ML20149M926
| ML20149M926 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Fort Saint Vrain  |
| Issue date: | 02/19/1988 |
| From: | Robert Williams PUBLIC SERVICE CO. OF COLORADO |
| To: | NRC OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION & RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (ARM) |
| References | |
| RTR-NUREG-0654, RTR-NUREG-654 P-88067, NUDOCS 8802290270 | |
| Download: ML20149M926 (3) | |
Text
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P.O. Eox 840 Denver, CO 80201- 0840 February 19, 1988 R.O. WILUAMS, JR.
Fort St. Vrain vicE PRESIDENT Unit No. 1-NUCLEAR OPERATIONS P-88067 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Document Control Desk Washington, D.C.
20555 Docket No. 50-267
SUBJECT:
EVALUATION OF FULL CYCLE TEST FREQUENCY OF THE PLATTEVILLE E.W.A.S. SIREN
REFERENCE:
NRC Letter, Gagliardo to Williams, dated 05/27/87 (G-87178)
Gentlemen:
This letter is to inform you that Public Service Company of Colorado (PSC) has completed a review of the Federal Emerger.cy Management Agency (FEMA) recommendation to consider increasing Me frequency of the full-cycle test of the Platteville Early Warning Alert System (E.W.A.S.)
siren to once a month rather than t41ce a year. The review was conducted with communication to State of Colorado, Weld
- County, and Town of Platteville representatives.
The result of the review is that PSC does not, at this time, plan to increase the frequency of full-cycle testing of the siren. Some factors which affected this decision follow.
Currently, PSC has only one siren in Platteville; it does not have a sophisticated siren controlling system which allows remote, silent testing of the unit.
The current full-cycle testing is performed semi-annually by company personnel stationed physically at the siren location and in communication with the Weld County Emergency Communications Center (normal initiation point). Several weeks prior to the test, flyers are produced indicating the date and time of the test and are distributed around the various town businesses and offices.
If time allows, PSC also runs an advertisement / notice in tl' local newspaper. On the day of the test, Weld County Emergency Communications Center is given the authority to initiate the actual Fort St. Vrain emergency siren. PSC employees stationed at the siren location verify the siren operability and timing circuit to ensure siren delivery is within 3-5 minutes per the guidance in NUREG-0654.
The entire process is time consuming as the pre-notification (flyers kDq3 and advertisements) is necessary as Platteville is a rural township 0002290270 800219 I
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P-88067 February 19, 1988 involving a simular town stren for fire volunteers and other emergency notifications.
PSC. also performs a weekly test on the siren which tests the entire transmitter, receiver, and timing circuits of the siren system. This weekly test, however, does not sound.the FSV emergency siren, but rather another electronic module within the siren system which sounds a 16-note "Westminster Chime". Again, this weekly test verifies the operability of the radio transmission system from the Weld County Emergency Communications System, the receiver system at the siren location, and the siren timing circuit (3-5 minutes).
Considering that the entire siren system is electronic with the exception of a mechanical rotator (tested on the weekly test), PSC feels that there is a low probability of an individual internal electronic module failing, and that any potential damage by lightning, power surges or other external sources would be detected on the weekly test of the Westminster Chimes.
Finally, as the guidance in NUREG-0654 indicates a required annual full-cycle testing, PSC feels that the combination of the current semi-annual full-cycle tests and the weekly partial tests are providing a sufficient degree of assurance of the siren's readiness and operability.
Should you have any further questions, please contact Mr. M. H.
Holmes at (303) 480-6960.
Sincerely, R. O. Williams, Jr.
Vice President Nuclear Operations R0W/ojc t
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P-88067 -February 19,_1988 cc: Regional' Administrator, Region IV ATTN: Mr. T. F. Westerman,- Chief -
Project'Section B
-(2 copies)
Mr. Robert E. Farrell Senior Resident Inspector Fort St. Vrain-Mr. Pat Byrne, Director Division of Disaster Emergency. Services Sheriff Ed Jordon Weld County-Sheriffs Department Ms. Nan Wojcieszak Weld County Emergency Communications Center' 1
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