ML060950127

G20060360/SECY-2006-0054/LTR-06-0173 - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton Ltr Independent Safety Assessment at Indian Point

ML060950127
Person / Time
Site:	Indian Point
Issue date:	04/03/2006
From:	Clinton H US SEN (Senate)
To:	Diaz N NRC/Chairman
Shoop U, 415-2063
Shared Package
ML061140210	List: ML060950127
References
CORR-06-0068, FOIA/PA-2007-0014, FOIA/PA-2007-0093, FOIA/PA-2008-0157, FOIA/PA-2008-0174, FOIA/PA-2008-0199, G20060360, LTR-06-0173, SECY-2006-0054
Download: ML060950127 (5)

Text

I EDO Principal Correspondence Control FROM: DUE: 04/14/06 EDO CONTROL: G2006036(

DOC DT: 04/03/06 FINAL REPLY:

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton 1 DAr: S EC4 &D' B -C'of4 TO:

Chairman Diaz FOR SIGNATURE OF : ** PRI ** CRC NO: 06-0173 Chairman Diaz DESC: ROUTING:

Independent Safety Assessment at Indian Point Reyes Virgilio Kane Silber Dean Cyr/Burns DATE: 04/04/06 Dyer, NRR Zimmerman, NSIR ASSIGNED TO: CONTACT: Collins, RI Cyr, OGC EDO Shoop Schmidt, OCA SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:

Ref. G20060240.

- I EG Rlbs5 S ,Ci\-6 I

EDATS Number: SECY-2006-0054 Initiating Office: SECY Assigned To: OEDO OEDO Due Date: 4/14/2006 5:00 PM Other Assignees: SECY Due Date: 4/18/2C06 5:00 PM

Subject:

Independent Safety Assessment at Indian Point

==

Description:==

ADAMS Accession Numbers Incoming:

Response

Package:

-US g I Originating Organization: Congress Originator Name: Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton Incoming Task Received: Letter Date of Incoming Document: 4/3/2006 Document Received by OEDO Date: 4/4/2006 Date Response Requested by Originator: NONE Addressee: Chairman Diaz lsa -

Action Type: Letter Priority: High Sensitivity: None Signature Level: Chairman Diaz Urgency: NO OEDO Concurrence: YES OCM Concurrence: YES Special Instructions: Ref. G20060240.

Cross Reference Number: G20060360,G20060240,LTR-06-0173 Related Task:

File Routing: EDATS Agency Lesson Learned: NO Page I of I

OFFICE OF THlE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET Date Prinhted:Apr 04, 2006 09:36 PAPER NUMBER: LTR-06-0173 LOGGING DATE: 04/04/2006 ACTION OFFICE: EDO AUTIHOR: SEN Hillary Rodham-Clinton AFFILIATION: CONG ADDRESSEE: CHRM Nils Diaz

SUBJECT:

Concerns NRC's 03/28/06 response to the request for an Independent Safety Assessment at Indian Point NPP ACTION: Signature of Chairman DISTRIBUTION: OCA to Ack, RF LETTER DATE: 04/03/2006 A CKNOWLEDGED No SPECIAL HANDLING:

NOTES:

FILE LOCATION: ADAMS DATE DUE: 04/18/2006 DATE SIGNED:

EDO -- CG20060360

fM1f,(,')

, t04/03/2006 16:46 FAX 202 224 1560 SENATOR CLINIUN HILLARY RODHAMJ CLINTON COMITTEES:

,NEWOAZ ARME )SERvICES SENATOFL HEALTH.

EDUCArTMIIELABOR. AND PENSIONS SPECIAL COMMITTEE ONACING

%NATEOFFI-X RUSSELL BLULJC WASMINGTON.

DC2'S1Sn d ae a6 WASHINGTON, DC Z0510-3204 April 3,2006 _

I -,-r The Honorable Nils J. Diaz, Ph.D.

Chainnan ..

Nuclear Regulatory Commission co Washington, D.C. 20555

Dear I)r. Diaz:

I write in regard to your letter of March 28^, which provides information about the Indian Point inspection we discussed at the March 9h hearing of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. At that hearing, I requested that the United States Nuclear Regulatory Comrdission (NRC) conduct an Independent Safety Assessment (ISA), which other elected officials have also requested. In response, you made a commitment to conduct an engineering safety assessment, and promised to send a letter outlining the details.

In my view the engineering safety assessment you have proposed is a step forward, but it does not fully address the range of concerns that prompted the calls for an ISA. Legislation requiring an ISA at Indian Point that was introduced by Representatives Kelly, Hinchey and others includes two main components: an assessment of the design, construction, maintenance and operation of certain systems at Indian Point units 2 and 3; and a comprehensive evaluation of the radiological emergency plan for those units.

Your letter describes a process whereby Indian Point units 2 and 3 would each be the subject: of an inspection to be conducted by a team of NRC personnel and contractors that would last seven weeks, and would include 700 hours0.0081 days <br />0.194 hours <br />0.00116 weeks <br />2.6635e-4 months <br /> of direct inspection effort. The inspection would focus on significant plant components, as determined by a risk analysis. While you have acknowledged that such an inspection would be less intensive scrutiny than an ISA, the scope and intent of the proposed review appears to be similar to what the legislation would require.

However, your proposed engineering safety review does not address the radiological emergency plan for Indian Point in any way. I understand that the NRC is currently working with lo cal governments and New York- State to identify problems with the radiological emergency plans and to determine which levels of government should address these problems. I have been told that the review will include a discussion of the findings of the 2003 Witt report.

While these are positive steps, they fall short of what would be required under the proposed House legislation.

Because of the shortcomings of your proposal, I am introducing a Senate bill requiring an ISA that corresponds to the House legislation. I do so because I am not convinced that your proposed engineering assessment meets the needs of the community. However, I think that the PINtTEO ON FMYCLED PAPER I'

04/03/2006 16:47 FAX 202 224 1560 SENATOR CLINTON L2101103 I' '; ' -'

Page 2 proposed assessment and the ongoing review of the radiological emergency plan can and should be augmented in a way that meets these needs and makes legislation unnecessary.

In closing, I want to reiterate that an extensive review of both the plant operations and. the emergency plans are necessary to ensure the safety of the communities surrounding Indian Point.

Y~our letter provides basic information about how an engineering assessment would be conducted, but it is short on details. In addition, the letter does not address the review process; for the emergencyplans. Therefore, I request that you respond with a more detailed description and timeline of both the proposed engineering assessment and the ongoing review process for the emergency plan.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely yours, Hillary Rodham Clinton