ML20162A452
| ML20162A452 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palisades  |
| Issue date: | 04/08/2020 |
| From: | Viktoria Mitlyng NRC/RGN-III |
| To: | |
| Mitlyng V | |
| References | |
| Download: ML20162A452 (3) | |
Text
1 Mitlyng, Viktoria
Subject:
FW: Re: Palisades flooding questions
OnApr8,2020,at8:56AM,Mitlyng,Viktoria<Viktoria.Mitlyng@nrc.gov>wrote:
Hello Iris, I hope you are doing well.
YouaskedabouthowthePalisadesplantisprotectedagainstflooding,beitfromhigherlakelevels,or otherphenomena.
Therearemultiplesystemsinplacetoensuretheplantremainsprotectedfromawiderangeofknown floodingscenarios,aswellasbeingabletorespondtounpredictablesituations.
First,Palisades,asallU.S.plants,hadtomeettheNRCsdesignrequirementsthattheplantbeableto withstandtheworstknownfloodingeventinthehistoryofthearea.Thatmeansthattheplanthadto establishlakeleveldesignlimitsforsafeoperation,whichwereindependentlyreviewedandapproved bytheNRCbeforetheplantcouldreceiveanNRClicensetooperate.
Oncetheplantstartedoperating,operatorshavehadtoconsistentlymonitorlakelevelstomakesure thatthefacilityremainswithinthoseestablishedlimits.Theplantisalsorequiredtomonitorweather conditions.Forexample,ifaprecipitousriseinlakelevelsisnoted,theplanthastotakecertainstepsif theconditionsworsen.Theplantwouldberequiredtoshutdownwellbeforereachingthoselimits.
NRCresidentinspectorsindependentlymonitortheplantsactionsandinformationtoverifyPalisades remainswithinlicenseddesignlimits.Theycontinuetoconcludethatcurrentlakelevelsdonotpresent anychallengestosafeoperationsatPalisadesortopublichealthandsafetyatthistime.Ourreviews showthatcurrentandhistoricallakelevelshaveremainedsignificantlylowerthandesignlimitsfor Palisadesentireoperatinghistory.
AccordingtotheinformationfromtheNationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministration https://www.glerl.noaa.gov/data/dashboard/GLWLD.htmlthemaximumLakeMichigan(Huronon sameelevation)recordedduringPalisadesoperatinghistorywas582.35feetabovesealevelinOctober of1986.ThecurrentaveragelakelevelforMarch2020was581.43feetabovesealevel.Asyoucan see,lakelevelhasoscillatedupanddownfordecadesandfuturemodelsshowconstanttodecreasing lakeleveltrends.Additionally,Palisadesoperatingproceduresrequiretheplanttobeginsafereactor shutdowniflakelevelweretoreach590feetabovesealevel.Keepinmindthatthevolumeofwaterin bothLakeMichiganandLakeHuronwouldhavetoincreasenearly8feethigherthanthehighestlevel everrecorded.Althoughthepossibilityofsuchaneventisveryunlikely,Palisadeshasproceduresin placetoensuresafeoperationandshutdowninatimelymannertoensurethesafetyofthepublicand environmentwillbemaintained.
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Inaddition,followingthe2011accidentatFukushima,theNRCtookawiderangeofadditionalactions tofurtherstrengthenfloodingprotectionatU.S.nuclearplants.Hereisalinktodetailedinformation:
https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/opsexperience/postfukushimasafetyenhancements.html
2
Furthermore,plantshavehadtoprestagesafetyequipmentinareasprotectedfromextremenatural phenomenonincaseofanunprecedentedevent.Ifsuchasituation-similartoFukushima-wereto takeplace,thissafetyequipmentwouldbeavailabletocontinuecoolingthereactor.Youcanlearnmore aboutthisbycheckingoutthislink:
https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/opsexperience/postfukushimasafetyenhancements/flex equipmentfeatured.html
Staysafeandhealthy,
Viktoria
Viktoria Mitlyng Sr. Public Affairs Officer US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Region 3 - Lisle, IL Tel 630-829-9662 (office)
Tel 630-201-1345 (cell)
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From:B.IrisPotter<b.irispotter@gmail.com>
Sent:Wednesday,March25,202012:51PM To:Mitlyng,Viktoria<Viktoria.Mitlyng@nrc.gov>
Subject:
[External_Sender]Re:WhodowecontactaboutShoreErosionnearPalisades
Thankyousomuchandbelieveme,Iamaskingforsomanyfolksbecausewearecloselymonitoringthe shoreline.
Youtakecare,Iris
SentfrommyiPhone
OnMar25,2020,at1:33PM,Mitlyng,Viktoria<Viktoria.Mitlyng@nrc.gov>wrote:
Iris, I am working on your inquiry.
-Viktoria From:B.IrisPotter<b.irispotter@gmail.com>
Sent:Wednesday,March25,202011:46AM To:Mitlyng,Viktoria<Viktoria.Mitlyng@nrc.gov>
Subject:
[External_Sender]Re:WhodowecontactaboutShoreErosionnearPalisades
WewouldlikethemtospecificallyaddresstheLakeMIshoreerosionandsafetyat Palisades.Notjustsayingitissafebutmoreinfoaboutmonitoring,etc.
Acoupleofreferencestoit.
3
https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/floodrisknuclearpowerplants GeneralabovefromUCS
NRC https://www.nrc.gov/site help/search.html?q=Floods+and+natural+disasters&site=allSites#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=Floo ds%20and%20natural%20disasters&gsc.page=1 SentfrommyiPhone
OnMar25,2020,at12:29PM,Mitlyng,Viktoria<Viktoria.Mitlyng@nrc.gov>wrote:
HelloIris,
Ihopeyouandyourfamilyarestayingwell.
Couldyou,pleasegivemealittlemorecontextforyourquestionsothat Icanunderstanditbetter?Couldyousharethelinkyouare referencing?
Thankyou.
Viktoria
ViktoriaMitlyng Sr.PublicAffairsOfficer USNuclearRegulatoryCommission Region3Lisle,IL Tel6308299662(office)
Tel6302011345(cell)
OriginalMessage From:B.IrisPotter<b.irispotter@gmail.com>
Sent:Wednesday,March25,202011:24AM To:Mitlyng,Viktoria<Viktoria.Mitlyng@nrc.gov>
Subject:
[External_Sender]WhodowecontactaboutShoreErosion nearPalisades
Hi.ItwouldbegreatifNRCandEntergypubliclyaddresstheerosion relatedtoPalisadesandsafetysinceFloodingisanissueonthewebsite.
So,howcanyouhelpmegettowhomIshouldspeakverysoon.
Thankyouandbesafe.Iris
SentfrommyiPhone