ML20248L844

Discusses 960327 Telcon W/B Sherman Re Status of Insp & Investigation Efforts Re Allegations Raised by Daly of New England Coalition on Nuclear Pollution in Dec 1995

ML20248L844
Person / Time
Site:	Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png
Issue date:	03/27/1996
From:	Chawaga D NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:	Vito D NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
Shared Package
ML20248L142	List: IA-97-365, Partially Deleted Allegation Receipt Report Re Allegations That Safety Bus 9 Either Overloaded or There Are Problems W/Swithgear & That Vernon Tie (for Station Blackout) Undependable ML20248L140 ML20248L833 ML20248L837 ML20248L839 ML20248L842 ML20248L844 ML20248L847 ML20248L956 ML20248L962 ML20248L967 ML20248L975 ML20248L977
References
FOIA-97-365 NUDOCS 9806110412
Download: ML20248L844 (2)

Text

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7L From: David Chawaga jff To:- DJV '^! 4 , g Date: 3/27/96 5:46pm

Subject:

Contacted Bill Sherman re:VY H&l Allegation David Vito:

' Harold Eichenholz and I contacted Bill Sherman today (3/27/96) and discussed the status of our inspection and investigation efforts related to the allegations raised

by Daly of the New England Coalition on Nuclear Pollution (NECNP) in the late

. December 1995.

' Backaround:

I indicated that our technical staff reviewed the allegations as related to AOG system oper,ation and discovered no outstanding significant reactor plant, effluent or worker radiation safety concerns. The. licensee previously identified availability and reliability issues regarding the AOG system and has plans to perform modifications (enhancements) to improve system performance in those areas.

Those modifications are designed and planned but not yet implemented. - A review of licensee files and personnel. interviews did not result in the discovery of any information that would support a conclusion that safety concerns (other than p wiring' disc .ancius that would complicate the installation) existed with either~

existing s' am performance or installation concerns.  !

The~ AOG is a ." power generation" non-safety system that sweeps gases from the '

condenser, remove radionuclides from those gases and feeds its effluent to the plant stack. Dr. Jason Jang looked at the releases from the plant stack in -

' Oct-Nov '95 and'found no evidence that releases in excess of TS had occurred.

In fact, licensee recoroa indicate.that releases were far below TS limits. g Investigation L

The NRC became aware of the identity of the unnamed employee and attempted

,to interview the individual and his/her attorney on several occasions. Both the  !

' individual and the attorney, declined NRC requests for interviews and refused to

discuss either the technical or harassment and intimidation claims raised in the

_h newspaper article.

LThe NRC's Office of Investigation reviewed the licensee's investigation and determined that, although the licensee did not provide overwhelming evidence that l there was no harassment and intimidation, the results of their investigation were logical could not be refuted with any.information possessed by the NRC.

'NRC.will continue to consider any information regarding this case. However, in a/

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letter dated March 22,1996, NRC informed the individual's attorney that the NRC's Office of investigations will consider this matter closed if we do not hear from them by April 5,1996. As such, NRC will not compel testimony and will discontinue its proactive search for information regarding the harassment and  !

intimidation aspects of this case.

l After we briefed Bill, he indicated that we were right on target and appreciated the insights and information. We cautioned Bill that some of the information was being provided under our protocol agreement and was not to be released to the public. I am confident that Bill understands our need to first respond to NECNP on these matters prior to public disclosure.

Additionally, Billindicated that he needed more information on NRC's review of the MY ECCS analysis issue as it relates to VY. Harold indicated that he would get back to Bill early tomorrow morning. Bill has a VSNAP meeting at 10:00 am and wants to be prepared for any questions thct arise on that issue with resect to NRC activities.

Dave '

i x5246 l CC: RAM, HBE, RJC, WFK, NCD2.KP2.UM, JCJ, RMG, RWC, J...

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