ML20248F084

Ack Receipt of Re NRC Oversight Role in Decommissioning of Plant

ML20248F084
Person / Time
Site:	Haddam Neck File:Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Co icon.png
Issue date:	05/22/1998
From:	Miller H NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:	Moore K CONNECTICUT YANKEE ATOMIC POWER CO.
References
NUDOCS 9806040099
Download: ML20248F084 (3)

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E NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSICN REGloN I o, [ 475 ALLENDALE ROAD g ...../ KING oF PRUSSIA. PENNSYLVANIA 19406-1415 t May 22, 1998 l

Ms. Krista Moore, Secretary Community Decommissioning Advisory Committee (CDAC) c/c A. Mellor, Vice President Ope,mtions and Decommissioning Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company 362 Injun Hollow Road East Hampton, CT 06424-3099

Dear Ms. Moore:

I am responding to your letter sent to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in October 1997 that was received by this office on April 23,1998. I regret the lateness of this response, but we have been unable to find any record of your original letter's receipt. In your letter, you stated that the Committee had two concems regarding the NRC oversight role in the decommissioning of the Haddam Neck Plant. Although there was some discussion of these concems by my staff during the April 22,1998, CDAC meeting, I would like to comment more fully on the Committee's concems.

One of your concems is the lack of an onsite NRC resident inspector after July 1998 and the related assurance that the decommissioning activities are performed in accordance with the regulations. We are in the process of re-evaluating the need to have resident inspectors onsite after a plant is permanently shutdown. The current NRC plan is to maintain a resident inspector onsite for approximately one year after permanent shutdown. At present, a resident inspector is budgeted for Haddam Neck through fiscal year 1998, which ends on September 30,1998.

We agree that strong regulatory oversight is important to building public trust and confidence.

NRC has established a specific inspection program for nuclear power plants undergoing decommissioning. This inspection program is described in Section 4.3 of the NRC Staff Draft Report for Comment, NUREG -1628, " Staff Responses to Frequently Asked Questions Conceming Decommissioning of Nuclear Power Reactors" (Enclosure 1). Onsite inspections by specialist inspectors and subject matter experts address radiation control, radioactive waste management and transportation, and engineering disciplines. The mix of resources allocated to inspection during a given period depends on the decommissioning activities occurring at the site, emerging issues, and the expertise best suited to evaluating the licensee's performance.

We are committed to continuing vigilant regulatoly oversight through onsite inspections by specialists at appropriate times throughout the decommissioning phase and are confident that these inspections and compliance with NRC licensing requirements will ensure public health and safety.

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g K. Moore 2 Regarding the second concem about the resident inspector's presence at the monthly CDAC meeting, the resident inspector has been attending these evening and weekend sessions when possible. Consistent with staff availability and other NRC activities, we expect to continue to attend the meetings, since we agree that they provide a valuable conduit for information exchange. Attendance will include the resident inspector for the durabon of his tour at the site, specialist inspectors, or the project manager. Our resources do not permit us to commit to attend every meeting; however, l' you anticipate that an NRC presence would be especially )

beneficial at an upcoming meeting, please contact Marie Miller or Joseph Nick of the Decommissioning and Laboratory Branch at 610-337-5205 or 610-337-5056 to make arrangements.

Sincerely, ,

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l- ubert J. Miller Regional Administrator

Enclosure:

NUREG-1628 (Draft for Comment) l

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• s K. Moore 3 Distribution:

EDO #98-275 CRC #98-0392 L. Callan, EDO A. Thadani, DEDE H. Thompson, DEDR P. Norry, DEDM J. Blaha, AO/EDO S. Burns, OGC S. Collins, NRR T, Fredrichs, NRR W. Axelson, RI R. Blough, RI G. Pangburn, Rl M. Miller, RI EDO r/f PUBLIC Nuclear Safety information Center (NSIC)

RI Docket File (50-213)

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