ML041470298

G20040323/LTR-04-0297 - Senator Kennedy Ltr Independent Safety Assessment of Vermont Yankee (for Kramer)

ML041470298
Person / Time
Site:	Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png
Issue date:	06/04/2004
From:	Reyes L NRC/EDO
To:	Erin Kennedy US SEN (Senate)
Skay D,NRR/DLPM,415-1322
Shared Package
ML041480258	List: ML041280397 ML041470298
References
FOIA/PA-2005-0031, G20040323, LTR-04-0297, TAC MC3076
Download: ML041470298 (2)

Text

June 4, 2004 The Honorable Edward M. Kennedy United States Senator 2400 JFK Federal Building Government Center Boston, MA 02203

Dear Senator Kennedy:

I am responding on behalf of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to your letter dated April 23, 2004, in which you forwarded a letter from Mr. Loren Kramer dated March 3, 2004.

The NRC also received a similar letter directly from Mr. Kramer dated March 3, 2004. In his letter, Mr. Kramer noted that the facilities at Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station (Vermont Yankee) were not sufficiently hardened to protect against attacks. He also expressed concern about the age and structural integrity of Vermont Yankee, as it relates to a request by Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc., to increase the generating capacity by 20 percent. In addition, he requested that your office assist in stopping the power uprate request at Vermont Yankee, and that a comprehensive independent safety assessment be done for the facility.

On May 27, 2004, the NRC responded directly to Mr. Kramers letter of March 3, 2004. In our response, we addressed his concerns for protection of the Vermont Yankee facility from attacks, as well as the need for an independent safety assessment. I am enclosing a copy of that response, in which we attached a letter from the NRC to the Vermont Public Service Board dated May 4, 2004, addressing their request for an independent engineering assessment.

For current information on the NRCs review of the proposed power uprate, please see the Vermont Yankee webpage on the NRCs website at www.nrc.gov/reactors/plant-specific-items/vermont-yankee-issues.html.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Luis A. Reyes Executive Director for Operations

Enclosure:

Letter to Mr. Loren Kramer dated May 27, 2004

The Honorable Edward M. Kennedy June 4, 2003 United States Senator 2400 JFK Federal Building Government Center Boston, MA 02203

Dear Senator Kennedy:

I am responding on behalf of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to your letter dated April 23, 2004, in which you forwarded a letter from Mr. Loren Kramer dated March 3, 2004.

The NRC also received a similar letter directly from Mr. Kramer dated March 3, 2004. In his letter, Mr. Kramer noted that the facilities at Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station (Vermont Yankee) were not sufficiently hardened to protect against attacks. He also expressed concern about the age and structural integrity of Vermont Yankee, as it relates to a request by Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc., to increase the generating capacity by 20 percent. In addition, he requested that your office assist in stopping the power uprate request at Vermont Yankee, and that a comprehensive independent safety assessment be done for the facility.

On May 27, 2004, the NRC responded directly to Mr. Kramers letter of March 3, 2004. In our response, we addressed his concerns for protection of the Vermont Yankee facility from attacks, as well as the need for an independent safety assessment. I am enclosing a copy of that response, in which we attached a letter from the NRC to the Vermont Public Service Board dated May 4, 2004, addressing their request for an independent engineering assessment.

For current information on the NRCs review of the proposed power uprate, please see the Vermont Yankee webpage on the NRCs website at www.nrc.gov/reactors/plant-specific-items/vermont-yankee-issues.html.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Luis A. Reyes Executive Director for Operations

Enclosure:

Letter to Mr. Loren Kramer dated May 27, 2004 DISTRIBUTION: G20040323/LTR-04-0297 PUBLIC RidsEdoMailCenter SBurns/KCyr, OGC RidsOcaMailCenter LReyes RidsNrrWpcMail SECY SCollins RidsNrrAdpt RidsNrrPMREnnis DRathbun, OCA WKane HMiller, Rgn I CBixler, Rgn I RidsNrrPMAMcMurtray CPaperiello AHowe PNorry RidsNrrDlpmLpdICHolden WDean RidsNrrPMBPham RidsOpaMail RidsOgcRp RidsNrrOd RidsNrrLACRaynor RidsRgnIMailCenter PDI-2 Section Reading File RidsNrrAdpt Package No.: ML041480258 Incoming No.: ML041280397

Enclosure:

ML041460076 (Kramer Ltr)

Response No.: ML041470298

Enclosure:

ML041170438 (Dworkin Ltr)

OFFICE PDIV-2/PM PDI-2/LA PDI-1/PM VY/SC PDI/PD NAME BPham SLittle DSkay AHowe CHolden DATE 5/20/04 5/26/04 5/26/04 5/26/04 5/27/04 OFFICE DLPM/D ADPT/NRR D/NRR EDO OCA NAME LMarsh BSheron JDyer LReyes DRathbun DATE 5/27/04 5/28/04 5/28/04 6/04/04 6/04/04 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY