ML20203G375

Responds to 860617 Ltr Re 860321 SALP Rept 50-271/85-99 on Mgt Competency & Adequacy of Yankee Nuclear Power Station Containment Structure.Request for Public Meeting Considered

ML20203G375
Person / Time
Site:	Vermont Yankee, Yankee Rowe, 05000000
Issue date:	07/23/1986
From:	Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Giordano A MASS ALERT (MASSACHUSETTS ALERT)
Shared Package
ML20203G380	List: ML20203G375 ML20203G384
References
NUDOCS 8608010119
Download: ML20203G375 (9)

See also: IR 05000271/1985099

Text

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Docket No.50-029 JUL 2 31986

and 50-271 ,

Mr. A. Giordano, President

Mass Alert

52 Grinnell Street

Greenfield, MA 01301

Dear Mr. Giordano:

Your letter of June 17, 1986 to Commissioner Asselstine concerning the

operation of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Station and the Yankee Nuclear Power

Station has been referred to me for response. In your letter you requested

an immediate public hearing within the next 30 days on the operation of these

two facilities.

You stated that serious questions have been raised about the Vermont Yankee plant

and its management competency. The NRC in its Systematic Assessment of

Licensee Performance (SALP) Program, Report No. 50-271/85-99, dated March 21,

1986, evaluated the Vermont Yankee management in nine functional areas. The

facility performance was rated category 1 (highest) in five areas and category

2 in the remaining four areas. In a review of SALP reports going back to May

i

'

1983, the management retained this high level of performance. With regard to

your concern about the plant design, the Vermont Yankee plant recently resumed

operation following an outage to implement plant upgrades including replacement

of recirculation piping. The licensee's activities were closely followed by the

NRC staff; no unacceptable situations were identified.

With respect to the Yankee Nuclear Power Station, you expressed a concern

regarding the adequacy of the containment structure. The structure was

- designed to prevent the release of radioactivity to the atmosphere in the

event of an accident. A vapor container leakage monitoring system is provided

for continuously checking the integrity of the vapor container for leakage.

Periodic leak tests at elevated pressure are also performed.

NRC regulations regarding containment structures are included in Appendix A to

Part 50 of Title 10, " Energy," entitled " General Design Criteria for Nuclear

Power Plants." In particular, the criteria state that a containment structure

shall be provided to establish an essentially leaktight barrier against the

uncontrolled release of radioactivity to the environment and that the structure

shall be able to accommodate the calculated conditions resulting from any

loss-of-coolant accident.

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Mr. Giordano -2-

The Systematic Evaluation Program (SEP) is an NRC initiated program to

review the designs of older operating nuclear power plants to reconfirm and

document their safety. One of the issues considered in this program was

adequacy of the containment for postulated post-accident conditions. Independent

analyses were performed by staff contractors. The peak pressure, using

present-day conservative analysis criteria, was only slightly higher than the

initial design pressure. A structural integrity test of thc vapor container

has been conducted at a pressure of 40 pounds per square inch gauge, which is

25% higher than the initidl design pressure. This test pressure exceeds the

peak calculated accident pressure. As part of SEP, the margins of safety

for older structural design codes were also confirmed. Further, NRC experience

with steel containments is that there is substantial margin to failure or

leakage beyond the design pressure. The staff concluded that the vapor container

provides an isolation barrier comparable to current criteria for Yankee and

it is, therefore, acceptable for continued operation.

I have also considered your request for a public meeting in the area. Several

meetings open for public participation have already been conducted in the

vicinity of the plants, most recently the June 12, 1986 meeting on the Yankee

Emergency Exercise in Rowe and the Vermont State Nuclear Advisory Panel (VSNAP)

meeting, concerning resumption of operation of Vermont Yankee, on June 17, 1986

in Brattleboro, VT. At this time, no new issues have been identified which

would warrant the commitment of NRC staff resources to support a further meeting.

As you know, the licensing proceedings for both the Yankee and Vermont Yankee

plants are part of the public record and are available to anyone for review in the

local public document rooms.

I appreciate your concern in this matter and hope that your questions have been

answered.

Sincerely,

DristnalSitad W

Q.LDestaqJ

Harold R. Denton, Director

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

• SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE

Office: PM/ PAD #1 PD/ PAD #1 BWD2 BWD2 OGC DD/PWR-A

Surname: *EMcKenna/tg *Glear *VRooney *DMuller *RBachmann *TNovak

Date: 07/09/86 07/10/86 07/10/86 07/10/86 07/11/86 07/17/86

Office:

Surname:

D/PWR-A

HThompson

BWD0

RBernero

Dh

RYonmer

NRRC 6

HDeRon

Date: 07/17/86 07/18/86 07/Pf86

0] gt /86

. _-- - . - __ - . . _ . . _ - . _ _ .

-

. . .

,

.

Mr. Giordano -2-

'

The Systematic Evaluation Program (SEP) is an NRC initiated program to review

the designs of older operating nuclear power plants to reconfirm and document

1

their safety. One of the issues considered in this program was adequacy of

the containment for postulated post-accident conditions. Independent

analyses were performed by staff contractors. The peak pressure, using

present-day conservative analysis criteria, was only slightly higher than the

initial design pres \ure. A structural integrity test of the vapor container

has been conducted a a pressure of 40 pounds per square inch gauge, which is

25% higher than the in'tial design pressure. This test pressure exceeds the

peak calculated acciden pressure. As part of SEP, the margins of safety for )

!

older structural design c es were also confirmed. Further, NRC experience l

with steel containments 1s hat there is substantial margin to failure or

leakage beyond the design pr ssure. The staff concluded that the vapor container

1 provides an isolation barrier omparable to current criteria for Yankee and is, I

therefore, acceptable for conti ued operation.

l

I have also considered your reque t for a public meeting in the area. Several

meetings open for public participa ion have already been conducted in the

vicinity of the plants, most recent the June 12, 1986 meeting on the Yankee

Emergency Exercise in Rowe and the V AP meeting, concerning resumption of

operation of Vermont Yankee, on June , 1986 in Brattleboro, VT. At this

, time, no new issues have been identifi which would warrant the commitment

of NRC staff resources to support a fur er meeting.

! As you know, the licensing proceedings fo both the Yankee and Vermont Yankee

plants are part of the public record and a available to anyone for review

in the local public document rooms. '

I appreciate your concern in this matter and ope that your questions hsve been

answered.

i

Sincerely,

l

Harold R. Denton Director

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

• SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE

Office: PM/ PAD #1 PD/ PAD #1 BWD2 j BWD2 OGC DD/PWR-A D/PWR-A

Surname: *EMcKenna/tg *Glear *VRooney *DMuller *RBachmann *TNovak *HThompson

Date: 07/09/86 07/1f86 07/10/86 07/10/87 07/11 /86 07/17/86 07/17/86

, n 2 1pP

'

Office: BWD0 DD NRR0

Surname: RBernero RVollmer HDenton

Date: 07//8/86 07/ /86 07/ /86

-~ _ __ _ ._ _. . . . . _ - . . _ _ _ _ . _ _ _ _ _ - _ _ . _ . _

.

.

Mr. Giordano -2-

The Systematic Evaluation Program (SEP) is an NRC initiated program to review

the designs of older operating nuclear power plants to reconfirm and docwent their

safety. One of the issues considered in this program was adequacy of the con-

tainment for postulated post-accident conditions. Independent analyses were

perforred by staff contractors. The peak pressure, using present-day

conservative analysis criteria, was only slightly hig)dr than the initial design

pressure. AstructuralintegritytestofthevaporfontainerhasLcen

conducted at a pressure of 40 pounds per square in9h gauge, which is 25% higher

than the initial design pressure. This test pres tre exceeds the peak

calculated accident prqssure. As part of SEP, t margins of safety for older

structural design codesNwere also confimcd. F ther, NRC experience with

steel contairrents is that there is substantial margin to failure or leakage

beyond the design pressurb The staff conclud .d that the vapor container

provides an isolation barriqr comparat,le to ci rent critiera for Yankee and is,

therefore, acceptable for cc inued operation

I have also considered your request fcr a pu ic meeting in the area. Several

meetings cpen for public partici atien have Tready been conducted in the

vicinity of the plants, mcst rec tly the J.no 12, 1986 meeting on the Yankee

Emergency Exercise in Rowe and th VGAP n cting, concerning resunption of

creration of Vemont Yankee, en Juge 17,186 in Brattict.oro, VT. At this tint,

no new issues have been identified hich culd warrant the conmitnent of NRC

staff resources to support a further mee ng.

As you know, the 1icensing proceedings for both the Yankee and Vemont, Yankee

plants are part of the public record a are available to anyone for review

in the local public document races,

I appreciate your concern in this m,atter nd hope that your questions have

'

been answered. /

Sinct ely,

,

'

Harold R Denton, Sl M r

p Office of iuclear Reactor Regulation

\

/

Enclosure: ,

As Stated /

/

• SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE l

Office: PM/ PAD #1 PD/ PAD #1 BWD2 BWD2 OGC DD/PWR-A

Surname: *EMcKenna/tg *GLear *VRooney *DNuller *RBachmann TNovak l

Date: 07/09/86 07/10/86 07/10/86 07/10/86 07/11/86 01/17/86

Office:

/ 1

D/PWR-Ak BWD0 DD NRR0 l

Surname: HThompson RBernero RVollmer HDenton

Date: 07/17/86 07/17/86 07/17/86 07/17/86

-

o

)

I

-2-

!

l The Systematic Evaluation Program (SEP) is an NRC initiated program to review

the designs of older operating nuclear power plants to reconfirm and document

their safety. One of the issues considered in this program was' adequacy of

the containment for postulated post-accident conditions. Inf6 pendent

analyses were. performed by staff contractors. The peak prpssure, using

present-day conservative analysis criteria, was only slightly higher than the

initial design pressure. A structural integrity test of the vapor container

hasbeenconductedatapressureof40poundspersquafeinchgauge,whichis

s

25% higher than the\ initial design pressure. This 14st pressure exceeds the

peak calculated accident pressure. As part of SEP

older structural design codes were also confirme#,( the margins

Further, of safety for

NRC experience

with steel containmentsi \ s that there is substapi.ial margin to failure or

leakage beyond the design'\ pressure. Therefore

thevaporcontainerprovidesanisolationbarp/,thestaffhasconcludedthat

ier comparable to current

criteria for Yankee and is therefore ac; cept ble.

I have also considered your r\ for

equest public meeting in the area. Several

meetings open for public participation ve already been conducted in the

vicinity of the plants, most recently e June 12, 1986 meeting on the Yankee

Emergency Exercise in Rowe and theg VS AP meeting, concerning resumption of

operation of Vermont Yankee, on Jun 17, 1986 in Brattleboro, VT. At this

time, no new issues have been iden fied which would warrant the commitment

of NRC staff resources to support a further meeting.

Asyouknow,thelicensingprocedings\for both the Yankee and Vermont Yankee

plants are part of the public ecord and'are available to anyone for review

in the local public document coms.

I appreciate your concern i this matter an hope that your questions have been

answered.

Harold R. Denton, Director

Office of Nuc' lear Reactor Regulation

Enclosure:

As Stated

, T a va (C

• SEE PREVIOUS CONC RENCE 7/

Office: PM/ PAD #)/ PD/ PAD #1 BWD2 BWD2 OGC A $D/PWR-A

Surname: *EMcKenna/tg *Glear *VRooney *DMuller *RBachmann HThompson

Date: 07/09/86 07/10/86 07/10/86 07/10/87 07/11 /86 07/ /86

Office: BWD0 DD NRR0.

Surname: RBernero RVollmer HDenton

Date: 07/ /86 07/ /86 07/ /86

l

l

J

.. . . - -. .

- .

. .

,

.

O

-2-

The Systematic Evaluation Program (SEP) is an NRC initiated program to review

the designs of older operating nuclear power plants to reconfirm and document

.their safety. One of the issues considered in this program was adequacy of

the containment for postulated post-accident conditions. Independent

analyses were performed by staff contractors. The peak press 6re, using

present-dayconservativeanalysiscriteria,wasonlys;ightfyhigherthanthe

initial design pressure. A structural integrity test 01 the vapor container

hasbeenconductedata.pressureof40poundspersquare/nchgauge,whichis

25% higher than the initial design pressure. This test /prissure exceeds the

peak calculated accident pressure. As part of SEP, th6 ma gins of safety for

older structural design codes were also confirmed. Furthe , NRC experience

with steel containments is that there is substantial margii to failure or

leakage beyond the design pressure. Therefore, the staff qas concluded that

the vapor container provi es an isolation barr1 9r comparable to current

criteria for Yankee and is therefore acceptable.

I have also considered your re. Several

meetingsopenforpublicpartikuestforapbicmeetinginthearea.

pation hav already been conducted in the

vicinity of the plants, most recently the June 12, 1986 meeting on the Yankee

Emergency Exercise in Rowe and thhxVSNAP meeting, concerning resumption of

j operation of Vermont Yankee, on June s ip,1986 in Brattleboro, VT. At this

time, no new issues have been identif ed which would warrant the commitment

of NRC staff resources to support a ur'ther meeting.

N

As you know, the licensing proceedings for both the Yankee and Vermont Yankee

plants are part of the public re ord and are 'available to anyone for review

in the local public document r ms.

'

i In summary, I conclude that ou have not set forth any substantive issue or

condition that would warrapt a public hearing or mee' ting. I appreciate your

concern in this matter an hope that your questions hdve been answered.

\

\

Harold R. Denton, Direc' tor

Office of Nuclear Reactoh Regulation

x

Enclosure: '

As Stated

H4//

Office: JMgg PD/ PAD #1 BWD2 BWD2 AD/PWR-A

Surname: EMcKenna/tg Glear[k- VRo ey DMuller d3xhmtna TNovak j

Date: 07/9/86 07/f0/86 07/go /86 07 g /87 07/// /86 07/ /86

!

Office: BWD0 DD NRR0

Surname: RBernero RVollmer HDenton

Date: 07/ /86 07/ /86 07/ /86

!

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Distribution Copies:

Docket File

NRC PDR

Local PDR

MBridgers (ED0#001885)

EDO.r/f

EMcKenna

Glear

Peggy Shuttleworth

VRooney

DMu11er

0GC

TNovak

RBernero

RVo11mer

HDenton

PBaker(2)

PPAS

0 ELD

DMossburg/ Toms (w/ ticket & incoming)

Glainas

CRossi

DCrutchfield

SKent, OCA (w/cy of incoming)

PAD #1 Green Ticket File (w/cy of incoming)

PAD #1 r/f

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8 g NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

5. .E WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555

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EDO PRINCIPAL CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL

_ _ _ _ _ _- -_- ----

FROM: DUE: 07/14/86 EDO CONTROL: 001885

DOC DT: 06/17/86

AL OIORDANO FINAL REPLY:

MASSACHUSETTS ALERT

TO:

.

COMM. ASSELSTINE

FOR SIGNATURE OF: ** GREEN ** SECY NO: 86-649

V

CUNNINGHan *

DESC: ROUTING:

REQUEST HEARING ON OPERGTION OF VERMONT YANKEE DENTON

MURLEY

DATE: 06/26/86 y

ASSIGNED TO: ICLC CONTACT: N INNINOMAli /JM

..g() .- - -- - - -

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:

NRR RECEIVED: 07/C'/96 .

ACTION: ..DPLB I E ' l Al .

I

NRR ROUTING: DENTON/VOLLMER

PPAS

MOSSBURG/ TOMS

8 to,012

1

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OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET

I

PAPER NUMBER: CRC-86-0949 LOGGING DATE: Jun 25 86

ACTION OFFICE: EDO

AUTHOR: A. Giordano

AFFILIATION: MA (MASSACHUSETTS)

LETTER DATE: Jun 17 86 FILE CODE: ID&R-5 Vermont Yankee

SUBJECT: Req public hearing on the oper of the Vermont

Yankee nuc sta

ACTION: Appropriate

DISTRIBUTION:

SPECIAL HANDLING: None

NOTES:

DATE DUE:

SIGNATURE: . DATE SIGNED:

AFFILIATION:

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w.npl. '

Rec'd Off. E0

Date b J b ' N  :- l

Time _} .Y

EDO -- 031885

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