ML091480581

G20090306/LTR-09-0229/EDATS: SECY-2009-0256 - Rep. John Ader, Ltr Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Plant - Relicensing Process

ML091480581
Person / Time
Site:	Oyster Creek
Issue date:	05/27/2009
From:	James Adler US Congress, US HR (House of Representatives)
To:	Klein D NRC/Chairman
Miller G, NRR/DLPM, 415-2481
Shared Package
ML091560405	List: ML091480581 ML091560411
References
CORR-09-0056, EDATS: SECY-2009-0256, FOIA/PA-2009-0214, G20090306, LTR-09-0229, SECY-2009-0256 ML091560405
Download: ML091480581 (5)

Text

V.

EDO Principal Correspondence Control FROM:

DUE: 06/15/09 Representative John Ader EDO CONTROL: G20090306 DOC DT: 05/27/09 FINAL REPLY:

TO:

Chairman FOR SIGNATURE OF Chairman Jaczko PRI CRC NO: 09-0229 DESC:

ROUTING:

Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Plant -Relicensing Process (EDATS: SECY-2009-0256)

DATE: 05/28/09 Borchardt Virgilio Mallett Ash Ordaz Burns/Gray Collins, RI

Burns, OGC

Schmidt, OCA

Shoop, OEDO ASSIGNED TO:

NRR CONTACT:

Leeds SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:

Coordinate with Region I and OGC, as appropriate.

Please prepare response in accordance with OEDO Notice 2009-0441-01 (ML090490315).

Staff may want to refer to the ADAMS Congressional Correspondence Folder prior when responding to this action.

Contact Undine Shoop, OEDO for insight and any guidance on the tone and content of the response.

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EDATS Number: SECY-2009-0256 Source: SECY GeealIfrmto Assigned To: NRR Other Assignees:

Subject:

Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Plant - Relicensing Process

==

Description:==

OEDO Due Date: 6/15/2009 5:00 PM SECY Due Date: 6/17/2009 5:00 PM CC Routing: Region I; OGC; OCA ADAMS Accession Numbers -

Incoming: NONE Response/Package: NONE Ote Inomto I

Cross Reference Number: G20090306, LTR-09-0229 Related Task:

File Routing: EDATS Staff Initiated: NO Recurring Item: NO Agency Lesson Learned: NO Roadmap Item: NO Prcs Infr ato I

Action Type: Letter Priority: Medium Sensitivity: None Signature Level: Chairman 4 Urgency: N OEDO Concurrence: YES OCM Concurrence: NO OCA Concurrence: NO Special Instructions: Coordinate with Region I and OGC, as appropriate. Please prepare response in accordance with OEDO Notice 2009-0441-01 (ML090490315). Staff may want to refer to the ADAMS Congressional Correspondence Folder when responding to this action. Contact Undine Shoop, OEDO for insight and any guidance oil the tone and content of the response.

0 I Doumn Inomtn I-Originator Name: Representative John Ader Originating Organization: Congress Addressee: Chairman Incoming Task Received: Letter Date of Incoming: 5/27/2009 Document Received by SECY Date: 5/28/2009 Date Response Requested by Originator: NONE Page 1 of l

'a OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET Date Printed: May 28, 2009 07:43 PAPER NUMBER:

ACTION OFFICE:

AUTHOR:

AFFILIATION:

ADDRESSEE:

SUBJECT:

ACTION:

DISTRIBUTION:

LETTER DATE:

ACKNOWLEDGED SPECIAL HANDLING:

TLTR-09-02 LOGGING DATE: 05/28/2009 EDO*

REP John Adler CONG Dale Klein Relicensing process for Oyster Creek Nuclear power plant Signature of Chairman OGC, RAS, RF, OCA to Ack 05/27/2009 No Commission Correspondence NOTES:

FILE LOCATION:

ADAMS DATE DUE:

06/17/2009 DATE SIGNED:

EDO -- G20090306

JOHN H. ADLER COMMITTEE ON FINANCIAL SERVICES THIRD DISTRICT, NEW JERSEY Subcommittee on Capital Markets, http://adler.house.gov Insurance and Government Sponsored Enterprises Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy and Technology Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations i tuie of epre atiiwue COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS

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irlngtio, BT* 211515-31103 Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity Subcommittee on Oversight May 27, 2009 and Investigations The Honorable Dale E. Klein, Chair U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555

Dear Chairman Klein:

I am writing in regard to the recent troubling event at Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Plant in Lacey Township, New Jersey, in which groundwater contaminated with high levels of tritium was discovered on site.

According to discussions with Exelon Corporation (licensee), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), on April 15, 2009, plant workers discovered high levels of radioactive tritium in standing water in a concrete cable vault on the site of Oyster Creek. Subsequent investigations revealed that tritiated water was leaking from at least two (2) buried pipes immediately surrounding the plant's condensate storage tank.

I would like to state that I have no reason to believe that Exelon Corporation and its highly trained professionals have been anything less than responsible and diligent in their handling of this matter.

I also fully recognize the environmental and economic benefits of nuclear energy, and the presence of Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Plant in my district. Oyster Creek provides enough round-the-clock reliable energy to power over 600,000 homes and, on average, supplies about 6% of New Jersey's total electricity needs. From an environmental perspective, the existence of Oyster Creek reduces the need to generate electricity from fossil fuels, thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming. Oyster Creek also benefits the community economically by employing close to 500 full-time area residents and contributing approximately $12 million in state and local taxes. Therefore, it is clear to me that the existence of Oyster Creek provides numerous benefits to the residents of my congressional district and the citizens of New Jersey.

Notwithstanding these benefits, this recent incident at Oyster Creek leads me to question the effectiveness of the Commission's system for detecting faulty pipes. It is imperative that the Commission promulgate rules and regulations to ensure the safety of the people who reside in the areas surrounding Oyster Creek and all nuclear power plants in the country.

Washington Office Toms River Office Marlton Office 1223 Longworth House Office Building 247 Main Street 28 North Maple Avenue Washington, DC 20515 Toms River, NJ 08753-7468 Marlton, NJ 08053-3021 (202) 225-4765 (732) 608-7235 (856) 985-2777 (202) 225-0778 FAX (732) 608-7268 FAX (856) 985-2788 FAX PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

In an effort to more fully understand the events that led up to the most recent tritium leak.

at Oyster Creek, and to prevent this type of incident from occurring in the future, please provide answers to the following questions:

1. Does the Commission require licensees to conduct inspections of their buried pipes? If not, why not? If so, how often are licensees required to inspect their buried pipes?

2. How much of each pipe is the licensee required to inspect - a segment or the entire pipe?

3. Is the inspection conducted on all of the licensee's buried pipes or just a sampling? If it is a sampling, how is this sampling determined and by whom is this sampling determined?

4. Does the Commission require an independent party to conduct buried pipe inspections in addition to the licensee? If not, why not?

5.. Regarding Oyster Creek specifically, when was the licensee most recently required to inspect their buried pipe system?

6. What did the licensee find as a result of this inspection?

7. Why did the licensee not find evidence of faulty piping?

8. Do you believe that the tritium leaks are caused by corrosion from inside the pipes, outside the pipes, or both?

9. Has the Commission ever considered requiring licensees to develop technologies and methods to inspect difficult-to-access buried pipe? If so, have these requirements been implemented? If not, why not?

Thank you for your prompt attention to this request. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly or Nancy Sopko in my office at 202-225-4765.

Sincerely,