ML20236P082

Responds to Rs Walker Re Constituents Concern Re Mgt Problems at Plants & Withholding of Truth from Public About Possible Health Risks.Plants Will Remain Shut Down Until Recovery Plan Approved

ML20236P082
Person / Time
Site:	Peach Bottom
Issue date:	08/05/1987
From:	Stello V NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO)
To:	Walker R HOUSE OF REP.
Shared Package
ML20236P084	List: ML20236P082 ML20236P094
References
NUDOCS 8708120211
Download: ML20236P082 (4)

Text

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Y G 8 o g UNITED STATES E"' n NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION g ;E WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555

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...o 1 The Henorable Robert S. Walker i United States House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 l

Dear Congressman Walker:

I am responding to your letter of June 10, 1987 which requested information regarding the concerns of one of your constituents, Mr. Jim Seiple. The NRC-is concerned about the management problems that have been identified at, mph _

Bottom. We do not agree with his contention that the public is not being told the complete truth or history nor with the extent to which this plant poses a health risk.

The Peach Bottom plants will remain shut down (as directed by Section,V Of the 4 NRC Order dated March 31,1987) until a recovery plan has been submitted to and approved by the NRC and then satisfactorily implemented by the licensee.

The plan must be detailed and comprehensive in scope such that it will assure the facility will operate safely and comply with all requirements and i procedures.

Since the shutdown order several management changes have been imp _lemented.

including the replacement of the plant manager and the operations engineer.

l The superintendent of operations will also be , replaced prior to restart. The

, six shift superintendents have been notified by'the new plant manager that they will not be a part of the restart team. The adequacy of final plant management structure will be evaluated by the NRC staff prior to authorizing the resumption of plant operation.

With regard to his concern on the Mark I containment, the containment structure at Peach Bottom is a large, leak tight steel and concrete structure designed to prevent the release of radioactive material from a wide range of postulated accidents. Additionally,thereisasecondbuilding(Reactor Building) surrounding the containment structure. The atmosphere in the Reactor Building passes through special filtering systems prior to release to the' environment whenever plant conditions signalling potential for radioactive material release are detected.

Regarding the risk of an accident that could also lead to subsequent containment failure, these types of events have an extremely small probability of occurring.

Subsequent to the Three Mile Island accident in 1979, a great deal has been done to improve the safety of all reactors including plants using Mark I con-tainments. For example, improved operator training and symptom based emergency operating procedures have been adopted. We are currently evaluating whether additional measures to enhance the capabilities of the Mark I containment to further mitigate the consequences of severe accidents are appropriate. This 8708120211 870005 PDR ADOCK 05000171 M PDR 1

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The Honorable Pobert S. Walker evaluation is part of NRCs efforts to search for cost-effective ways to further improve safety at all reactors in the United States.

It is important to keep State and Local officials in the vicinity of NRC regulated facilites apprised of our activities. Since the shutdown, members of the NRC Region I and headquarters staff have met with delegations from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the State of Maryland, and Harford County, Maryland to inform them of events which lead to the shutdown order and to l answer any otter questions relative to the Peach Bottom site. Also, a public l meeting was held recently at the NRC Headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland at which Philadelphia Electric Company briefed senior NRC management on the results of their investigation and on other actions taken to date. We would be glad to respond to any questions or concerns not answered through this process.

Sincerely, (Signud) T. A, Rdun Victor Stello, Jr.

Executive Director for Operations DISTRIBUTION T. Murley J. Murray H. Denton W. Russell J. Allan W. Kane S. Collins R. Gallo J. Linville T. Johnson <

S. Varga l B. Boger I W. Butler R. Martin ED0 003017 Secy No.87-725 Docket No. 50-277/278 Public Document Room Local Public Document Room ,

EDO Reading File State of Maryland Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

• See previous concurrence RI:DRP RI:DRP RI:DRP RI:DRP RI:DRA RI:RA OC Linville Gallo Collins Kene Allan Russell ED(lo Stel l 7/ /87 7/ /87 7/ /87 7/ /87 7/ /87 7/28/87 8/A/87 8  !/87 j l

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r EDO PRINCIPAL CORRESPONDENCE' CONTROL

_____________________..______________ q FROMs- DUE: 07/28/37 EDO CONTROL: 003017 .

DOC DT: 06/10/87 '

REP. ROBERT S. WALKER FINAL REPLY:

TO:

OCA FOR SIGNATURE OF: ** GREEN ** 'SECY NO: 87-725 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DESC: ROUTING:

ENCLOSES LETTER FROM JIM SEIPLE CONCERNING MURLEY PEACH BOTTOM MURRAY DATE: 07/15/87 ASSIGNED TO: RI CONTACT: RUSSELL SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:

RETURN INCOMING WITH REPLY.

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[I li' OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY j CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL' TICKET 'j i

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PAPER 7 NUMBER: CRC-87-0725 -

LOGGING.DATE: Jun 19 87' j

' ACTION OFFICE:. -

(C i- JLAUTHOR:' R.S.' Walker--Const Ref l j AFFILIATION:- U.S. EOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES o . 8 LETTER'DATE: Jun 10 87 0, l FILE CODE: ID&R-5' Peach Bottom j l

SUBJECT:

Urges the Comm to hold public hearings.to review- 1 the range of safety problems at the. Peach Bottom- 1 reactor ACTION: Direct Reply DISTRIBUTION: OCA to Ack SPECIAL HANDLING: None I

(, NOTES:

DATF DUE: Jul 3 87 L

L SIGNATURE: , DATE SIGNED:

AFFILIATION: l l

Rec'd Oh D0 Date 8 -M

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