ML20246M376

Responds to Re Containment Mod to Install Hardened Vents Not Being Immediately Implemented at Plant. Concludes That NRC Need Not Immediately Require All Plants W/Mark I Containments to Install Hardened Vents

ML20246M376
Person / Time
Site:	Quad Cities
Issue date:	08/17/1989
From:	Taylor J NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO)
To:	Harkin T SENATE
Shared Package
ML20246M379	List: ML20246M376 ML20246M383
References
CCS, NUDOCS 8909070145
Download: ML20246M376 (1)

Text

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. UNITED STATES

@, o NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION E WASHINGTON. D. C,20555

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• • • • • August 17, 1989 The Honorable Tom Harkin United States Senator 131 E. 4th Street 314B Federal Building Davenport, IA 52801

Dear Senator Harkin:

Enclosed with your July 26, 1989 letter to Chairman Kenneth M. Carr of the

, , Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) was a letter from one of your constituents, Mr. John T. . Shaff. Mr. Shaff is concerned that a containment modification to install hardened vents is not being immediately implemented at Quari Cities Station, Units 1 and 2. The Commission has carefully evaluated this matter and has concluded that it.need not immediately require all plants with Mark I containments to install hardened vents.

However, July 11, 1989, the Commission directed the NRC staff:

... to initiate plant-specific backfit analyses for each of the Mark I. plants to evaluate the efficacy of requiring the installa-tion of hardened vents at such plants. This should be accomplished taking into consideration the individual plant designs and their

~ respective capabilities to withstand overpressurization events.

Whsre the backfit analysis supports imposition of such a requirement, and after. consideration of information from licensees, the staff should proceed accordingly with the imposition of a requirement that such a plant install a reliable, hardened vent. The objective should be to complete this process, including installation of hardened vents where justified, within three years. The-staff's backfitting schedule should include consideration of the refueling outage schedule for each I plant in order to ensure that reasonable plant implementation dates I are met.

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The dir.3ction provided by the Commission, which the NRC staff is following, is

!. consistent with the NRC rule pertaining to backfit requirements. The purpose 1 of the backfit rule is to assure that modifications imposed by the staff will result in a substantial increase in the overall protection of the public health and safety and that the costs of implementation for the licensee are justified in view of the increased protection. This approach protects both the health and safety of the public and prevents unwarranted expenditures by the utilities and ultimately their rate-payers.

Sinu rely,

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Enited States $tnatt SMALL BUSINESS WASHINGTON. DC 20510 July 26, 1989 John C. Bradburne, Jr.

Director, Congressional Affairs 172A Nuclear Regulatory Commission One White Flint North Building 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, Maryland 20852

Dear Mr. Bradburne:

I have been contacted by John T. Shaff, regarding difficulties he is experiencing with the Commonwealth Edison Plant in Cordova, Illinois. For your reference, enclosed is a copy of the correspondence Mr. Shaff sent to me.

At this time, I would like to express my interest in this matter. Any furthLr information or comments you may be in.a

_ position to provide concerning this matter would be gr9 tly appreciated. Please respond to Kathleen Flaherty in my Davoisort office at the address printed below.

Thank you for your time and assistance. I look forward to your timely response.

Sincerely, Tom Harkin United States Senator TH/rkf Enclosure d vd L )

W ST!TE OFF!CES.

110 WALNUT ST BCx 74e 4 f 3i f 4?w $7 FOURTH AND JACKSON STS. 307 F(DERAL BLDG. 3148 FEDEMAL BLDG BCXH ROOM 733 FEDERAL BLDG LINDALE MALL 001 SADGEROW BUILDING . DAVEhPORT. IA 52601 COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA 51602 DES MolNES. ;A $0309 CEDAR RAPIDS 1A 52407 4664 SIOUX CITY. IA 61101 (319t 322-1358 (7121325 4 633 (515)284-45'4 (3191393-6374 (712)252-1550

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. John T. .Shaff RR 1, Box 193 Camanche, Iowa 52730.

(319) 522-2554 July 11, 1989' The Honorable Tom Harken!bE3~

% U.S. Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 Dear Senator Harken Enclosed.is a copy of an article printed in the Clinton Herald July 6,.1989. Since I live approximately three miles from the Commonwealth Edison plant at Cordova, Illinois, I am upset that action is not being taken NOW to remedy what i s obviously a design

' flaw in the containmer : system of this facility.

According to the article the NRC staff recommended that the action be taken on all such plants as soon as possible or practical.

With this recommendation one would wonder if the NRC members are more interested in utility companies or in the common good of the public.

There. have been numerous articles that would insinuate'that the NRC members have the utilities in mind more than anyone else.

I have read that President Bush's nominee to the NRC thought that people had an unreasonable f ear of atomic energy, I would suggest that it i s more a heal thy, reasonable fear based on the record of a few companies and the inaction of the NRC in matters such as the one outilned in the enclosed article.

I am wri ting this letter also to Senator Grassley and to Congressman Tauke in the hope that the three of you can either yourselves or with other senators and representatives join in a

. bipartisan effort to force the NRC into action on this matter.

As a farmer I cannot easily move to another region if this area is wiped out by a nuclear disaster, the roots of my family on this farm date back to 1837.

Very truly yours, John T. Shaff

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l John'T..Shaff

.. .RR 1, Box 193

Camanche, Iowa 52730

(319) 522-2554 July 11, 1989 Mr. Cordell Reed Senior Vice President Commonwealth Edison Company Post Office Box 767 Chicago, Illinois 60690 l

Dear Mr. Reed:

We briefly met at the visitors center of the Quad Cities Nuclear Plant January 4, 1989 at a SALP report meeting. After the meeting you and I visited about the plant in general and particularly about the containment system of the plant. I live 3.1 miles NNW of the plant.

Enclosed is an-article dealing with containment systems of Mark I plants in the United States including the Quad Cit ~ies facility. I woul d l ike to know if any modifications of the containment system is in the works .in light of this announcement and if not, why not?

I am very tware of the fine line that you have to tread between turning a profit for stockholders and maintaining a safe facility for the people living in the area.

I also am convinced through Ron Higgins, the onsight NRC inspector, that the facility is managed quite well and is not a prime candidate for a disaster. However, each year of age that is added to the facility. increases the chances for something to happen particularly if all maintenance and inspection people are not on their toes. For this reason I would hope that you can look at your containment and either feel assured it is very adequate for the needs or else make it that way according to the NRC guidelines.

Again please send some information as to your stand on the containment issue.

Very truly yours, Ya John T. Shaff ,

eu Copies: Congressman Tom Tauke Senator Charles Grassley Senator Tom Harken Governor Terry Branstad

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l ' 5s a iarther precaution, the commin.

g\- sion ordered its staff to speed up im-

[ g plementa, tion of an existing NR.C,re .

M., cgb n, d G O f*y . y quirementithat; a Mark I; plant be, capable of withstanding a totalloss of nuke p/onf.

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. eiectsco.er out o e,heaung the reactott- r*

i x - ~ B ~ r.a nua v vertf-ch.. .ance a nixed the Public Citizen environmental group, said the NRC'was " buying

^ WASHINGTON (AP)-ne Nuclear time"ior the nuclear industry by pro-Regulatory Comminion rejected a staff reenmmenaation that protective misingfatherstudy.

. Plant owners generally opposed a containment shells on 24 conunercal blanket requirement ' ' for#I?ina-nuclear power reactors be n odified to provements to the Mark I containment .

lessen thelisk of rupture in,the, event

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system, sayingithey would notiaP of asevere' accident.-

preciablyreduce the nskof rupture.

. The cdsiriinion'said there was no '.Of the 24 reactors with Mark I con-ne'ed for a blanlie't requirement for the taintrents. four are not operating. ~\

changes, although it ordered a plant- 4 ney are Philadelphia Electric Co.'s by plant'sthdy of whether hard pipe Peach Bottom No. 3,'and the: Ten- 1 vents absuld be added to the contain . nessee Valley Authority's Browr.s 8 ment buildin'gs, knownis Mark I and FerryNo:1,No.2andNo.3. ' W < 1 madebyGeheralElectricCo. ..._

..De remalmng plants in the study, , I

' ne. deiits yould-relieve . severe , -  ? ? 'I

. if the theirlocationandowners are:.

pressure,that sould build.up'5ntaisid 4 Brunswick, two : reactors i "atN rea'etshor&cEefiddisgid'%c Southport, N.C., Carolina Power & ' ,

m'est failure $ould lead to the release f,I l 13ght Co.; Cooper, Brownsville, Neb., '

of daigir6EfaEduhts of radioiictivity. ' ' ' .- Nebraska Public Power District;a Intothh atmospiire.N 31R.(d the ; l Dasden, two reactors at MorriseIll.,"

. Aiti-nuclear, groups have urge 4 Commonwealth Edison. Co.;; und:

NRC to r. hut-down plants'with Mark I ) -

QtleSitwo' reactors at Cordova, ,

Contalnmen6l[rNidingi,'.saying theyW r*monweann Edison and Iowa Gas

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pose too great a' risk .to public health '

& Electric Co.;

and' safety. ".Z '.. . .. .,7 -

?Daane Arnold, Palo, kowa,,ilova , ,:

TheiNRC staff earlier'this, year. '

Electric I,tght & Power Coi; Fenni 2, . '

re:om' mended'iequiring the; changes -4 I,agina Beach, Mich., Detroit Edison at aD24 plants-abouta quarterof the

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ColNine' Mile Point 1lScriba, N;Y.. . -

antida's nuclear powiistatienst #"' ' '

New York Power Authority; James'A.<

t.The icoaumssion'reje'eted,that 'aP Fitzpat(ck,(,Scriba,LNJ..' Niagira' T icosich Wednesday, but said it would . Mohawk PowefCorp.; Edwin !. Hatch,'

requife the hard pipe vents;at any.

• _ twol reactors at'Baaley{Ga.,

' ' " Georgia plant desise'd by NRC analysts to need i Power Co.; ,

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ttiein.Dtisaidathe; case-by case apt.- " Hope Creek', Sal'e'id,NJ.;Public SEr? * *'

proich should settle the qiestion* for al![

vice Electric & Gas Col; Millstone 1, 24plantswithinthreeyears. e ~ _ "* WatErford, Cond., Northeast Utilities:

One24 plants were Aelected because Mar.cfceDoi .Monticend,5.Miruil,7Nor-2 1 6eliQoitainmehtimihraarebeliev ! thern States Power Co.; Oyster Creek, Wip*be more vulnerable to rupture Tonis River, N.J.; GPU Nuclear Corp.; -

durmg a severe reactii~ accident than , and Vermont Yankee, Vernon? Vt., '

6theicontainmentsytitems. ___ ..

VeH6ontYankEd14iclear Power Corp.* f

• The'cor'n rEinniini'alsB*ialil'It would .p l fpfrdre vents at'aEy plant' s that v31unh '

~ *V tardy chose to install them Few are

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hittiected te do it voluntitrilyNi .

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