NRC Generic Letter 1980-60
- IA aUNITED STATES?2 XNUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION, gWASHINGTON. D. C. 20555July 2, 1980ALL APPLICANTS FOR CONSTRUCTION PERMITS AND OPERATING LICENSESGentlemen:SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION REGARDING EVACUATION TIMESThis letter is being sent to all applicants for construction permits and licenseesof plants under construction. The purpose of the letter is a request for informa-tion regarding estimates for evacuation of various areas around proposed nuclearpower plants. The information sought is described in our letter of December 26,1979 (copy enclosed). The requested submittal date for this information wassuspended by our letter of March 11, 1980.We are requesting that you submit evacuation time estimates on an acceleratedbasis to enable the NRC staff to identify, in a timely manner, those siteswhere evacuation constraints exist and special planning measures should beconsidered. In some cases of extreme difficulty where a large population isat risk, special facility modifications may also be appropriate. Theinformation requested in the enclosure should be submitted by August 1,1980. This time is shorter than provided in the December 26, 1979 letterbecause of the need for timely information and because the content of theinformation desired has been available to you for some months. Unitssharing the same site need not, of course, submit separate time estimates.This special request for information has been submitted to the GeneralAccounting Office and cleared by GAO as noted in the clearance block below:Approved by GAOB-180225 (S80010)Expires 80-09-30< > Sncerely,zi senwDivision of icensingOffice of Nuclear Reactor RegulationEnclosure:December 26, 1979 Letterw/Request for EvacuationTime Estimatescc: Service Lists
-or UNITED STATESNUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSIONtWASHINGTON, D. C. 20555December 26, 1979APPLICANTS FOR CONSTRUCTION PERMITS ANDLICENSEES OF PLANTS UNDER CONSTRUCTIONGentlemen:SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION REGARDING EVACUATION TIMESThis letter is being sent to all applicants for construction permits, andlicensees of plants under construction. The purpose of the letter is arequest for information regarding estimates for evacuation of various areasaround future nuclear power plants. The requested information is in additionto that requested by the November 21, 1979, letter to all applicants foran operating license and licensees of plants under construction fromDomenic B. Vassallo, Acting Director, Division of Project Management,Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.Although evacuation time estimates are expected to be prepared in the courseof the upgrading of the state of emergency preparedness as previously specifiedsubmission of these estimates to the NRC is being requested on an acceleratedtime scale so that the NRC can identify those instances in which unusualevacuation constraints exist and special planning measures should beconsidered. In some cases of extreme difficulty where a large populationis at risk, special facility modifications may also be appropriate. Theinformation requested in the enclosure should be submitted no later thanMarch 31, 1980.Previous correspondence Indicated that efforts to develop a model plan werecontinuing. It now appears that the model plan will not be completed on aschedule which will be of use in developing upgraded plans in the near term.The upgraded plan development should therefore proceed on a site-specificbasis.Sincerely, (Brian K. Grimes, DirectorEmergency Preparedness Task GroupOffice of Nuclear Reactor RegulationEnclosure:Request for Evacuation TimeEstimatescc w/enclosure:Service Lists EnclosureREQUEST FOREVACUATION TIME ESTIMATES (AFTER NOTIFICATION)FOR AREAS NEAR NUCLEAR POWER PLANTSBackgroundPrior to recent NRC requests that means for prompt notification to the publicbe installed around each nuclear power plant site, a significant componentof evacuation time estimates was the time required to notify the public of aneed for evacuation. Studies of actual evacuations that have taken placegenerally do not distinguish between the time required for notification, thetime required to implement the evacuation, and the time required to confirmthat an evacuation has taken place.- The estimates for time required forevacuations now requested relate primarily to the time to implement anevacuation as opposed to the time required for notification. These estimatesmay be based on previous local experiences (e.g., cnemical spills or floods)or may be based on studies related to population density, local geography androad capacities. No standard method for making such estimates is identifiedfor use at this time. The basis for the method chosen should be describedin the response. As a check on the evacuation time estimates, comments on thetime estimates made should be obtained from the principal local officialsresponsible for carrying out such evacuations. Such comments should beincluded in the submittal.The format given below is appropriate for reporting to the NRC estimates ofthe time required to implement evacuation of areas near nuclear power plants.These estimates, are to be made for the primary purpose of making available,to those officials who would make evacuation decisions in an emergencysituation, knowledge of the time required to complete one of the protectiveaction options (evacuation) available for a particular potentially affectedsegment of the population. A second purpose of these estimates is to identifyto all concerned those instances in which unusual evacuation constraintsexist ana that special planning measures should De considered. In somecases of extreme difficulty where a large population is at risk, specialfacility modifications may also be considered.Given a decision to evacuate rather than shelter in an actual event, feweror more sectors or different distances than given in the reporting formatmight be evacuated should this be the chosen protective action. Forexample, three 22-1/2° sectors might be initially evacuated in a downwinddirection (the sector containing the plume and an adjacent sector oneach side), followed by the evacuation of other sectors as a precautionarymeasure.Hans, J. M., Jr., and T. C. Sell, 1974 Evacuation Risks -An Evaluation,U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Environmental ResearchCenter, Las Vegas, EPA-620/6-74-UU2.
-2 -Formkt for Reportlng InformationThe areas for-which evacuation estimates are. required must encompass theentire area within a circle of about 10 miles radius, and have outerboundaries corresponding to the plume exposure EPZ. These areas areas follows:Distance Area2 miles two 1800 sectors5 miles: four 900 sectotrsabout 10 miles four 90° sectorsEstim'ates for' the outer sectors should assume' that the ininei adjacent sectors;are'being evacuated simUltaneously. To the e'xent practical ,the sectoW'boundaries'should-not divide densely populated areas. Wnere-a directiofcorlespondinng to the edges' of areas for which estimates- have ;beten mae# is-thought not to be adequately represented- by the time. estimates fct- adjacent-areas, an additional area should be defined and a separate estimate made;foe this case. The fdrmat for submittal should'include both a table and a-f'igurel(overlaid on a map) which each give the information requested in ltems51 and-2 beloWl. Additional matevial may be provided in associated text.R'eq'ured Inftifmation1. Twd estimates- are reequested irfe-ach of the areas defined'in'item 1 fora general evacuatibn of the population (not' including special facilfties).A best estimate is. required and itr adverse weather estimate 15 requi red:'for movement of thea-populatidn.2.- The total time required to evacuate special facilities (e.g., hospitals)within each area -ikAt be specified.(best estimate and aoverse weather).3. The t~i* requiredJfdr confirmation of evatUation shculd be indicated.Confiriiaton times may consider"'special instructions to the public (e.g.r-tying a hankerchief to a door or gate to indicate the occupant.has leftthe premises).4. Where plans and prompt notification systems have not been put in place-for areas out to about 1U miles, estimates of tne times required to evacuateuntil such measures -ae in' place for the plume exposure enertency planning.zone- (EPZ) should also be gsven. Noti1fication times greater than l5,minut6sshould-be includea in the evacuation times and footrotea to indicate thenotification time.
-3-5. Where special evacuation problems are identified (e.g., in highpopulation density areas), specify alternative protective actions,such as sheltering, which would reduce exposures and the effectivenessof these measures.6. A short background document should be submitted giving the methodsused to make the estimates and the assumptions made including theroutes and methods of transportation used. This document shouldalso note the comments of principal local officials regarding theseestimates.
ll e9n/` e-./Docket No6'--75/32350- 31150- 32250- 327/32850- 329/33050- 33950- 34150- 352/353S0-354/35550-35850- 361/36250- 36350- 36450- 36750- 369/37050- 373/37450- 38250- 387/38850- 38950-390/39150- 39550-39750-400/401/402/40350-404/40550-41050-41250-413/41450-416/41750-42350-424/42550-43750-438/43950-440/44150-443/44450-445/44650-448/44950-452/45350-454/455/456/45750-458/45950-460/51350-461/46250-46650-47150-48250-483/48650-48450-48550-488/489/49050-491/492/49350-496/49750-498/499S0- 500/50150- 50250- 508/50950- 514/515Docket No.50-516/51750-518/519/520/52150-522/52350-528/529/53050- 546/54750-54950-553/554SO- 556/55750-566/56750-568/56950-580/58150-582/58350- 592/59350- 596/597