ML20235H325

Responds to 881206 Ltr Raising Question Whether Nuclear Pollution from Facilities Could Travel to Charlestown,Ri.Nrc Assessment Concluded That Potential of Facility Operation Having Radiation Effect on Charlestown Extremely Remote

ML20235H325
Person / Time
Site:	Millstone
Issue date:	02/08/1989
From:	Russell W NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:	Sherwood R AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED
Shared Package
ML20235H328	List: ML20235H325 ML20235H330
References
NUDOCS 8902230566
Download: ML20235H325 (4)

Text

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UNITE 3 8TATES d

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e< '. NUCLEAR RE1ULATCRY COMMISSlHN

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• 475 ALLENOALE ROAD

/ KING OF PRug$lA, PENNSYLVANIA 19408 FEB e a 1989 l Mr. Richard Sherwood P. O. Box 14 -

Charlestown, Rhode Island 02813

Dear Mr. Sherwood:

The purpose of this letter is to answer your question about whether nuclear pollution from the Millstone Nuclear Station could get to Charlestown, Rhode Island. Senator Chafee forwarded your December 6, 1988 letter on this matter to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for response. As the Regional Administrator for NRC Region I, which inspects and assesses Millstone Nuclear Station safety, I have been asked to reply to your question.

The Millstone licensee has a radiological monitoring program for nearby areas.

Annual reports are placed in the Local Public Document Room in the Waterford Public Library near the site. The licensee's data, separate NRC checks, and checks by tha State of Connecticut all have shown that the Millstone site has operated well within federal limits. This means that, during normal operation, radioactive releases are very small and provide no threat to nearby areas.

Since Charlestown is about 25 miles from Millstone and potential radiation effects decrease significantly with distance, normal operation at Millstone presents no hazard to Charlestown.

An emergency at a nuclear power plant like those at Millstone is unlikely.

Should an emergency nonetheless occur, there would be additional monitoring of the site and surrounding areas. If the emergency caused a radiation hazard outside the site boundary (this is much less likely than the occurrence of an emergency), no radiation effe::ts are expected farther than 10 miles from the site. Nevertheless, tnere would be air, water, soil, ar.d food sampling in and-beyond the 10 mile zone to enable additional protective actions to be taken ~1f needed.

Overall, facility design and operating requirements protect people and tne environment close to nuclear plants and farther away as well. Our assessment is that the potential of Millstone Station having any radiation effect on Charlestown, Rhode Island is extremely remote.

I hope that this letter is responsive to your concern. If you have any further questions, please contact Ebe McCabe (215-337-5231) of my staff.

Sincerely,

/7 William T. Russell Regional Administrator cc:

Senator John H. Chafee, State of Rhode Island f0(

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Mr. Richard Sherwood' 2 Distribution:

.T. Murley, NRR W. Russell, RI J. Allan, RI J. Gutierrez, RI W. Kane, RI..

p S. Collins, RI

!: L. Bettenhausen, RI

1. E. M Cabe, RI .

P. Kaufman, RI T EDO 0004212

' CRC 89-0019

. Docket No. 50-245/336/423 Public Document-Room Local Public Document Room E00 Reading File State of Rhode Island I

,- +  %, UNITED STATES a NUCLEAR RESULATCRY COMMISSION

/5 I WASHINGTON. D C. 20666 -

%, eDO Principal Correspondence Control FROM: DUE: 02/08/89 lEDO CONTROL ;OOO4212 DOC DT: 12/19/88 FINAL REPLY:

'S:n. John H. Chafee-TO:

Chairman Zech FOR SIGNATURE OF - ** GRN ** CRC NO: 89-0019 Runcall DESC: ROUTING:

ENCLOSES LETTER FROM RICHARD SHERWOOD Murley, NRR CONCERNING MILLSTONE DATE: 01/25/89 ASSIGNED TO: CONTACT:

il RI Russell

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SPECIAL' INSTRUCTIONS OR REMAMKS:

REPLY DIRECT TO CONSTITUENT W/CC TO SEN. CHAFEE.

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. .. .4; OFFICE.0F THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET-

~ PAPER NUMBER: CRC -8 9-0019 LOGGING'DATE: Jan 10 89-ACTION OFFICE: EDO AUTHOR:- J.H. Chafee--Const Ref

' AFFILIATION: . UNITED' STATES SENATE

' LETTER'DATE: Dec'19 88 FILE' CODE: ID&R-5 Millstone

SUBJECT:

' Possibility of radioactive contamination from.the Millstone,-Connecticut nuclear power plant ACTION: Direct Reply.

DISTRIBUTION: OCA to Ack SPECIAL HANDLING: None NOTES: encls rec'd via fax on 1/24/89 Richard Sherwood DATE DUE: Feb 7 89 SIGNATURE: . DATE SIGNED:

AFFILIATION:

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