ML20203G913

Expresses Concern About Recent Events That Have Taken Place at Millstone Unit 3 & Plans to Restart Unit 2.Calls Upon NRC to Permanently Shutdown Unit 3,ensure That Unit 2 Remains Closed & Convene Public Meeting to Discuss Nu Restart Plan

ML20203G913
Person / Time
Site:	Millstone
Issue date:	01/06/1999
From:	Forbes M HOUSE OF REP.
To:	Shirley Ann Jackson, The Chairman NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
Shared Package
ML20203G868	List: ML20203G863 ML20203G913
References
NUDOCS 9902220103
Download: ML20203G913 (2)

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.o=o.ioi m. eAa httpWwww house goviottes,vvekome.html Ms. Shirley Jackson Chairman Nuclear Regulatory Commission 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, Maryland 20852

Dear Chairman Jackson and Members of the Commission:

Yet another malfunction of the Millstone 3 nuclear power plant in Waterford, Connecticut occurred this past Monday, January 4,1999. While this most recent failure did not cause another shut down of Millstone 3, it is perhaps the most troubling because it released into Long Island Sound 800 gallons of water containing radioactive tritium. In light of this leak at Millstone 3 and since no evacuation plan has been cicated to prepare Eastern Long Island for the unlikely event of an accident at the plant, I call upon the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to permanently shut down Millstone 3.

Millstone 3 was shut down no less than five times in the last six months. On August 11, 1998, Millstone 3 was shutdown to repair a leak on a valve that is part of a backup system designed to provide water to the plant's steam generators if the primary system fails. On September 15, Millstone 3 was shut down after a leaking isolation valve threatened to allow salt water to enter and damage the plant's steam generators. On October 28, Millstone 3 was shut down after operators again discovered the potential for salt water to enter the plant and cause damage. November 11, Millstone 3 shut down after high winds and turbulent waters in Long Island Sound caused seaweed and other debris to clog a water intake structure. On December 11

- 1998, Millstone 3 was shut down at 8:41 a.m when one of the plant's four Main Steam Isolation Valves closed inadvertently during a test, causing a loss of steam in the plant's turbines.

In the face of these ongoing problems with Millstone 3, Northeast Utilities (NU) planuo reopen Millstone 2. I ask that the NRC ensure Millstone 2 remain closed and ask the NRC to convene a public meeting on Long Island to discuss NU's plan to restart it. As you will l

remember, at my request on May 26,1998 the NRC held a public meeting in Jamesport, Long Island so local residents could provide input, get information, ask questions and comment on i

NU's plan to restart Millstone 3. There I asked the NRC to delay for 90 days its decision to i

restart and, despite my objections, the Commission voted to allow NU to restart Millstone 3 on L

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i January 6,1999 Page 2 June 15,1998. I then pressed the NRC for an emergency management plan for Eastern Long Island.

Although the NRC again refused, I was able to secure an agreement from NU to work with local, county and State officials on developing an emergency management plan for Eastern j

Long Island and to begin an ongoing dialci,ae with those officials about operation and management at the Millstone Nuclear Power Station and Millstone 3. On July 20,1998, I convened the initial meeting in Riverhead between NU and local, couhty and State officials to establish this ongoing dialogue. Since that meeting NU has assisted each of Long Island's five East End Towns and Suffolk County with creating a coordinated emergency plan and establishing an open line of communication to ensure Eastern Long Island is considered when decisions are made regarding the Millstone. No emergency plan has been created and Millstone 3 continues to suffer operating failures, necessitating multiple shut downs. I must conclude that j

Millstone 3 is unsafe. The NRC must shut down Millstone 3 and not allow Millstone 2 to be restarted.

Given repeated technical failures and the absence of a plan to safely evacuate Eastern Long Island, I urge the commission to take immediate action to peimanently close Millstone 3.

Sincerely, p

MICHAEL P. FORB 'S Member of Congress MPF:ftd cc:

Governct George E. Pataki, State of New York Suffolk County Executive Robert J. Gaffney Supervisor Jean Cochran, Town of Southold Supervisor Catherine Lester, Town of East Hampton Supervisor Vincent J. Cannuscio, Town of Southampto'n Supervisor Gerard F. Siller, Town of Shelter Island Supervisor Vincent G. Villella, Town of Riverhead L

Supervisor Felix J. Grucci, Jr., Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Patrick R. Vecchio, Town of Smithtown l

New York State Senate New York State Assembly Suffolk County Legislature

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