ML20246B659

Forwards 40th Quarterly Status Rept on Emergency Preparedness for Nuclear Power Plants from Apr-June 1989. Lilco Shareholders Voted to Accept Terms That Provide for Sale of Plant to State of Ny

ML20246B659
Person / Time
Site:	Seabrook, 05000000, Shoreham
Issue date:	08/18/1989
From:	Carr K NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
To:	Breaux J SENATE, ENVIRONMENT & PUBLIC WORKS
References
NUDOCS 8908230425
Download: ML20246B659 (3)

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1. k '% UNITED STATES

} f , g NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 80p g WASHINGTON, D, C,20555 August 18, 1989

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CHAIRMAN l f

The Honorable John B. Breaux, Chairman Subcommittee on Nuclear Regulation Committee on Environment and Public Works United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Mr. Chairman:

I am enclosing the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's-(NRC's) 40th quarterly status report on emergency preparedness for nuclear power plants, covering the period from April 1, 1989 to June 30, 1989. This report has been coordinated with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

On June 28, 1989, Long Island Lighting Company (LILCO) share-holders voted to accept the terms of an agreement with the State of New York that provides for the sale of the Shoreham plant to the State. The licensee has completed defueling the reactor.

The hearing on the Seabrook Plan for the Massachusetts Communities and the full-participation graded exercise con-cluded on June 30, 1989. 'On June 23, 1989, the Ato.nic Safety and Licensing Board issued a decision favorable to the licensee concerning the vehicular alert and notification system for the Massachusetts portion of the Seabrook emergency planning zone.

An Atomic Safety and Licensing Appeal Board decision is pending on the New Hampshire Radiological Emergency Response Plan.

Sincerely,

, 1A.L Kenneth M. Carr l

Enclosure:

l NRC Quarterly Status Report cc: The Honorable Alan K. Simpson m _ _ _ _ . . - - _ _ _ _- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "- --

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!!RC QUARTERLY STATUS REPORT Shortham On February 28, 1989, Long Island Lighting Company (LILCO) and the State of New York signed an agreement providing for LILCO to sell the Shoreham plant to the State, which would close and decommission the plant. By April 15, 1989, all necessary State approvals had been obtained, and the LILCO Board of Directors had approved the plan.

On March 3, 1989, the Commission (Commissioner Curtiss not participating) voted unanimously to dismiss Suffolk County, New York State, and the Town of Southampton from all pending Commission proceedings for failure to comply with orders of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board and failure to meet discovery obligations.

Dismissal of the interveners meant that the decision on Shoreham's readiness for a license became the responsibility of the Director of the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR). In a Commission briefing on April 17, 1989, the Director of NRR summarized his findings on those emergency planning issues that had not already been decided in the Shoreham adjudication. His conclu-ston, set forth in Supplement 10 Section 13, Subsection 13.3 of the Safety Evaluation Report and in the " Director's Findings on Shoreham Emergency Planning Contentions," was that all outstanding issues had been resolved satisfactorily, and that there was " reasonable assurance that adequate protective measures can and will be taken" in the event of an accident.

On April 20, 1989, the Commission voted 4-0 (Commissioner Curtiss not partici-pating) to authorize the Director of NRR to issue a full-power operating license to the Shoreham plant. A license was issued the following day; however, the terms of LILCO's agreement with the State of New York barred it from operating the plant.

On June 28, 1989, LILC0 shareholders voted to accept the terms of the agreement with the State of New York providing for the sale of the Shoreham plant to the State. The licensee has completed defueling the reactor.

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Seabrook Low Power A 5 percent power license restricted to 0.75 effective full-power hours was issued on May 26, 1989. The plant achieved initial criticality at 5:23 p.m. on 1 June 13, 1989. Low-power testing was in progress on June 22, 1989, when the i reactor was manually scrammed during the conduct of a natural circulation startup test. The licensee has agreed not to restart the reactor pending a review of the events surrounding this shutdown and discussing any corrective actions with the NRC Staff. The NRC sent an Augmented Inspection Team to the site on June 28, 1989, to evaluate the circumstances surrounding this shutdown.

Full Power Items to be addressed before issuance of a full-power license:

On June 16, 1988, the hearing record on the New Hampshire Radiological Emergency Response Plan was closed. On December 30, 1988, the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) considering off-site matters issued a decision in favor of the applicant, Public Service Company of New Hampshire (PSNH). Several interveners have filed their appeal of the ASLB decision. The Atomic Safety and Licensing Appeal Board (ASLAB) heard oral 6rguments in this matter on July 27, 1989. The Appeal Board's decision is pending.

Litigation of the Seabrook Plan for the Massachusetts Connunities (SPMC) and litigation of the full-participation graded exercise must be com-pleted. Evidentiary hearings on the SPMC and the exercise commenced on March 21, 1989, and concluded on Jur.e 30, 1989. A decision is expected by November 30, 1989.

On June 23, 1989, the ASLB considering the vehicular alert and notifica-tion system (VANS) for the Massachusetts portion of the Seabrook Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) issued a decision favorable to the licensee.

Interveners are expected to appeal the decision.

On January 30, 1989, the ASLB considering off-site matters denied a motion to litigate an aeditional on-site exercise contention related to the I

on-site portion of the full-participation exercise. On June 20, 1989, the ASLAB affirmed this decision.

A meeting of the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) will be held on emergency planning. Following the meeting, the ACRS will forward its views in a letter to the Chairman of -the NRC.

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