ML101230241

E-mail from F. Brown of Usnrc to D. Lew and D. Roberts of Usnrc Regarding TMI INES Rating

ML101230241
Person / Time
Site:	Three Mile Island
Issue date:	11/23/2009
From:	Brown F D Division of Inspection and Regional Support
To:	David Lew, Roberts D J Division Reactor Projects I, Division of Reactor Safety I
References
FOIA/PA-2010-0118
Download: ML101230241 (2)

Text

Lew, David From: Brown, Frederick Sent: Monday, November 23, 2009 4:19 PM To: Lew, David; Roberts, Darrell Cc: Clifford, James; Wilson, Peter; Boger, Bruce; Cheok, Michael; Leach, Melvyn; McDermott, Brian; Morris, Scott; Giitter, Joseph; Howe, Allen; Nelson, Robert; Thomas, Eric; Sigmon, Rebecca

Subject:

RE: TMI INES Rating OPA has asked us not to issue the INES notification.

If asked, our OpE staff rates every reactor EN, and this was rated a "0." Sorry for cycling anyone.From: Lew, David Sent: Monday, November 23, 2009 1:03 PM To: Brown, Frederick; Roberts, Darrell Cc: Clifford, James; Wilson, Peter; Boger, Bruce; Cheok, Michael; Leach, Melvyn; McDermott, Brian; Morris, Scott; Gitter, Joseph; Howe, Allen; Nelson, Robert; Thomas, Eric; Sigmon, Rebecca

Subject:

Re: TMI INES Rating Thanks Fred. I think it will help. We will share with our PAO.From: Brown, Frederick To: Roberts, Darrell; Lew, David Cc: Clifford, James; Wilson, Peter; Boger, Bruce; Cheok, Michael; Leach, Melvyn; McDermott, Brian; Morris, Scott; Giitter, Joseph; Howe, Allen; Nelson, Robert; Thomas, Eric; Sigmon, Rebecca Sent: Mon Nov 23 12:24:21 2009

Subject:

FW: TMI INES Rating Dave, Darrell:, Let us know whether you think that the INES rating would help or hurt our communication efforts.thanks, Fred From: Sigmon, Rebecca Sent: Monday, November 23, 2009 12:01 PM To: Couret, Ivonne; Burnell, Scott; Screnci, Diane Cc: Brown, Frederick; Cheok, Michael; Thorp, John; Thomas, Eric; Bamford, Peter; Jones, Cynthia

Subject:

TMI INES Rating In accordance with MD 5.12 and as noted in IN 2009-27 and RIS 2002-01, the NRC will submit events to the IAEA International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES) publicly available NEWS website if they are determined to have a rating of Level 2 or higher, or if the rating is specifically requested by the IAEA or another INES member state. The high activity over the weekend reported by TMI-1 in EN 45514 generated sufficient media interest that the IAEA and at least three other countries have requested more information.

This event as currently reported is a Level 0, that is, "Below Scale." The IAEA would like to see the INES scale used not just for significant events, but also to demonstrate the low safety significance of other highly publicized events, a category which would include what happened 11/21 at 1 ýlin Y- -i(,ýTMI. Given the usual nature of the postings to the website though, it would not necessarily be seen in that light, and posting it to the IAEA website could instead serve to amplify coverage of an event that has already been covered in detail in the media. We would only want to post this event if, in the opinion of OPA, Region I, and NRR management, the posting would serve to emphasize the low safety significance of an event which has received substantial coverage.

I have attached a draft copy of the Event Rating Form (ERF) that would be submitted, which primarily contains information from the licensee's Event Notification, for your review, and would appreciate your opinions on the matter.Thanks, Rebecca Sigmon Reactor Systems Engineer NRR/DIRS/IOEB Operating Experience Branch (301) 415-4018 Rebecca.Si-qmonenrc.-qov 2