ML20247L240

Responds to Re K Barnes Concerns Regarding Safety at Plants.Advises That to Date,Releases from Plants Remain Well within Accepted Stds

ML20247L240
Person / Time
Site:	Palisades, Big Rock Point, 05000000
Issue date:	09/13/1989
From:	Taylor J NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO)
To:	Upton F HOUSE OF REP.
Shared Package
ML20247L247	List: ML20247L240 ML20247L254
References
NUDOCS 8909220163
Download: ML20247L240 (6)

Text

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% September 13, 1989 The Honorable Fred Upton United States House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515

Dear Congressman Upton:

This is in response to your letter of August 15, 1989, in which you requested that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) address concerns raised by your constituent. Ms. Kathy Barnes, regarding safety at the Big Rock Point Nuclear Power Plant located in Charlevoix County, Michigan.

These facilities currently operate under licenses issued by the NRC and must satisfy all applicable NRC regulations. These regulations are designed to protect the public health and safety and are vigorously enforced by the NRC.

NRC oversight includes permanently assigned resident inspectors, inspections by region-based and headquarters personnel, comprehensive reporting require-ments and prompt NRC review of each report, and NRC review and approval of the licensees' requests to modify their license.

In addition, the NRC periodically integrates its knowledge of the safety performance of licensees through the Systematic Assessment of Licensee Performance (SALP) program. This program is one of NRC's major tools to develop and document its overall perspective of a licensee's performance.

The SALP program informs the licensees of NRC view, informs the public, and is an aid in determining the allocation of NRC resources.

Many recent allegations concerning weaknesses in the General Electric (GE) design are the result of an internal GE report commonly referred to as the

" Reed Report." The Reed Report was a self-critical study of the newer GE designs conducted for the purpose of improving the product line. The NRC has reviewed the report twice and has concluded that the currently licensed plants are safe to operate.

With respect to Big Rock Point, as part of the NRC Systematic Evaluation Program, we reevaluated the design adequacy of older U.S. nuclear plants.

Analyses were performed to calculate the peak pressures that could result from the most severe rupture accident that can reasonably be considered possible. On the basis of conservative assumptions, the results of these analyses demonstrate that the containment pressures from these postulated accidents would not exceed the containment design pressure.

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+.* ThE. Honorable'FrddUpton b With respect'to the-concerns expressed about radiation leaks at Big Rock Point and Palisades, NRC regulations'and oversight functions are designed to prevent Lan unsafe release of radiation. Stringent ~ design.and operational. standards are imposed to prevent inadvertent releases of radiation and the plant's license

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limits' anticipated leakage rates to accept-able safe: standards. . The effective-ness of these controls has been demonstrated throughout the long operating history.of Big Rock. Point and Palisades. To date, releases from these plants have remained well within the accepted standards.-

We hope that we;have provided the information you desire.

Sincer ely, Original Signed By:

James M. Taylor James M. Taylor

~ Acting Executive Director for Operations DISTRIBilTION:

DocketFile(50-155) CA

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The Honorable Fred Upton United States House of Representatives-3ashington, DC 20515

Dear Congressman Upton:

This is in response to your letter of August in which you requested that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC15,)1989,ress a concerns raised by

.your constituent, Ms. Kathy Barnes, regarding saf at the Big Rock Point Nuclear Power Plant located in Charlevoix County, ichigan. Ms. Barnes specifically asked you to investigate the " prob) ems of GE reactors and the NRC's and GE's lack of response to those prob)4ms." Ms. Barnes also addressed theolderdesignoftheBigRockPointcontafnmentandthe"reportedleaksat Big Rock and other plants." In addition, reportedly unsafe'- radiation leaks, etc. phe stated that " Palisades is also These facilities currently operate und,e licenses issued by the NRC and must satisfy all applicable NRC regulations. These regulations are designed to protect the public health and safety /and are vigorously enforced by the NRC.

NRC oversight includes permanentlyAssigned resident inspectors, inspections by region-based and headquarters personnel, comprehensive reporting : require-ments and prompt NRC review of each report, and NRC review and approval of the licensees' requests to modify heir license.

In addition, the NRC periodi ally integrates its knowledge of the safety performance of licensees t ugh the Systematic Assessment of Licensee Performance (SALP)progranp This program.is one of NRC's major tools to develop and document itsjoverall perspective of a licensee's performance.

The SALP program informy the licensees of NRC view, informs the public, and is an aid in determini g the allocation of NRC resources.

Many recent allegati ns concerning weaknesses in the General Electric (GE) design are the resyIt of an internal GE report commonly referred to as the

" Reed Report." Tp Reed Report was a self-critical study of the newer GE designs conductep for the purpose of improving the product line. The NRC has reviewed the report twice and has concluded that the currently licensed plants are safe to o erete.

Your constituent was particularly concerned about Big Rock Point and Palisades.

With respp/et to Big Rock Point, as part of the NRC Systematic Evaluation Prog whose purpose was to reevaluate the design adequacy of older U.S. nuclear plants, analysps were performed for the NRC to calculate the peak pressures that could result from the most severe rupture accident that can reasonably be considered possible. On the basis of conservative assumptions, the results of these analyses demonstrate that the containment pressures from these postulated accidents would not exceed the containment design pressure.

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n .j b 5HonorableFrcdUpton ,/

With respect to the concerns expressed about radiation leaks at Big Rock Point.

and Palisades, NRC regulations and oversight function provide adequate assurance that an unsafe release of radiation is precluded. Stringent esign and operational standards are imposed'to prevent inadvertent release of radiation and the plant's license limits anticipated leakage rates o accept -

r able safe standards. The effectiveness of these controls has be demonstrated

[' throughout the long operating history of Big Rock Point and Pa sades. To date,

' releases from these plants have remained well within the acc ted standards.

We' hope that we have provided the information you desire Sincerely, James Taylor Actin Executive Director for Operations DISTRIBUTION:

1. Docket file-(50 155)"" CA

-NRC/ Local PDRs SECY 89-076 ED0 #4706 EDO Reading PD31 Reading BDavis, RIII TMurley/JSniezek FMiraglia JPartlow DCrutchfield i

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. FINAL REPLY: '

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DESC:- ROUTING: '-l ENCLOSES LETTER FROM KATHY BARNES RE CONCERNS Davis, RIII i

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, DATE: 08/24/89 ASSIGNED TO: CONTACT:

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. AFFILIATION: U.S.~ HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

,0, LETTER DATE:- ~Aug 15 89 FILE CODE: ID&R-5 Big; Rock L J' ~

SUBJECT:

' . Safety-concern about the Big Rock nuclear. power

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LACTION: . Direct Reply

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SPECIAL HANDLING: None NOTES: Kathy Barnes DATE DUE: Sep 7 89

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