ML20235B028

Responds to 881212 Ltr Re 881209 Presentation at Commission Meeting & Status of Emergency Planning in Town of Plymouth. NRC Supervised Restart Approach Gives Commonwealth & Local Govts Opportunity to Make Emergency Planning Improvements

ML20235B028
Person / Time
Site:	Pilgrim
Issue date:	01/30/1989
From:	Zech L NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
To:	Arons B, Butters G, Thompson A PLYMOUTH, MA
Shared Package
ML20235B031	List: ML20235B028 ML20235B062
References
NUDOCS 8902030030
Download: ML20235B028 (5)

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CHAlHMAN FMiragiia FGillespie DCrutchfield Fcongel WTravers RWessman FKantor Chairman Alba C. Thompson CVan Niel Mr. Bruce M. Arons RBarrett Mr. George W. Butters LCunningham

. Mr. George W. Cameron DMossburg Mr. David F. Malaguti MCoons

' Town of Plymouth .

WJLazarus Office'ef The Selectman RBellamy.

11 Lincoln Street Plymouth, Massachusetts 07360

Dear Chcirman Thompson,

Members Arons, Butters, Cameron, and Malaguti:

I am responding to'your letter of December 17', 1988, concerning your presentation at the Decembe- 9, 1988 Commission meetinaThe and the status of emergency planning in the Town,of Plymouth.

.Ccmmission greatly appreciates your participation, along with that of the representatives of other local governments and the

. Commonwealth, in our deliberations on the readiness of the_Pil_g,rtr.

' Nuclear Power Station to return to service.

As you are aware, after giving careful consideration to all the views expressed on-the emergency preparedness issue at both the October 14.and December 9 Commission meetings, the Commission voted unanimously on December 21, 1988, to endorse the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff's preposal to permit the super-vised restart of the Pilgrim facility. Our decision was based on a thorough' assessment of the management and technical issues, which were the original bases for the plant shutdown, as well as the status and progress toward resolution of the emergency planning issues.

The Commission's action will not result in the immediate resumption of full power operations at Pilgrim. Rather, the Commission has endorsed a deliberate, phased start-up program over a 4- to 6-month period, with augmented NRC oversight.

Moreover, the-Commission has required the NRC staff to sutn.it These reperts will formal reports at each of six hold points.

include an assessment of progress made toward resolution o' the Pilgrim emergency preparedness issues.

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- Wec. bel.ieve.the superv'iseu restart. approach'provides the opportu-  ;

nity'for the. Commonwealth'and local governments to make further progress-.orn improvements in emerge'ncy planning while.the NRC'ttaff

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assesses!the operatino capability of the licensee.

.I strongly encourage.you to. work itiosely with the Commonwealth in your efforts. Our staff is prepared to assist you and provice advsce

where it can to achieve your goals. in the reantime, the restart 3

process trdorsed by the Commission.will, I believe, meet our common? objective..of prstecting the health and safety of the people ofcMassachusetts.during operatinn of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station.

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-Chairman Alba C. Thompson Mr. Bruce M. Arons Mr. George W. Butters  ;

Mr. Gecrge W; Cameron Mr.. David F. Malaguti Town of Plymouth Office of The Selectmen 11-Lincoln Street ,

Plymouth, Massachusetts 02360

Dear Chairman Thompson,

Members Arons, Butters, Cameron, and Malaguti:

I am responding to your letter of December 12, 1988, concerning the adequacy of emergency preparedness at the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station. As you know, the Connission Luthorized the restart of the Pilgrim f acility on December 21, 1988.

The decision to authorize the restart of Pilgrim was based on a careful and thorough assessment of the management and technical issues as well as the status of and progress made toward resolution of the emergency-planning issues.

In reaching our conclusion on the adequacy of offsite emergency preparedness to support restart, we considered the information provided by the NRC staff as well as the information provided by several elected representatives from Massachusetts, Boston Edison Company, officials from the Massachusetts #

Department of Public Safety, and local government and emergency planning officials. In this regard the Comission greatly appreciates the participation of Plymouth, along with the other local governments and the Commonwealth, in our most recent meeting on December 9, 1988.

Significant saf ety improvements have taken place in the physical state of the plant, and the current management organization has been significantly strengthened.

In addition, we believe that substantial emergency planning progress has been made. Emergency plan revisions and procedures that significantly improve existing emergency preparedness have been and are being developed with the involvement of responsible local and Commonwealth officials. In addition to this progress, an inf restructure of emergency managers, workers, and equipment is in place to implement the revised plans in the event of a radiological emergency at Pilgrim. Successful emergency preparedness exercises have been held in the vicinity of Pilgrim since emergency planning became a requirement in 1980. Accordingly, the Comission concluded that, although all emerger,cy planning issues are not fully resolved, the progress to date provides reasonable assurance that adequate protective actions can and will be taken in the event of a radiological emergency at the Pilgrim plant.

1 The Consission has approved a deliberote, phased start-up program over a 4- to (;-month period with augmented fiRC oversight and has required the stat f to These reports will include

- prepare f ormal reports at each 01 six hold points. The the status of emergency preparedness and an assessment of progress.

l Commission will continue to assess the progress of the start-up program as wcil i as the progress made toward full resolution of the Pilgrim emergency prepared-

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}_ ness issues. Please be ossured that we are concitted to f ulfilling our respon-Libility that the Pilgrim plant is operated safely and that the public health l und saiety will continue to be protected.

sincerely, k

Lando W, Zech, Jr.

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• • • • • EDG Principal Correspondence Control- 4 DUE: 01/03/89 EDO CONTROL: 0004146 I FROM: DOC DT: 12/12/88 FINAL. REPLY:

Alba C. Thompson, George W. Butters,

.Gzorge W. Cameron & David F. Malaguti I' Town of Plymouth, Massachusetts TO Chairman Zech i

• • PRI ** CRC NO: 8e-1243 FOR SIGNATURE OF: ,

i

~ Chairman Zech ROUTING:

DESC:

r. . Stello PILGRIM RESTART Taylor Blaha DATE: 12/21/88 Russell -ll ,

ASSIGNED TO: CONTACT:

NRR Murley l SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:

NRR RECCIVED: DECEMDER 21, 1988 ACTION: DREP:CONGEL 6

NRR ROUTING: MURLEY/SNIEZEK CRUTCilFIELD MIRACLIA GILLESPIE MOSSBURG 1

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