ML20217K975
| ML20217K975 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png |
| Issue date: | 04/27/1998 |
| From: | Croteau R NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned) |
| To: | Baldwin R AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9805040232 | |
| Download: ML20217K975 (3) | |
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UNITED STATES g
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WASHINGTON, D.C. anana anni.
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April 27, 1998 Richard Baldwin 90 Bullam Psar Rd., Box 225 Wendell, MA 0137g l
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Dear Mr. Baldwin:
In a recent postcard you sent to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission'(NRC) you requested certain actions be taken by the NRC. You first requested that the NRC halt the restart of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station (Vermont Yankee) until the corporation corrects all safety problems, retrains its work force, and demonstrates a commitment to follow the law. You also requested that Vermont Yankee be place on the %atch list" because of systemic mismanagement and lack of compliance with its blueprints. Lastly, you requested a hearing in the community.
The NRC regards compliance with regulations, license conditions, and technical specifications as mandatory. Although you requested that the NRC halt restart, you did not provide specific facts supporting your assertions of safety problems. The NRC will continue to monitor Vermont Yankee's performance, however, at this time we are not aware of any conditions that would prohibit restart once the outage is complete.
Twice a year the NRC evaluates the performance of operating nuclear power plants in the United States and identifies those which require additional regulatory oversight due to declining performance. Once placed on the " watch list" a plant must demonstrate consistent improved performance before it is removed from the list. The review is performed by senior NRC managers who then present their assessments to the Commission in a public meeting. Since June 1993 the managers have also identified plants where performance is declining, but do not warrant being placed on the " watch list." The senior managers' evaluations are drawn from inspections of the plants by NRC inspectors, NRC managers' visits to the plants, performance data, events and information reported by the utilities, and other information. The first watch list was issued in October 1g86. The next review by senior NRC managers will be conducted in the June / July timeframe of this year. All plants, including Vermont Yankee, will be evaluated at that time to determine which plants will be placed on the " watch list". Results of our assessments are publicly available.
The NRC also periodically conducts a systematic assessment of licensee performance (SALP).
SALP is an integrated assessment of licensee's safety peArmance that focuses on the safety significance of the NRC findings and conclusions during an assessment period. It is use.d to
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assist NRC management in making sound decisions regarding allocation of NRC resources used j
i to oversee, inspect, and assess licensee performance. The SALP process also provides a method for informing the public of the NRC's assessment of licensee performance. Although we have decided not to conduct a hearing in the community as you requested, a SALP meeting is
/[N scheduled for September igg 8 in the vicinity of the plant. This is a public meeting, open to public observation but not to public p articipation, and you are welcome to attend. NRC officials i
will be available after the meeting to discuss any concems you may have.
NBC FH.F CEUER COPY 9005040232 990427 PDR ADOCK 05000271 H
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R. Baldwin 2
Additional information on Vermont Yankee, including NRC inspection reports evaluating the performance of the facility, are available in the local public document room at Brooks Memorial Library,224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT 05301.
Sincerely, Original signed by Richard P. Croteau, Project Manager Project Directorate 1-3 Division of Reactor Projects - 1/II Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation DISTRIBUTION-pochetplle:D "PUBLIC PDI-3 Rdg.
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RCroteau TClark OGC ACRS CHehl, RI cc: See next page DOCUMENT NAME: G:\\CROTEAU\\ POSTCARD
? PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the box: "C" = Copy without attachment / enclosure ' "E" = Copy with attachment / enclosure "N" = No copy OFFICE PD-l/PM PDI-3/ LA (Jb Region l*
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j OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
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Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station cc:
Regional Administrator, Region 1 Jonathan M. Block, Esq.
U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Main Street 475 Allendale Road P. O. Box 566 King of Prussia, PA 19406 Putney, VT 05346-0566 Mr. David R. Lewis Mr. Raymond N. McCandless Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge Vermont Division of Occupational 2300 N Street, N.W.
and Radiological Health l
Washington, DC 20037-1128 Administration Building l
Montpelier, VT 05602 l
Mr. Richard P. Sedano, Commissioner l
Vermont Department of Public Service Mr. Gautam Con 120 State Street,3rd Floor Licensing Manager l
Montpelier, VT 05602 Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation Public Service Board 185 Old Ferry Road State of Vermont Brattleboro, VT 05301 120 State Street Montpelier, VT 05602 Resident inspector Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station I
Chairman, Board of Selectmen U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Town of Vemon P.O. Box 176 P.O. Box 116 Vemon, VT 05354 Vernon, VT 05354-0116 Mr. Peter LaPorte, Director l
Mr. Richard E. McCullough ATTN: James Muckerheide l
Operating Experience Coordinator Massachusetts Emergency Management l
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station Agency l
P.O. Box 157 400 Worcester Rd.
l Govemor Hunt Road P.O. Box 1496 Vemon, VT 05354 Framingham, MA 01701-0317 G. Dana Bisbee, Esq.
Mr. Donald A. Reid Deputy Attomey General Senior Vice President, Operations 33 Capitol Street Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp.
Concord, NH 03301-6937 185 Old Ferry Road Brattleboro, VT 05301 Chief, Safety Unit Office of the Attomey General One Ashburton Place,19th Floor Boston, MA 02108 Ms. Deborah B. Katz Box 83 Shellbume Falls, MA 01370
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