ML19261A239
| ML19261A239 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vallecitos File:GEH Hitachi icon.png |
| Issue date: | 10/04/1978 |
| From: | Dircks W NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Tower J SENATE |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19261A240 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7810110200 | |
| Download: ML19261A239 (3) | |
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MGroff Gray File Docket iio. 50-70 EPeyton Green ticket file CNelson.
RDenise RIngram JCStepp
' The Honorable John Tower RReid EGCase
'nited States Senate JHanchett, Reg. V HRDenton
):ashington, D. C.
20510 RKratzke BGrimes
Dear Senator Tower:
This is in response to your September 11, 1978 ietter to Chairman Hendrie regarding the status of the General Electric Test Reactor (GETR) Show Cause proceeding.
Because this is still a matter that will be subject to review by the Commission, I have again been asked to make the reply.
I hope that I will be able to provide you with a more detailed picture of the status of the case than I was able to giye you in my February 9 le tter.
Presently General Electric Company (GE) is conducting a detailed fault investigation program at the GETR site.
GE expects that this investi-gation program, including documentation of the results, will take_ about two core renths to complete.' We expect that our evaluation of the pro-gram's results and the receipt of the reports of our consultants in this matter will take two months after prooram completion.
The refore, assuming timely completinn of the i6vestigation program and assuming the results of these investigations do not affect the applicability of the seismic design analyses and codifications already performed, the HRC staff's safety evaluation in this Show Cause Proceeding could be issued by the end of January 1979.
On June 1,1978, we requested that the Advisory Con:aittee on Reactor Safeguards review the GETR show cause issues.
Completion of this review will follow issuance of the NRC staff's safe;y evaluation and will involve an additional one to two months.
Tnerefore,
we now expect that the show cause issues could go before the board for final dec'ision in March 1979.
During the period from December 1977.to August 1978, GE attempted to support GETR's ability to withstand seismic events, including surface faulting from the postulated Verona fault, in lieu of performing detailed fault investigation.
Of particular difficulty in the re-view of this effort was the determination of acceptable seismic parameters associated with the postulated Verona fault, the character of unich had not been defined or limited by investigation.
By the beginning of August it was evident that the values of the Verona 2158 184 q p4LLPG
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crted fault seisric parameters, which the MC staff felt could be f//de by tiie lialteo availatde information, would be in excess 01 proDosed by GE.
This infomation was presented to GE during, oceting on August 9,197' prooram On August 18, 1978, GE proposed a detailed fault investigat10 d co'n-for the GETR site.
The NRC staff has re'/fewed this program siders the investigations to have a high like11 hoed for rasofying the issues regarding the existence of the Verona fault and its character-9, $ 3 istics as they relate to the potential for surface faulting.
the investigative program currently in progress.
Geol ogical As stated in our letter to you of February 9,1978, the U. S'nvoIVed I" Survey and the California Division of Mines and Geology are I HRC staff.
the GETR site review and have provided technical input to th" tions.
The They will continue to do so during the ongoing site invest 19 surface d
N?.C :;taff is also attempting to engage an additional expert j'n es geoscience faulting as a consultant in this esatter.
These groups as we )
specialists from GE and other parties to these proceedings d11 have the review the opportunity to accompany the NRC staff during site visits tb investigative work.
11 as the Tr:e interactions and discussions during the site visits as tants and documented te:nnical input to be provided by WC staff consu GE will be considered by the staff in cetermining its positi*" on GETR site geology and seismology. We believe that this arrange #g gj11 the con-provide the opinions of independent experts and thereby ser ceme nd,
sulting purpose of a special geologica]. tast force, as you f while perr.itting the NRC staff to deter'mine'its final posit 1*" and re-commendation to the bearing board in this proceeding.
We trust that the information provided is responsive to you' Sincerd y, (Signed)
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WiHbm J. Dirch N b
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Deputy Executive Director i U for Operations
Enclosure:
Ltr. to J. Hendrie froc: Sen. J. Tower dtd. 9/11/78 OCA
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FEB 9 1973 hT Honorable John G. Tower United States Senate Washington, D. C.
20510
Dear Senator Tower:
I am pleased to reply to your letter of December 20, 1977, to Chairman Hendrie re^garding the recent Order issued by the Commission's Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation directing the General Electric Company to suspend operation of the General Electric Test Reactor (the GETR) at the Vallecitos Nuclear Center near Pleasanton, California.
Since, as noted below, this matter may be considered by an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) and since an ASLB decision would be subject to review by the Commission, it would not be appropriate for the Chairman to respond to your letter at this time.
Accordingly, it has been referred to me for reply.
You have urged that we take immedi-te steps, consistent with safe, accident-free operation, to perr..esumption of GETR operations at the earliest possible time and thus resume the supply of radioisotopes from the GETR.
You have also urged that we give serious consideration to the appointment of a special task force composed of competent, independent, private geological consultants to speed up the process of obtaining the necessary geological data upon which to base our decision regarding resumption of operation of the GETR.
The enclosure, " Matters of Concern in Connection with Nuclear Regulatory Commission's October 24, 1977 Show Cause Order to General Electric Company Relating to the General Electric Test Reactor," with its attachments provides a brief summary of the status and issues relevant to this facility.
As stated in the enclosure, public interest in this matter has been high.
The NRC has been requested to hold public hearings on the Show Cause issue before allowing continued operation of the GETR.
The Commission is currently reviewing two specific petitions - one from the Honorable Ronald V. Dellums and one from Friends of the Earth - which ask for a hearing before resumption of GETR operation is authorized.
If these petitions are granted, the decision to allow interim operation rests with the Atcmic Safety and Licensing Board.
This Board will receive testimony from the NRC staff, General Electric Company and other hearing partici-pants at a public hearing, on which its decision will be based.
2158 186
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p7p'Wetoowereconcernedaboutthepotentiaiimpactthat the GETR shutdu<.n and h[F resulting disruptiun of the supply of radioisotopes, particularly these for medical purposes, might have.
Please refer to the October 28, 1977 memoran-dum (see Attachment 3 of the enclosure) from our radiopharmaceutical consul-5 tant, Captain William H. Briner, USPH (ret.) which summarizes the results of a comprehensive study, completed prior to the October 27, 1977 shutdown of the GETP,, on current need and future supply of radionuclides which are essen-tial for medical and industrial purposes.
The study concluded that no sig-nificant shortage of medically important radionuclides should occur as a result of the GETR shutdown.
With regard to the appointment of a special task force to gain the necessary geological information as quickly as possible, we would like to point out that we have alreaoy asked the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the inde-pende.nt consulting firm of Newmark & Hall to provide consultation and advice in the areas of geology, seismology and structural analysis.
We have also sought and obtained advice from the California Division of Mines and Geology in the area of landslides.
It is our view that the establishment of a special task force at this time would not speed up the process, but would more likely require additional time.
Because the geological features related to the GETR site are highly complex and the amount of actual hard data is very limited, conside-able time would be required for such tase. force to provide a meaningful assessment involving (1) assimilation of the available data, (2) development of arguments to deal with concerns where no data is available, and (3) professional judgment based on researching the applicability of other seismic events at other places having somewhat highly competent geologists, seismologists and structural engineers who have been involved in this matter for some time and who are now in the process of analyzing the relevant data; the staff has also requested the assistance of USGS which has also been involved in the geologic investigation to date.
Consequently, it is our opinion that the course of action we are presently pursuing will be the most expeditious way of proceeding to resolve our concerns.
We trust that the information providad in this letter and its enclosure is responsive to your concerns.
Sincerely, 1
W Lk 2 k.h m.
J William J. Dircks Assistant Executive Director for Opera + ions
Enclosure:
Matters of Concern in Connection with NRC's October 24, 1977 Show Cause Order to GE Relating to the GETR 2158 187
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