Friday, November 30, 2012

Status of 60-Day Response to Orders Modifying Licenses Regarding Recommendations 4.2, 5.1, and 7.1 of the Near-Term Task

STATUS OF 60-DAY RESPONSE TO ORDERS MODIFYING LICENSES REGARDING RECOMMENDATIONS 4.2,5.1, AND 7.1 OF THE NEAR-TERM TASK FORCE RELATED TO THE FUKUSHIMA DAI-ICHI NUCLEAR POWER PLANT ACCIDENT

Download ML12326A829

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Upcoming December 5 and 6 Waste Confidence Webinars

Greetings,

The Waste Confidence Directorate received feedback that the webcast for the November 14 afternoon scoping meeting cut off at 4pm EST.  We were able to get the webcast running again after a short delay; however, if you missed the end of that meeting, you can view archived video of the meeting at http://video.nrc.gov/.  After you open the webpage, scroll down to the table of Archived Videos.  The afternoon scoping meeting is titled: Waste Confidence Scoping Meeting for the Environmental Impact Statement (Part 1).  The evening meeting (Part 2) is also available for viewing.

Transcripts for the November 14 meetings are now available in ADAMS:

Afternoon meeting transcript (ADAMS Accession No. ML12331A347): http://adamswebsearch2.nrc.gov/webSearch2/main.jsp?AccessionNumber='ML12331A347

Evening meeting transcript (ADAMS Accession No. ML12331A353): http://adamswebsearch2.nrc.gov/webSearch2/main.jsp?AccessionNumber='ML12331A353

If you missed the November 14 meetings, please join us for our December 5 (1pm-4pm EST) and December 6 (9pm-12am EST) webinars.  The information presented and format of the webinars will be the same as the November meetings.  The NRC staff will start each webinar with a short presentation (view the slides here), and then we’ll open the phone lines for your questions and comments.  The webinars will be identical, and both will be transcribed so any comments presented over the phone will be included in the Waste Confidence docket.

To register for the December 5 or 6 webinars, please see our meeting notice (ADAMS Accession No. ML12326A911):  http://pbadupws.nrc.gov/docs/ML1232/ML12326A911.pdf
You can also call Ms. TR Rowe at 1-800-368-5642, ext. 492-3133 or Ms. Susan Wittick, ext. 492-3187 if you have questions about the webinars.

And finally, we have updated our Waste Confidence website with some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):  http://www.nrc.gov/waste/spent-fuel-storage/wcd/faq.html

Sincerely,

Staff of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Waste Confidence Directorate

Not-so-Happy Anniversary

Twenty years ago today, Don Prevatte and I submitted a report under 10 CFR Part 21 to the NRC regarding a substantial safety hazard at nearly three dozen nuclear power plants.
Twenty years later, that substantial safety hazard still afflicts nearly three dozen nuclear power plants (slightly less now, because the Unit 1 reactor at the Millstone nuclear power plant permanently shut down in the interim).

How?

Why?

Who didn't do what?

The following blog post highlights, or lowlights, the case along with links to key documents along this safety cul-de-sac:

http://allthingsnuclear.org/20-years-of-nrc-inaction-and-counting/

Some of the stuff (like the NRC not realizing every other page was missing or falling asleep during our presentation on the subject) sounds made up. It wasn't. It was NRC inaction. (Nice if that someday became three words instead of two and it became easier to distinguish NRC's managers from store mannequins).

Will this substantial safety hazard remain unresolved twenty years from now?

Time will tell.

One would hope that a federal agency professing to give a hoot about nuclear safety might just be able to resolve a substantial safety hazard within forty years.

Thanks,
Dave Lochbaum
UCS

Monday, November 19, 2012

TMI Request for Additional Information Regarding 2011 Steam Generator Tube Inspection Report

THREE MILE ISLAND NUCLEAR STATION, UNIT 1 - REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING 2011 STEAM GENERATOR TUBE INSPECTION REPORT (TAC NO. ME8735)

Download ML12306A481

Pilgrim Watch Comment Regarding Additional Requirements For Containment Venting Systems For BWRs With Mark I And Mark II Containments In Support Of Filters And Rupture Discs

Hello:
Attached please find Pilgrim Watch Comment Regarding Additional Requirements For Containment Venting Systems For BWRs With Mark I And Mark II Containments In Support Of Filters And Rupture Discs prepared for the NRC Commissioners that will vote on whether or not to require filters and rupture discs on vents used to relieve pressure from the containment in a severe accident.

In a severe accident the amount of radioactivity released offsite from an unfiltered vent would be very large and damaging. It makes no sense not to add a filter to protect our families and property from contamination. Filtered systems are available, tested and in use today - for example  in Sweden, Germany, France, Switzerland and will be installed in Slovenia and Japan that learned the hard way the danger of not requiring filters and rupture discs before the accident.

Rupture discs are necessary so that neither water nor electrical supply is needed and operator intervention is not necessary to actuate the venting system to save containment in a pressure buildup.
Lessons learned from Fukushima showed the importance of requiring reactors designed like Mark I & II’s in the U.S. to install filtered DTV’s in order to:
     ·  Protect public health in the event that it is necessary to release.

     ·  Assure operators follow orders to open the vent. As in Japan, properly trained operators here are likely to decide not to open the DTV when they should because they fear the effects offsite of significant unfiltered releases.

As part of the Fukushima Lessons Learned Task Force, NRC Staff assigned to study whether to recommended filtering, did do (November 2012). It only made sense when considering that during normal operations and design based accidents gaseous releases are filtered but they are not filtered during severe accidents when the releases offsite will be the greatest.

Please consider contacting the NRC Commissioners in support of the attached comments ASAP; and also alert your members and elected officials to do the same.  I attached a word version for your convenience.

Vents affect all Mark I and Mark II BWRS that includes: Mark I BWR Reactors: Browns Ferry 1, 2 & 3 (AL); Brunswick 1 & 2 (NC); Cooper 1 (NE) Dresden 2 & 3 (Il); Duane Arnold 1 (IA);  Fermi 2 (MI);  Fitzpatrick 1 (NY);    Hatch 1 & 2 (GA); Hope Creek 1 (NJ); Monticello 1 (MN); Nine Mile Point 1 (NY);  Oyster Creek 1 (NJ);   Peach Bottom 2 & 3 (PA) ; Pilgrim 1 (MA); Quad Cities 1 & 2 (IL); Vermont Yankee 1 (VT). Mark II BWR Reactors: Columbia (WA); LaSalle, 1&2 (IL); Limerick 1 &2 (PA); Nine Mile (NY); Susquehanna, 1&2(PA)

Thank-you !

Mary Lampert
Pilgrim Watch, Director
148 Washington Street Duxbury, MA 02332

Susquehanna - NRC Baseline Security Inspection Report

SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 _ NRC BASELINE SECURITY INSPECTION REPORT O5OOO387/201 2405 AND 05000388/2012405

Download ML12324A040

PPL Act 129 Phase II Plan

Dear Stakeholder:

On November 1, 2012, the PA PUC issued a Secretarial Letter granting EDCs the ability to file their Act 129 Phase II EE&C Plan any time between November 1st and November 15th. This extension was granted in recognition of the need for EDC personnel to focus on storm response duties due to Hurricane Sandy.

PPL Electric Utilities would like you to know that we filed our Act 129 Phase II Plan on November 15th. The Phase II Plan is available for your review on our website by clicking here.

On behalf of PPL Electric Utilities, I’d like to thank you for your participation in our stakeholder meetings, as well as the input and ideas you shared with us during the plan development process.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mary Thompson Grassi at methompsongrassi@pplweb.com
Thank you.

Tom Stathos
Director, Customer Programs and Services

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

TMI Request for Additional Information Regarding 30- Day Report

THREE MILE ISLAND NUCLEAR STATION, UNIT 1 - REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING 30-DAY REPORT FOR EMERGENCY CORE COOLING SYSTEM MODEL CHANGES PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF 10 CFR 50.46 (TAC NO. ME8237)

Download ML12310A175

Three Mile Island Siren Test on Thursday, Nov. 15

LONDONDERRY TOWNSHIP, PA (Nov. 13, 2012) – Exelon Generation in cooperation with county emergency management officials will conduct up to six separate emergency warning siren tests on Thursday, Nov. 15.  Each test will last about three minutes.  The first test will be held at approximately 8 a.m.

Download PDF

Peach Bottom Notification To Perform An Inspection of Temporary Instruction

PEACH BOTTOM ATOMIC POWER STATION, UNITS 2 AND 3, NOTIFICATION TO PERFORM AN INSPECTION OF TEMPORARY INSTRUCTION 2201/004, "INSPECTION OF IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERIM CYBER SECURITY MILESTONES 1 - 7" AND REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Download ML12318A002

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Inspector General Reports

From NRC:
In accordance with the 1988 amendment to the Act, the NRC's Office of the Inspector General (OIG) was established on April 15, 1989, as an independent and objective unit to conduct and supervise audits and conduct investigations relating to NRC's programs and operations. The purpose of OIG's audits and investigations is to prevent and detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, and promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in NRC programs and operations. In addition, OIG reviews existing and proposed regulations, legislation, and directives, and provides comments, as appropriate, regarding any significant concerns.
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LIHEAP Program Opened Nov. 1

HARRISBURG – Eligible Pennsylvania residents are encouraged to apply for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

LIHEAP helps low-income people pay their heating bills through home energy assistance grants and crisis grants. Cash grants are awarded based on household income, family size, type of heating fuel and region. Crisis grants are provided in the event of a heating emergency, including broken heating equipment or leaking lines that must be fixed or replaced, lack of fuel, termination of utility service or danger of being without fuel or of having utility service terminated. In most counties, assistance with home heating crisis situations is available 24 hours a day.

The Department of Public Welfare is sending all LIHEAP clients who applied online last year a postcard notice encouraging them to reapply online. In the past, the department sent only paper applications to all perspective clients, even if those individuals applied online the previous year. Previous recipients of LIHEAP had the opportunity to apply prior to the LIHEAP program opening date of Nov. 1.

Prior applicants who did not apply online last year will still be mailed paper applications.

By way of the new postcard, clients will be provided with a pre-registration number giving them access to an online application that has already been filled out using last year’s data. Clients will simply have to ensure online information is correct and update anything that may have changed, such as an address.

All online applications are sent straight to the county office to determine eligibility, thereby eliminating mail and hand processing time.

New applicants can now begin applying for the program.

Susquehanna Supplemental Info. Needed for Acceptance of Requests Licensing Action Re: Exemption Request from the Biennial Emergency Preparedness Exercise Requirements of 10 CFR 50, Appendix E, Section IV.F.2.b

SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 ­ SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION NEEDED FOR ACCEPTANCE OF REQUESTED LICENSING ACTION RE: EXEMPTION REQUEST FROM THE BIENNIAL EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS EXERCISE REQUIREMENTS OF 10 CFR 50, APPENDIX E, SECTION IV.F.2.b (TAC NOS. ME9845 AND ME9846)

Download ML12310A208

"Focusing on the NRC Mission: Maintaining Our Commitment to Safety" Remarks by: NRC Chairman Allison M. Macfarlane

As a Commission, we are charged by statute to work as a collegial body. We each bring different backgrounds to the table and our ability to collaborate enhances public trust and industry confidence in our work.

I value this opportunity to meet with leaders of the nuclear industry to discuss a number of important issues. I have met many of you when you stopped by the NRC to introduce yourselves and your companies to me. I have appreciated these meetings as an opportunity to better understand your concerns.

Together, we maintain an important yet complex relationship. The NRC exists to independently oversee your industry and we provide the country with the reassurance that you alone cannot provide: that nuclear facilities will operate in a manner that protects the public’s health, safety, and security, as well as the environment.

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Federal Register notice (77 FRN 65137) for Waste Confidence EIS and Scoping - - and Nov. 14 Public Meeting Notice

Greetings,

The NRC intends to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to support the rulemaking to update the Commission’s Waste Confidence Decision and Rule, and is conducting scoping to gather information necessary to prepare the EIS.  A Federal Register notice (77 FRN 65137) was published on October 25, 2012, that announced the scoping period and provided additional details about upcoming public meetings and webinars.  The FRN can be found at the following web address:  https://federalregister.gov/a/2012-26295.

Public comments on the scope of the Waste Confidence environmental review will be accepted through January 2, 2013.  Comments may be submitted through the Federal government’s rulemaking website, www.regulations.gov, using Docket ID NRC-2012-0246; by mail to Cindy Bladey, Chief, Rules, Announcements, and Directives Branch (RADB), Office of Administration, Mail Stop: TWB-05-B01M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; or by fax to 301-492-3446.  Please do not send comments to this email address.

As part of the scoping process the NRC is planning to hold two webcast public meetings this Wednesday, November 14, 2012, and two webinars on December 5 and 6, 2012.  Meeting notices will be posted on the NRC’s public meeting website at http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/public-meetings/index.cfm.  The meeting notices will contain additional information, including agendas, teleconference phone line details, and information on how to access and participate in the webinars. 

This information will also be provided on the NRC’s Waste Confidence public website –http://www.nrc.gov/waste/spent-fuel-storage/wcd.html – which will be updated regularly with new public documents and information regarding the waste confidence EIS and rule.
We will send additional emails providing links to the meeting notices once they are issued.  Any immediate questions regarding the scoping process can be directed to Sarah Lopas, NEPA Communications Project Manager – Sarah.Lopas@nrc.gov or telephone (301) 492-3425.

AN UPDATE:
The first meeting notice for the November 14 meetings has been published:  http://pbadupws.nrc.gov/docs/ML1230/ML12306A224.pdf  (ADAMS Accession No. ML12306A224).  Please see that notice for details on how to register for the November 14 public meetings and how to view and participate in the webcasts of these meetings.  An additional meeting notice for the December webinars will be published soon.

Sincerely,

Staff of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Waste Confidence Directorate

Susquehanna Request for Additional Information

SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 - REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING REVISION 9 TO THE PPL SUSQUEHANNA LLC SECURITY PLAN, TRAINING & QUALIFICATION PLAN, SAFEGUARDS CONTINGENCY PLAN, AND INDEPENDENT SPENT FUEL STORAGE INSTALLATION SECURITY PROGRAM (TAC NO. D91660)

Download ML12292A322

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

NUREG-0654/FEMA-REP-1 Docket (FEMA-2012-0026) Has Reopened

This email is to notify you that docket FEMA-2012-0026 for the revision of NUREG-0654/FEMA-REP-1 has been reopened and is now able to receive comments. The docket can be accessed through the weblink http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=FEMA-2012-0026 or by logging on towww.regulations.gov and searching for FEMA-2012-0026.  The docket will remain open until January 31, 2013.

The NRC and FEMA encourage people to share their thoughts and ideas about the proposed revision. Regulations.gov is a website used by Federal agencies to collect thoughts and formal comments on proposed changes to current regulations and guidance, or new regulations and guidance. The site can also be used to search for original regulatory documents, and to view comments that have been submitted by other individuals.  

Feel free to pass this email on to others. Please remember that comments should focus on the process and proposed scope of the revision. The opportunity for comments on specific changes to the guidance will be available during the revision process itself.  FEMA and NRC will review your comments and suggestions on the path forward.  Please contact me at 301-415-0705 or carolyn.kahler@nrc.gov with any questions. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Carolyn J. Kahler
Communications and Outreach
Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response
US Nuclear Regulatory Commission

UPDATE 4-Sandy curtails US nuclear plants, oldest under alert

From Reuters:
NEW YORK, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Hurricane Sandy slowed or shut a half-dozen U.S. nuclear power plants, while the nation's oldest facility declared a rare "alert" after the record storm surge pushed flood waters high enough to endanger a key cooling system.
Exelon Corp's 43-year-old Oyster Creek plant in New Jersey remains on "alert" status, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) said early Tuesday. It is only the third time this year that the second-lowest of four emergency action levels was triggered.
"Oyster Creek is still in an alert but may be getting out of it as long as water levels continue to drop," NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan told Reuters.
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