scott Patuiski Site Vice President p.s W /

A subsMary of Hisvnsin Engr Cwpwrtxm

~04/21/97 MON 08:25 FAX 414 276 7284 SF.N4 TOR FE1NC01.D Mll.w

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_ SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1.1997 80sifdNhM MILWAUKEEJOURNALSENilNEL i

Plant /Xew m

More Point Beach th

• $ ao b

i problems found 6:1 1

Stung by continued criticisms, Richard R. Grigg, presidtht of ilucirr regulators say members criticized Wisconsin the a8ency's Midwest Region-Wisconsin Electric, told the NRC

inspection turned up Electric Power Co., owner of al office.

that fixing the plant's pr (1ew saf;ty VIOlatgons was the most important is ms i

the plant, for a number of The findings were the result technical and management of snecial_on-site visits at the the com any - even more im-troubles that have plagued the~ plant and at Wisconsin Elec-

• f0"""8er of arent Wi&8 t

the proposedTbti-I facility.

tric headquarters in Milwau-By Lt.s Bracoutst "If you don't believe that kee Dec. 2 to Dec. 20.

Energy Corp.Pand Noilfiltn i

i of theloumalsentinelstaff you have problems here, if

'Ihe inspections produced States Power Co. of Minneap%is.

there is not a complete buy-in about a; dozen potential new Point Beach has had angvi.

Two Creeks - Federal nu-to the troubles here, then you violations that could mean able safety record for yf;ars, tr regulators said Friday have a real big problem," said new fines against the utility in Grigg said but the olant's ner-it thev found more potential A. Bill Beach, the NRC's re-the next few months.

formance,has slioned ahs htY viol *tions at Point Beach gional adnunistrator, NRC officials said the latest Problems must be corrected,its telear Power Plant dunng a Much of Friday's attention findings are sure to result in "My viewof this is that:is more new violations, but they Griggsaid. so rei:1 thr:e-week inspection by the NRC was in addition to oris,"

t m nth.

several safety violations that said it was too early to say

,,,,g,

Reviti:ns of possible new resulted Dec. 4 in the agency whether Wisconsin Electric Wisconsin Electric firedits el:tians came as Nuclear levyinf biggest fine ever by IOr**r 10P nuclear execu.tige in

$325,000 in fines, the gulttery Commission staff secon Please sce PLANTpage3 earh em Gn ok erations a few da afte '

comp y,s ",

Beac sa,,,

whilf.,Jin agency t,st@efSeQ and ${g.

same imp ~'%-

ment, r

consin Tectdc offiAnis a that tility mtuqt over

' "a Probl@ t:dbw fMis to lookj'er re tEyhap ~stin-For exa,

e, i al i s ection ort xammeDy e NRC aled3ery fewg, lems that had been unegyned by Point Beach employee 3 put the NRC found plenty or3bir 3,

e.

own.

, A common thread in WQpo*I-sin Electric's violations is'i fail ttre to identify problems"i$iih-ming from what Beach saH Ms a mida." M' by many,P,oint Beach employees and Wiscqnsin Electric managers that thrygg,e domg a good job running P ant. He said they ofte'n.gg l

d ts.

Agree with the NRC over inter-

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ting operation rules.

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PyNRC mspectors found d the December visit that empkip ees in the control room failed g

notice that a meter was reg,tp g

below acceptable levels dy ng two shifts. NRC inspectors ad

,to tell them. h

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04/21/97 MON 08:26 FA SENATOR FEINGOLD Mll?

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't musuiumnase The Kewaunee ia am"a 'adaa' '"d*'a= "" "~aad t=ir were originally intended as temporary reactnrst which were juntulled in 1970 and gg p

g which were instalMi lu 1972. t& wem clear we rn, e rew manihn any Tener.,,

by Rqy Miding Whus from the statements of Point Beach's new nulutions have n tenduncy to bacume perm-manager, Scott Patulaki, et an October 1 anent - World War I temporary buildings In spring 1997 the Wisconsin public relations event that Point Beach hason h Washington Mall were still there Public Service Commisalon (PSC) will hold every intention of renewing in 20134What two decades after World War II - thus these ponta are sWiin operation. The KNP' i

ofUcial public hearings regarding b e

you may ask, becomes of a discarded.

• poolis now about 75% fulland willbe full radioactive 40 to 70 foot steam generator?

• replacement of h generators at the Me*inence Nucknr l' tant tKNPl. KNP is is, to use the novel but expressive term by b year 2000. Doug Day told the that plans iam ewn

• informal

• pubtle relatJons used by Point Beach, mausoleumised. The Wre was enough space to go to 2013 but old PB Unit 1 sits in this state in a he failed au ter! me nr one hitch.

conducted well planned plant toure.sneerfrip before that and has already buildmg above ground.

The pool is a rectangle with an The replacement does not inv lve Most people, when they Ltdnk of a operture half way down the long wall. This leeds into a narrow canal that is parallel to the stearn driven electrie generetor but o

nuclear diseeter, think in terms of rather Iwo heat exchanpra, or steam Chernobyl or Three Mlle Island. Cata% b pool.WWn toda are removed frorn the generators, on each side of the reactor. In strophie events are not imposelble. At reactor they are brought under water along each, hot radioactive water fkom the Poins Beach for a number of years an 8 lb one hattof this canal, through the slot anr.

sledge. hammer was used to close a safety into the pool. The other halfof the canal.

reactor flows through 3320 u shaped pipes valve that was designed to shut within 5 was put bre for the planned second '

16600 totall turning h weter outelde the p2 pes into staam which, in turn, drives b seconds of receiving an electronic signal.

reactor which was never built. There will be enough space to go to 2013 only if this generator proper.

11992, NRC fine: $160,000), an operator 1

These pipes conude end, further, failed to respond to an alarm until a half of the canalis used for storage and rust espands and creates cracha When a 3 colleague prompted him 16 seconds later permission to do this has not yet b'oen l

i pipe le excessively corroded, it le plugged I (1990); a portion of the emergency core requested from the NRClet alone granted.'

and goes out of servicr. Since the plaat e cooling eyetem wee inoperable for a year Further, there will be no pool space if the opened in 1974 plugging has been required. lip 92, NRC noe $76.000) and other serious plant operatee beyond 2013.

violations that had the potential of The alternative is storage in 19-ci an increasing rete since the rate of '

80'rosion le non linear (Totana:

catastropl.ic results which, irrespective of foot,,;jo.like concrete casks which are 4

1983 to 8 199* 9.8h 1994 10.8%; 1996: J0.34), Point Beach being la a different county, Alled with assembbee lnende the plant and would fnvolve Kewauna. These violatione# are ha roDed out and stored above" ground outside the plant build (np!These

{

?u4 in the maximum nilowed for either of were Arst reported in February,1992 by a. casks are not without problems.

• the steam generators or for the mean of the watchdog Civilian Utilities Daard '

both. As nf March 1996 Unit A was at (CUB); they did not appear in h mqjor At Point Beech, on May 26,1996 24 94 '4 and Unit B at 17.69% for a mean press until the September 13.1996 issue of at 2.46 a.m. the tid of h third cask (of of 21J2%.

h Milwaukee Journal,page one.

what would eventually be 100) was being 2

i KNP, it must te pointed out, has automatically welded when an explonion -

Inserting sleeves and uther pro-a safety and NRC fine record that is as took place that moved the 6400 lb lid by cedures which ath,w for h selective un-plugging of pipes suppnsedly can extend good as Point Bemeh's la questionable.. more than su hich. It turned out that, au the maximum to 30% (or in nome other There are no rnador violations or fines of en economy measure, the'model VSC-24 the type above on record.

casks used were lined with sine not plants to 35%) and a sophisticated technique (Fakty Current Magnetic Probel IInwever, popular thinking to the. stainless steel and that there was residual for measuring the cracks where the pipes contrary," China Syndrome" events are not boric acid from the pool on the assembHea.

meet their supports, often mqjor problem the mayor case for concern, The major This combination released hydrarNn ru which the welding explods d MC tress, supposedly allows the safe level of concern le well'eummarised by a cartoon confirmed thls). More than tiL. Stue.

that appeared during World War 11 which corronion to he ruised to 601. These methnds have hevn rriticized as puhing showed a submarine up to the knees in flames had been seen when clowhe two water with a andar holding a bucket earlier casks and these had been dismiewi the salety envelope hut, in any case, they tre at best pa!!Latives end cannot take the looking at the captain and saying " Ball as cleaning fluid burning off. Furtt..

i where?"

videos of the inside at both Point Beach plant to its present license deadline of 2013 This date is anno the license deadline The fuel rode, which are grouped and Palisades. Michigan showed gas for Pnint licach.

in " assemblies", when they are " spent *(still bubbles rising from the racks. Neither the designen not the on site managers or crew radioactive but not emciently so) are KNP her, three owners: Wlaconsin Power and Light (%7L) Madison Oas and rnoved to e pool filled with water which is reahsed that hydroken could be generated even though anyone who knows batterive Electric (MGE) and Wisconsta Public kept' safe by a cooling pump. This pump would have reatised this potential.

Service iWPS) and these three are not of has e second es a back-up; when asked one mind. It appears that WPL and MGE what would happen if both failed, KNP Furhr, ne'ther the earlier fires nor the tour guides had only an unclear"we have bubbles were investigated. Point Beach are reluctant to be a party to the management has consistently dismiated replacement even if the construction procedores" as an answer. These pools the erplosion as *s buta <ir s 'flarne.* Dr.

tuthorisation b approved. Regerledly they have offered to swap in their sharen in Odbert Emmert, chairman of the nuclear, favor of a WPS operated fuasil fuel plant, a pgtnerg!M deped#pf.'&lksAldg."1 plan WPS rejected. A!! that KNP think a gas burn isjust p euphemism for spokaaman Douir Day would say was that -

an esplumon.

casopfeE,,o_ _eeO

• the three are reworking their o The fn gmention FMM partnershigf." Point Beach is operated by plan %,a W MMpQ(a@c, c,

Wisconsin Electric Power Company he@een ganed,@

fit m alta sina no,way@Mi PM (WEPCO) but WEPCO is at this time in the process of merging with outef.etate NW been fotm Northern States Power (NSP)

Minneapolis, the new entity to be c PRIMERCY. There have also been considered to be temporary storage; they suggestions thrt WEPCO and/or NSP have an estimated lifethne of 40 to 60 years and the material in thens has a approached KNP but these have not n

confirmed. A change in ownership and hietime of 10,000 years. They are supposed therefore in management, with the y

potential changes la policy these usually Covernment tahee the apont material away. Industry spokana=n always make incur, seems to be clearly in the cards.

Replacirg the heat.erchangers the point that they have been paying into mill run to about 4100 mit!!on and*

a Government fund for this disposal for tccording to Resident NRC Inspector Jack years and thla is true (the cost has been Gadsala, the new stata-of-the art they &

instanations would be good for ove make the point that the Govertunent has years, or well past 2013. On that een court ordered to dispose of the whoever runa KNP can apply fo.r. a 30. year material by 1998 and this is not quite so

04/21/97 MON 08:27 FAX 414 276 7284 SENATOR FEINGOLD MllR

@ 006 e

THE KEWAUNEE STAR ~

i i

true. More accurately, The First Court of Government for thelt problems. At the Appeals ruled that the Department of the worst. as in the case of the Point Beach J

Cnvironment must dispose of nuclear explosion, they een be deceitful.

waste by 1998 but the meaning of h term Citisen's Utility Board (CUB).

dup,w wan left wide open nnd it does not The organization has no bottom line to q

naeau that all waste hw to 1,e carried ausy contend with and is the only organization-by 1998. It is highly unlikely diat any representing h citizen'a problems. If materialis going to be mo0ed by that date.

cocesionaHy over.anthusiastic, they should

• At present the only permanent be taken seriously. Since by am ofta site beingstudied and developed le tlue one

III'*Ia they are generally denigrat(d by j

at Yucca Mountain. Nevada. Geological the utilities. " CUB asking and of Kewaunee and related problems exist that are not yet Nuclear Power Plant based on faulty study clarified; also the State of Nevada is says W was the heading in a Kewaunee 1

developing the well known "OK but not in newspaper story. loretta Krema-Oison, my back yard" attitude we have seen with supervisor of the Point Beat;h Energy half way houses, scattered housing, ete.

Infonnation Cater caued CWs use of b Yucca Mountain will not be available for a word erplosion "a distortion of the truth" long time if ever. The whole matter is very and a *ecare tactic."

l clearly laid out in Scientific American, Public Sesvios Conamiselon June 1996 app.72-79h (Consult the (PSC). When speaking to them I i

Kewaunee Public Libraryh The industry mentioned the explosion. Framiner Sally has no stated contingency plans should the Jenkins immediately took the company Government not take the material away line and sold that it was not an explosion other than continued nn-alta storage, but &

• burn" and added that the pressure Congress recently introduced a was no more than what it takas to pump bill to temporarily store casks above up a tire on your two ton car. Note: (1) The ground at Yucca Mountain but the tid wao thru tons, not two. (2) A car has g

President quite rightly will veto this and four wheels so you are lifting % ton, not 2 7

the Senate is four votes short of an tens. Q) The explosion took I or 2 seconds, over-ride.

pumping your tire tskes about 20.

It should he noted that only 10, 8All the members of PSC are's of the energy in the rods is sapended, oppointad directly by Goverier Thompson.1

[

Recycling techniques could extract 90% oe NueIear ReguIa4ory the energy in the msidue and this is what Comamiselon (NRC, formerly AECh This g

is being done in Europe. It is not done here is the top regulating budy. New chair.

a a

according to Scott Patulaki, because of person Shirley Ann Jackson prpmises g

i

+

• politica" and a law forbidding it. The tighter control. lc the past, however, the i

present " business friendly" Congress could fagency has often given in to the intenar C

l easily repeal the law if the Utilities so lobbied, but the truth is that it is cheapert,, industry pressure and has made ma j

to use new enriched U-235/U-238.

unwise empwnisesMs le wen em A

in TIME, b(arch 4,1996 (FP 47-fd, If the canal storage le not approve 4 and/or RNP operates beyond Consult Kewaunee Public Libraryh

,f 2013/ casks win he the only option.

The Local Citizen. There are (Patuiski said that be "expecta a reasonable some who, buause of personal w accord" with NRC; we can assume that economic gain, close their eyes to the cash construction will resume at Point problems; there are also thoee who fear, Beachh Since existing damage control without foundation, that the subject la too policies are totally inadequale, should a technical for them; and there is, as always.

cask leak in any way, the damage to the a certain amount of apathy. Still, when all lake and to the ground water would be tu said and done,it le tu citisen who have devastating and more than likety no make decisions with very long term irreversible.

Implications. Caveat Emptor.

h-Any permanent storage has to be READING. An excet general i

safe for 10,000 years and that is a long view of nuclear waste is The Nuclear time; long before then our descendanta Primer: A llandbook for Citisent, pu' out may be faced with, literally, a hot potato.

by The League of Women Voters. Lyons 4

,g The Cast of Charactere:

and Burford,1993. I have asked the Utility Companies. ' Thought Kewaunee Public Library to stock the they talk in terms of benefit to the e periodicala mentioned in this article and a consumer, their prima concern is b

• number of technical reports by the y

bottom line.

Management varies utilities, CUB, NRC and others.

g considerably as the comparison of Point -

ItMI.

Beach and Kewaunee above shows. At best '

they are less than candid; they always '

s are '

Pemt rosy picturte and blame the**

they to 60 bas a ymd ederal nadal' make g into ud for ibeen y also '

at has

)f the alte an

-