ML20215F020
| ML20215F020 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png |
| Issue date: | 12/17/1986 |
| From: | Stello V NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Conte S HOUSE OF REP. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20215F024 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8612230218 | |
| Download: ML20215F020 (2) | |
Text
__
b The Honorable Silvio 0. Conte United States House of Representatives Washington, D.C.
20515
Dear Congressman Conte:
Your letter dated November 19, 1986 to Carlton Kammerer, Director of Congressional Affairs, enclosed a letter from one of your constituents, Ms. Liza Patrick, who expressed her concerns regarding the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant.
The Vermont Yankee Plant was licensed to operate on March 21, 1972, after a comprehensive safety review and favorable decisions by the Atomic Energy Commission technical staff, the Commission's Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, and an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board.
Since that time the Plant has been operated with no unusual operational events by the licensee, Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation, under the continued scrutiny of the Commission's technical staff.
This scrutiny includes:
a Nuclear Regulatory Commission on-site Resident Inspector, who continually observes the operation of the plant to assure that it is operated in compliance with the license conditions; ongoing review by the technical staff of the plant operation, and evaluation of the safety significance of any changes in plant operation or design modifications prior to implementation; and a formalized periodic rating of the adequacy of the plant operation and licensee management.
This rating has shown that the plant is operated in a completely satisfactory manner.
Collectively, this overview provices assurance that the plant is operated in accordance with the plant licente, and in compliance with the Commission's Regulations and the Atomic Energy Act of 1954.
Recently, considerable attention by the Commission, the State of Vermont, the licensee, and the press has been directed to the capability of the Vermont Yankee containment structure to accommodate severe accidents. This issue is not only relevant to Vermont Yankee, but concerns many other plants of similar design which employ a Mark I-type containment structure.
In June of 1986, following the accident at Chernobyl, the licensee in response to concerns expressed by Governor Kunin, undertook a two part study which addressed the potential for failure of the containment structure during a severe accident, and possible improvements that could be made to minimize this potential.
The staff is now reviewing this study with the objective of determining whether there are cost beneficial ways of further improving the ability of the plant to accommodate the consequences of severe accidents even though such accider.ts are not reasonably expected to occur.
The staff has also met with the Vermont State Nuclear Advisory Panel to discuss this 8612230218 861217 DR ADOCK 0500027j PDR
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n Honorable Silvio 0. Conte study. Our evaluation of this effort by the licensee is, to date, that of cooperation, and responsible handling of a difficult and potentially controversial task.
We trust that the enclosed information will provide you with the current status of the major issue concerning Vermont Yankce. Thank you for your interest in the safety of the Vermont Yankee facility.
Sincerely, takened) T. A, Rehm ictor Stello, Jr.
Executive Director for Operations
Enclosures:
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