ML20236S586

Ack Receipt of Expressing Concerns Re Two Malfunctions of Emergency Response Alarm Sys for Plant EPZ & That Hinsdale Emergency Response Personnel Not Properly Notified.Corrective Actions Discussed

ML20236S586
Person / Time
Site:	Vermont Yankee
Issue date:	10/28/1987
From:	Russell W NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:	Ryan H NEW HAMPSHIRE, STATE OF
Shared Package
ML20236S582	List: ML20236S581 ML20236S586 ML20236S589
References
NUDOCS 8711250269
Download: ML20236S586 (4)

Text

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O ne

/ ^g o UNITED STATES '

f n NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

{* ,E REGION I 631 PARK AVENUE

[4 KING OF PRUSSIA, PENNSYLVANIA 19406 OCT 2 81987 Mr. Harold W. Ryan, Chairman Board of Selectmen Town of Hinsdale Hinsdale, New Hampshire 03451

Dear Mr. Ryan:

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is in receipt of your letter dated September 21,198i in which you expressed concerns related to two malfunctions of the emergency response alarm system for the Vermont Yankee Emergency Planning Zone and that Hinsdale emergency response personnel were not properly notified of the events.

Our investigation of your concerns has revealed that the malfunctions to which you refer were spurious activations of the Vernon, Vermont siren. In your letter you referred to these spurious activations as ' unusual events". An Unusual Event, as defined in NRC regulations and the Vermont Yankee Emergency Plan is the lowest of four classes of events which require implementation of the utility's emergency plan. Spurious activation of a siren does not constitute an Unusual Event and will not result in implementation of the emergency plan with the resultant formal prompt notification of emergency response personnel in the state (s) and local governments.

Based upon the State of New Hampshire's review of routine tape recordings made of communications with the Southwest Fire Mutual Aid Dispatch, it is apparent that the Vermont Yankee security force called at about 6:38 p.m. on September 13, 1987, to notify the dispatch that the Vernon siren had been activated and ,

that it was not the result of plant events. Dy abcut 6:45 p.m. both the j Hinsdale Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director had called in to the i dispatch and had been notified that the siren activation was not the result of  ;

an emergency at Vermont Yankee. It appears that although your Emergency {

Management Director had been provided the necessary information, the concern  ;

is that it did not come through the expected emergency plan communication I channels from the state, which would be used in case of an implementation of .

the New Hampshire Radiological Emergency Response Plan. I The need to quickly alleviate unnecessary concern of citizens is recognized in the case of inadvertent siren activation. Thus, in order to provide prompt notification to towns, and alleviate concerns as quickly as possible in case of future inadvertent activation of emergency alerting sirens, Vermont Yankee has indicated that they will notify the New Hampshire State Police as soon as possible after they are made aware of an inadvertent activation of an alerting siren. The state has agreed to transmit this information to inform the emergency response personnel in the involved communities through the normal emergency plan communication channels.

8711250269 871119 DR ADOCK0500g

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1 Harold W. Rycn, Chairman CT 28 1987 l

Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. If you have any further questions regarding this matter, please feel free to contact me  ;

or Mr. William J. Lazarus, Section Chief, Emergency Preparedness Section at (215-337-5208).

Sincerely, conUA William T. Russell Regional Administrator j cc:

John R. Bonnett, Board of Selectmen Charles A. Rosploch, Jr. , Board of Selectmen Steven A. Clark, Board of Selectmen Governor John Sununu Senator Warren Rudman Congressman Judd Gregg State Senator Clesson Blaisdell State Representative Robert Delano NH Emergency Management Agency Warren P. Murphy, Vice President and Manager of Operations, VYNPC FEMA Region I Distribution:

E00 003212 SECY-Il58 Docket No. 50-271 J. Murray, OGC Public Document Room (PDR) local Public Document Room (LPDR)

Dave Matthews, NRR/PEPB William Russell, RA, RI James Allan, DRA, RI Thomas Martin, DD/DRSS, RI William Kane, DD/DRP Ronald Bellamy, BC/EP&RP, RI William Lazarus, SC/EP, RI

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fP' n NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION f $ WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 -

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EDO. PRINCIPAL. CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL

'FROM: DUE: .11/10/87. EDO CONTROL:-0C3256 DOC DT: 10/14/87:

REP.-'JUDD GREGG FINAL' REPLY -

TO:

CHAIRMAN ZECH-

'FOR SIGNATURE OF ** GREEN ** -$ECY NO: 1241 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DESC: ROUTING:

ENCLOSES LETTER FROM HAROLD W. RYAN, ET AL, TOWN MURI.EY OF HINSDALE, NH RE NOTIFICATION OF EVENTS AT MURRAY-

-VERMONT' YANKEE DATE: 10/27/87 ASSIGNED TO: RI CONTACT: RUSSELL SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:

REPLY TO CONCORD, NH OFFICE.

REF. EDO 3212 i

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OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

, CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET PAPER NUMBER: CRC-87-1241 LOGGING DATE: Oct 23 87 ACTION OFFICE: EDO I

l- AUTHOR: J. Gregg--Const Ref AFFILIATION: U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

' LETTER DATE: Oct 14 87 FILE CODE: ID&R5 VY

SUBJECT:

Communication problems pertaining to the notification of events that occur at the Vermont-Yankee nue-power plant ACTION: Direct Reply DISTRIBUTION: OCA to Ack, Docket SPECIAL HANDLING: None NOTES: Harold Ryan DATE DUE: Nov 5 87 SIGNATURE: . DATE SIGNED:

AFFILIATION:

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