ML20235Y527

Responds to Re Offsite Emergency Planning Status. Assures That Views of State/Local Officials Considered in 881221 Commission Endorsment of Deliberate,Phased start-up Program Over 4-6 Month Period W/Augmented NRC Oversight

ML20235Y527
Person / Time
Site:	Pilgrim
Issue date:	03/08/1989
From:	Zech L NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
To:	Dukakis M MASSACHUSETTS, COMMONWEALTH OF
Shared Package
ML20235Y532	List: ML20235Y527 ML20235Y535
References
NUDOCS 8903140273
Download: ML20235Y527 (6)

Text

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' 'a - Q -i UNITED STATES - JTaylor RBarrett .

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. NUCLEAR REGULATOfiY COMMISSION LCunningham 0,, .

WASHINGTON, D.C. 2M Aa el-

' CHAIRMAN March 8, 1989

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'The Honorable. Michael S..Dukakis FMiraglia  : Central Fileg Governor of Massachusetts SVarga PEPB r/f:

' Boston', Massachusetts 02133 BBoger PDR.

FGillespie.

Dear Governor Dukakis:

~FCongel WTravers 1 am responding to your letter of January 17, 1989, regarding-the status of off-site. emergency planning for the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station and the extent to which the Commission is considering the views.of State and locc1 officials.,.As you know,

~ the. commission has made a determined effort to solicit the views of Commonwealth.and local officials on issues'related to the Pilgrim. facility and gave careful consideration to them in reaching our December 21, 1988 decision to endorse the staff's restart recommendation.

Asipart of our decision, we directed our staff, not the licensee, to report on the. status of off-site emergency. preparedness and'the progress being made. Since December 21, 1988, Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff members have attended meetings in.the Pilgrim area with. Commonwealth and local emergency planning

officials, have held discussions with some of these officials,

~ have attended Commonwealth-sponsored training sessions, and have participated in a tour of the reception centers with Commonwealth

.and local officials.

The NRC staff provided its assessment of the reception centers you referred to in your letter at both the October.14 and the December 9, 1988, Commission meetings. Although proposed improve-ments to the reception centers had not yet been completed, the staff concluded that, if needed, the facilities could be used to carry out emergency response functions, including registration, monitoring, and decontamination of evacuees. In making.its determination, the staff visited the Bridgewater and Taunton facilities, and considered the scope of the functions to be -

performed at reception centers, the existence of plans and procedures for the operation of the facilities, and the current availability or accessibility of equipment for use at the facilities in the event of an emergency at Pilgrim. In addition to.NRC staff observations, information provided by the Civil Defense Director for Taunton indicated that the designated building at the Taunton State Hospital could function adequately as a reception center during an emergency. The NRC staff con-L cluded that, although improvements should be completed, the facilities and related planning for operation of the facilities Originated: NRR: Hogan Ob i

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,'. Y are sufficient to ensure that the reception centers could be used effectively in the event of an emergency at Pilgrim. The Commonwealth's efforts to complete the reception center improve-ments, with the assistance of the Boston Edison Company, are expected to enhance the capability of these facilities to operate in an emergency.

The Commission continues to endorse a deliberate, phased start-up program over a 4- to 6-month period, with augmented NRC oversight.

The NRC staff will continue to monitor both the operating per-formance of the licensee and the progress of the Commonwealth and local governments on improving off-site emergency prepared-ness. In assessing the status of emergency planning, the staff will consider information from all available sources, including Commonwealth and local officials, and continue direct observations of progress. In this regard the Commission strongly encourages-cooperative and expeditious action by Boston Edison and the Commonwealth and local governments to further improve the state of emergency preparedness for the area surrounding the Pilgrim facility.

• Sincerely, QWdA W. -

Lando W. Ze , Jr 9

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UNITED STATES d* i'  : NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION .

WASHINGTON, D.C. 2DIEE a...

CHAIRMAN

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The Honorable Michael S. Dukakis Governor of Massachusetts Boston, Massachusetts 02133

Dear Governor Dukakis:

I am responding to your. letter of January 17,1989,. regarding offsite emergency planning for the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station. Your letter expresses concern

. that the U.S.: Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is not obtaining the views of, State and. local authorities in our continuing-assessment of the status of

. emergency planning'at. Pilgrim and provides the Commonwealth's view regarding

-reception-centers in the Pilgrim area, i

The Commission has made a determined effor o solicit and give careful consid- i eration to the views of Commonwealth and:lo 1 officials on issues related to the Pilgrim facility. Our December 21, 1988 iecision to endorse the staff's restartrecommendationwasbasedonathoroughyRCassessmentof.themanagement and technical issues, which were the original b yes for the plant' shutdown, as- i well as on the status and progress toward resolut on of the emergency planning issues. Our decision included consideration of 1 ormation.and views on emergency planning provided by Commonwealth and lo 1 officials.

The staff has been directed.to monitor closely licen e activities at Pilgrim and to report on these activities to the Conssission. The staff has also been directed to report on the status of offsite emergency preparedness and the progress being made. Since the Commission decision allowing Pilgrim to restart, NRC staff members have attended meetings in the Pilgrim area with Commonwealth and local emergency planning officials, have held discussions with some of these officials, have attended Commonwealth-sponsored training sessions, and have participated in a tour of the reception centers with Commonwealth and local-officials. I assure you that the views of State and local officials responsible for emergency planning will continue to be considered in our ongoing assessment of the status of emergency planning for Pilgrim.

With regard to the issue of the reception centers, the NRC staff provided its 4 assessment of this issue at both the October 14 and the December 9, 1988, Cosmission meetings. Although proposed improvements to the reception centers had not yet been completed . the staff concluded that, if needed, the facilities could be used to carry out emergency response functions, including registration, monitoring, and decontamination of evacuees. In making its determination the I staff considered findings from visits to the' Bridgewater and Taunton facilities,

-the scope of the functions to be performed at reception centers, the existence

.of plans and procedures for the operation of the facilities, and the current availability or accessibility of equipment for use at the facilities in the l

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Governor Michael S. Dukakis 1 event of an emergency at Pilgrim. In addition, information provided by the Civil Defense Director for Taur. ton indicated that the designated building at the Taunton State Hospital could function adequately as a reception center during an emergency. The NRC concluded that, although improvements-should be completed, the facilities and related planning for operation of the facilities are sufficient to ensure that the reception centers could be used effectively.

in the event of'an emergency at Pilgrim. The Commonwealth's efforts to complete the reception center improvements, with.the assistance of the Boston Edison Company, are expected.to enhance the capability of these facilities to operate in an emergency..

. x The Commission' continues-to endorse a deliberate, phased start-up program over a 4- to 6-month period, with Mugmented NRC oversight. The NRC staff will continue tomonitorboththeoperating@erformanceofthelicenseeandtheprogressof the Commonwealth'and=locd1 goveriiments on improving offsite emergency. prepared-ness. In assessing the status of emergency planning the staff will continue to use information from all availablb sources, y including Commonwealth and local vations of progress. In this regard officials, the Commission and continue our cooperative encourages direct obse[dan expeditious action by Boston Edison and the Commonwealth and local government'Nto further improve the state of emergency preparedness for the area surrounding the Pilgrim f acility.

N Sincerely, Lando W. Zech, Jr.

\

This correspondence addresses policy issues previously\Yesolved by the Commission, transmits factual information, or restates Commission policy.

l DISTRIBUTION:

l LWZech, OCM JHSniezek, NRR RJBarrett, NRR MCBridgers, ED0-4202 VStello, ED0 FJMirgalia, NRR LJCunningham, NRR CRC No: 89-0050 JMTaylor, ED0 SAVarga, NRR CRVan Niel, NRR MECoons, NRR JLBlaha, NRR BABoger, HRR FKantor, NRR PDR WTRussell, RI FPGillespie, NRR RTHogan, NRR ED0 R/F JPMurray, 0GC FJCongel, NRR RRBellamy, R1 Central Files JScinto, OGC WDTravers, NRR DFMossburg, ED0-4'i O2 PEPB R/F TEMurley, NRR SJCollins, RI JTWiggins, RI RHWessman, NRR RR -d ED0 OCM a Whezek lEMurley VStello LWZech 2/j/89 2/h/89 2/ /89 2/ /89 dh D C/P P N ,A/ 1RR D/ R AD/NRR PAE3f)RR p2/4/89 an sc ,

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-S l FROMs- 'DUE: 02/0//89 EDO., CONTROL: 0004202 DOC DT: 01/17/89 GOU.' MICHAEL S..DUKAKIS-MASSACHUSETTS ,

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CHAIRMAN'ZECH FOR SIGNATURE 0F: ** PRI ** CRC NO: 89-0050:

CHAIRMAN:ZECH

, DESC:. ROUTING:

OFF-SITE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS ACTIVITIES FOR STELLO

--: PILGRIM TAYLOR BLAHA

' DATE: L01/23/89 RUSSELL, RI MURRAY, OGC'

' ASSIGNED TO: CONTACT:

NRR' MURLEY Ns SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:

NRR RECEIVED: : JANUARY:23, 1989 ACTION:- DREPICONGEL NRR ROUTING: MURLEY/SNIEZEK VARGA MIRAGLIA CRUTCHFIELD GILLESPIE M0SSBURG ACT\0M I

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OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET.

PAPER NUMBER: CRC-89-0050 LOGGING DATE: Jan 23 89 ACTION OFFICE: EDO i-AUTHOR: M.E..Dukakis AFFILIATION: MA (MASSACHUSETTS)

LETTER DATE: Jan 17 89 FILE CODE: ID&R-5 Pilgrim

SUBJECT:

Off-site emergency preparedness' activities for Pilgrim ACTION: Signature of Chairman DISTRIBUTION: RF SPECIAL HANDLING: None NOTES:

DATE DUE: Feb 3 89 4

SIGNATURE: . DATE SIGNED:

AFFILIATION:

Refd off. 50 Cate /- J 3-8 9 '

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