NUREG-0510, Responds to 790614 Questions Re Status & Future of Nuclear Power in Mi.Nrc Has Summarized Historical & Economic Data Requested.Forwards NUREG-0510.Cover Sheet Only Encl
| ML19256F915 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 10/12/1979 |
| From: | Hendrie J NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Riegle D SENATE |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19256F916 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7912270062 | |
| Download: ML19256F915 (7) | |
Text
[
o, UNITED STATES E %.
,o NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION j
,E WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555
%, we,/
October 12, 1979 CHAIRMAN The Honorable Donald W. Riegle United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Senator Riegie:
Thank you for your questions of June 14, 1979, regarding the status and future of nuclear power in Michigan.
I have had the NRC staff summarize the historical and economic data you requested as responses to your eight questions, and have provided some purely personal views in response to the ninth.
I apologize for not providing this response to you sooner, but as you are aware, the Commission and staff have been occupied with continued support of the efforts at Three Mile Island, Orders to other facilities, appearances before the President's Commission and various committees of Congresss that are investigating the Three Mile Island accident, and the realignment of our own resources and priorities to give immediate attention to the problem resulting from the accident.
If you need additional information, please let me know.
Sincerely,
\\
b b-Jos ph M. Hendrie Chairman
Enclosure:
Riegle Q's & A's 1642 281 7912270 32ais55addifia:539fEEliMil2dni@s5Ef5WJ3@M45MMM1
O'JESTIO!i 1.
What are the current problem areas with respect to nuclear energy in Michigan? Please, at a minimum, identify problems with plants.
A!iSWER Following is a plant-by-plant listing of operating and projected nuclear power plants, with the problem areas and/or licensing status of each:
Operating Plants Big Rock Point Big Rock Point was shut down on February 3,1979, for refueling and scheduled maintenance.
On April 20, 1979, after the refueling outage, a leak was found in the. reactor coolant pressure boundary during a routine hydrostatic test.
The leak occurred where on control rod drive housing penetrates the lower head of the reactor vessel.
Consumer Power Company (CPC) and the tiRC are evaluating the problem and potential corrective actions.
CPC estimates that the plant will remain shut down through October 1979.
Palisades Palisades plant is operating normally with no safety-related problems requiring short-term action or plant derating.
Cook 1 and 2 Both D.C. Cook units are operating normally.
Unit 2 is scheduled for a refueling shutdown later in the year.
Problems areas included the following:
1.
Manual Override of Safety Actuation Signal Circuits The safety circuit design includes a feature which can allo'w the operator to bypass some signals needed for plant safety.
The utility has an interim soluation to prevent this from happening.
A long-term soluation requires circuit changes which can be done when the plant is down for refueling, scheduled maintenance, or other routine reasons.
2.
Spent Fuel Fool Expansion With its current capacity, the spent fuel pool.will be filled by mid-1980, and operation of both units would have to cease about a year later.
fhe I;RC staff now has under review a licensee application to expand the pool capacity, using a new storage arrangement in the existing pool.
(This would allow another 13 years' operation by both units, assuming no fuel is sent off-site for reprocessing).
In late August, an informal meeting was held in which local residents discussed this proposal with tiRC and licensee officials.
1642 282 EMNEW#mWNW