ML20150F709

Forwards Response to Expressing Concern Re Both Process NRC Adopted to Reach Decision on Restart of Plant & Possible Timing of That Decision.Nrc Taking Necessary Steps to Assure That Plant Will Not Restart Unless Licensee Ready

ML20150F709
Person / Time
Site:	Pilgrim
Issue date:	03/29/1988
From:	Zech L NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
To:	Erin Kennedy SENATE, LABOR & HUMAN RESOURCES
Shared Package
ML20150F711	List: ML20150F709 ML20150F726
References
NUDOCS 8804050343
Download: ML20150F709 (6)

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UNITEJ STATEg NRC & Local PDRS

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• p' JMurray PStohr CHAIRMAN March 29, 1988 WTRussell JWiggins FGillespie TMurley/JSniezek gHa The Honorable Edward M. Kennedy Committee on Labor and Human Resources SVarga United States Senate Washington, D. C. h98"

Dear Mr. Chairman:

CY I am responding to your February 17, 1988 letter, in which you expressed concern regarding both the process we adopted to reach a decision on the restart of the fil ?a=-Power Station and the possible timing of that decision. You also offered five specific recommendations for our consideration that in your view would remedy the defects you perceive in our procedures.

The Commission ultimately must decide whether to authorize the Pilgrim plant to restart. We must do so based on the best information available to us and with full awsreness of our responsibility for the protection of the public health and safety. We take this responsibility very seriously. Our staff is carefully monitoring the progress of the Boston Edison Company in addressing tlie issues that must be resolved prior to restart. We believe we are taking the necessary steps to assure ourselves that the Pilgrim plant will not restart unless and until we are fully satisfied that the licensee is ready and capable of resuming safe operations and that the public health and safety is protected.

Our detailed responses to your recommendations are enclosed.

We believe that the information provided in our recent correspondence and in the enclosure to this letter addresses the concerns that you raised.

Sincerely, odcw*(v. 4 Lando W. Zech Jr.

Enclosure:

Responses to Recommendations Originated: NRR: Mcdonald 8804050343 080329 PDR COMMS NRCC CORRESPONDENCE PDR

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! RESPONSES TO RECOMENDATIONS 1 i

Recomendation 1. Until we receive satisfactory answers to the questit whether there is a link between cancer and nuclear power, the Pilgrim plant should not be permitted to restart.

nspon'se 1. The NRC staff has reviewed the epidemiological study entitled, ,

' Health Surveillance of the Plymouth Area " which was performed by the l

Massachusetts Department of Health and referenced in the enclosure to your  ;

letter. The study reports detecting an increased ine.idence of leukemia cases in five towns in the vicinity of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant. Because many factors other than the Pilgrim plant could cause this increase, the authors of the study state that the cause of the increased incidence has not been determined. The staff agrees with the authors' statement.

The effects of radiation on living systems have been studied for decades by individual scientists as well as by select comittees that have been formed to '

objectively and independently assess the risks from radiation. These studies were considered in the development of the public health and safety limits that apply to the Pilgrim plant, as well as to other nuclear power plants. The studies have not detected a statistically significant increase in cancer for doses and dose raies normally encountered in the vicinity of nuclear power plants. However, as a prudent measure, the NRC staff assumes that there is a linear relation between cancer and low doses of radiation. MRC limits are selected so that the statistical probability of risk is extremely low.

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> We are also aware of the National Institutes of Health's involvement in studying the adverse effects of low-level ionizing radiation. We support the need to further define the effects of this phenomenon, but we believe it will '

be several years before the results of these studies will be available. We look forward to incorporating those results into the body of data already available on this subject.

Thus, the staff has found that on the basis of the substantial data available in the area of health effects from exposure to radiation, it is not appropriate to delay restarting the Pilgrim plant pending completion of further study to a

determine if there is a link between certain types of cancer and comercial nuclear power generation.

Recomendation 2. Until there is an evacuation plan which is approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and is acceptable to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the plant should not be permitted to restart.

Response 2. The NRC will not permit the Pilgrim facility to resume operation l until corrective actions satisfactory to NRC have been taken to address the i emergency planning deficiencies identified by FEMA. The NRC will give special attention to the corrective actions involving the emergency plans for schools and day care centers, as well as for special needs and transport-dependent j populations in the plume exposure pathway emergency planning zone. Before 1 allowing Pilgrim to restart, the NRC will require some demonstration that critical aspects of the emergency plan can be adequately implemented.

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I Under the NRC's regulatory framework, whether an outstanding emergency planning deficiency delays restart will depend on the gravity of the defic < ency, the nature of any compensatory actions, and progress toward correction of the deficiency. Thus, it may be that restart can be authorized with some emergency planning issues not fully resolved. For Pilgrim, the restart decision will be made by the Cosmiissioners.

Recommendation 3. Members of the Cossnission should make an on-site visit to  !

the Pilgrim plant to assess for themselves the merita of the serious health and safety problems which have been raised. l Response 3. The Cosnissioners have been personally and directly involved in l the consideration of the Pilgrim issues. Chaiman Zech and three other i Cossnissioners made visits to Pilgrim during 1987. One Coassissionse met in l State offices with State officials to hear their concerns about Pilgrim. At this time, there are no additional Comissioner visits to Pilgrim scheduled in i 1988.

Reconsnendation 4. Prior to any consideration of whether the Pilgrim plant j should be pennitted to restart, Coonission members should convene a public i meeting to receive first-hand testimony from State and local officials and experts from the Plymouth area.

Response 4. As described in our letter of November 20, 1987, the NRC is holding several meetings in the Plymouth area regarding Pilgrim. These meetings are open to the public and are structured to allow the broadest  !

possible public participation. The most recent of these meetings was held on February 18, 1988, and provided an opportunity for State and local officials, 1

as well as members of the public, to provide their views to the staff. The Cosmonwealth was consulted and agreed to the scheduling and purpose of these meetings but did not participate, although approximately 50 members of the public did provide comments regarding the Pilgrim Restart Plan and other matters of individual concern. We intend to conduct followup public meetings ,

i in the Plymouth area to discuss the disposition of consents and concerns raised during the February 18, 1988 meeting. The Comonwealth would be free, of l course, to participate in any of these follow-on meetings if it chooses to do i so, and we urge the Comonwealth and local officials to provide whatever infomation they believe should be considered by the Connission in making a restart decision.

The Comission is continuing to involve Comonwealth and local officials, and leaders of local citizens groups, with respect to the restart issues at Pilgrim. On February 9,1988, a senior member of the NRC staff met with the Massachusetts Assistant Secretary of Public Safety, State Senator William Golden, and others to discuss the Comission's approach toward the restart readiness assessment of Pilgrim. An additional meeting with Senator Golden and others who submitted a July 1986 10 CFR 2.206 Petition is planned.

In sumary, the staff has provided and is continuing to afford the opportunity for ample public participation.

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Reconnendation 5.- Finally, I request that in my capacity as Chaiman of the Senata cosmittee on Labor and Human Resources, with experience concerning, and responsibility for, the health and safety issues involved, I be given the opportunity to appear before the Cosnission to present infomation on this l issue, prior to any Commission deliberation on tne question whether the Pilgrim plant should be permitted to restart.

Response 5. Although the Commission does plan to hold one or more public meetings in Rockville, Maryland, concerning the restart of the Pilgria plant, it is difficult at this time to predict when these meetings might be scheduled.

The structure for the meetings will be established at the appropriatt time and, if official and public appearances are planned, we would be pleased to have you j appear before the Cosmission to present your views.  ;

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• UNITED STATES

['L g NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 8 W ASHINGTON. D. C. 20655 ,e N...../ P. TM ea y f EDO PRINT 71 pat C ORkESPONinENr F CONTROL f _________ _ ___ __ . ... . . -__

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02/17/88 SEN. EDFWARD M. I'FNNP D Y . f..HAIRMAN FINE RFPl.Y:

COMMITTEF ON LABOR AND HUMAN RESOtlRCES TO:

CHAIRMAN 7ECH FOR SIGNATtlF'?. DF *+ PRIORITY ** SFCY NO: 88-14u CHAIRMAN <

> DESC: ROUTING:

CONCERNING PROBLEMS INVOLVED WITH RE-START OF STFLLO PILGRIM I TAYIOR  !

R E H ".

DATE: 02/26/88 RUSSELL ASSIGNED TO: NRR CONTACT: MURLEY c

, SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMAR)Si l l

1 NRR RECEIVED: FEBRUARY 26, 1988 ACTION: DRPR VARGA j 1

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) NRR ROUTING: MURLEY/SNIEZEK r ACTION

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OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET PAPER HUMBER: CRC-88-0140 . LOGGING DATE: Feb 24 88 ACTION OFFICE: g6DO 4 2(,7 M M)

AUTHOR: E.M. Kennedy ,

AFFILIATION: U.S. SENATE LETTER DATE: Feb 17 88 FILE CODE: ID&R-5 Pilgrim

SUBJECT:

Proposed restart of the Pilgrim I nuclear power

• plant ACTION: Signature of Chairman DISTRIBUTION: RF, Docket, OCA to Ack, EDO SPECIAL HANDLING: None NOTES:

DATE DUE: Mar 8 88 SIGNATURE: . DATE SIGNED:

AFFILIATION:

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