ML060900412

G20060352/LTR-06-0169 - Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman Ltr. Re Independent Safety Assessment at Indian Point

ML060900412
Person / Time
Site:	Indian Point, Maine Yankee
Issue date:	03/15/2006
From:	Lieberman J US SEN (Senate)
To:	Diaz N NRC/Chairman
Shoop U, 415-2063
Shared Package
ML061140038	List: ML060900412
References
CORR-06-0071, G20060352, LTR-06-0169
Download: ML060900412 (5)

Text

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FROM: DUE: 04//06- 1ED: CONTROL: G20060352

• ,DOC DT: 03/15/06

• FINAL RE.LY':.

I -I. -Lieberman Senator Joseph Chairman Diaz FOR SIGNATURE OF  : *I PRI ** CRC NO: 06-0169 Chairman Diaz DESC: ROUTING:

Independent Safety Assessment at Indian Point Reyes (Richard Blumental) IVirgilio Kane Silber Dean Cyr/Burns DATE: 03/31/06 Dyer, NRR Collins, RI ASSIGNED TO: CONTACT: Schmidt, OCA EDO Sosa SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:

Ref. G20060240.

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• OFFICE OF TIlE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET Date Printedl: AJar30, 2006 17:30 PAPER NUMBER: LTR-06!0 169 LOGliNG DATE: 03/30/2006 ACTION OFFICE: EDO AUTHOR: REP Joseph Lieberman AFFILIATION: CONG ADDRESSEE: CHRM Nils Diaz

SUBJECT:

Safety of the Indian Point nuclear generating-facility ACTION: Signature of Chairman DISTRIBUTION: RF, OCA to Ack LETTER DATE: 03/15/2006 ACKNOWLEDGED No SPECIAL HIANDLING: Commission Correspondence NOTES:

FILE LOCATION: ADAMS DATE DUE: 0411S4jo DATE.SIGNED:

Ei DO - 2 0 O

LIEBERMAN JOSEPH 1.

JOSEPH 1.-LIEBERMAN CONNECTICUT lfnited 6tatczs 1enatc WASHINGTON, DC 20510 March 15, 2006 The Honorable Nils J. Diaz Chairman Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555

Dear Chairman Diaz,

I am forwarding the attached letter to me from Connecticut Attorney General Blumenthal in which he raises serious concerns about the safety of the Indian Point Nuclear Generating Facility.

In his letter, the Attorney General requests legislation directing the NRC to conduct an Independent Safety Assessment (ISA) at Indian Point. My understanding is that the NRC conducted an ISA at Maine Yankee in 1996, in response to a specific set developments connected with the facility's then pending "uprate" application and allegations of misconduct made at the time.

I write seeking your response to: 1) whether the legal situation has changed, such that the NRC now requires additional legal authority in order to be able to conduct such an inspection; 2) whether the NRC has received a request from the State of New York, the State of Connecticut or other interested parties for an ISA, and has acted to decline such a request; 3) whether neighboring states, under current law and regulation, are able to petition for the conduct of an ISA at Indian Point; and, 4) whether an analysis by NRC of whether an ISA, such as that performed atMaine Yankee, is an appropriate mechanism to examine the safety issues raised in the Attomey General's letter.

Please give full and fair consideration to the Attomey General's request for an ISA. I would like to receive a copy of your response.-

Sincerely, aep 1.L ema NITED STATES SENATOR enclosure - .  :, .

PRINTED ON RECYCLED STOCK

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%IVV 01/26/2006 15:56 FAX State of Connecticut RICHARD BLUMENTHAL ABBEY GENERL Hartford January 26,2006 The Honorable Joseph I. Lieberman United States Senator

- -S-706 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510-0703 Re: Ind!ia Point Nuclear Power Station

Dear Senator Lieberman:

I am writing to urge you to propose legislation requiring the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission ("NRC') to initiate an Independent Safety Assessment ("ISA') of several critical safety and control systems at the Indian Point Nuclear Generating Facility

('Indian Point'). To date, the NRC has failed to require such an assessment despite clear evidence of serious safety problems. Only through federal legislation can we be assured that the NRC will take this critical action necessary to ensure the safety of Connecticut citizens.

While Indian Point is located in the State ofNew York, an accident or attack there will have an immediate effect on all citizens ofthe State of Connecticut Specifically, approximately a third of the Connecticut's citizens live within the 50-mile diameter exposure pathway zone C'EPZ) and could be exposed to increased levels of radiation in the event of a major release.

Further, in the event of an attack or accident, potentially millions of people would be evacuated along Jnterstates 95 and 84 into. Connecticut. Consequently, my Office has carefully monitored state and federal regulatory oversight at Indian Point.

This facility, located in the Town of Buchanan, New York, is currently comprised of two actively operating nuclear reactors, and is owned by Entergy Nuclear Northeast. Indian Point is located in one of the most densely populated regions of the United States and has had numerous shutdowns and technical problems over the years. In addition, my Office and the New York-based Riverieeper, Inc. organization, have filed numerous administrative actions and court challenges to the demonstrably inadequate radiological emergency preparedness plan ('CREPP')

at Indian Point.

-01/26/2006 3:49PM

' 01/26/2006 15:56 FAX .003/00S There is clear evidence that this facility has had serious safety issues. There have been published news reports that, in March 2001, a senior engineer at Indian Point 2 resigned because his superiors refused to address issues associated with the plant's Reactor Protection System (C'RPS'). The RPS is designed to automatically shut down a reactor if it is operating outside predetermined safety limits involving such matters as coolant supply, feedwater levels, etc. The engineer alleged that the RPS was faulty and inadequate because there were significant differences between the RPS as designed and approved by NRC and the&RPS -asactuaMly constructed.

Additionally, NRC itself sent a letter to all nuclear power stations informing them that the basic design for control room ventilation systems (CRVS") was flawed and might permit inflow.

of contaminants in certain circumstances. Entergy has claimed that it has addressed this problem at Indian Point; however, the extent and nature of the defects in the design would make an independent assessment both prudent and necessary to ensure safety.

Beyond this, there have been reports of failures of the facility's onsite electrical safety systems since at least 1999 that have the potential to impact the backup diesel generators, and the exhaust steam condensate system that returns coolant water to the system has failed on at least one occasion, with a resulting release of radioisotopes.

These and other problems at Indian Point are clear signs of a systemic, multi-year failure to address vital safety and security issues at this facility. The defects and flaws in these safety systems, a even more, the organizational failure to correct the defects, is indicative of an institutional culture that is either disniissive of its duty to protect the public or willfully blindc It is, therefore, imperative that a neutral, objective and comprehensive evaluation be made of the Indian Point power station and, in particular, of the above mentioned safety syfems.

I urge you to introduce legislation mandating the NRC to order a full and complete, top-down ISA at Indian Point similar to the one ordered in 1996 at the Maine Yankee facility I am ready to provide any additional information you may need.

Thank you for your consideration of this important matter.

Very trulyyours, RICHARD BLUMENTHAL