|
|
Line 17: |
Line 17: |
|
| |
|
| =Text= | | =Text= |
| {{#Wiki_filter:October 31, 2007 | | {{#Wiki_filter:October 31, 2007 The Honorable Edward M. Kennedy United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 |
| | |
| The Honorable Edward M. Kennedy United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 | |
|
| |
|
| ==Dear Senator Kennedy:== | | ==Dear Senator Kennedy:== |
|
| |
|
| On behalf of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), I am responding to your letter of August 30, 2007, concerning the collapse of a portion of a cooling tower at the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station. Although the portion of the cooling tower that collapsed has no safety related function to protect the reactor, I can understand how the photographs of the collapsed cell may be unsettling to the residents living near the plant. Even though the collapsed cell poses no safety concern, I want you to know the NRC is following up on this event to ensure that licensee practices that allowed this condition to occur in a non-safety related component do not propagate to any safety systems at the plant. | | On behalf of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), I am responding to your letter of August 30, 2007, concerning the collapse of a portion of a cooling tower at the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station. Although the portion of the cooling tower that collapsed has no safety related function to protect the reactor, I can understand how the photographs of the collapsed cell may be unsettling to the residents living near the plant. Even though the collapsed cell poses no safety concern, I want you to know the NRC is following up on this event to ensure that licensee practices that allowed this condition to occur in a non-safety related component do not propagate to any safety systems at the plant. |
| | |
| In your letter, you expressed concern about the cause of the collapse and its implications for the safe operation of the plant. There are two cooling towers at Vermont Yankee, each containing 11 cells. The non-safety related function of the cooling towers is to reduce the temperature of the water used to cool the plant before it is returned to the Connecticut River. | | In your letter, you expressed concern about the cause of the collapse and its implications for the safe operation of the plant. There are two cooling towers at Vermont Yankee, each containing 11 cells. The non-safety related function of the cooling towers is to reduce the temperature of the water used to cool the plant before it is returned to the Connecticut River. |
| Only one of the cells (cell 2-1) has a safety related function. That function is to provide an alternate means to cool the reactor following a plant shutdown in the unlikely event that the normal cooling system becomes unavailable. Adjacent cell 2-2 does not have a safety related function, but is structurally robust and is designed to separate and protect cell 2-1 physically from the other non-safety related cells. The cell that partially collapsed is cell 2-4, which had no affect on cell 2-1. | | Only one of the cells (cell 2-1) has a safety related function. That function is to provide an alternate means to cool the reactor following a plant shutdown in the unlikely event that the normal cooling system becomes unavailable. Adjacent cell 2-2 does not have a safety related function, but is structurally robust and is designed to separate and protect cell 2-1 physically from the other non-safety related cells. The cell that partially collapsed is cell 2-4, which had no affect on cell 2-1. |
| With respect to your concern that the NRC had not committed to undertaking a thorough investigation of this event, the NRC resident inspectors assigned to the Vermont Yankee site, have been following Entergy's actions associated with this event from the day of the collapse. | | With respect to your concern that the NRC had not committed to undertaking a thorough investigation of this event, the NRC resident inspectors assigned to the Vermont Yankee site, have been following Entergys actions associated with this event from the day of the collapse. |
| The resident inspectors, along with a structural expert from NRC's headquarters office, independently assessed the exterior of the cooling towers and accessible portions of the internal structure. Those inspections confirmed that both cells 2-1 and 2-2 appear to be in good condition and were not affected by the collapse of cell 2-4. The inspectors also independently verified the continued ability of cell 2-1 to perform its safety related function. | | The resident inspectors, along with a structural expert from NRCs headquarters office, independently assessed the exterior of the cooling towers and accessible portions of the internal structure. Those inspections confirmed that both cells 2-1 and 2-2 appear to be in good condition and were not affected by the collapse of cell 2-4. The inspectors also independently verified the continued ability of cell 2-1 to perform its safety related function. |
| Entergy's preliminary determination is that the collapse was the result of several factors, including "iron salt formation and fungal attack." Although Entergy has found similar degraded conditions in other non-safety related cells, the operability of cells 2-1 and 2-2 is not in question. Entergy is continuing to investigate the event. The NRC will continue to monitor Entergy's actions, including review of their formal root cause analysis report and the extent-of-condition assessment, and will independently evaluate the adequacy of their corrective actions. The results of the NRC's inspection will be documented in a report that will be made available to the public.
| | Entergys preliminary determination is that the collapse was the result of several factors, including iron salt formation and fungal attack. Although Entergy has found similar degraded conditions in other non-safety related cells, the operability of cells 2-1 and 2-2 is not in question. |
| | Entergy is continuing to investigate the event. The NRC will continue to monitor Entergys actions, including review of their formal root cause analysis report and the extent-of-condition assessment, and will independently evaluate the adequacy of their corrective actions. The results of the NRC's inspection will be documented in a report that will be made available to the public. |
| | |
| You also requested that the NRC expand the investigation of this event to examine whether the extended power uprate approved by the NRC resulted in any additional plant-wide structural deficiencies. Power uprates are submitted to the NRC as license amendment requests. The applications and NRC's review are detailed and involve many technical disciplines within the NRC. The purpose of the review is to confirm that the plant can operate safely at the higher power level. Further, as part of the NRC baseline inspection program, NRC inspectors routinely examine safety-related structures, systems, and components, and perform daily reviews of equipment deficiency reports generated by the licensee to provide reasonable assurance that there are no plant-wide, safety-related structural deficiencies at Vermont Yankee. | | You also requested that the NRC expand the investigation of this event to examine whether the extended power uprate approved by the NRC resulted in any additional plant-wide structural deficiencies. Power uprates are submitted to the NRC as license amendment requests. The applications and NRC's review are detailed and involve many technical disciplines within the NRC. The purpose of the review is to confirm that the plant can operate safely at the higher power level. Further, as part of the NRC baseline inspection program, NRC inspectors routinely examine safety-related structures, systems, and components, and perform daily reviews of equipment deficiency reports generated by the licensee to provide reasonable assurance that there are no plant-wide, safety-related structural deficiencies at Vermont Yankee. |
| Finally, as noted above, the NRC will review Entergy's assessment of whether the root cause of this condition may be present elsewhere in the plant. | | Finally, as noted above, the NRC will review Entergys assessment of whether the root cause of this condition may be present elsewhere in the plant. |
| | | I want to assure you that the NRC will continue to oversee Entergy s actions in our efforts to ensure the continued safe and secure operation of Vermont Yankee. If you have further questions, please feel free to contact me. |
| I want to assure you that the NRC will continue to oversee Entergy s actions in our efforts to ensure the continued safe and secure operation of Vermont Yankee. If you have further questions, please feel free to contact me. | | Sincerely, |
| | | /RA/ |
| Sincerely, | | Dale E. Klein |
| /RA/ Dale E. Klein
| |
| | |
| Identical letter sent to:
| |
| | |
| The Honorable Edward M. Kennedy United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510
| |
| | |
| The Honorable John F. Kerry United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510
| |
|
| |
|
| The Honorable John W. Olver United States House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515}} | | Identical letter sent to: |
| | The Honorable Edward M. Kennedy United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 The Honorable John F. Kerry United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 The Honorable John W. Olver United States House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515}} |
|
---|
Category:Congressional Correspondence
MONTHYEARML17068A1402017-03-0808 March 2017 03-08-17 Acknowledgement Letters to Honorable Patrick Leahy, Bernie Sanders and Peter Welch from Eugene Dacus Requesting a Public Meeting on Proposed License Transfer for Vermont Yankee ML17067A2112017-03-0707 March 2017 LTR-17-0100 - Senator Patrick Leahy Et Al., Letter Request for a Public Meeting in Vermont ML15303A1212015-11-30030 November 2015 Letter to Representative Peter Welch from Chairman Burns Responds to His Letter Raising Concerns Regarding the Decommissioning of Entergy'S Vermont Yankee Plant. (Response) ML15288A4992015-10-14014 October 2015 LTR-15-0516 Representative Peter Welch, Letter Concerns Regarding the Decommissioning of Entergy'S Vermont Yankee Plant ML14066A0712014-03-0606 March 2014 03-06-14 Acknowledgement Letter to Honorable Patrick Leahy - Bernard Sanders - Peter Welch - Vermont Yankee ML12083A1282012-03-16016 March 2012 G20120192/LTR-12-0108/EDATS: SECY-2012-0131 - Ltr. Rep. Edward J. Markey Regulations and Policies to Undertake Safety and Other Improvements by NRC Licensees as Part of License Extension Proceedings ML1205408622012-02-23023 February 2012 Response to Letter from Senator Jeanne Shaheen Vermont Yankee Annual Assessment Meeting ML11298A0832011-10-21021 October 2011 G20110761/LTR-11-0574/EDATS: SECY-2011-0564 - Ltr. Rep. Edward J. Markey Nuclear Regulatory Commission'S Regulations and Expectations Related to Licensees' Statements to the Media and Other Members of the Public - Entergy Nuclear and Vermon CY-92-223, G20110523/LTR-11-0411/EDATS: SECY-2011-0411 - Ltr. from Rep. E.J. Markey to Chairman Jaczko NRC Safety Requirements for Reactors Granted Construction Permits Prior to 19712011-07-14014 July 2011 G20110523/LTR-11-0411/EDATS: SECY-2011-0411 - Ltr. from Rep. E.J. Markey to Chairman Jaczko NRC Safety Requirements for Reactors Granted Construction Permits Prior to 1971 ML1107300222011-03-0909 March 2011 G20110169/LTR-11-0103/EDATS: SECY-2011-0139 - Ltr. Rep. J. W. Olver Vermont Yankee Decommissioning Process ML1106302162011-02-28028 February 2011 G20110141/LTR-11-0088/EDATS: SECY-2011-0099 - Ltr Congressmen Patrick Leahy, Bernard Sanders, Peter Welch Ltr. Vermont Yankee Decommissioning Process ML1017204852010-06-16016 June 2010 G20100235/LTR-10-0275 - Ltr. Rep. Paul Hodes Questions Regarding Recent Events at the Vermont Yankee Plant ML1011206632010-04-19019 April 2010 G20100235/LTR-10-0175/EDATS: SECY-2010-0235 - Ltr. Paul W. Hodes Tritium Leak - Entergy Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant ML1004801172010-02-11011 February 2010 G20100079/LTR-10-0048/EDATS: SECY-2010-0094 - Ltr Fm Rep. John W. Olver to Chairman Jaczko Tritium Leak - Entergy Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant ML1002805502010-02-0202 February 2010 G20100048/LTR-10-0025//EDATS: SECY-2010-0062/LTR-10-0026 - Ltr to Senator Bernard Sanders, Senator Patrick Leahy, Congressman Peter Welch from Chairman Jaczko Tritium Leak at Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station ML1002716492010-01-22022 January 2010 G20100048/LTR-10-0025/EDATS: SECY-2010-0062 - Ltr. Sen. Patrick Leahy, Sen. Bernard Sanders, Rep. Peter Welch Follow Up to January 15, 2010 Letter Regarding Contamination on the Grounds of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Plant ML1002806642010-01-15015 January 2010 LTR-10-0026 - Ltr., Sen. Patrick Leahy, Sen. Bernard Sanders, & Rep. Welch, Contamination on the Grounds of Vermont Yankee Nuclear Plant ML0831508612008-12-17017 December 2008 G20080745/LTR-08-0570/EDATS: SECY-2008-0617 - Ltr. Rep. Paul W. Hodes Vermont Yankee Incident ML0821004792008-07-30030 July 2008 G20080497/LTR-08-0393/EDATS: SECY-2008-0430 - Ltr. Rep. Paul Hodes Nrc'S Investigations at Vermont Yankee, Request for Additional Information for Upcoming Hearing on License Renewal ML0810906142008-05-15015 May 2008 G20080248/LTR-08-0203/EDATS: SECY-2008-0200 - Ltr. to Sen. Patrick J. Leahy, Sen. Bernard Sanders, and Rep. Peter Welch Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant - Independent Safety Assessment ML0810104382008-04-0808 April 2008 G20080248/LTR-08-0203/EDATS: SECY-2008-0200 - Ltr Sen. Patrick J. Leahy, Sen. Bernard Sanders, and Rep. Peter Welch Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant - Independent Safety Assessment ML0733005092007-11-30030 November 2007 G20070786/LTR-07-0751/EDATS: SECY-2007-0504 - Ltr. Sheridan Brown, Sen John E. Sununu'S Staff Safety Issues at the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant ML0731202612007-11-0202 November 2007 G20070786/LTR-07-0751/EDATS: SECY-2007-0504 - Ltr. Sheridan Brown, Sen John E. Sununu'S Staff Safety Issues at the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant ML0726301442007-10-31031 October 2007 G20070624/LTR-07-0595/EDATS: SECY-2007-0319 - Ltr to Sen. E.M. Kennedy; Sen. J Kerry; and Congressman J. Olver Responds to Concerns of the August 21, 2007, Collapse of a Portion of Non Safety-Related Cooling Tower Cell at Vermont Yankee Pow ML0725702462007-09-25025 September 2007 G20070590/EDATS: SECY-2007-0295/LTR-07-0562 - Ltr to Patrick Leahy, Bernard Sanders, and Peter Welch Fm Chairman Klein Occurrence at the Vermont Yankee Power Plant on August 21, 2007 ML0725402262007-08-30030 August 2007 G20070624/LTR-07-0595/EDATS: SECY-2007-0319 - Ltr. Sens. Edward Kennedy, John Kerry & Rep. John Olver Events at Vermont Yankee Power Plant on August 21, 2007 ML0723902292007-08-23023 August 2007 G20070590/EDATS: SECY-2007-0295/LTR-07-0562 - Ltr Fm Patrick Leahy, Bernard Sanders, and Peter Welch to Chairman Klein Occurrence at the Vermont Yankee Power Plant on August 21, 2007 ML0706603132007-03-0808 March 2007 G20070150/LTR-07-0151 - Ltrs to Sen. Bernard Sanders, Sen.Patrick Leahy, Rep. Peter Welch Frm Luis Reyes Request for 30-Day Extension of Deadline for Public Comment on the Environmental Impact Statement for Vermont Yankee ML0706503062007-03-0505 March 2007 G20070150/LTR-07-0151 - Ltr. Bernard Sanders, Patrick Leahy, and Peter Welch Request for 30-Day Extension of Deadline for Public Comment on the Environmental Impact Statement for Vermont Yankee ML0708602972007-03-0505 March 2007 Email: (PA-LR) Information Regarding SAMA Screening2 ML0706605012007-02-27027 February 2007 G20070155 - Sen. John Kerry Ltr. Re Request for the NRC to Address the Issues in Karen M Scott'S Letter Concerning the Vermont Nuclear Reactor ML0704000852007-02-13013 February 2007 G20070068/LTR-07-0060/SECY-2007-0019 - Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Vermont Yankee - Letters to Senator Leahy, Senator Sanders, Representative Welch from Luis Reyes ML0703102832007-01-26026 January 2007 G20070068/LTR-07-0060/SECY-2007-0019 - Ltr. Senator Bernard Sanders, Senator Patrick Leahy, and Rep. Peter Welch Regarding Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (Dseis) for License Renewal of Vermont Yankee ML0620206892006-08-0808 August 2006 G20060650/LTR-06-0349 - Judd Gregg Ltr Conditions at the Yankee Nuclear Power Plant ML0620103492006-06-22022 June 2006 G20060650/LTR-06-0349 - Ltr. Sen. Judd Gregg Regarding Yankee Nuclear Power Plant ML0607300852006-04-0505 April 2006 G20060230/LTR-06-0130 - James M. Jeffords Ltr Information Pertaining to the Implementation of the Extended Power Uprate at the Vermont Nuclear Power Station ML0609405942006-03-24024 March 2006 Letter from Annette L. Vietti-Cook to Senator Jeffords, Senator Leahy, and Congressman Sanders Responding to Their 03/08/06 Letter Regarding the Power Uprate Activity at Vermont Yankee ML0606900872006-03-0808 March 2006 G20060230/LTR-06-0130 - Sen. Patrick Leahy, Sen. Jim Jeffords and Rep. Bernard Sanders Ltr. Re Vermont Yankee ML0535403902005-12-16016 December 2005 Letters from Annette L. Vietti-Cook and Luis A. Reyes Addressed to Senator Patrick Leahy, as Well as the Letter from Senator Patrick Leahy Dated November 10, 2005 ML0535403842005-12-16016 December 2005 Letter from Luis A. Reyes Addressed to Senator James M. Jeffords, as Well as the Letter from Senator James M. Jeffords Dated November 10, 2005 ML0535403732005-12-16016 December 2005 Letter from Annette L. Vietti-Cook to Senator James M. Jeffords Dated December 16, 2005 ML0535403652005-12-16016 December 2005 Letter from Annette L. Vietti-Cook to Representative John W. Olver Dated December 16, 2005 ML0532200402005-12-16016 December 2005 G20050785/LTR-05-0560 - Hon. John Olver Ltr Re. Request for Independent Safety Assessment of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant ML0535404092005-12-16016 December 2005 Letters from Annette L. Vietti-Cook and Luis A. Reyes Addressed to Congressman John W. Olver, as Well as the Letter from Congressman John W. Olver Dated November 10, 2005 ML0535404142005-12-16016 December 2005 Letter from Luis A. Reyes Addressed to Congressman John W. Olver, as Well as the Letter from Congressman John W. Olver Dated November 9, 2005 ML0532104012005-12-16016 December 2005 G20050776/LTR-05-0554 - Senator Jeffords, Senator Leahy, Representative Olver, and Representative Sanders Ltr Concerns Over Discovery of More than 40 Additional Cracks in the Steam Dryer at Vermont Yankee ML0535403992005-12-16016 December 2005 Letters from Annette L. Vietti-Cook and Luis A. Reyes Addressed to Congressman Bernard Sanders, as Well as the Letter from Congressman Bernard Sanders Dated November 10, 2005 ML0532700752005-11-15015 November 2005 G20050801/LTR-05-0569 - Ltr. Fm Sen. John Kerry Re Concerns About Nrc'S Decision to Allow Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant to Increase Its Energy Output ML0531804422005-11-10010 November 2005 G20050776/LTR-05-0554 - Sen. Jim Jeffords, Sen. Patrick Leahy, Rep. Bernard Sanders and Rep. John W. Olver Ltr Re Concerns Over Discovery of More than 40 Additional Cracks in the Steam Dryer at Vermont Yankee ML0532102092005-11-0909 November 2005 G20050785/LTR-05-0560 - Rep. John W. Olver Ltr. Re Request for Independent Safety Assessment of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant 2017-03-08
[Table view] Category:Letter
MONTHYEARBVY 24-005, Report of Investigation Pursuant to 10 CFR 20, Appendix G2024-01-30030 January 2024 Report of Investigation Pursuant to 10 CFR 20, Appendix G BVY 24-004, Report of Investigation Pursuant to 10 CFR 20, Appendix G2024-01-23023 January 2024 Report of Investigation Pursuant to 10 CFR 20, Appendix G BVY 24-003, Nuclear Onsite Property Damage Insurance2024-01-0404 January 2024 Nuclear Onsite Property Damage Insurance BVY 24-001, Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust2024-01-0202 January 2024 Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust BVY 23-030, Report of Investigation Pursuant to 10 CFR 20, Appendix G2023-12-20020 December 2023 Report of Investigation Pursuant to 10 CFR 20, Appendix G BVY 23-029, Proof of Financial Protection2023-12-12012 December 2023 Proof of Financial Protection BVY 23-028, Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust2023-11-28028 November 2023 Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust BVY 23-027, Report of Investigation Pursuant to 10 CFR 20, Appendix G2023-11-21021 November 2023 Report of Investigation Pursuant to 10 CFR 20, Appendix G BVY 23-026, Report of Investigation Pursuant to 10 CFR 20, Appendix G2023-11-13013 November 2023 Report of Investigation Pursuant to 10 CFR 20, Appendix G BVY 23-025, Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust2023-11-0202 November 2023 Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust BVY 23-023, License Amendment Request Addition of License Condition 3.K, License Termination Plan; Proposed Change No. 3172023-10-10010 October 2023 License Amendment Request Addition of License Condition 3.K, License Termination Plan; Proposed Change No. 317 IR 07200059/20234012023-10-0505 October 2023 Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation Security Inspection Report 07200059/2023401 BVY 23-022, Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust2023-08-23023 August 2023 Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust IR 05000271/20230012023-08-15015 August 2023 Northstar Nuclear Decommissioning Company, Llc., Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station, - NRC Inspection Report 05000271/2023001 BVY 23-021, Report of Investigation Pursuant to 10 CFR 20, Appendix G2023-08-0202 August 2023 Report of Investigation Pursuant to 10 CFR 20, Appendix G BVY 23-020, Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust2023-08-0202 August 2023 Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust BVY 23-019, Update to 2022 Radiological Effluent Release Report2023-07-24024 July 2023 Update to 2022 Radiological Effluent Release Report BVY 23-018, Update to Nuclear Onsite Property Damage Insurance2023-07-12012 July 2023 Update to Nuclear Onsite Property Damage Insurance BVY 23-017, Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust2023-06-29029 June 2023 Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust BVY 23-015, Report of Investigation Pursuant to 1O CFR 20, Appendix G2023-06-0505 June 2023 Report of Investigation Pursuant to 1O CFR 20, Appendix G BVY 23-016, 10 CFR 72.48 Report2023-06-0505 June 2023 10 CFR 72.48 Report BVY 23-014, Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust2023-05-31031 May 2023 Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust BVY 23-013, 2022 Radiological Environmental Operating Report2023-05-10010 May 2023 2022 Radiological Environmental Operating Report BVY 23-011, 2022 Radiological Effluent Release Report2023-05-10010 May 2023 2022 Radiological Effluent Release Report BVY 23-012, Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust2023-05-0202 May 2023 Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust ML23117A2172023-05-0101 May 2023 Safety Evaluation for Quality Assurance Program Manual Reduction in Commitment BVY 23-009, 2022 Individual Monitoring NRC Form 5 Report2023-04-24024 April 2023 2022 Individual Monitoring NRC Form 5 Report BVY 23-008, Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust2023-04-0606 April 2023 Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust BVY 23-007, Report of Investigation Pursuant to 10 CFR 20, Appendix G2023-03-29029 March 2023 Report of Investigation Pursuant to 10 CFR 20, Appendix G BVY 23-006, Status of Decommissioning and Spent Fuel Management Fund for Year Ending 20222023-03-29029 March 2023 Status of Decommissioning and Spent Fuel Management Fund for Year Ending 2022 BVY 23-005, Nuclear Onsite Property Damage Insurance2023-03-13013 March 2023 Nuclear Onsite Property Damage Insurance BVY 23-004, Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust2023-03-0202 March 2023 Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust ML22361A1022023-02-24024 February 2023 Reactor Decommissioning Branch Project Management Changes for Some Decommissioning Facilities and Establishment of Backup Project Manager for All Decommissioning Facilities IR 05000271/20220022023-02-22022 February 2023 Northstar Nuclear Decommissioning Company, LLC, Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station - NRC Inspection Report No. 05000271/2022002 BVY 23-003, Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust2023-01-31031 January 2023 Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust BVY 22-030, Documentary Evidence of Performance Bond2022-12-30030 December 2022 Documentary Evidence of Performance Bond ML22347A2792022-12-21021 December 2022 Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation Security Inspection Plan Dated December 21, 2022 IR 05000271/20224012022-12-15015 December 2022 NRC Inspection Report No. 05000271/2022401, Northstar Nuclear Decommissioning Company, LLC, Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station, Vernon, Vermont (Letter Only) BVY 22-028, Re Proof of Financial Protection2022-11-28028 November 2022 Re Proof of Financial Protection BVY 22-027, Bvy 22-027; Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust for Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station2022-11-11011 November 2022 Bvy 22-027; Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust for Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station BVY 22-026, Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust2022-10-31031 October 2022 Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust ML22273A1492022-10-0404 October 2022 Review of Decommissioning Funding Status 2022 BVY 22-025, Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust2022-10-0404 October 2022 Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust BVY 22-023, Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust2022-09-0101 September 2022 Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust BVY 22-022, Report of Investigation Pursuant to 10 CFR 20, Appendix G2022-08-22022 August 2022 Report of Investigation Pursuant to 10 CFR 20, Appendix G BVY 22-021, Report of Investigation Pursuant to 10 CFR 20, Appendix G2022-08-16016 August 2022 Report of Investigation Pursuant to 10 CFR 20, Appendix G BVY 22-020, Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust2022-08-0101 August 2022 Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust IR 05000271/20220012022-08-0101 August 2022 NRC Inspection Report No. 05000271/2022001, Northstar Nuclear Decommissioning Company, LLC, Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station, Vernon, Vermont BVY 22-019, Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust2022-07-0606 July 2022 Pre-Notice of Disbursement from Decommissioning Trust BVY 22-013, Notification of Revised Decommissioning Cost Estimate2022-06-17017 June 2022 Notification of Revised Decommissioning Cost Estimate 2024-01-04
[Table view] |
Text
October 31, 2007 The Honorable Edward M. Kennedy United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Senator Kennedy:
On behalf of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), I am responding to your letter of August 30, 2007, concerning the collapse of a portion of a cooling tower at the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station. Although the portion of the cooling tower that collapsed has no safety related function to protect the reactor, I can understand how the photographs of the collapsed cell may be unsettling to the residents living near the plant. Even though the collapsed cell poses no safety concern, I want you to know the NRC is following up on this event to ensure that licensee practices that allowed this condition to occur in a non-safety related component do not propagate to any safety systems at the plant.
In your letter, you expressed concern about the cause of the collapse and its implications for the safe operation of the plant. There are two cooling towers at Vermont Yankee, each containing 11 cells. The non-safety related function of the cooling towers is to reduce the temperature of the water used to cool the plant before it is returned to the Connecticut River.
Only one of the cells (cell 2-1) has a safety related function. That function is to provide an alternate means to cool the reactor following a plant shutdown in the unlikely event that the normal cooling system becomes unavailable. Adjacent cell 2-2 does not have a safety related function, but is structurally robust and is designed to separate and protect cell 2-1 physically from the other non-safety related cells. The cell that partially collapsed is cell 2-4, which had no affect on cell 2-1.
With respect to your concern that the NRC had not committed to undertaking a thorough investigation of this event, the NRC resident inspectors assigned to the Vermont Yankee site, have been following Entergys actions associated with this event from the day of the collapse.
The resident inspectors, along with a structural expert from NRCs headquarters office, independently assessed the exterior of the cooling towers and accessible portions of the internal structure. Those inspections confirmed that both cells 2-1 and 2-2 appear to be in good condition and were not affected by the collapse of cell 2-4. The inspectors also independently verified the continued ability of cell 2-1 to perform its safety related function.
Entergys preliminary determination is that the collapse was the result of several factors, including iron salt formation and fungal attack. Although Entergy has found similar degraded conditions in other non-safety related cells, the operability of cells 2-1 and 2-2 is not in question.
Entergy is continuing to investigate the event. The NRC will continue to monitor Entergys actions, including review of their formal root cause analysis report and the extent-of-condition assessment, and will independently evaluate the adequacy of their corrective actions. The results of the NRC's inspection will be documented in a report that will be made available to the public.
You also requested that the NRC expand the investigation of this event to examine whether the extended power uprate approved by the NRC resulted in any additional plant-wide structural deficiencies. Power uprates are submitted to the NRC as license amendment requests. The applications and NRC's review are detailed and involve many technical disciplines within the NRC. The purpose of the review is to confirm that the plant can operate safely at the higher power level. Further, as part of the NRC baseline inspection program, NRC inspectors routinely examine safety-related structures, systems, and components, and perform daily reviews of equipment deficiency reports generated by the licensee to provide reasonable assurance that there are no plant-wide, safety-related structural deficiencies at Vermont Yankee.
Finally, as noted above, the NRC will review Entergys assessment of whether the root cause of this condition may be present elsewhere in the plant.
I want to assure you that the NRC will continue to oversee Entergy s actions in our efforts to ensure the continued safe and secure operation of Vermont Yankee. If you have further questions, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Dale E. Klein
Identical letter sent to:
The Honorable Edward M. Kennedy United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 The Honorable John F. Kerry United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 The Honorable John W. Olver United States House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515