ML20213D153
| ML20213D153 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Columbia, Washington Public Power Supply System, Satsop  |
| Issue date: | 02/27/1980 |
| From: | Lynch M Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Rubenstein L Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| References | |
| CON-WNP-0292, CON-WNP-292 NUDOCS 8003250396 | |
| Download: ML20213D153 (4) | |
Text
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'RIGU3iORY fj00KET E.C."I DiSTa18UTiON:
~3 FEB 2 71980 Docket Files _ W.
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FLASH NOTE LFubenstein
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T Docket No: 50-35 i
l MEMORATIDUM FOR:
L. S. Rubenstein, Acting Chief, Light Water Reactors, j
Branch No. 4, Division of Project liinagement FROM:
M. D. Lynch, Project Manager, Light Water Reactors, Branch No. 4, Division of Project Management
SUBJECT:
DISCOVERY OF RECE?lT FAULTING IN THE VICINITY OF WilP 1, 2 A!!D 3 WPPS has issued a press release dated February 15,1980, (Enclosure 1), in which they announced the recent discovery of a fault judged to be capable.
The significance of this discovery is that the fault is on the northwestern side of the Columbia River just south of Kennewick, Washington and appears to line up with a previously known capable fault which extends in a north-western direction from Walla Walla to Wallua Gap on the Columbia. In particular, the recently discovered fault is near the town at Indley, Wash-i ington and is on the Rattlesnake-Wallula lineament. This discovery was made by WPPSS during the field investigations being conducted in response
, to Round 1 GS3 questions issued in March 1979.
Upon being verbally infomed of this information by Keener Earle, licensing engineer for UNP-2, on February 14th in response to my cuestions, I immediately infomed you, R. Jackson, Branch Chief for 03B and W. Paton, OLED. That same afternoon, I briefed J. Knight and the GSB staff. At that O,
time, with your approval, we decided to await the receipt of the press release and/or a Part 21 notification. The press release was received on February 19th after I left for a Bailly site visit. To my knowledge, no further notification has been made. Upon my return I discussed the press release with K. Earle on February 22nd to claffy the status of the fault and the action plan by WPPSS.
1 FLASH NOTE (8003 25 0 3 Q 3
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i L. S. Rubenstein FEB 2 7 iggg i
Briefly, WPPSS will respond to our Round two geology questions by mid-March il' without any in-depth consideration of the effect of the Findley fault. WPPSS has retained Woodward-Clyde as it's consultant on this ! natter and will
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atte' apt to address the impact, if any, of the Findley fault on the design basis for WilP 1, 2 and 4 by June 1980. WPPSS plans to meet with the staff i
as soon as they have nore definitive information. UPPSS has indicated that a site specific earthquake may be required to replace the 0.25g SSE and the R. G.1.60 spectrtsn.
l Reconnendations l
Since I will be visiting the site during the week of February 25th with the Caseload Forecast Panel. I propose that I pursue this matter further with the WPPSS personnel, including a possible trip to the Findley fault.
I further propose that we meet with UPPSS on this subject by the end of Maren.
I do not recormlend that we issue any questions at this time pursuant to Section 50.54(f) since it appears that WPPSS would not be able to provide definitive responses prior to the completion of Woodward-Clyde's work.
Original cigned by L. S. Rubenstein u
M. D. Lynch, Profect Manager Light Water Reactors, Branch !!o. 4 Division of Project Management i
Enclosure:
As stated cc:
D. Ross H. Denton E. Case R. Mattson
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ENCLOSURE 1 WPPSS News Release No. 80-7 Page 1 of 2.
NEW INFORMATION HELPS DATE FAULT Richland -- Additional information dating the most probable latest movement on an earth fault near Wallula Gap has been obtained in #ield studies, a Washington Public Power Supply System geologist said today.
David Tillson, chief geologist, said the evidenc" was foui.e in a quarry southeast of Kennewick. The fault displaces material that probably ;s from 10,000 to 100.000 years old, he said. Other material known to have been depositec about 6,500 years ago, was found overlying the fault in an apparently undisturbed state.
The data indicate that tne fault probably should be classified as capable of generating an earthquake, under Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations.
Tillson said tha NRC regulations define a fault as capable if there is any evidence of a single ground movement within the past 35,000 yeart, or if evidence is found of more than one movement in the past 500,000 years.
Tillson said the fault is a tninor part of an alignment of hills which includes Rattlesnake Mountain and extends as far to the southeast as Milton-Freewater, Gregon.
Because of the occurrence of an Intensity 6-7 earthquake on the modified Mercalli scale in 1936 was Milton-Freewater area and an earthquake of similar intensity in the Yumatilla area. The earth structures have been assumed to be capable during the design and license phase of the Supply Systems nuclear projects 1, 2 and 4 at Hanford.
Tillson stressed that the new data, if confirmed. could verify the previous assumption.
The new information, and infonnation from other geological studies recently completed, will be submitted to the NRC for review in March as part of the Final Safety Analysis Report for the three projects being built at Hanford.
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