NRC Generic Letter 79-64, Suspension of All Operating Licenses

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GL79064

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555

November 23, 1979

Mr. William A. Lochstet, Secretary Environmental Coalition on Nuclear Power 119 E. Aaron Drive State College, Pennsylvania 16801

Dear Mr. Lochstet:

This letter is sent to acknowledge receipt of your petition dated March 29, 1979, on behalf of the Environmental Coalition on Nuclear Power to suspend the operating license for each pressurized water reactor. Your petition is being treated under the procedures specified in 10 CFR 2.206 of the Commission's regulations. Accordingly, we will inform you of our decision on your petition within a reasonable time.

Enclosed for your information is a copy of the notice that will be filed for publication with the Office of the Federal Register.

Sincerely,

Harold R. Denton, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Enclosure:

Notice

cc w/enclosure and Petition:

All PWR Licensees w/Service Lists

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

PETITION TO SUSPEND ALL OPERATING LICENSES FOR PRESSURIZED WATER REACTORS

REQUEST FOR ACTION PURSUANT TO 10 CFR 2.206

Notice is hereby given that by petition dated March 29, 1979, the Environmental Coalition on Nuclear Power, State College, Pennsylvania, requested that the Commission suspend all operating licenses issued for pressurized water reactors. The petition alleges that the safety evaluations performed for these licenses are invalid, because the incident which occurred on March 28, 1979, at Three Mile Island Unit 2, a pressurized water reactor, shows that the evaluations of the Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS) for all pressurized water reactors cannot demonstrate the performance of the ECCS required by 10 CFR 50.46.

The petition is being treated pursuant to the procedures specified in 10 CFR 2.206 of the Commission's regulations, an accordingly, action will be taken on the petition within a reasonable time. A copy of the petition is available for inspection in the Commission's Public Document Room, 1717 H Street, N. W., Washington, D.C. 20555.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Daniel R. Muller, Acting Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Dated at Bethesda, Maryland this 23rd day of November, 1979.

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Before The Nuclear Regulatory Commission Emergency Petition

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is hereby petitioned to immediately suspend the operating license for each Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR)

currently licensed to operate. This petition is brought before the Commission pursuant to 10CFR 2.204, 2.206, 50.54 and 50.100. This petition is brought because the safety evaluations performed for these licenses are not valid.

As required by 10CFR 50.46, each PWR shall be equipped with an Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS) which shall be designed so that its performance shall be to respond to postulated accidents in such a way as to limit the fuel temperature as specified in 10CFR 50.46. This specification would not permit the fuel to melt. These postulated accidents include the double-ended rupture of the largest pipe in the reactor coolant system. All PWR power plants are licensed subject to this regulation. The procedures used to demonstrate this performance are not valid.

The Three Mile Island Unit II plant is licensed to operate subject to this requirement. On 28 March 1979 an accident occurred at this plant. The accident was initiated by an event less severe than the double-ended rupture of the largest pipe in the reactor coolant system. The consequence of this accident was that at least some of the fuel melted. This consequence is clearly in excess of the performance required under 10CFR 50.46. Thus, the analyses used to predict such performance are invalid. Thus, it has now been established in fact by the evidence of 28 March 1979 at Three Mile Island Unit II, that the basis for granting these licenses was invalid, and they should be immediately suspended, or revoked.

Wm. A. Lochstet, Secretary 119 E. Aaron Dr. State College, Pa. 16801 29 March 1979

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OPERATING LICENSE

Pressurized Water Reactors

50-003/247 50-029 50-206 50-213 50-244 50-250/251 50-255 50-260 50-261 50-266/301 50-269/270/287 50-272 50-280/281 50-282/306 50-285 50-286 50-289/320 50-295/304 50-302 50-305 50-309 50-312 50-313/368 50-315/316 50-317/318 50-321 50-334 50-335 50-336 50-338 50-344 50-346 50-348