ML20206D398

Responds to Re Request for Restart of Plant. Issues Raised Already Addressed by NRC W/Exception of Emergency Planning

ML20206D398
Person / Time
Site:	Pilgrim
Issue date:	11/10/1988
From:	Zech L NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
To:	Costello N MASSACHUSETTS, COMMONWEALTH OF
Shared Package
ML20206D402	List: ML20206D398 ML20206D406
References
2.206, NUDOCS 8811170067
Download: ML20206D398 (4)

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION ED0 4016 o

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JBlaha November 10, 1988 TMurley/JSniezek CHAIRMAN DCrutchfield PDI-3 r/f SVarga(2) i BBoger 0GC SECY

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DMossburg The Honorable Nicholas J. Costello PMAS Chairman, Joint Committee on Energy DMcDonald Commonwealth of liassachusetts Senate MRushbrook State House, Room 540 FMiraglia Boston, Massachusetts 02133 FGillespie WRussell, RI

Dear Chairman Costello:

JWiggins, RI WKennedy I am responding to your letter dated O nober 12. 1988, concerning the restart of the Pilgrim.lant.

The Commission has not yet reached a decision on whetter Pilgrim is ready to restart.

However, all of the issues you raised, with the exception of those concerning emergency preparedness, have already been addressed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff.

tour concerns about management and containment have been i

addressed in detail by the Director of Nuclear Reactor Regulation in his decisions on two petitions submitted to the NRC under the provisions of 10 CFR 2.206.

Copies of the i

interim and fina' decisions on the petition filed by l

l Massachusetts Senator William B. Golden on behalf of your-i selves and others, amt interim decisions on the petition j

4 filed by Governor filc.hael S. Dukakis and Attorney General James li. Shannon on behalf of the Commonwealth and its t

citizens are enclosed for your information.

Based on actions i

taken by Boston Edison Company, as confirmed by the staff's extensive ir.spection efforts, the NRC staff concluded that I

the management deficiencies at Pilgrim have been resolved and

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4 that the Pilgrim Mark I containment continues to be acequate i

to protect public health and safety.

I would also note that

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Boston Edison has voluntarily implemented containment improvements at Pilgrim that gc beyond current regulatory requirements.

l The HRC staff has reviewed the Massachusetts Public Interest i

Research Group (NASSPIRG) report and has made a presiminary i

determination that there is no new significant information that the staff had not already considered.

A response to the ilASSPIRG report will be provided to you shortly.

es11170067 881110 i

PDR ADOCK 05000293 y

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Originated:NRR:Rushbrook fi/\\

(dentical ltr to:

Thi Honorable Lawrence R. Alexander Chairman, Joint Committee on Energy Cononwealth of Mac achusetts House of Rep-Jntatives i

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The NRC staff also has extensively revieweo the use of Kapton-insulated wire at the Pilgrim plant.

As discussed between the NRC Senior Resident Inspector at Pilgrim and a member of your staff on October 18, 1988, the NRC staff has completed an on-site inspection and has concluded thet the nse of Kapton-insulated wire at Pilgrim is ecceptable.

The detailed results of this effort are being documented in Inspection Report 50-293/88-33 and will be provided to you when the report is issued.

Regarding emergency preparedness, the Commission heard views from Congressional and Commonwealth officials as well as from the NRC staff and the licensee on the status and adequacy of emergency preparedness during our October 14, 1988 meeting.

We hav deferred our decision regarding restart of Pilgrim to reflect on the views provided on emergency planning.

In the meantime, I have encouraggd the licensee, the Commonwealth, and local officials, with the involvement of the Federal Emergency llanagement Agency (FEMA), as necessary, to continue working together on the emergency planning issue at Pilgrim.

In response to requests from local officials, the NRC staff has met with civil defense authorities from seven of the communities to discuss the status of emergency planning.

I want to assure you that before reaching a decision on the restart of Pilgri:1, the Commission will take the necessary steps to assure that safe operations can be resumed and that the public health and safety is protected.

1 Sincerely, Oneu w.

G.

Lando W.

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Enclosures:

As stated

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WASHINGTON. o. c. 20665 a

EDO Princio:-

Correspondence Control

'FSOM:

DUE: 10/2S/08 EDO COfJTROL: '0004016 DOC DT 10/12/09 FINAL REPLY:

SENATOR NICliOLAS J. COSTELLO

. REPRESENTATIVE LAWREtJCE R.

ALEXANDER COMMONWEM.TH OF MASSACHUSETTS TOs CHAIRMAN ZECH FOR SIGNATUFE OF:

4$ FR1 CRC NO: 79-0916 CHAIRMAN DESC:

ROUTING:

RESTART OF PILGRIM STELLO TAYLOR DATE: 10/'.7/88 HOYLE RUSSELL. RI ASGIGNED TO:

CONTACT:

NRR MURLEY SPECIAL IMSTRUCT10NG OR RtiMARKS:

WtR RECEIVED: OCTORER 17, 1988 ACTION:

IN GaVanGA i

NRR ROUTING:

MJRt.EY/SNIEZEK CRifF3tFIELD MIRAGLIA GILIASPIE POSSIRJRG

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET PAPER NUMBER:

CRC-88-0916 LOGGING DATE: Oct 14 88 ACTION OFFICE:

EDO AUTHOR:

N.J. Costello/LR Alexander AFFILIATION:

MA (MASSACHUSETTS)

LETTER DATE:

Oct 12 88 FILE CODE:

SUBJECT:

Pilgrim Restart Issues ACTION:

Signature of Chairman DISTRIBUTION:

COMRS, OGC, RF SPECIAL HANDLING:

NOTES:

DATE DUE:

Oct 28 88 SIGNATURE:

DATE SIGNED:

AFFILIATION:

i Ret'd OH. EDO I D f 4F ' P f DML FM tw -

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