ML20215K936

Responds to Re Constituent F James Concerns for Health & well-being of Public in Vicinity of Facility. Previous Response Still Appropriate.Info Re Chernobyl Being Studied

ML20215K936
Person / Time
Site:	Fermi
Issue date:	10/15/1986
From:	Stello V NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO)
To:	Levin C SENATE
Shared Package
ML20215K939	List: ML20215K936 ML20215K945
References
NUDOCS 8610280385
Download: ML20215K936 (8)

Text

,

OM 15 1986 The Honorable Carl Levin s United States Senate , .,

Washington, D. C. 20510 .

Dear Senator Levin:

This is in response to your letter dated August 15, 1986, regarding the corres-pondence you enclosed from Mr. Fred James of Monroe, Michigan. Acting out of his concern for the health and well-being of the public in the vicinity of the Fermi-2 facility, Mr. James expressed two concerns in his letter dated May 6, t 1986. These are (1) his belief that there is a need to conduct a thorough investigation of the Fenni-2 facility and (2) his belief that statements indi- 1 cating accidents similiar to Chernobyl cannot occur in the United States are nonsense.

With regard to the first of Mr. James' concerns, I am providing a copy of our letter to you (Enclosure 1) dated April 22, 1986, in which we addressed Mr. James' assertion that there was a need for a thorough 1 investigation of the Fermi-2 facility. Mr. James had first expressed this concern on this matter in his letter to you dated December 26, 1985. I believe our previous response is still appropriate.

With regard to Mr. James' second concern, we are actively studying the large amounts of information provided to us by the Russians regarding the accident at Chernobyl. We have established a preliminary set of issues from this infor-mation which we are examining to determine whether there is any generic appli-cability to commercial nucler power plants in this country. We plan to complete this phase of our effort in about two months. However, our review to date of the Chernobyl accident and the design of the Chernobyl reactor has not identified any aspects of the accident which demonstrates a need for immediate regulatory action for U.S. commercial nuclear power plants.

In this regard, we require that a commercial nuclear power plant provide adequate protection for the public against potential radioactive release from the facility in the event of a major accident. This protection is provided by containment structures around nuclear reactors designed to contain a fission product release resulting from a postulated major accident.

While these containment structures have been designed to retain the fission products which would be released in the event of a major accident, they may not be able to withstand some of the stresses that would be physically possible in the extremely unlikely event of a severe full core melt accident. Therefore, it is not the NRC's position "that it can't happen here." The owners of nuclear power plants must demonstrate reasonable assurance that the plants will not endanger public health and safety before they can be licensed. The agency objectives on this matter are to ensure that the likelihood of a core melt accident is very low and that, should one occur, there is reasonable assurance 8610280385 Bo1015 PDR ADOCK 05000341 H PDR

5 that the containment will substantially mitigate its consequences. This is discussed in the letter we sent to the Monroe County Board of Comissioners in July 1986 (Enclosure 2). This subject was also discussed extensively at a public meeting held at the Fermi-2 site on July 30, 1986, to address the con-cerns of the public and the County Comissioners regarding the safety of the Mark I pressure suppression containment of the Fermi-2 facility.

In sumary, our position is not that a severe accident cannot happen but that existing plants not pose an undue level of risk to the public. This is dis-cussed further in the Comission's " Policy Statement on Severe Reactor Accidents Regarding Future Designs and Existing Plants" enclosed with this letter as Enclosure 3.

I hope that this letter responds fully to the concerns raised by Mr. James. If we can provide additional information on these and other issues related to the Fenni-2 facility, please contact us again.

Sincerely, Original signed by yictor Stello >

Victor Stello, Jr.

Executive Director for Operations

Enclosures:

i

1. Letter to Carl Levin regarding '

Mr. James' concerns dated April 22, 1986

2. Letter to Monroe County Board of Comissioners dated July 23, 1986

3. Policy Statement on Severe Reactor Accidents Regarding Future Designs and Existing Plants -

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consequences. (Refer to Section 100.11 of 10 CFR Part 100, Reactor Site Criteria.) This does not mean that there is a certainty that no gnificant releases will occur; rather, it provides reasonable assurance th the public will be protected from the potential releases of a major accid t.

While these containment structures have been designed to re in the fission products which would be released in the event of a major a cident, they may not be able to withstand some of the stresses that would be ysically possible in the extremely unlikely event of a severe full core melt ccident. Therefore, it is not the NRC's position "that it can't happen her ." As discussed above, the owners of nuclear power plants must demonstrate yeasonable -esurance that the plants will not endanger public health and safpty before they can be licensed. The agency objectives on this matter aye to ensure that the like-lihood of a core melt accident is very low and that, should one occur, there is reasonable assurance that the containment wfil substantially mitigate its consequences. ThisisdiscussedinthelettefwesenttotheMonroeCounty Board of Commissioners in July 1986 (Enclos9ee 2). This subject was also discussed extensively at a public meeting ld at the Fermi-2 site in late July of this year to address the concerns of the public and the County '

Commissioners regarding the safety of th Mark I pressure suppression contain-ment of the Fermi-2 facility. In summaty, our position is not that a severe hg plants not pose an undue level of accidentcannothappenbutthatexist)dfurtherintheCommission's" risk to the public. This is discussp Policy Statement on Severe Reactor Acciden,ts Recarding Future Designs and Existing Plants" enclosed with this letter as Enclosure 3.

I hope that this letter responds fully to the concerns raised by Mr. James.

If we can provide additional ir) formation on these and other issues related to the Fermi-2 facility, pleast! contact us again.

Sincerely, Victor Stello, Jr.

Executive Director for Operations

Enclosures:

/

1. Letter to Carl L'evin regarding Mr. James' concerns dated April 22, 1986

2. Letter to Monroe County Board of Commiss'ioners dated July 23, 1986 /

3. Policy Statement on Severe Reactor l' Accidents Regarding Future s Designs and Existing Plants - x f 50 F.R. 32138 f,.g i

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these containment structures have been designed to retain the fission products which would be released in the event of a severe accident, they were not designed to withstand all the consequences of a severe accident. This is discussed in Enclosure 2.

Finally, it is not the NRC's position "that it can't happen ere." As discussed above, a nuclear power plant must demonstrate that it will not endanger public health and safety before it can be licensed. The agency bjectives on this matter are to ensure that the likelihood of a core mel accident is very low and that, should one occur, there is substantial assu nce that the containment will mitigate its consequences. This is discussed i the letter we sent to the Monroe County Board of Commissioners in July 1986 nclosure 2). This subject was also discussed extensively at a public meetin held at the Fermi-2 site in late July of this year to address the concerns o the public and the County Commissioners regarding the safety of the Mark pressure suppression contain-ment of the Fenni-2 facility. In summary, ou position is not that a severe accident can not haopen but that public heal and safety be protected in the unlikely event such an accident should occu .

I hope that this letter responds fully t the concerns raised by Mr. James.

If we can provide additional informatio on these and other issues related to the Fermi-2 facility, please contac us again.

Sincerely, Victor Stello, Jr.

Executive Director for Operations 1

Enclosures:

1. Letter to Carl Levin r arding

Mr. James' concerns ated April 22,1986 i 2. Letter to Monroe Cou ty Board

, of Conmissioners ated July 23, 1986

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r these containment structures have been designed to retain / he fission products which would be released in the event of a severe accident, they were not designed to withstand all the consequences of a severe accident / This is discussed in Enclosure 2.

Finally, it is not the NRC's position "that it cap t happen here." As discussed above, a nuclear power plant must demonstrate that it will not endanger public health and safety before it can be licensed. Th'e agency obiectives on this matter are to ensure that the likelihood of a ore melt accident is very low and that, should one occur, there is substan tal assurance that the containment will mitigate its consequences. This is di cussed in the letter we sent to the

, Monroe County Board of Commissioners in J9 y 1986 (Enclosure 2). This subject was also discussed extensively at a publ c meeting held at the Fermi-2 site in late July of this year to address the c cerns of the public and the County Commissioners regarding the safety of e Park I pressure suppression contain-ment of the Fermi-2 facility. In su ary, our position is not that a severe accident can't happen but that publi health and safety be protected in the unlikely event such an accident did occur.

lly to the concerns raised by Mr. James.

I hope that this letter responds If we can provide additional inf ation on these and other issues related to the Fermi-2 facility, please antact us again.

Sincerely, Victor Stello, Jr.

Executive Director for Operations

Enclosures:

1. Letter to Carl Levi regarding Mr. James' conce ns dated April 22, 1986

2. Letter to Monroe ounty Board of Commissione s dated July 23, 1986

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EDO PRINCIPAL CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL

- - - - == - - - -

FROM: DUE: 09/17/86 EDO CONTROL: 002085 DOC DT: 08/15/86 SEN. CARL LEVIN FINAL REPLY:

TO:

KAMMERER FOR SIGNATURE OF: ** GREEN ** ,, SECY NO: 86-930 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DESC: ROUTING:

ENCLS LTR FROM FRED JAMES RE SAFETY OF FERMI-2 KEPPLER

^

DATE: 09/02/86 ASSIONED TO: NRR CONTACT: DENTON

/

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:

REF: EDO-1467 NRR RECEIVED: 09/03/86 ACTION: l DBL +,-' BERNER 8 3 9, g, gg _ q h NRR ROUTING:

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I 0FFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET PAPER NUMBER: CRC-86-0930 LOGGING DATE: Aug 29 86 ACTION OFFICE: EDO AUTHOR: C. Levin--Const Ref AFFILIATION: U.S. SENATE LETTER DATE: Aug 15 86 FILE CODE: ID&R-5 Fermi II

SUBJECT:

Safety hazards at Fermi II ACTION: Direct Reply DISTRIBUTION: OCA to Ack SPECIAL HANDLING: None NOTES: Fred James DATE DUE: Sep 15 86 SIGNATURE: .

DATE SIGNED:

AFFILIATION:

i Rec'd ON. EDO Date

' A ~0 6 Time E *'0 6 EDO --- 002085