ML20238C153
| ML20238C153 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 12/15/1987 |
| From: | Zech L NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Heinz J SENATE |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8712300084 | |
| Download: ML20238C153 (3) | |
Text
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W ASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 December 15, 1987 CHAIRMAN l
The Honorable John Heinz United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 l
Dear Senator Heinz:
I am responding to your letter of October 5,1987, regarding l
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staffing at Three Mile Island-Unit 2 (TMI-2).
Specifically, your letter expressed concern that possible NRC staff reductions at TMI-2 could adversely impact cleanup operations at the facility.
I Since the March 28, 1979 accident at TMI-2, the Commission has placed a high priority on ensuring that.the cleanup of the facility is carried out safely and expeditiously.
NRC staff members located at the TMI-2 site, at Headquarters, and in our Region I office have provided coordinated and thorough regulatory oversight of the cleanup activities.- As the cleanup has progressed and the potential health and safety risks have been reduced, the number of NRC personnel assigned exclusively to TMI-2 has been gradually reduced.
In recognition of both the current status of the cleanup and the agency's need to use its limited resources efficiently, a reorganization of NRC staffing at the TMI-2 site is planned for implementation on February 1, 1988.
The enclosed press release, which was previously provided to your staff, contains additional information on this reorganization plan.
Although staff reductions are. involved, I am confident that our plans can be implemented with no significant impact on the safety of the remaining cleanup activities.
I hope you find this information useful.
Sincerely, do w Ryk k -
l ando W. Zech,fGr.
I
Enclosure:
As Stated 1
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PDR COMMS NRCC 1
CORRESPONDENCE PDR I
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UNITED STATES 8%
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"7,1 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Govemmental and Public Affeles i
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December 4, 1987 I-87-174
Contact:
Karl Abraham NRC PLANNED RE0 ORGANIZATION OF TMI-2 CLEANUP STAFFI The U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission (NRC) has announced a planned The reorganization of its staffing at Three Mile Island Unit includes seven nuclear engineers and health physicists.Beginning February 1, 1988 N assigned to THI-1, are also stationed at TMI).
One, a resident onsite staffing at TMI-2 will be reduced to two engineers.
inspector, will carry out inspections of continuing cleanup operations and will be supported by staff, including health physicists, from the agency's The second engineer will be a Region I office in King of Prussia, PA. licensing engineer, who evaluations of major cleanup activities. supported by NRC project headquarters in Washington, DC.
The planned reorganization has been designed to maintain effective NRC oversight of the remaining cleanup activities and to utilize NRC staf resources efficiently.
made with recognition of the current and projected status of the cleanup.
Since the 1979 accident, the licensee has accomplished a number of objectives which have greatly reduced the potential public health and safety risk All of the highly radioactive water associated with the damaged facility. released into the reactor and au The reactor coolant system treated to remove the bulk of the contamination.
(RCS) has been depressurized, the reactor vessel head has been removed, Facility decontamination efforts active RCS cooling is no longer required.
have been successful in returning most areas of the auxiliary andAdditionally, fuel-handling buildings to pre-accident radiological levels.
disposal of low-and high-level radioactive waste has been actively proceeding Highly radioactive wastes that are not over the course of the cleanup.
s itable for comercial disposal are being accepted by the Department of Energy (DOE), in accordance with an NRC/D0E Memorandum of Understand research and development activities.
The most significant cleanup progress has been made in efforts to defuel Approximately 65 percent of the fuel has now been removed from the vessel and the experience to date indicates that the licensee's the reactor core.
defueling system is highly effective in minimizing both accident po routine worker radiation dose. Additional defueling in the lower regions of the be defueled by December 1987.
/, vessel and the remainder of the RCS is scheduled to be completed by Nov The core debris is being shipped by DOE from the TMI site to the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory where it is being examined and stored pe 1988.
The entire core is scheduled to be removed from TMI by early 1989 and the licensee plans to place the facility in storage by mid-1989.
disposal.
that the licensee has been carrying out cleanup ope generally been in conformance with applicable NRC As a measure of this, manner with a conservative approach to ensuring safety.
offsite radiological releases throughout the cleanup have l been faced with complex post-accident and radiological hazards has also below NRC limits.
successful in limiting the radiation dose received by cleanup workers.
Information on the planned NRC site staffing reorganization has been provided to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the The Advisory Panel will be briefed on the Decontamination of THI-2.
h 13,1988 at 7:00 p.m. in t e reorganization at its next meeting on January Holiday Inn, Second and Chestnut Streets, Harrisburg, PA.
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October 5, 1987 The Honorable Lando Zech Chairman U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C.
20555
Dear Mr. Chairman:
It has come to my attention that there may soon be a l
reduction in Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff at Three 2.
It is my further understanding that Mile Island unit such a reduction might adversely impact ongoing defueling and clean up operations at the damaged reactor.
I am very concerned that there will be inadequate Island monitoring of personnel and operations at-Three Mile if staff levels are reduced.
Thorough assessment of the clean-up's success could also suffer as a direct result of short staff.
l I would very much appreciate your advising me prior to any changes in staff levels at Three Mile Island.
Your attention to my request is, as.always, very much appreciated.
Sincerely,
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United States Senate)f l
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