ML20151B170
| ML20151B170 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Farley  |
| Issue date: | 03/31/1988 |
| From: | Mcdonald R ALABAMA POWER CO. |
| To: | NRC OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION & RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (ARM) |
| References | |
| RTR-NUREG-0654, RTR-NUREG-654 NT-88-0163, NT-88-163, NUDOCS 8804080085 | |
| Download: ML20151B170 (26) | |
Text
_ _ _ _ _ _.
NT 88 0163 Alabama Power Company 300 North 18th Sireet Post Cifice Box 2641 Birmingham, Alabama 352914400 Te4 phone 205 250-1835 R. P. Mcdonald Alabama Power Senior Vice President the southen' ebCfnc system March 31, 1988 Docket 50-348 50-364 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission Attention: Document Control Desk Washington, D. C. 20555
SUBJECT:
FDR ANALYSIS OF THE PROMPT ALERT AND NOTIFICATION SYSTEM FOR THE FARLEY NUCLEAR PLANT
Dear Sir:
This letter is in response to Mr. Douglas M. Collins' letter of February 19, 1988, regarding the subject FEMA analysis. Alabama Power has reviewed both the FEMA letter of February 1,1988, forwarded by your letter and the status of the WP A&N system relative to the concerns expressed in the FEMA evaluation. provides details of the Alabama Power Company review of the FEMA letter and the actions that have occurred which would influence the areas in which FEMA expressed concerns. Corrective actions associated with the three sirens around WP were thorough and we believe have fully l
addressed the root cause of the siren malfunctions during the test. Issues raised in the FEMA evaluation relative to the tone alert radio portion of the mP A&N system have been adequately addressed by the design of the mP system and the routine on-going public information program conducted in support of the program. On the basis of that review, we feel that the WP A&N system currently meets the requirements of NUREG-0654/ FEMA-REP-1 and FEMA-REP-10.
However, the FEMA report did not provide adequate post test survey details for Alabama Power to evaluate the results of the test and ensure that the areas of concern identified by FEMA and their recomended corrective actions comprehensively addressed all potential problem areas. Mr. Collins' letter i
requested that planned corrective actions and the date for the second survey be provided within 45 days. A 30 day extension to the specified response time is necessary in order that questions regarding the FEMA report may be resolved and that the exact nature of additional corrective action needed, if any, may be determined.
From February 25 to the present, Alabama Power has worked with FD% to l
obtain additional details regarding the survey resalts. Mr. John Heard has attempted to respond t our inquiries. However, he has not been able to provide all the information requested. The need to proceed with determining the scope of needed corrective action, to respond to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and to schedule necessary retest activities has caused APCo to conclude that a formal request to FEMA from the State of Alabama for the needed information is appropriate. We feel that sufficient
/
detail should ~oe provided regarding the FEMA report methodology and survey O
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'93804080085 880331 gDR ADOCK0500g8
U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Connission March 31, 1988 Page 2 I
results for Alabama Power, the State of Georgia and State of Alabama to understand the evaluation methodology that was applied to the test data and to conclude that appropriate and sufficient corrective actions have been identified. Toward that end, I have requested that the Alabam Dergency t
Management Agency initiate a request for responses to the questicas contained in Enclosure 2.
Since these questions involve analysis of a n.'atively small quantity of data, I would hope that the information could be made available within a week. Any rssistance that the NRC can render by encouraging an expeditious response from FEMA to the State of Alabama will be appreciated.
In order to allow time for resolution of this information request and for subsequent development of a corrective action plan and schedule, the 30 day extension referred to above is hereby requerted.
If there are any questions, please advise.
Yours very t y'
h%
n R. P. Mcdonald RPM /KWM:emb Enclosures cc:
Mr. L. B. Long Dr. J. N. Grace Mr. E. A. Reeves Mr, W. H. Bradford Mr. John Heard e
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REVIEW OF THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY LETTER FROM GRANT C.
PETERSON TO MR. VICTOR STELLO, JR. (NRC)
DATED FEBRUARY 1, 1988 AND ASSOCIATED CORRECTIVE ACTIONS SIREN OPERABILITY 1.
The third paragraph discusses siren performance during the test.
The Columbia siren malfunction was an isolated event as evidenced by the operability statistics for the 12 months preceeding the A&N test and the last 12 months, both of which exceed 90%.
Siren performance was significant, however, in that the failure of the Columbia siren prevented verification of the Columbia area siren coverage and was also significant to the extent that it may have affected the outcome of the phone survey.
The FEMA letter did not provide sufficient data to give insight into the effect of the Columbia siren failure on the outcome of the phone survey statistics or to indicate if there were any deficiencies in siren coverage in Ashford or Gordon.
FEMA has indicated verbally that 65% to 75% of the 115 negative responses were outside the siren areas, but specific numbers for Columbia have not been provided.
If 25% to 35% of the negative responses were due to the Columbia siren failure, then the alerting percentage following correction of the malfunction would be 75% to 78%, assuming no negative responses in the siren areas.
The malfunction which precluded manual activation of the siren (a bad battery) was corrected the day following the test.
During the test the Gordon siren was locally activated in order to continue its remote activat.ons for the planned three (3) minute duration.
That action eliminated any possible impact on the survey results in Gordon.
In an actual emergency, the limited duration of the Columbia siren (following battery replacement) and of the Gordon siren could have been compensated for by repeated
- 9 mote activations and therefore did not affect system nrerability.
The activation duration prehlems were fully corrected by October 30, 1987, following receipt of required printed circuit board replacements from the vendor. The operability record for the FNP sirens since the A&N test has exceeded 97% and has included a lull cycle test of each i
FEMA SURVEY RESULTS 2.
Paragraph four begins with a statement that 527 households within the Joseph M.
Earley Nuclear Generating Plant EPZ were contacted.
The paragraph goes on to correct the statement by indicating that 103 of the 527 households were found to lie outside the EPZ.
This indicates that the phone list used by the contractor was not screened in advance to ensure that only residences inside the EPZ were selected.
e The survey form attempted to determine each residence location by asking the distance to the nearest cross roads, but such a method is of questionable reliability considering the very rural nature of the area.
Local EMA directors have previously related to APC personnel that residents well outside the EPZ have thought that they were within the EPZ and requested tone alert radios.
The apparent lack of reliable phone list screening makes it important to verify either by physical inspection of the residence locations or by confirmation that the residences are listed on APC tone alert radio distribution lists that the negative responses thought by the FEMA contractor to be in the outer fringes of the EPZ are actually in the EPZ.
Each non-alert that was actually outside the EPZ would add approximately.2% to the test score when deleted from the calculation.
3.
Review of the numbers provided in paragraph four reveals that 269 households indicated that they suceived an alerting signal (527 households contacted minus 258 respondents not alerted). This figure is in conflict with the 230 notifications used in the FEMA calculation of 66.6%.
When asked about this discrepancy, FEMA indicated that of the 39 household discrepancy, 7 non EPZ residents indicated that they had received an alerting signal and 32 EPZ residents who were not home at the time of the test indicated that they had received an alerting signal.
FEMA did not indicate any i
knowledge of where these 39 people were when they received an i
alerting signal.
To the extent that they were either transients or permanant residents inside the EPZ at the time of the test (whether they were at home or not), their I
notifications indicate proper design of the A&N system.
If credit were given for the total 39, the test result would be (230 + 39) / (345 + 39) 70.1%.
TONE ALERT RADIO EFFECTIVENESS 4.
The fifth paragraph of the FEMA letter indicates that some households within the EPZ had not received the new tone alert radios.
No specific number of households where'this condition was found was given but the fact that it was considered worth mentioning implies that the number was significant to FEMA.
Since the radio aistribution effort was conducted by a thorough door-to-door canvas of the EPZ, APCo feels that the number of actual EPZ residents outside of siren zones that may not have received radios should have been insignificant and that the FEHA comment either:
indicates a statistical anamoly; or reflects that the contractor made contacts outside the EPZ and failed to screen them out of the data base; or reflects that the contractor failed to understand the FNP A&N design and treated siren zone residents as if they should have received radios.
Nevertheless, further information is desired to ensure that the number of tone alert radio area residents without radios
Enclocure 1 is insignificant.
5.
The fifth paragraph states that "most households appeared to have been issued two tone alert radios" and discusses public confusion over which radio was to provide the alerting signal.
APCo has made a major effort to convey to the public information about the tone alert radio changeout both by direct mail letter (Attachment 1), direct mail news letters (Attachments 2, 3 and 4), by use of electronic media (Attachment 5) and by personal door-to-door contact when the new radios were distributed.
During radio distribution, anticipating that some residents might no longer have their old radio, might have misplaced it or might want to retain 12 for the short period of time that remained before the NOAA broadcast would be terminated, APCo directed its distribution personnel not to insist on receiving the old radio back if a resident indicated that they wanted to keep it, but rather to emphasize that the NOAA broadcast and use of the old radio for A&N purposes would cease September 1.
The fact that the NOAA broadcast would terminate September 1 was also periodically transmitted by the National Weather Service office over the old radio's NOAA broadcast between May and September (Attachment 6s.
The NOAA transmission was terminated the first week of September and anyone turning the old style radio to "monitor" after that time would receive only static.
Concurrent with distribution of the new style radios, broadcast of a "routine" message (see Attachment 7) was begun.
This three minute message is broadcast repeatedly 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> a day, 7 days a week and includes information on the purpose of the system, how it works, how to test the radios and battery, and where to call for information or repair assistance.
Any resident placing the new style radio to "monitor" will receive this message.
The routine weekly testing program, also initiated when radio distribution began, causes the radios to activate weekly and after the 30 second test message (see Attachment 8) is played, the routine message resumes and is heard until the resident resets the radio.
This arrangement amounts to a weekly training
- session on the A&N system operation.
APCo has continued to supplement this public information with information in the FNP direct mail newsletter sent periodically to EPZ residentr (see Attachments 4) and in its annual Emergency Planning Calendar (see Attachment 9).
Eighty-seven percent of the radio distribution records l
indicato disposition of the old NOAA radios.
Review of l
records indicates that only 34% of the residents kept their l
old radio.
Thus the statement quoted above that "most households appeared to have been issued two tone alert radios" is an erroneous conclusion by the FEMA contractor.
Additionally, APCo does not understand the relevance of this issue to the A&N system alerting capability.
As long as the l
new style tone alert radio is in the residence and plugged in or powered by a battery, the alerting signal will be received and a recorded message will be heard directing the resident to tune to a local EBS station.
The presence of an old style radio in addition to the new style will not prevent the new j
radio from functioning.
Nevertheless, in light of the fact that transmissions on the old style radio frequency have been terminated for over six months and the weekly testing and continuous routine broadcast message now have been in place for over nine months, there now should be no confusion over J
which radio is part of the A&N system.
FEMA CONCLUSIONS 6.
The sixth paragraph summarizes the FEMA rationale for not being able to reach a favorable conclusion regarding the FNP A&N system.
Three reasons are given:
l A.
"confusion of the EPZ resident-regarding the tone alert radios" -- As discussed in 5 above, APCo does not understand the relevance of this issue to the functioning of the A&N system.
Nevertheless any confusion should have been alleviated by this point by virtue of the termination of the NOAA broadcast, 1
continuous transmission of a routine message on the new system explaining its use, and continued distribution over the last year of newsletters explaining the new system.
B.
"the malfunctioning of the sirens during the telephone survey" -- As discussed in 1 above, only one j
siren, the Columbia siren, malfunctioned in a fashion so i
as to potentially affect the results of the survey.
It 2
should be noted that the FEMA testing of siren coverage is for confirming the APCo A&N system design manual and I
4 FEMA contractor theoretical calculations which show adequate siren coverage.
Because of the malfunction, the results of the A&N test for the Columbia area are indeterminate, i.e.,
they are insufficient to confirm
- he system's adequacy.
They do not, however, indicate tnat the siren coverage is inadequate. This is consistent with the wording of the FEMA conclusion.
Conclusions regarding the adequacy of the remainder of
]
the A&N system would have to consider the alerting
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percentage when the Columbia siren zone data is I
excluded.
Details to allow that evaluation are not in the FEMA report.
C.
"and the low percentage of alerted households" -- As discussed in 2 and 3 above, APCo does not adequately 3
understand the methodology, criteria and screening of j
the FEMA contractor's survey data used to calculate the alerting percentage.
Alabama Power feels that the l..
rationale should be given for excluding those EPZ transients who were alerted and those EPZ residents who, in spite of the Iact that they were not at home at the time of the test, were alerted.
Negative responses near the periphery of the EPZ should be verified to actually be inside the EPZ boundary.
Accounting for the effect of the Columbia siren failure could indicate a significantly greater overall alerting percentage for the A&N system.
In the context of the three rationales discussed above and the fact that the theoretical Columbia siren coverage greatly exceeds the 60 dB FEMA criteria for the maiority of the Columbia siren zone residences, any conclusion that the FNP A&N system is inadequate appears premature.
CORRECTIVE ACTION RECOMMENDATIONS 7.
The ninth paragraph listed three "minimum" corrective actions:
A.
"Collection of any remaining old tone alert radios"
-- As discussed in 5 above, any confusion that existed at the time of the test should have been alleviated by the termination of the NOAA broadcast in September and by the other public educatien and information actions already taken.
Nevertheless, APCo will give consideration to collecting any old style radios that can be determined to still be in siren zone residences.
B.
"Implementation of a comprehensive public education program to explain the integration of the new tone alert radios into the system and to explain the procer use of the tone alert radios" -- As demonstrated by the discussion in 5 above and shown by the attachments to this document, such a program is already in place and in fact has existed since implementation of the new tone alert radic system.
APCo feels that continuction of tr existing program is adequate relative to the issues raised by FEMA.
C.
"Implementation of a better siren maintenance had operability pcogram with more frequent siren testing (preferably monthly full-cycle tests) to ensure proper operation of the sirens" -- As conveyed to FEMA on December 28, 1987, (Attachment 10) Alabama Power conducted thorough corrective action following the siren manfunctions during th-N&N test and initiated an enhanced siren testing program beginning in November 1987 to include full cycle testing three times each year (during the annual exercise and during biannual siren maintenance).
This is three times the FEMA required full cycle test frequency.
It should be noted that the
last 12 month (3/87 - 3/88) siren operability statistics exceeds 93% and that the siren operability since the A&N test exceec 97%.
APCo feels that the revised program is adequate and that a monthly full cycle test is not necessary and would be an irritant to siren zone residents.
Meoame Power com,eny eoO North 18th Street poet omca son as4i
_sirminehem_, Maea_me 35N 0400 o
Alabama Power Senler vie, Preticent the sourW ewtc sptem May 5, 1987
Dear Farley Plant Neighbor:
Over the next few weeks. Alabama Power employees will be calling on residents around the Farley Nuclear Plant to replace the emergency information radios which have been in use for several years.
Your present radio is on the National Weather Service broadcast frequency.
Many of you have expressed displeasure over the tone-alert These warnings, warnings which sound when severe weather is forecast.
of course, have no relationship to nuclear plant notifications.
Your new radio will not_ be or the weather rtation frequency, and you will no longer receive weather warnings.
Your new radio will sound a tone-alert onl-during nuclear plant drills and ir. the unlikely event of va actual nuclear emergency.
We believe you will find this new system assuring and less of a problem than the current system. PLEASE KEEP YOUR RADIO FLUGGED IN.
When the Alabama Power representative ca'Is on j Du, he or she f
will be wearing an identiiication badge.
If you're not sure if seeone to see the asking for your radio is an Alabama Power empli.yee, a!,(
I badge.
l We look forward to our visit with you.
Please give us a call at 899-6666 if you have questions that are not answered at the time of i
our visit.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely, e
/
R. P. McDona d l
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OVER THE FENCE VOL. 1 NO. 1 SPRING 1987 Alert Radios: Our Link to You mdio will be provided to you."
SicDonald, who has coordinated the
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radio distribution since 1983, is a
,,g, familiar face to many of Farley's i
neighbors.
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"I've probably talked to hundreds of people during the past four yean about the plant and our safety pro-l cedures. Occasionally it may take a lit-tle time to correct a problem, u, %'
however, everyone is alwap patient t
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and understanding" he said.
A / q, 5!cDonald urges all people moving l
j away from the area to return their l
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mdios to the plant. Those radios can i
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then be rnade available to individuals
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and families moving into the area.
i "Radios may be turned in at Enear Plant Farley a short while, ven if you've only been living Alabama Power's Office in Ashford, the local Georgia Power Company of-it doesn't take long to notice fice, and at the offices of Three that each home and busir,ess in the Notch, Wiregmss Electric and Pea 10-mile radius of Pl2nt Farley (except River cooperatives," hicDonald said.
Ashford, Gordon and Columbia where sirens are installed) is equipped with 9
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- m.,
an alert radio distributed by Alabama L Beliew [t of not, some people living Power Company. The radio's sole pur.
Ein tie 10-mile radius of Plant Farley pose in the event of an emergency is 7 don't keeptheir emergency radios to alert you to listen to local radio 7 plugged in. Iri the unlikely event of and television stations for important Lan inddeot at the plant, your radio emergency information. Th refore, it's will provide important information.
extremely important that your radio
- So as a safety precauuon, keep it l
be plugged in at au times.
plugged in. '
"It's really important for each home which has a radio issued to it to keep it plugged in," sap Allan SicDonald, mEd.A.r.25-i.21. - :.
e. -.
r who's responsible for the alert radio program. "With some 3,000 radios oser the rence a pudtahed by Ajadama ro rr compan3 within the 10-mile radius of the p!$nt, N,U,'c%$"',,',7e,'t,"d,*$[h some may not work properly all the pubucanon should be adam co to time. If your radio isn't working, w Bedham please call us at 899-6666 and a new Farlev Ymtors Center Po Dnmer4*0 A>Mord, Al.%312
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uring May and June, residents within a p"lant. '
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i 10 mile radius of the farley Nuclear Plant p
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. "Tlw new radios will only.activatg dwjng drillf
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activated ordy during n:sclear drills or in the event of if then-is an actual emergency at th 'pligt," said 9
.Allan Mcdonald, an information specialle(at
~"The new radios will not carry any kirgof w@ h,
an aapal guirle2r emea;cncy. The new radios will replace the weather.'lcrt radios which were
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distributed to residents several years ago. Those
. Tile NEW RADIOS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED g. :y' i radios also carried messages from the nudcar plant.
RESIDEPfl3 NEAR Tile PLANT BY AIJ@G14 j
Because the old radios sound a warning whenever 4
a severe weather bulletin is l>ruadcast by the weather POWER EMPLOYEFS Tile EMPLOYEES WILL WEAR service, sorne residents in the area disconnected the ALAILGiA POWER IDFNFIFICATION CARDS, cgm 'y L s,
y radios to avoid being disturbed by weather an.
PLETE WITil Tile EMPLOYEFS PICTURES i.t!l' n
nouncements. Therefour, the radios would not work Should there be any qucations alx)ut the new '
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radios, residents can call 899(((36 for fupher
'i in the unhkcly event of an emergency at the nuclear infornution.
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1 OVER THE FENCE VOL. I hO. 2 FALL 1987 Radio Distribution Near Completion DNuclear Plant is nearly complete istnbution of tone alert radios in "We hope people are pleased with the' people were not home, and a note was left the 10 mile radius of Farley new system. It totally climinates weather dispatches. The new radios will sound asking them to phone so a delivery could be arranged. Follow up calls were made, acco ding to Allan Mcdonald, coordinator only during tests on Wednesdays and in but stillsome persons have not been of the emergency notification program, the highly unlikely event of an accident at reached. Therefore, if you have not Mcdonald said more th2n 2,500 radios the plant. I want to stress that people have been delivered since spring. The should keep their radios plugged in at all received a new tone alert radio, please call weather alert radio system has been times. If there are any problems or 899 6666 collect. Delivery anangements will be made.
replaced with the tone alert radio system.
questions about the system, please call Another option is to simply come by the This was done to elismrute problems 899-6666 collect," Mcdonald said.
Farley Visitors Center and pick up a radio.
caused by frequent weather alerts which Distribution teams tried to call on every
'lhe center's hours are 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.
irritated many people in the 10-mile radius.
home in the 10-mile radius that should Monday through Friday and 2-5 p.m. on reccht a radio. Ilowever, in some cases
, Sunday.
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L OVER THE FENCE VOL. 1 No. 3 WINTER 1988 Need a New Radio?
,s Last summer Alabama Power began handing out %ne':
Alert Radios' These radios mplace the old Weather Alert 4 Radios whicli were handeLI out for the past several_. ::
l years. They look the same, however, the new radios are' -
sl 4 clearly marked!'!Ibn A ert Radio" on the front. If youw'
~
" have not yet risceived a Tbne Alch Radio, or if pou have
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- . one, but it is 66t working properly, please call the 5,@ 1 l
, visitors centce collect at 899-6666. We will be happy tow:
. delh'erinew oneith yo'u or pick up the,o.ne that is not'i ^
working and fepair it. Your adlo is your diiect link to (
the plint.,In the unlikely event of an incident it thel ?'
plant; your ra'dio will pmvide unportant informatlos So as a safety precaution, it sh;uld be plugged in at all.-
times.,, a "-
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Channel 18 News Dothan, Ala.
Sept. 2, 1987 Anchor:
If you live within a 10-mile iodius of the Farley Nuclear Plant, you probably have a warning radio that sounds off in the event of an emergency. Those radios cause problems for some people and Renelle Smith tells us that you should soon have a new radio from Farley Nuclear Plant.
Reporter: This is the new radio that residents within a 10-mile radius of the plant now use as the warning system for accidents at Farley Nuclear Plant. It looks almost exactly like the old one, but the new one does not include broadcasts from NOAH Weather Radio.
Resident: It would go off all during the night when it was warning you of severe weather. We would get up in the middle of the night and turn it off.
Joe Beckham (Alabama Power) People were turning off their radios due to severe weather warnings that came on in the middle of the night, which disturbed them. And af ter a survey was done, the company looked at several options and decided to change out the radio system so the residents would not be bothered and so they could keep their radibs plugged in, which is part of the federal requirement for the plant.
Reporter: The difference between the radios is that the old one says "alert moaitor" on it while the new one you need now says "tone alert radio" and also "property of Alabama Power Company" on the front. If you don't have a new one, you must contact the Farley Nuclear Plant at 899-6666. People who live within a 10-mile radius get them free -- except for people who live within the city limits of Ashford, Gordon and Columbia. Those towns have sirens they use for warnings.
Joe Beckham: The main difference is there will be no weather reports going off on the radio at all -- strictly messages transmitted from Farley Nuclear Plant to the residents.
Resident: I feel a lot more comfortable having the new one than the old one with the weather on it, because the radio is tested once a week on Wedensday from 11 to 12. I feel if we should have an emergency over at Farley Nuclear Plant, that this radio would better advise us to listen to our local tv station or to a radio station.
Reporter: Again, if you live within a 10-mile radius of the plant, and do not have a new radio, call Farley Nuclear Plant at 899-6666. Rene11e Smith, NewsWatch 18.
Anchor: On Sept. 22, a special testing will be done and Alabama Power will be graded on the number of people who have their radios on during this special test. So keep that date in mind and have your radio on Sept. 22.
- illi
PRESS RELEASE May 11, 1987 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Chris Conway 205-832-3475 Alabama Power to Install New Warning Radios; NOAA Weather Radio Transmission to be Discontinued DOTHAN----Alabama Power Company and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced tsday that effective September 1,1987, the Farley Nuclear Plant NOAA Wea'.her Radio Sfation transmission will be discontinued.
This termination is in conjunction with Alabama Power's plans to replace the NOAA weather radio station and distribute new warning radios within the ten-mile radius around the plant.
The NOAA weather station transmission on 162.425 MHz has been used by the plant for the. purpose of providing a nuclear emergency notification system for area residents since 1981.
In addition the system has also provided forecasts and severe weather warnings from NOAA.
The dual purpose served by the weather radios in sounding tone alert warnings for severe weather on a 24-hour-a-day basis as well ac in the event of a nuclear emergency has been bothersome to some residents living near the plant.
Therefore, the new warning radios will tone alert only during nuclear drills and in the unlikely event of an actual nuclear emergency.
- Alabama Power is required as part nf its operating license to have a public warning system that could alert essentially 100 percent of the residents within a ten-mile radius of the plant of an emergency.
Throughout May and June Alabama Power representatives will be visiting area residents and replacing weather radios with new radios.
The new radios will not sound the weather alerts.
Persons who have been listening to NOAA broadcasts from the Farley transmitter on privately purchased weather radios will no longer receive the signal, although they might be able to receive broadcasts from one of two other NOAA transmitters in South Alabama, one in Dozier in Crenshaw County transmitting on 162.550 MHz and one near Louisville in Barbour County ope ating on a frequency of 162.475 MHz.
An outside directional antenna may be needed.
The weather alert radios previously distributed by Alabama Power which received the farley transmission on 162.425 MHz will not pick up the other weather broadcasts from Crenshaw and Barbour Counties.
-continued-
s Anyone having questions about Alabama Power Company's new warning radios should contact Alabama _ Power. Questions about NOAA weather radio in South Alabama should be directed to either the Montgomery or Birmingham National Weather Service office.
DH J
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Title:
Nermal Broadcast Message his is MGG 636 broadcasting irom rarley Nuclear Plant in Bouston County, Alabama.
Bis station is operated as a part of the alert and notification system around rarley Nuclear Plant. % e system is designed to notify you in case of an emergency at the plant. sirens in Ashford, Gordon and Columbia and tone alert radios tuned to this station would alert you to listen to local radio and television statiens for information and
~
instructions.
Alabama Power Company provides tone alert radios to homes and businesses within approximately five miles of the rarley Nuclear Plant. Between approximately five miles and ten miles of rarley Nuclear Plant, Alabama l
Power Company provides tone alert radios to homes and businesses except in Ashford and Gordon. People living in Ashford and Cordon do not receive radios because sirens have been installed there. If you move, your radio should be returned to Alaham Power. Call area code 205 899-6666 collect and arrangements will be made for receiving or returning a radio.
2 e radio is designed to run off a normal electrical outlet - please
(
keep it plugged in. In case your power goes off, the radio has a battery that will keep it running. You will need to check the battery Also check every 6 months and when the radio has not been plugged in.
the battery after power has been off for a long time. 'Ib check the radio, place the ENI'ICR-ALERT switch to MONITOR and unplug the radio for a swrt time. If the radio fails to work when it's unplugged, replace the battery. Be sure to use a 9 volt alkaline battery. It can be ht at any local hardware or drugstore. If you need help replac.ng your battery, call area code 205 899-6666 collect.
%e testing is routinely done
%e warning system is tested regularly.
between 12:00 noon and 1:00 p.m. Central time on Wednesday of each week.
During these tests, your radio should turn on and you will receive a You must operate the reset switch to turn the radio brief test. message.
off.
If your radio does not turn on during the tests, if it is damaged or you feel it isn't working right, call Alabama Power Company at area code 205 899-6666 collect and we will check the problem out. Please don't try to repair the radio yourself. All repairs or replacements of radios will be handled by Alabama Power company free of charge.
Each year Alabama '5ower gives out a booklet or calendar discussing the emergency plan tor Parley Nuclear Plant and actions you should take during an emergency. If you have not received a copy, call the company collect at area code 205 899-6666 and one will be provided.
(
i For information about Farley Nuclear Plant, you may call area code 205 899-5108 or come by the Farley Nuclear Plant Visitors Center on Highway 95, Houston County, Alabama. 'Ihe visitors conter is open 6 days per week year-round except holidays. Its hours are 9:00 a.m.
to 4:00 p.m. Central time Monday through Friday and 2:00 p.m. to 5:00*p.m.
Central time on Sunday.
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TITLES.
TEST MESSAGE SOLND ALERT TONE h is is a test of the Alert and Notification system around the Joseph M.
Repeat - this is a test.
In the event of an actual rarley Nuclear Plant.
emergency you will be instructed to tune your television or radio to the appropriate Emergency Broadcast Station.
Please his concludes the test of the alert and notification system.
reset your receiver.
I
( h is message will repeat until the system is returned by Dothan/ Houston County E.'% to the normal broadcast message.)
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1988 EMERGENCY PLANNING CALENDAR Joseph M.
Earley Nuclear Electric Generating Plant Page 14 i
i Rodo
! WOOF-AM 5600othan i
i WOOF.FM 99.7.Dothan i
~
! WB8K.AM 1260Slakely WB8K.FM 93.5. Blakdy i
HOW WOULD YOU i TeW5im KNOW IF THERE i WTVY.TV Chmnel 4.Dothm WAS AN EMERGENCY?
i WBBK AM and WOOF AM don't normdy broode i nicft. But they would resume broadcasting within 15 TONE ALERT RADIOS j mrutes of m emergency.
i Tone dert rodos how bem astributed to cd hcnes cM i
busresses wit % 10 rries of the picrt. Tih exdudes Ashford, i Gordon md Cok;rrba where there cre sirens. N rodos wi.
F mrn you to htm to a locd rodo or tebsion cohon fer more i
- detah Rodos cri tested each Wechesday. If the test day h a legd 'j i hc4 day, the testng is done the next work day.
SIREN SYSTEMS i
KINDS OF Snns how been set up h Ashford, Coknbo and Gordon.
EMERGENCIES
- These sirens wrn to hten to a locd rodo or tdemon i
j station.The sirens a semd dffmrt from fre trucks, e+:.
l hos ck -
me cre tested b Janucry,d durbg Pkst WsApf, July md Octciber i plant safety. bre is no dangor to the pubk.
h s' cre dso bte Alert. There has been a red or potectid dedne
! M(seeededer) emergerry
.N sms cre W m War i the safety W at the plcrt. There is no dmger to the
- w tests.
. An dert gets emergency workers ready if the e OTHER ALERTS Site Area Emergency. THs means there has Offidds wedd dse spnsod de weed of m mpcy by a red or Ikely problem. Gowrnmert offidals may ord somd trucks, pcke srms, butons md kmdna m dmrs.
eauchon cr shehenng of the pubk as a preccution.
Be a gwd neicf6er md contact othm who la necr >cu.
workers wodd be reody to take actions if But please leow phone ines decr for wepcy uses.
- needed i
i General Emergency. This means that there r be reacter core damoge. Release of rodoochMty is j
/
i possble. Gowrnnent offiods would tel the pubk who to do.
i M
i EMERGENCY ACTION i
Offiods wa tes you what to do based m the type EMERGENCY BROADCAST i of
. You may be told that yxr crea is not md no oction is needed. You may be told to STATIONS sbater and stay 'amrs to we & em i
When deried you should tune to the empcy brood.
- you be ordered to leow yxr home-eavate-
- cast stations fer infcmd.m. Fokw the instructions you cre
- prewr#
thy rodobon exposure. Or you may be tol
- ghen at that time.
i take sheher or eavate os a precoubon ody.
Whatear you're told to do, keep colrn and folow
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STATE OF ALADAMA (j/,/pi,: EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY v
L; 620 SOUTil COURT STREET
- MONTGOMERY ALABAMA 36130 e (205) &34 1375 a
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a.org g ren y-December 28,1987
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Mr. Glenn Woodard Natural and Technological Hazards Divislop Federal Emergency Management Agency, Rege lV 137 3 Peachtree Street, N.E.
Atlanta, GA 30309 ATTN: Mr. John Heard i
Dear Mr. Woodard:
The attached information is forwarded as requested by Alabama Power Coinpany.
If your staff has any questions, please contact Bob Lilly, AEMA, REP Plans.
> >=
Sincerely, I
J. Danny Cooper Director 3DC:BLiah Attachment Info copy to: Mr. W. G. Hairston, Ill Vice President, Nuclear Generation Alabama Power Company Mr. K. W. McCracken 92930af I
Alabama Power Company l
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December 15, 1987 s@ct Post-ANS Test Siren Operability From F. M. Jessup, III At Nuclear Generation To rile: A-29.13.2.7 on September 22, 1987, rDiA sponsored a test of the Alert and Notifi-cation System (ANS) in accordance with guidance set forth in Guidance Memorandum AN-1, "1DiA Action to* Qualify Alert and Notification Systems FDR contracted Inter-Against HUREG-0654/MMA-REP-1 and FDE-REP-10."nat coordinate and evaluate the test.
Pennsylvania was used to conduct the telephone survey following the test.
We test was scheduled to begin at 5:52 P.M. CIrr and conclude by 6:07 We test
% e telephone survey was to immediately follow the test.
was to include three siren bursts of three minutes each with a minute P.M.
EBS pause between each burst and two activations of the al m vY was scheduled to scroll an EBS message and brcadcast a prepared text l
All of these activities were scheduled to during their Evening News. occur during the 15 minute time period between 5:5 l
We test began with all three sirens and tone alert radios activating Each siren is designed to run for three minutes after re-as scheduled.
ceiving a remote signal to activate; however, t m of the three scheduled siren bursts (see Attachment 1).
siren manually ccupleted the three-minute sequence in each of the three bursts after the siren autenatically terminated one minute and 40 seconds l
into each burst.
We columbia siren only ran one minute during the first scheduled Manual offorts burst and 30 seconds in each of the remaining two bursts.In each of the three to complete the three-minute schedules failed.
bursts, only a garbled noise could be' heard fren the siren after the normal siten sound ended.
We Columbia siren failure was determined to have been caused by bad (degraded capacity) batteries, and the problem was corrected Columbia siren were not suitable for the service following the test.
i and a replaced with appropriate batteries having a higher ampere capacity % e trickle charge).
longer reserve time thus increasing the reliability of the siren.
remaining two sirens have been verified to have at least the same anpere l
capacity and reserve time rating as 6.he upgraded batteries; however, Gordon siren's batteries were not on the vendor's approved battery list l
and were replaced with identical batteries as used in on the columbia siren on July 2, 1987.
i m
.,', 0 r11e December 15, 1987 Page 2 In order to verify the Columbia siren operability after the battery replacement, a fall cycle nest was performed on October 1,1987. Tw test was successful with the exception of the run-time. As already detemined in tests after battery replacement, the run-time fell short of the design three minute period by one n'inute. On October 16, 1987, this timing problem was corrected by replacement of the timing circuit electronics and the new siren timing circuit was verified to run the full three minute period.
Efforts to restore the Goyon full cycle operation time to greater than or equal to three (3) minutes began the day following the test. Initial adjustment efforts on the Gordon siren the following day increased the run-time to two minutes. Continued repair offorts over the next few weeks increased the run-time to two mismtes arid forty five seconds. By 10-30-87, the siren run-time was increased to thive minutes by replacement of the timing circuit electronics and the run-time verified to be a full three minutes. This problem could have been corrected earlier; however, problems were encountered in obta.ining functional replacement parts from the siren manufacturer, seir.lannual maintenance,'includir.g full cycle testing, was performed on all three sirens on NUvember 19 and 20,1987. All sirens were operable and all sirens ran the full three minute design period. Full cycle tests have been performed annually under the surveillance plan used to date; however, future semiannual siren maintenance will include full cycle testing.
l nonemb i
xc W. C. Carr I
K. W. McCracken Allen White i
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snet ACTIVATIO4 Tumi monote off Marnaal Manual On off Activation Ashford 5:52 5:55:20 5:56:40 6:00:00 6:02:12 6:05:32 Gordon 5:52 5:53:40 5:53:42 5:55 5:56 5:57:40 5:57:42 5:59 6:02 6:03:40 4:03:42 6:05 Columbia 5:52 5:53 5:56 5:56:30 6:02 6:02:30 I
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EnclosurO 2 e
1 Questions Regarding FEMA survey:
1.
What qualified as "notification" when calculating the percent of residents notified?
Was notification by EBS (relio announcement on WOOF or WBBK or scrolled message.
of WTVY) counted?
Was notification by another family j
r aber counted? By a neighbor?
If any of these means of tification was not allowed, how many EPZ residences re alerted in each of the disallowed categories (See i
arvey question 3) and not counted as a notification?
.f any are not counted as a notification, what rationale 4
das used to disallow them?
2.
For the 39 people notified but not at home during the test (survey Question 4), how were they notified?
Since the system is designed to notify transients, what is the justification for not treating these as valid notifications?
How many people indicated that they did not have radios (Survey Question 4B)?
Have the names of these people i
been compared to the APCo radio distribution list and j
how many of them are on it?
How has it been verified that they are not in a siren zone and that they are in i
i the EPZ?
(Listings of siren zone res4. dents were j
provided by APCo to the FEMA contractor.)
4.
How has it been verified that other negative respondents are actually located in the EPZ?
Have negative respondents not located in siren zones been checked i
against the APCo radio distribution list?
l 5.
How many of the negative respondents indicated that they had radios which were turned on during the test?
Turned off? (Survey Question 4C) 6.
How many of the residences surveyed were in the Columbia j
siren zone?
(An alphabetical lis'
'g of Columbia siren zone residents was provided by APC co the FEMA l
contractor.)
How many of these respondents were counted j
as not having been notified when the percent notification was calculated?
How many were counted as i
l having been notified?
7.
How many of the residences surveyed were in the Ashford i
siren zone?
(An alphabetical listing of Ashford siren I
zone residents was provided by APCo to the FEMA contractor.)
How many of these respondents were counted as not having been notified when the percent notification was calculated?
How many were counted as having been notified?
I l
8.
How many of the residences surveyed were in the Gordon
Enclosuro 2 siren zone?
(An alphabetical listing of Gordon siren zone residents was provided by APCo to the FEMA contractor.)
How many of these respondents were counted as not having been notified when the percent notification was calculated?
How many were counted as having been notified?
9.
The February 1, 1988 letter from Mr. Peterson to Mr.
Stello indicated that confusion over the old NOAA radio and the new tone alert radio constituted a problem with the alert and notification system.
Please explain how any confusion that existed impacted the number of EPZ households which were notified.