ML20236L084
| ML20236L084 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png |
| Issue date: | 07/06/1998 |
| From: | Collins S NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned) |
| To: | Block J AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20236L087 | List: |
| References | |
| 2.206, NUDOCS 9807100212 | |
| Download: ML20236L084 (5) | |
Text
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July 6, 1998 Jonathan M. Block, Esquire Main Street i
P.O. Box 566 Putney, VT 05346-0566
Dear Mr. Block:
I am responding to a Petition of May 27,1998, which you submitted to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on behalf of the Citizens Awareness Network, Inc. (CAN or Petitioner). Petitioner requests that the NRC take immediate enforcement action by suspending the operating license for the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station, operated by the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation, until the entire facility has been subjected to an independent safety analysis review similar to the one conducted at the Maine Yankee Atomic Power Station. As an attemative, Petitioner requests that the NRC immediately act to modify the operating license for the facility by requiring that, before restart (1) Vermont Yankee management certify under oath that all backup safety systems and all security systems are fully operable, and that all safety systems and security systems meet and comply with NRC requirements; (2) Vermont Yankee be held to compliance with all of the restart criteria and protocols in the NRC (Inspection) Manual; (3) Vermont Yankee only be allowed to resume operations after the NRC has conducted a " vertical slice" examination of the degree to which the new design basis documents (DBDs) and Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR) accurately describe at least two of the primary safety systems for the Vermont Yankee reactor; (4) once operation resumes, Vermont Yankee only be allowed to continue operation for as long as it adheres to its schedule for coming into compliance and completing the DBD and FSAR project; and (5) the NRC holds a public hearing before restart to discuss the changes to the torus, Vermont Yankee DBD and FSAR projects, and Vermont Yankee's scheduled completion of these projects in relation to operational safety.
In support of these requests, the Petitioner raised concems about the operation of the Vermont Yankee facility, including challenges to the single-failure criterion, inadequate safety evaluations, potential overreliance on Yankee Atomic Electric Company analyses, an inadequate operational experience review program, high potential for other serious safety problems, and lack of adequate perimeter security. The Petitioner also attached four
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l documents prepared by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). One UCS document, dated May 14,1998, provided a review of Vermont Yankee Daily Event Reports (DERs) made over j
the previous year as requested by CAN. These DERs are verbal reports made by licensees
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under 10 CFR 50.72 to the NRC and put in written form by the NRC. Another UCS document, dated January 29,1998, was addressed to the NRC Region I Senior Allegation Coordinator; it discussed a specific concem with NRC Daily Event Report 33545 of January 15,1998, associated with Vermont Yankee water hammer effects on certain systems. The third document, a UCS letter dated May 5,1997, to the NRC Chairman and Commissioners, discussed mistocated fuel bundle loading errors. The final UCS document attached was titled
" Potential Nuclear Safety Hazard Reactor Operation with Failed Fuel Cladding," dated April 2,1998.
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. Petitioner's request for immediate action to suspend or modify the operating license at Vermont Yankee is denied for the following reasons: The NRC has been closely monitoring events at-Vermont Yankee and has taken numerous actions to ensure that there is no undue risk to public health and safety. The Petitioner did not submit any significant new information about safety issues. The NRC already knew of the events, inspection reports, and concems presented in support of the Petition. Neither the information presented in the Petition nor any other information of which the NRC is aware warrants immediate action to suspend or modify the operating license of Vermont Yankee. The NRC has taken several actions regarding Vermont Yankee in the recent past, including performing a design inspection, conducting several public meetings with the licensee on related issues, performing an inspection of the adequacy of the licensee's operability determinations in April /May 1998, and performing an engineering team inspection in May 1998. In addition, the NRC routinely assesses event notifications made by the licensee.
The supporting information sent with the Petition was previour'y known to the NRC and we have been pursuing these issues via the appropriate procese s, including inspection 1ollowup.
The document from the UCS titled " Potential Nuciear S Y lazard Reactor Operation with Failed Fuel Cladding" concludes that existing design and ! 2nsing requirements do not allow plants to operate with known fuel cladding failures. Verme t Yankee is not prohibited from -
operation with a minimal amount of fuel cladding damage. The Vermont Yankee Technical
- Specifications (TS) Section 1.1, addresses limits to be observed to prevent significant fuel cladding damage. Operation is allowed to continue with a minimal amount of fuel damage, provided that the coolant chemistry requirements of TS 3.6.B are met. These limits are set to values of coolant activity that assure that the radiological consequences of postulated design basis accidents are within the appropriate dose acceptance criteria. Petitioner did not submit any information indicating that Vermont Yankee has operated outside these limits.
By letter dated June 9,1998, Petitioner renewed the request for relief based on the events occurring on June 9,1998, at Vermont Yankee and reported by the licensee in DER 34366. This event involved the automatic shutdown of the reactor due to problems in the feedwater system. The Petitioner states that this event indicates a lack of reasonable assurance that safety-related systems at Vermont Yankee will perform adequately. In response to the event, the NRC performed a special team inspection to review the causes, safety implications and licensee actions associated with the event. We concluded that continued operation of Vermont Yankee does not constitute an undue risk to public health and safety and immediate action to suspend or modify the operating license is not warranted at this time. A written report of the team's findings will be publicly available on or about July 24,1998.
Regarding the Petitioner's request for a public hearing for the NRC to discuss changes to the torus and Vermont Yankee's DBD and FSAR project, a commitment of NRC staff resources to L
conduct such a hearing is not warranted. Please note that the NRC has recently conducted several public meetings on many of these issues. In addition, the NRC will be conducting a public meeting in the vicinity of Vermont Yankee, currently scheduled for 1 p.m. on September 16,1998, to discuss the results of our systematic assessment of licensee performance (SALP). This meeting is open to public observation, not public participation.
However, NRC officials will be available after the meeting to discuss any of your concems.
,J. Block 3
f We have concluded that the continued operation of Vermont Yankee does not constitute an j
undue risk to public health and safety and that the immediate actions you request are not necessary at this time. However, we intend to forward your Petition to the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation asking it to address your concerns and the need to perform the actions you requested. Following its response, we will further consider the requests of your Petition.
As provided by Section 2.206, we will take action on your request within a reasonable period of time. I have enclosed for your information a copy of the notice that is being filed with the Office of the Federal Register for publication. I have also enclosed for your information a pamphlet on the public petition process (Section 2.206).
Sincerely,
%!signedby SamuelJ.CoR!ns i
i Samuel J. Collins, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Enclosures:
- 1. Federal Register Notice
- 2. Pamphlet on the F 6lic Petition Process cc w/encls: See next page DOCUMENT NAME: G:\\CROTEAU\\CAN_LTR.527
- PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the box: "C" = Copy without attachment / enclosure "E" = Copy with ettachment/ enclosure "N" = No copy OFFICE PDI-3/PM PDI-3/LA
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- PERB*
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06/16/98 06/16/98 06/ 2 0 /98 J D6/ho/98 OFFIOG );i$V/~
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I Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station cc:
Regional Administrator, Region i Mr. Raymond N. McCandless U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Vermont Division of Occupational 475 Allendale Road and Radiological Health King of Prussia, PA 19406 Administration Building Montpelier, VT 05602 Mr. David R. Lewis Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge Mr. Gautam Sen -
i 2300 N Street, N.W.
Licensing Manager Washington, DC 20037-1128 Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation Mr. Richard P. Sedanc, Commissioner 185 Old Ferry Road
- Vermont Department of Public Service Brattleboro, VT 05301 l
120 State Street,3rd Floor j
Montpelier, VT 05602 Resident inspector i
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station
' Public Service Board U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission j
State of Vermont P.O. Box 176 120 State Street Vemon, VT 05354 Montpelier, W 05602 Mr. Peter LaPorte, Director Chairman, Doard of Selectmen ATTN: James Muckerheide Town of Vemon Massachuscos Emergency Management P.O. Box 116 Agency Vemon, VT 05354-0116 400 Worcester Rd.
P.O. Box 1496 Mr. Richard E. McCullough Framingham, MA 01701-0317 Operating Experience Coordinator Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station Mr. Gregory A. Maret P.O. Box 157 Director of Operations Govemor Hunt Road Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp.
Vemon, VT 05354 185 Old Ferry Road j
Brattleboro, VT 05301 G. Dana Bisbee, Esq.
i Deputy Attomey General Mr. Michael J. Daley l
33 Capitol Street Trustee and Legislative RepresentatDe Concord, NH 03301-6g37 New England Coalition on Nuclear Pollut!on, Inc.
Chief, Safety Unit Box 545 Office of the Attomey General Brattleboro, VT 05301 One Ashburton Place, igth Floor Boston, MA 02108 Ms._Deborah B. Katz
' Box 83 Shelbumo Falls, MA 01370 I
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