ML20151Y552

Discusses Util Rept, Rept on Containment Safety at Vermont Yankee. Based on Review,Rept Appears Systematic,Thorough Evaluation of Potential Safety Improvements to Facility

ML20151Y552
Person / Time
Site:	Vermont Yankee
Issue date:	08/24/1988
From:	Murley T Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Kunin M VERMONT, STATE OF
References
NUDOCS 8808260446
Download: ML20151Y552 (7)

Text

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.+f UNITED STATES

[ 7, NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

&- l WASHING TON, 0. C. 20555

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AUG 2 41988 The Honorable Madeleine Kunin Governor of Vermont Montpelier, Vemont 05602

Dear Governor Kunin:

During our meeting in Montpelier on May 3,1988, you infomed me that you had recently received "A Report on Containment Safet Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation (VYNPC)y .

at requested You also Vermont Yankee" that the from the NRC review the report.

By letter datea May 24, 1988 VYNPC provided for our information a copy of that report. The subject document was generated by the licensee to sumarize and describe for the State of Vermont the status of all of the Vemont Yankee containment improvement / severe accident initiative items. Vemont Yankee further noted that the report was not intended as a technical report (and thus l not suitable for detailed engineering review) and did not represent a definitive follow-up effort to the "Vemont Yankee Containment Safety Study "

dated August 1986. Nevertheless, as agreed in our earlier discussions, we have reviewed the report principally to evaluate the broad safety significance of Yemont Yankee's efforts.

Our review of the report finds it to be a systematic, thorough evaluation of ,

potential safety improvements to the VY plant. We believe that the additional I training and procedures described in the report should add to the ability of Yemont Yankee operators to cope effectively with events beyond the design basis for the Vermont Yankee plant. The report also describes plant modifi-

• cations that are being implemented (e.g., containment spray supply from the diesel fire pump and additional backup power to valves). These modifications add to the usefulness of plant equipment in responding to events beyond the design basis. In sumary, we conclude that changes resulting from the study make a positive improvement to the safe operation of the Yemont Yankee plant.. 1 You may be aware that the NRC staff has underway a program to evaluate the ability of the Mark I containment design to accommodate severe accidents, as well as + evaluate potential improvements. Any requirements that may stem from this program will also ultimately apply to Vermont Yankee, We consider the probability of a severe accident that could challenge the Mark I containment to be very low. Consequently, we conclude that no regulatory action by NRC is required pending completion of our generic evaluation of the Mark I containment ,

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Governor Xunin 2 AUG 2 41998 In the interim, however, the safety improvements stemming from the Vermont Yankee study provide the Vertnont Yankee plant with a level of containment safety that goes beycad present staff requirements. We regard this as a positive attribute.

Sincerely.

Orioinal signed by ThccasE.Eurleg Thomas E. Murley, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation l

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i cc: See next page l DISTRIBUTION: DocNt Filet NRC & Local PDRs PDI-3 r/f, RWessman, SVarga, BBoger, MRushbrook, VRooney, OGC-Rockville, EJordan, BGrimes, ACRS (10),

JSniezek/TMurley, FMiraglia, AThadini, J. Craig, MMiller Region I, cc: RCapstick(VYNP)

See next page 1

• See previous concurrence P -3 DIR/PDI-3 NRR/ SAD AD/RI DRP/DRSP ADP shb k *RWessman *AThadini *BBoger *SVarga *FMiraglia TMurley ,

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l l Mr. R. W. Capstick l Vemont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station cc:

Mr. J. Gary Weigand W. P. Murphy, Vice President President & Chief Executive Officer and Manager of Operations Vemont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. Vemont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp.

R.D. 5. Box 169 R.D. 5, Box 169 Ferry Road Ferry Road Brattleboro, Vermont 05301 Brattleboro, Vermont 05301 l

l Mr. John DeVincentis, Vice President Mr. Gerald Tarrant Comissioner Yankee Atomic Electric Company Vermont Department of Public Service

! 1671 Worcester Road 120 State Street l Framingham, Massachusetts 01701 Montpelier, Vermont 05602 New England Coalition on Nuclear Public Service Board l Pollution State of Vermont '

Hill and Dale Fam 120 State Street  ;

R.D. 2. Box 223 Montpelier, Vermont 05602 l Putney, Yemont 05346 1 I

Vermont Public Interest Research  !

Group Inc. G. Dean Weyman )

43 State Street Chairman, Board of Selectman i Montpelier, Vermont 05602 Post Office Box 116 Vernon, Vermont 05354 l l

, William Russell, Regional Administrator Raymond N. McCandless I Region I Office Yemont Division of Occupational l U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Radiological Health 475 Allendale Road Administration Building I King of Prussia, Pennsylvania 19406 Montpelier Vermont 05602 l Mr. R. W. Capstick Honorable John J. Easton Vermont Yankee Nuclear Attorney General Power Corporation State of Vermont 1671 Worcester Road 109 State Street Framingham, Massachusetts 01701 Montpelier, Vemont 05602 1

1 R. K. Gad III i Ropes & Gray Conner & Wetterhahn, P.C. I 225 Franklin Street Suite 1050

Boston, Massachusetts 02110 1747 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

I Washington, D.C. 20006 l

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1 Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station Corporation cc:

Ellyn R. Weiss Esq. Resident Inspector Harmon & Weiss U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission 2001 S Street, N.W. P.O. Box 176 Washington, D.C. 20009 Vernon, Vermont 05354 David J. Mullett, Esq. Carol S. Sneider Esq.

Special Assistant Attorney General Assistant Attorney General Vermont Depart, of Public Service Office of the Attorney General 120 State Street One Ashburton Place,19th Floor Montpelier, VT 05602 Boston, MA 02108 Jay Gutierrez Geoffrey M. Huntington, Esquire Regional Counsel Office of the Attorney General USNRC, Region I Environmental Protection Bureau 475 Allendale Road State House Annex King of Prussia, PA 19406 25 Capitol Street Concord, NH 03301-6397 G. Dana Bisbee, Esq. Charles Bechhoefer, Esq.

Office of the Attorney General Administrative Judge Environmental Protection Bureau Atomic Safety and Licensing Board State House Annex U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission 25 Capitol Street Washington, DC 20555 Concord, NH 033n1-6397 Dr. James H. Carpenter Administrative Judge Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Atomic Safety and Licensing Board U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission Washington, DC 20555 Washington, DC 20555 Mr. Glenn 0. Bright Adjudicatory File (2) i Administrative Judge Atomic Safety and Licensing Board l Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel Docket i U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission '

Washington, DC 20555 Washington, D.C. 20555 I

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Governor Kunin 2 risk to the public is low enough for reactors with Mark I containments to continue operating while the research program is being conducted. In the interim, however, the safety improvements steming from the Vermont Yankee study provide the Vermont Yankee plant with a level of containment safety which goes beyond present staff requirements. We regard this as a positive attribute.

Sincerely,

, Thomas E. Murley, Director Office of Nuclear. Reactor Regulation l

l cc: See next page i l

DISTRIBUTION: Docket File, NRC A Local PDRs, PDI-3 r/f, RWessman, SVarga, i BBoger, MRushbrook, VRooney, 0GC-Rockville, EJordan, BGrimes/ ACRS (10), i JSniezek/TMurley, FMiraglia, AThay , J. Craig, MMiller Region I, cc: RCapstick(VYNP) I'

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Governon Kunin 2 j

risk to the public is low enough for reactors with Mark I containments to continue operating while the research program is being conducted. In the interim, however, the safety improvements stemming from the Vermont Yanhee study provide the Vennont Yankee plant with a level of containment sa,ety f

which goes beyond present staff requirements. We regard this as a p 'sitive attribute.

Sincerely,

! Thomas E. Murley Director Office of Nucl ar Reactor Regulation l

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cc: See next p ge l DISTRIBUTION

• Docket File, NRC A local PDRs, PDI-3 r/f, RWessman, SVarga, i

BBoger, MRu hbrook, VRooney, OGC-Rockville EJordan, BGrimes, ACRS (10),

JSniezek/T urley, FMiraglia, AThadini, J. Craig, MMiller Region I, cc: RCa stick (VYNP)

Se next page PDI DIR -3 NRR/ SAD AD/RI DRP/DRSP ADP 00NRR l MR hbrook RWessman AThadini BBoger SVarga FMiraglia TMurley l V oney s/i,/88 / /88 / /88 / /83 / /88 / /88

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Governor Kunin 2 AUG 2 41938 In the interim, however, the safety improvements stemming from the Vermont Yankee study provide the Vennont Yankee plant with a level of containment safety that goes beyond present staff requirements. We regard this as a  :

positive attribute.

Sincerely.

Original signed by -

Eccas E. Yurley Thomas E. Murley, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation i

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cc: See next page DISTRIBUTION: Docket File, NRC & l.ocal PDRs, PDI-3 r/f, RWessman, SVarga, BBoger, MRushbrook, VRooney, 0GC-Rockville EJordan, BGrimes, ACRS (10),

JSniezek/TMurley, FMiraglia, AThadini, J. Craig, MMiller Region I, j cc: RCapstick(VYNP) l See next page

• See previous concurrence 1 P I-3 DIR/PDI-3 NRR/ SAD AD/RI DRP/DRSP ADP

- shb k *RWessman *AThadini *BBoger *SVarga *FMiraglia TMurley 08/11/88 08/15/88 08/16/88 8/16/88 08/16/88 88 YRooney/

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