ML20247D336
| ML20247D336 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Pilgrim |
| Issue date: | 03/17/1989 |
| From: | Zech L NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Thompson A PLYMOUTH, MA |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20247D342 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8903310050 | |
| Download: ML20247D336 (5) | |
Text
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gt>I4III 8I UNITED STATES 5.l g 4,-
,i NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION f
n 9.
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 March 17, 1989 CHAIRMAN Ms. Alba C. Thompson, Chairman
- Town of Plymouth Office of the Selectmen 11 Lincoln Street Plymouth, Massachusetts 02360
Dear Chairman Thompson:
I am responding to your letters of January 17, January 24, and February 7, 1989, regarding the status of off-site emergency planning for the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station and the extent to which the Commission is considering the views of Commonwealth and local officials.
As you know, the Commission has made a deter-mined effort to solicit the views of Commonwealth and local officials on issues related to the Pilgrim facility and gave careful consideration to them in reaching our December 21, 1988 decision to endorse the staff's restart recommendation.
As part of our decision, the Commission directed our staff, not the licensee, to report on the status of off-site emergency preparedness and the progress being made.
Since December 21, 1988, Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff members have attended meetings in the Pilgrim area with Commonwealth and local emergency planning officials, have held discussions with some of these officials, have attended Commonwealth-sponsored training sessions, and have participated in a tour of the reception centers with Commonwealth and local officials.
The Commission recognizes that the Town of Plymouth is responsible for its own emergency preparedness and appreciates the efforts that you, the other members of the Board of Selectmen, and Plymouth's Civil Defense Director are making to improve the Town's ability to respond to an emergency situation at Pilgrim.
Consis-tent with our past and current efforts to obtain and consider information from local officials, the NRC would be pleased to receive additional information at any time from the Town of Plymouth regarding the status of off-site emergency preparedness.
I understand that William Russell, NRC Region I Administrator, discussed this with you, Mr. Hadfield, and Messrs. Groux and O'Neill of Duxbury at a meeting on February 17, 1989 Boston Edison Company, by virtue of its status as a Commission licensee, has a regulatory obligation to report to the NRC on significant activities affecting the Pilgrim clant, including those related to plant operation and emergency preparedness.
(Originated by RTHogan, NRR)
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Moreover, given the assistance Boston Edison is providing to I
upgrade off-site emergency preparedness and the reception centers.
I in particular, it is clear that the company has a role in off-site emergency planning.
With respect.to the issue of the reception centers, the NRC staff provided its assessment of this issue at both the October 14 and December 9, 1988, Commission meetings.
Although proposed improvements to the reception centers had not yet been completed, the staff concluded that, if needed, the facilities could be used to carry out emergency response functions, including registration, monitoring, and decontamination of evacuees.
In making its determination, the staff visited the Taunton and Bridgewater facilities, and considered the scope of the functions to be performed at reception centers, the existence of plans and L
procedures for the operation of the facilities, and the current availability or accessibility of equipment for use at the facilities in the event of an emergency at Pilgrim.
In addition to NRC staff observations, information provided by the Civil Defense Director for Taunton indicated that the designated building at the Taunton State Hospital could function adequately as a reception center during an emergency.
The NRC staff concluded that, although improvements should be completed, the facilities and related planning for operation of the facilities l
are sufficient to ensure that the reception centers could be used effectively in the event of an emergency at Pilgrim.
The Commonwealth's efforts to complete the receotion center improvements, with the assistance of the Boston Edison Company, are expected to enhance the capability of these facilities to operate in an emergency.
L 1
To summarize, the Commission continues to endorse a deliberate.
phased start-up program, over a 4-to 6-month period, with aug-mented NRC oversight.
The NRC staff will continue to monitor both the operating performance of the licensee and the progress of the Commonwealth and local governments in improving off-site l
The staff will consider information from l
all available sources, including Commonwealth and local officials, and continue direct observations of progress.
In this regard, the Commission strongly encourages cooperative and expeditious action by Boston Edison, the Commonwealth, and local governments to I
further improve the state of emergency preparedness for the area l
surrounding the Pilgrim facility.
l l
Sincerely, LA/.
l Lando W. Zech r.
l
y Distrib'ution:
LWZecli, OCM VStello, EDO t
JMTaylor, ED0 JLBlaha, ED0 HLThompson, ED0 N, RI WTRussell JScinto, OGC TEMurley, HRR RHWes/ man, NRR JHSniecek, NPR FJMirag da, NRR SAVarga, i'RR BABoger,1RR FPGillespi3. NRR DMCrutchfieio,:lRR FJCongel, NRR
-WDTravers, NRR SJCollins, RI JTWiggins, R1 RJBarrett, NRR LJCunningham, NRR FKantor, NRR i
CRVan Niel, NRR RRBellamy, RI i
RTHogan, NRR DFMossburg, E90- 4251, 4241, 4222 MCBridgers, ED0- 4251, 4241, 4222 MECoons, NRR 89-CRC N0: 89-0107 Central Files PDR E00 R/F EPB R/F
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. UNITED STATES
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NUCLEAR RE2ULATORY COMMISSION 5
WASHINGTON,3. C. 20555 L % *-****+ -
EDO Principal Correspondence Control.
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DUE: 02/08/89 EDO CONTROL: 0004222 DOC DT 101/17/89'
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FINAL REPLY:
Albi C. Thompson,, Chairman
^
Plymouth Board of Selectmen iTO:
Chairman Zech-
.FOR SIGNATURE.0F:
- PRI. **
CRC NO: 89-0074-Chairnian 'Zech DESC's ROUTING:
'CONCERNING EMERGENCY PLANNING-AT PILGRIM Stello Taylor
- .DATE: 01/27/89 Blaha 4
Russell, RI tASSIGNED.TO:
CONTACT:
Murray, DGC
'NRR RECEIVED: JANUARY 27, 1989 ACTION:
rdDREP:CONGELT M NRR ROUTING:
MURLEY/SNIEZEK VARGA
- l:
MIRAGLIA CRUTCHFIELD GILLESPIE MOSSBURG
f-l s-l, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET PAPER NUMBER:
CRC-89-0074 LOGGING DATE: Jan 27 89 l
ACTION OFFICE:
EDO AUTHOR:
W.R. Griffin AFFILIATION:
MA (MASSACHUSETTS)
LETTER DATE:
Jan.17 09 FILE CODE: ID&R-5 Pilgrim
SUBJECT:
Taunton emergency response reception center ACTION:
Signature of Chairman DISTRIBUTION:
RF,-Cars, DSB, OGC SPECIAL HANDLING: None NOTES:
LATE DUE:
Feb 10 89 SIGNATURE:
DATE SIGNED:
AFFILIATION:
EIO---004222 M M. m Date L. 27 9g Ome _ 3.Vo
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