ML20147C798
| ML20147C798 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vallecitos File:GEH Hitachi icon.png |
| Issue date: | 05/06/1977 |
| From: | Hanchett J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION V) |
| To: | Burger A, Kratzke R NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS), Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7812180408 | |
| Download: ML20147C798 (4) | |
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UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION HfolON V
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5UITE 202, W ALNUT CREEK PLAZ A 4990 N. CALIFORNIA SOULEVAMD WALNUT CRE EK. C AUFOMNS A 94Sf6 May 6, 1977 s'.
A. Burger, Operating Reactors, HQ MEMORANDUM FOR:
R. T. Kratzke, Fuel Cycle and Material Safety, HQ James G. Hanchett, Office of Public Affairs, HQ From:
Letter to Association of Bay Area Governments on Vallecitos
Subject:
s The Association of Bay Area Governments has requested infonnation from j
the NRC concerning our review of General Electric's applications for license renewals at the Vallecitos Nuclear Center. ABAG's initial J
request was for a speaker at its Environmental Management Task Force However, because of the short leadtime meeting on Wednesday, May 11.
l involved, they suggested that a letter outlining the review process might be useful.
I have drafted a letter based on our previous conversations. Please review the draft letter and telephone me (FTS 449-3141) with any suggested changes or comments, today if possible or by Moncay, May 9_.
As you are probably aware, the relicensing of the Vallecitos facilities is a matter of considerable public interest in the San Francisco Bay Area, and I believe it is important that we promptly inform this group of elected local officials what actions NRC is prepared to take.
Many thanks.
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'N B. J. Miller a new site-related seismic evaluation, and an analysis and evaluation of the major structures, systems and components of the facility, as well as an updated environmental information report. These data will form the basis for the NRC staff review of the application. We anticipate that this material will be submitted by General Electric to the NRC sometime this summer.
Following receipt of these reports, the NRC will publish in the Federal Register and local newspapers a Nctice of Opportunity for Public Hearings, pursuant to 10 CFR Part 2.104, which will provide an opportunity for interested members of the public to request a public hearing and to participate in that hearing.
I have enclosed a copy of 10.CFR Part 2,
" Rules of Practice," for your information. Any hearings held as a result of this notice will be conducted in the Bay Area following completion of the detailed staff review. We estimate that the technical review will take approximately one year. Consequently, a tentative estimate is that j
any hearings would be held in the latter half of 1978.
The General Electric Company also has applied for renewal of its Special Nuclear Materials License (SNM License 960), which authorizes the possession and use of enriched uranium and plutonium at Vallecitos.
SNM License 960 was issued by the AEC in September 1966. The company applied for renewal in August 1971, and it has remained in an extended status since July 1973 pursuant to the previously cited 10 CFR Part 2.109.
The NRC review process for this application is following a similar pattern to that outlined above for GETR. The NRC will conduct both safety and environmental reviews of activities authorized under this license. A Notice of Opportunity for Public Hearing will be published and opportunity afforded to request a public hearing.
In addition to the NRC staff review of this application, the NRC has ass 1gned a team of consultants to conduct an independent evaluation of the impact of natural phenomena such as earthquakes, tornadoes and floods on NRC-licensed fuel facilities. The Generbl Electric Vallecitos Plutonium Laboratory is among those facilities being studied by the Natural Phenomena Review team.
Our estimate is that the Natural phenomena Review will be completed early next year, with a decision on renewal of the SNM-960 license probably occuring in the fall of 1978.
I have taken this opportunity to add ABAG to our mailing list so that you may be aware of hearing notices and other announcements concerning this and other projects of interest in the Bay Area.
I hope this is helpful, and if I can provide any additional inforration, please let me know.
cc: J. J. Fouchard J. L. Crews JGH A. Burger R. T. Kratzke R. H. _ Engelken H. E. Book x
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DEA [1 Mr. B. J. Miller 208 Coordinator Association of Bay Area Governments Hotel Claremont Berkeley, CA 94705 Dear Mr. M111ert This letter is in response to a telephone request on May 5 from Mr. Robert Wong for information concerning the Nuclear Regulatory Comission's review of the applications of the General Electric Ccmpany for renewal of two licenses for operations at the Vallecitos Nuclear Center.
It is my understanding that you desire to have the information for possible presentation to the ABAG Environmental Management Task Force meeting on May 11, 1977.
Although the licensing reviews are being conducted by the NRC Headquarters staff in Bethesda, Maryland, I have obtained the following infomation 1
from the respective project managers.
I hope it is responsive to your needs.
On October 21, 1975, the General Electric Company formally requested renewal of its operating license (License TR-1, Docket 50-70) for the i
General Electric Test Reactor (GETR) at the Vallecitos Nuclear Center for a 20-year period.
License TR-1 was issued by the Atomic Energy Commission in January 1959, authorizing operation of GETR up to 33 megawatts themal (Mwt).
In October 1966, that license was amended to authorize operations up to 50 Mwt and extended for a 10-year period until October 6,1976.
The GETR license remains in effect until the Nuclear Regulatory Comis-sion(which assumed the regulatory responsibilities of the AEC in January 1975) makes a final disposition of the renewal application. This is pursuant to NRC Regulations in Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 2.109, which states:
"If, at least thirty (30) days prior to the expiration of an existing license authorizing any activity of a continuing nature, a licensee files an application for a renewal or for a new license for the activity so authat ized, the existing license will not be deemed to have expired until the applica-tion has been finally determined."
In connection with the application for renewal, the NRC has requested that General Electric supply certain data. These include a new Safety Analysis Report, which is a detailed description of the site, including
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