ML20217L016
| ML20217L016 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 08/11/1997 |
| From: | Durr J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | Concannon T, Woollacott E CONNECTICUT, STATE OF |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9708190011 | |
| Download: ML20217L016 (4) | |
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'S 9 , , , , , *8 August 11,1997 Representative Terry Concannon Co-Chair for NEAC 34th Assembly District 76 Timms Hill Road Haddam, CT 06438 Mr. E. Woollacott Co Chair for NEAC 128 Terrys Plain Road Simsbury CT 060701830 .
Dear Representative Concannon and Mr. Woollacott:
Prior to a meeting between the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Nuclear Energy Advisory Committee (NEAC) on July 17,1997, the NRC received ten questions to be answered during the meeting regarding Northeast Utilities' nuclear power plants. Prior to the meeting, we committed to provide written responses to two of the ten questions at a later date. Below are our responses to questions No. 8 and No. 9.
Question No. 8 "What is the NRC position on the CTPUC profiled testimony on the FERC Connecticut Yankee docket 97 913-0007 The testimony details the excessive radiological contamination of the Haddam Neck site us well as the inflated decommissioning cost estimates. Is the NRC currently considering issuing violations for the contamination?
What is the status of the NRC Investigation?"
Commensurate with its responsibilities and authority, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) requires utilities to provide information and supporting basis on estiraated costs expected to be incurred to support facility decommissioning activities.
Such obligation to FERC is separate from NRC regulatory requirements.
We att aware of the testimony provided on behalf of the Connecticut Public Utility Commission, regarding Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company's (CY) statements to FERC concerning estimated decommissinning costs. We also recognize that this is an on]oing process that is not yet completed. CY remains to provide additional information and testimony to FERC on this matter.
Relative to NRC requirements,10 CFR 60,82, " Termination of license," requires CY to provide an estimate of decommissioning costs as part of their submittal of the Post-Shutdown Decommissioning Activities Report (PSDAR). The licensee's PSDAR is expected to be submitted in September 1997. The PSDAR will also be made available for public comment as part of NRC's review process in addition, a public meeting will be held to permit further public discussion and comment on the PSDAR, CY's decommissioning plans and preparations, and NRC activities.
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Facility contamination events, such as discussed in the FERC testimony, were previously reviewed and subsequently documented in several NRC Inspection Reports. Examples includo NRC Inspection Reports 50 213/82 008 which reviewed concerns about the extent and control of soil contamination on sito; and 50 213/89 002 which describo an unmonitored release pathway which resulted in soit contamination. Our regular inspections of the Haddam Nock f acility, including review of liquid and gaseous radiological offluent controls and processos, and the environmontal monitoring program, have not suggested any recent or continuing radiological release to the environment in excess of NRC regulatory limits, as the result of residual on sito contamination. Recent radiological sampling activities, initiated by CY to charactorize residual soli contamination lovels, have not yet revealed any substantial depositions of contaminated matorial.
Whilo thoro were occurrences that resulted in radiological contamination of the site (such as reported in Inspection Report 50 213/82 008 and 50 213/89 002), the NRC is not aware of any instanco in which the licensoo failed to take appropriato remedial action or adhoto to NRC reporting requirements. Nor are we aware of situations in which CY made on sito disposals by burying or otherwise covering up contaminated material contrary to applicablo NRC regulatory requirements. Further, recent radiological offluent and environmental reports havo not shown any radiological impact on the environment, including soil, sediment, river water, vogotation, and fish. The radioisotopo tritium (a product of previous teactor operations) has boon usually measured in on sito monitoring wells to be above background but within EPA drinking water limits.
Notwithstanding, the NRC process for license termination requires the agency to independently verify and validato that all radioactivity, including soil contamination, is reduced to lovels that permit release of the facility in accordance with NRC's radiological critoria for licenso termination, if NRC inspection activitics or other information reveal noncompliance with regulatory requirements, NRC will take action in accordance with the established Enforcement Policy.
Question No. 9 in light of the contamination problems at Haddam Neck, what is the NRC doing about investigating the possibility of a similar contamination situation existing at the Millstono station?"
We oro not aware of any abnormal or previously nnrealized condition at Haddam Neck, relative to the extent of site contamination, notwithstanding news media reports that discuss recent testimony to FERC on this matter, Similarly, our inspection efforts at Millstono have not revealed any sito contamination that has not boon addressed in accordance with applicable regulatory requiroments.
Only four Radiologically Controlled Areas (RCA) are not enclosed in some manner (i.e.,
covered or maintained within a building) at Millstone. Those areas are: (1) the storago area by Warehouso #9 (used to store radwaste awaiting shipmenti: (2) the storage yard of the Millstone Radwasto Reduction Facility (MRRF); (3) the radioactive material storage area on the east side of Unit 3 (betwoon the Hydrogen Recombiner Building and the Radwasto Facility); and, (4) the radwaste bunker yard Plant procedures require that only containerized radioactive materials be stored in these areas, and that the areas be surveyed regularly for contamination by the plant haalth physics staff.
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NRC inspectors have verified that the licensee maintains a record, as required by 10 CFR 50.76(g), to document the location of any significant contamination remaining as the result of spills and unusual occurrences. This record is periodically reviewed during NRC ,
inspection activities. From our inspection efforts at Millstone we are not aware of any i contaminated areas, beyond the Radiologically Controlled Areas, that are not controlled and maintained in accordance with NRC re0ulatory requirements, if NRC inspection activities or other information reveal noncompliance with regulatory requirements, NRC will take ,
action in accordance with the established Enforcement Policy.
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Sincerely, 1/
14 4 Jacq e P. urt Chie , inspections M
Special Projects Office Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation i
Ces W. Lanning, Deputy Director of Inspections, SPO, NRR W. Travers, Director, SPO, NRR v'- v-< e- 4 vm-w w wm - <we rs, m- s e r e.uw s m n wr v w ~,-wa-
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W. Lanning, Deputy Director of Inspections, SPO. Rl D. Screnci, PAO
- W. Travers, Director, SPO, NRR 1 i
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