ML21348A006
| ML21348A006 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Seabrook  |
| Issue date: | 01/10/2022 |
| From: | Christopher Hanson NRC/Chairman |
| To: | Markey E, Warren E US SEN (Senate) |
| Poole J, NRR/DORL/LPLI, 415-2048 | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML21344A152 | List: |
| References | |
| CORR-21-0098, LTR-21-0326 | |
| Download: ML21348A006 (2) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 CHAIRMAN The Honorable Edward Markey United States Senate Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator Markey:
January 10, 2022 On behalf of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), I am responding to your letter dated December 10, 2021. In that letter, you raised concerns about findings in the NRC staff's second quarter integrated inspection report concerning alkali-silica reaction (ASR) at Seabrook Station, Unit No. 1 (Seabrook) and requested that the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) review the issue.
Due to the first-of-a-kind nature of ASR in the U.S. nuclear industry, the ACRS has been engaged on this issue since 2018. After holding several meetings, the ACRS issued letters to the Commission indicating its support of the staff's assessment of the issue and issuance of the renewed license.1 The NRC staff continues to engage with the ACRS on this issue and plans to hold a briefing in early 2022.
As part of its regulatory responsibilities, the NRC staff will continue to monitor ASR concerns at Seabrook. The license conditions related to ASR have been incorporated into the baseline inspections performed by NRC resident inspectors. These inspections will be performed in addition to the routine safety inspections conducted at Seabrook under the agency's Reactor Oversight Program. The agency can require additional actions, if necessary, to ensure plant safety. The NRC will also ensure that the licensee continues to provide adequate monitoring of ASR at Seabrook.
I appreciate your letter and continued interest in the NRC's oversight at Seabrook. If you have questions or need more information, please contact me or have your staff contact Eugene Dacus, Director of the Office of Congressional Affairs, at 301-415-1776.
Sincerely, Christopher T. Hanson 1 Letter from Michael Corradini, Chairman, Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, to Kristine L.
Svinicki, Chairman, NRC (Dec. 19, 2018) (ML18353A954); Letter from Michael Corradini, Chairman, Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, to Kristine L. Svinicki, Chairman, NRC (Dec. 14, 2018)
(ML18348A951).
Identical letter sent to:
The Honorable Edward Markey United States Senate Washington, DC 2051 0 The Honorable Elizabeth Warren United States Senate Washington, DC 20510