ML20212K684

Affidavit of Ja Macdonald.* Response to RR Jordan Affidavit Attached to Contention of Atty General Fx Bellotti.Jordan Operating from Erroneous Premises Which Led to False Conclusions Re Sirens in Merrimac.W/Certificate of Svc

ML20212K684
Person / Time
Site:	Seabrook
Issue date:	01/22/1987
From:	Macdonald J PUBLIC SERVICE CO. OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
To:
Shared Package
ML20212K660	List: ML20212K656 ML20212K684
References
OL-1, NUDOCS 8701290152
Download: ML20212K684 (11)

Text

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'87 JM 27 P2 :22 1/22/s7 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (Filing Date)

NUCLEAR REGULATORY CCb~ MISSION before the ATOMIC SAFETY AND LICENSING BOARD

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In the Matter of )

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PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF ) Docket Nos. 50-443-OL-1 NEW HAMPSHIRE, et al. ) 50-444-OL-1

) I (Seabrook Station, Units 1 and 2) ) (Onsite Emergency Planning i and Safety Issues)

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AFFIDAVIT OF JAMES A. MacDONALD JAMES A. MacDONALD being on oath, deposes and says as follows:

1. I am the Radiological Assessment Manager at Seabrook Station; my professional qualifications are already a matter of record in this proceeding. Post Tr. 486 (Sect. 30, l

1986).

( 2. I have reviewed the Affidavit of Ronald R. Jordan l

which is attached to Contention of Attorney General Francis X.

Bellotti and Hotion to Admit Late-Filed Contention, Reopen the Record in the On-Site Energency Planning Phase of this l

l Proceeding, and Condition the issuance of a License for Operation not in Excess of 5% Rated Power on Applicants' l 8701290152 B70122

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o Compliance with 10 CFR 50.47tb)(S).

3. It is apparent to me that Mr. Jordan is operating from two wholly erroneous premises which have lead him to false conclusions with respect to the sirens located in Merrimac.

4. The sirens are battery operated. There is no need for them to have an AC power hock-up in order to function. In case of an emergency, the sirens can be activated from the control room at Seabrook Station by means of a radio signal. It is true that we would prefer to have an AC power hook-up in order to provide a constant trickle-charge to the batteries.

However, that is not necessary because we can operate, and in the case of Merrimac are now operating, under a procedure whereby fresh batteries are put in the sirens every two weeks.

Additionally, under our preventative maintenance procedures an operability test is performed every two weeks. The test consists of putting a radio signal into the siren and checking to see that the correct test LED lights come on at the siren control cabinet. These tests have been routinely conducted with respect to the Merrimac sirens since July of 1986 and have demonstrated that the sirens are operational.

5. Turning now to the third stren that has not been installed. New Hampshire Yankee has caused a study to be made to see whether the siren coverage would be adequate even 2

a assuming this third siren could not be installed. This study demonstrated that the applicable criteria will be satisfied even without the third siren. Attached hereto and marked "A" is a letter to me of July 7, 1986 from our consultant giving the results of the analysis performed. This letter noted that absent certain ambient noise measurements, our consultant could not completely confirm its judgment that the appropriate criteria would be met in all areas. Attached hereto and marked "B" is a letter to me from our consultant confirming that the necessary ambient noise level measurements have now been made, and that the appropriate criteria of NUREG-0654 are indeed satisfied.

6. Based upon the foregoing, it is my opinion that there exists a fully operable siren system in Merrimac, and thus an adequate means of notifying the populace of that town in the event of an emergency at Seabrook Station.

M A mes A. MacDonald '

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e COMMONWEALTH GF MASSACHUSETTS Suffolk, ss. January 21, 1987 Then appeared before me the above-subscribed James A.

MacDonald and made oath that he had read the foregoing affidavit and that the statements set forth therein are true to the best of his knowledge.

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e amme,avenus osaesst mamm-ehusene one pmsn wee HMM Ref. No. 979 l July 7, 1984 Mr. James A. Mcdonald Radiological Assessment Manager P5NH - Seabrook Station P.O. Box 300 Seabrook, NH 03874 SUSJECT: Seabrook Station Alert and Notification System

, Analysis of Coverage Without Siren MM-3 Dear Mr. Mcdonald As directed by Mr. James Robinson, HMN Associates has undertaken a brief analysis of the adequacy-of-coverage of the Seabrook Alert and Notification System in the event that the Merrimac Siren NN-3 cannot be installed as planned. Our analysis suggests that, even with Siren MM-3 removed the SeabrooksirensystemwouldstillsatisfytheguidelInesof Section C.3.f of Appendix 3 of NUREG=Od54/ FEMA-REP-1, Rev. 1.

A draf t copy of a revised siren systee coverage esp, eithout Siren MM-3's contribution, is enclosed.

The deletion of Siren MM-3 would result in a reduction in the design siren sound coverage throughout much of northern and central Merrimac, MA, and portions of Amesbury, MA and Neeton and South Hampton, NH. Most of this area will still be covered by a siren sound level of at least 60 d8C, esintaining l

compliance with the FEMA critation specified in Section C.3.e of Appendix 3 of NUREG-OdS4/ FEMA-REP-1, Rev.1. In several small areas, however i

reduced below 60 dBC, thebetween

, to design 50 siren andsound 60 deC; covera less0e will abe than '

total of one-quarter of a square mile will be so affected. Our conclusion that adequate siren coverage will be maintained throughout these areas is based in large part upon our judgment that an ambient sound level survey there would reveal background noise levels of less then 40 d8C, and thus the siren coverage would comply with FEMA's "10 d8 above background *

, criterion specified in Section 3.c.f of Appendix 3 of NURCG-Od54/ FEMA-REP-1, Rev. 1.

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Although not densely populated, people do live within the areas where siren coverage will be reduced to betecen 50 and 40 dSC.

Examination of USGS topographical maps of these areas shows

. houses located along Bear Hill Road in Merrimac, MA; along

! Asesbury Road in Newton, NH; and along the shores of Tuxbury i Pond in South Hampton, NH and Amesbury, MA. Hence, FEMA would j not consider siren coverage to be adequate unless it can be shown that the sound levels of the siren tone in these areas exceed the existing background level by 10 de or more; FEMA normally requires ambient noise level measurements for this ,

purpose. Again, it is our judgment that the ambient noise l levels in these areas would be found to be sufficiently low that the "10 de above background

• criterion can be met; however, we have made no background noise measurements to confirm this.

Should you decide to submit a formal amendment to the FEMA-REP-10 report documenting the deletion of Siren MM-3, we recommend that background sensurements be made in those areas where coverage has been reduced to between 50 and 40 d8C. Such esasurements would take about one day to complete. Please let

us know if you want us to proceed with an ambient noise level j survey in these areas.

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Very truly yours, i Robert S. Serens i

i R$8:ld0 0501w cc John Robinson j John DeVincentis I

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pen sit.imm i HMM Ref. No. 979/3378f January 20, 1987 Mr. James A. MacDonald New Hampshire Yankee Seabrook Station P.O. Box 300 Seabrook, New Hampshire 03874 RE: Background Noise Measurements in Merrimac, Massachusetts

Dear Mr. MacDonald:

As indicated in our letter to you of July 7, 1986, most of the town of Merrimac, Massachusetts is covered by a siren design sound level of 60 dBC or more from the existing two sirens in that town or from sirens in adjacent communities. A siren design coverage of 60 d8C or more is considered acceptable for lightly-populated areas such as Merrimac under Section C, 3, e of Appendix 3 of NUREG-0654/ FEMA REP-1, Revision 1 There are, however, five small areas in Merrimac where the siren design sound level coverage is between 50 and 60 dBC. Two of these areas are unpopulated and appear inaccessible by road.

The other three areas contain residences. These are along a portion of Bear Hill Road part of Merrimacport, and in Merrimec Terrace. On January 19, 1987,HMMconductedbackgroundnoise measurements in these populated areas.

The background noise measurements were conducted in accordance with Section C, 3, f of Appendix 3 of NUREG-0654 and with FEMA REP-10/ FEMA-43. Data were observed continuously for a period of 30 minutes at each location in the standard 1000 Hz octave band and were subject to a statistical analysis. The L90 levels (i.e., the levels exceeded 90 percent of the time during the measurement period at each location) are reported below:

Location L90 Bear Hill Road 26 d8 Marrimacport 40 de Merrimac Terrace (no.) 34 08 Merrimac Terrace (so.) 34 08 A

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These measured levels are all 40 de.or less. Hence, a siren -

design sound level of 50 dBC or more provides adequate coverage -

in these areas, in accordance with Section C,.3,-f of Appendix.3

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of NUREG-0654/ FEMA REP-1.

Yours trulyf f

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David N. Kaast v

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.00L E U s CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I,. Thomas G. Dignan, Jr., one of the attornegg Applicants herein, hereby certify that on January 22(gg,>1987, pep 2 :22 I made service of the within document by depositing copies thereof with Federal Express, prepaid, for deliv y g to-(or,i j where indicated, by depositing in the United Sta s mail,. ' "'

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first class postage paid, addressed to):

Administrative Judge Sheldon J. Robert Carrigg, Chairman Wolfe, Esq., Chairman, Atomic Board of Selectmen Safety and Licensing Board Panel Town Office U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Atlantic Avenue Commission North Hampton, NH 03862 East West Towers Building 4350 East West Highway Bethesda, MD 20814 Dr. Emmeth A. Luebke Diane Curran, Esquire Atomic Safety and Licensing Andrea C. Ferster, Esquire Board Panel Harmon & Weiss U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Suite 430 Commission 2001 S Street, N.W.

East West Towers Building Washington, DC 20009 4350 East West Highway Bethesda, MD 20814 Dr. Jerry Harbour Stephen E. Merrill Atomic Safety and Licensing Attorney General Board Panel George Dana Bisbee U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Assistant Attorney General Commission Office of the Attorney General East West Towers Building 25 Capitol Street 4350 East West Highway Concord, NH 03301-6397 Bethesda, MD 20814

• Atomic Safety and Licensing Sherwin E. Turk, Esquire Board Panel Office of the Executivo Legal U. S . Nuclear Regulatory Director Commission U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555 Tenth Floor 7735 Old Georgetown Road Bethesda, MD 20814

• Atomic Safety and Licensing Robert A. Backuo, Esquire Appeal Board Panel Backus, Meyer & Solomon U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 116 Lowell Street Commission P.O. Box 516 Washington, DC 20555 Manchester, NH 03105 2

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Philip Ahrens,-Esquire Mr. J. P. Nadeau  :

Assistant Attorney General Selectman's Office Department of the Attorney 10 Central Road ,

General Rye, 1G1 03870 Augusta, ME 04333 Paul McEachern, Esquire Carol S. Sneider, Esquire Matthew T. Brock, Esquire Assistant Attorney General >

Shaines & McEachern , Department of the Attorney General 25 Maplewood Avenue One Ashburton Place,'19th Floor P.O. Box 360 Boston, MA 02108 Portsmouth, NH 03801 Mrs. Sandra Gavutis Mr. Calvin A. Canney ,

Chairman, Board of Selectmen City Manager RFD 1 - Box 1154 City Hall Route 107 126 Daniel Street Kensington, NH 03827 Portsmouth,-NH. 03801  !

• Senator Gordon J. Humphrey Mr. Angie Machiros i U.S. Senate Chairman of the

] Washington, DC 20510 Board of Selectmen .

, (Attn: Tom Burack) Town of Newbury Newbury, MA' 01950 l

• Senator Gordon J. Humphrey Mr. Peter J. Matthews l One Eagle Square, Suite 507 Mayor

! Concord, NH 03301 City Hall (Attn: Herb Boynton) Newburyport, MA 01950

, Mr. Thomas F. Powers, III Mr. William S. Lord

' Town Manager Board of Selectmen Town of Exeter Town Hall - Friend Street

10 Front Street Amesbury, MA 01913 Exeter, NH 03833 l

! H. Joseph Flynn, Esquire Brentwood Board of Selectmen 1 Office of General Counsel RFD Dalton Road j Federal Emergency Management Brentwood, NH 03833

Agency 500 C Street, S.W.

Washington, DC 20472 Gary W. Holmes, Esquire Richard A. Hampe, Esquire Holmes &' Ells Hampe and McNicholas 47 Winnacunnet Road 35 Pleasant Street j Hampton, NH 03841 Concord, NH 03301 ,

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4 Mr. Ed Thomas Judith H. Mizner, Esquire FEMA, Region I Silverglate, Gertner, Baker, 442 John W. McCormack Post Fine, Good & Mizner Office and Court House 88 Broad Street Post Office Square Boston, MA 02110 Boston, MA 02109 Charles P. Graham, Esquire McKay, Murphy and Graham 100 Main Street Amesbury, MA 01913 gGN

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M 'ottfas G. pan, Jr.

(*= Ordinary U.S. First Class Mail.)

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