ML20207E002

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Forwards Request to Soviet Union Re Chernobyl Accident to Assist in Assessment of Accident Impact on Us Nuclear Industry
ML20207E002
Person / Time
Issue date: 12/22/1986
From: Speis T
NRC - CHERNOBYL REVIEW GROUP
To: Calley H
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Shared Package
ML20207D960 List:
References
FOIA-86-335 NUDOCS 8701020033
Download: ML20207E002 (5)


Text

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I 4rr g g MEMORANDUM FOR: EPA

, FROM: Themis P. Speis, NRC Chernobyl Incident Tracking Team

SUBJECT:

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION FROM S0VIET UNION The NRC has developed the enclosed request for the Soviet Union regarding the Chernobyl accident which will assist us in our assessment of the accident's impact on the U.S. Nuclear Industry.

f\ \ -Q N r Themis P. Speis Director, NRC Chernobyl "

Incident Tracking Team

Enclosure:

As stated -

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1. Provide operational characteristics of plant.
a. Amount of graphite
b. Amount of fuel
c. Amount of water
d. Amount of zirconium
e. Operating temperature and pressure
f. Operating history of core at time of accident (expected isotopic inventory or'burnup)
g. Normal temperature of fuel and graphite at operating conditions 1
2. What was the initiating event?
a. Did a fuel overheating and/or meltdown cause graphite ignition?
b. Did accidental release of Wigner energy cause or contribute to the accident?
3. What was the sequence of events?
a. There appears from photographs to have been an explosion which dam-aged the building surrounding the reactor. What was the cause of this explosion? Was it a hydrogen explosion?
b. What was the method of containment for the Chernobyl Reactor? Was the building surrounding the reactor a containment building with a pressure-retention capability, or some other type Fo t h-sc-33.r g/f

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of building with no pressure-retention capability? What was its internal design pressure?

c. From the literature, it appears that a concrete structure surrounded the core on all sides except on top of the core. What method of con-tainment enclosed the top of the core?
4. What is the current status and pro.iected status of the remaining three units on the site? -
5. What was the release mechanism for the radioactivity?
6. Provide any radionuclide and/or dose measurements or predictions downwind and/or within the vicinity of the plant.
7. What is the estimated activity released? What is the time dependent release rate? Was the release temperature much above ambient? Is the r release temperature as a function of time available?

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m .m Status Sumary

. At the direction of the Commission, an NRC Incident Tracking Team was estab-lished on May 1,1986 to collect information and review the effects of the Chernobyl Incident in support of EPA.

The purpose of the effort is to obtain an understanding of the reactor accident and the radiological source term in order to assist EPA in assessing its input to the United States. The team is structured similar to the NRC Incident Response organization and will utilize the Operations Center on an 8-hour a day basis to focus communications and provide coherence to the inter-office effort. Dr. Themis Speis is the director of the team which is being initially staffed by personnel listed on the attachment.

The EPA is the lead government agency for coordinating the U.S. assessment of a response to the Chernobyl Incident, and inquiries should be referred to (202)382-5589. Any inquiries from the media regarding Chernobyl in the context of NRC's mission should be directed to NRC's Office of Public Affairs on (301)492-7715. Other inquiries in which you are unsure of, the proper response should be referred to the NRC Operations Center. The Operations Center phone no.is(301)951-0550.

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H Based upon information collected by EPA from various federal agencies, EPA will

. be publishing a daily status report on the Chernobyl Incident. As EPA status reports are received by the Incident Tracking Team, they will be communicated to all NRC Headquarters and Regional Offices and INP0. INP0 will communicate EPA Status Reports to U.S. Utilities and Venoors via Nuclear Network.

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