ML20199D327
| ML20199D327 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Fort Saint Vrain  |
| Issue date: | 06/12/1986 |
| From: | Stello V NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Brown H HOUSE OF REP. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20199D334 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8606200212 | |
| Download: ML20199D327 (6) | |
Text
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as it 115 The Honorable Hank Brown-U.S. House-of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Congressman Brown:
This is in response to your letter of May 26, 1986, to Carlton Kammerer, forwarding the concerns of two of your constituents regarding the similarities between the.Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, in the Soviet Union, and the Fort St. Vrain Nuclear Power Plant, in Platteville, Colorado.
.Immediately after. the Chernobyl accident, the NRC staff initiated a review of the original licensing bases for the Fort St. Vrain facility, the only-licensed commercial nuclear power plant in the United States which both has a graphite core and lacks a secondary containment building. We also asked the Public Service Company of Colorado, the licensee, to investigate scenarios which could lead to rapid oxidation of the Fort St. Vrain graphite core and to assess the consequences of such an event.
On the basis of these evaluations and all other relevant information available to us at this time, we have concluded that continued operation of the Fort St. Vrain facility is justified.
I am enclosing for your information a copy of a letter to Governor Lam dated May 29, 1986 which includes the staff's evaluation and findings. This document addresses the similarities and vital differences between the Chernobyl facility and the Fort St. Vrain plant, as well as the possibilities and consequences of a Chernobyl-like accident at Fort St. Vrain and should be responsive to the concerns of your constituents.
Sincerely, Wgnbd) T. A. Rehm hetor Stello, Jr.
Executive Director for Operations
Enclosure:
Letter to R. Lamm
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The Honorable Hank' Brown U.S. House of Representatives f
Washington, D.C. 20515
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Dear Congre'ssman Brown:
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-ThisLis in response to-your letter of May 26, 1986, to Carlton Kamerer, forwarding the concerns of two of your constituents regarding ths similarities-between the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, in the Soviet Union', and the Fort
'St. Vrain Nuclear Power Plant, in Platteville, Colorado.
Imediately after the Chernobyl accid'ent, the NRC staff initiated a review of the origin _al: licensing bases for the Fort St. Vrain facility, the only
-licensed commercial. nuclear power plant in the United / States which both has a graphite. core and lacks?a secondary containment bu ing. We also asked the lPublic Service Company of Colorado, the licensee, investigate scenarios Which could lead to rapid oxidation of the Fort
.- Vrain graphite core and to
- assess the consequences of such,an event.
On the basis of these evaluations and all o er relevant information available to us at this time, we have concluded tha continued operation of the Fort St. Vrain facility is justified and hav so informed our management and Commission. Because of your interest this matter, I am enclosing for your information a copy of the staff's ev uation and findings, which were provided to Governor La m on May 29, 1986.
is document addresses the similarities and vital differences between the Cher obyl facility and the Fort St. Vrain plant, gas well as the possibilities and consequences of a Chernobyl-like accident at Fort St. Vrain and should be re ponsive to the concerns of your constituents.
Sincerely, Victor Stello, Jr.
Executive Director for Operations t.
Enclosure:
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e P Pay 1086 The Honorable Hank Prown s
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House of Pepresentatives 1310 La ng wo r th Pu11 ding t'a s nin g t o n, District of Columbia 20515
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Dear Pep. Prown:
The events of the past week has caused me' sufficient' concern that I want to express them to you in the hope that you may"be able to take remedial action.
The events that concern ne took pl ac e near Chernobyl in the Soviet Union, nearly hal fway around the globe, yet have had an effect on our lives here in Co l o r a d o.
The meltdown of the graphite-core reac to r( s) (the only graphite-core reactor here in the U.F.
is at Ft. St. Vrain), and the subseouent release of radioactive isotopes into the environment created a frightening scenario.
The cloud of radioactive material has_ threatened not only the public health of the citizens of the Soviet Union but has extended across international boundaries; felt as far away as Norway, France-and Italy.
One of the most startling s pecul a tion s in recent' days concerns the impact of the radioactive isotopes on food production not only in the Ukraine, but in other countries.
With
.the amount of starvation and malnourishment in the world, there is _little roen for taking expanses of productive ag ric ul t ur al lands out of production fo r a number of years as a r e sul t of concentrations of strontiun and cesium which concentrate in the food chain and have hal f-liv es measur ed in decades.
t'y concern stens from the fact that this incident took pl ac e at just one cf an estimated 375 connercial reactors around the world.
The reactors were designed with safety and control neasures in mind for presunably benign purposes.
There are, in addition, an untold number of military reactors designeo for purposes ranging from the production of weapons-grade plutonium to the propulsion of aircraf t carriers.
Finally, there are the weapons arsenal, which were designed not for benign purposes but rather to wreak mass destruction.
If this one accident could have such a dramatic. Alobal inpact, the potentiel disaster brought about, at a nuclear pl a n t in a nore po pul a ted area (such as the Colorado front range) would dwarf
- t. h e present tragedy.
I advocate that you introduce l e g i s l a t,1 o n to deconnission the conmercial nuclear power production fac!!1 ties in the U.S.
The risks a s s o c i a t. e d with t,his t.e c h n o l o g y for the production of electrical power, as dencnstrated by the Thernobyl disaster, are too groat.
- t. o j us t i f y c en t.inued use of nuclear power p l a n t, s.
Th a n k yo u fo r your attention.
Sincerely, 4
N an ney
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FROM:-
DUE: 06/16/86 EDO CONTROL: 001797 DOC DT 05/26/86 REP. HANK BROWN FINAL REPLY TO:
KAMMERER
'FOReSI'ONATURE OF A GREEN SECY NO: 86-0532 I XECUTI i b1 RECTOR 3 E
DESC:
ROUTING:
ENCL LTRS FROM SHARON WELCH CLOUGH L 7 EXPRESSING RMARTIN CONCERN ABOUT THE SAFETY OF FORT ST. VRAIN IN OCUNNINGHAM
,-tIOHT OF'THE 'CHRNOBYL ' ACCIDENT 3
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DATE: 06/02/86 i
(x.SSIONEDTO:
A NRR CONTACT: DENTON SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:
52,.JUNEc3,,1986._.DPL=8t#RAGLIACM NRR RECEIVED:
. ACTION:
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NRR ROUTING:
DENTON j
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MOSSBURG l
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OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
. CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET PAPER NUMBER:
CRC-86-0532 LOGGING DATE: May 30 86 ACTION OFFICE:
EDO AUTHOR::
H. Brown--Const Ref AFFILIATION:.
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES LETTER DATE:
May 26 86 FILE CODE:-C&R-2 BP
SUBJECT:
. Express concern about the safety of the Fort St.
Vrain nue plant in light of.the Chernobyl accident ACTION:
Direct Reply 1
. DISTRIBUTION:
RF SPECIAL HANDLING: None NOTES:
Sharon W Clough DATE DUE:
Jun 9 86 SICNATURE:
DATE SIGNED:
AFFILIATION:
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EDO 0017'37 f
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