TMI Update: Jan 14, 2024

THREE MILE ISLAND NUCLEAR STATION, UNIT 1 – NRC CYBER SECURITY INSPECTION REPORT 05000289/2014405

Download ML14171A180

The NRC has added your submission to the hearingdocket “TMI-Alert’s Testimony, June 10, 2014,” to the ADAMS public library, and it can be located as accession number ML14169A487, or by using the hyperlink listed below.
 
View ADAMS P8 Properties ML14169A487

Open ADAMS P8 Document (Letter - Testimony of Eric Epstein, RE: NRC's Draft Safety Evaluation in Support of the Proposed Extended Power Uprate License Amendment for Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Units 2 & 3)
 
Thank you for your submission.

Rebecca Giitter
Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff
Office of the Secretary
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
Contact: Giselle Barry (Markey) 202-224-2742
 
Markey Queries NRC About Unescorted Access to U.S. Nuclear Power Plants for Chinese Personnel
 
Documents indicate NRC was aware that Chinese personnel met unescorted access requirements
 
Washington (June 16, 2014) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, today queried the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) about a “job shadow” program with Westinghouse that placed dozens of Chinese personnel at U.S. nuclear reactors at the same time at which several members of the Chinese military who were recently indicted by the Department of Justice were allegedly engaged in hacking of Westinghouse and other U.S. companies’ systems to steal trade secrets. At a June 4 EPW Committee hearing, NRC Commissioner George Apostolakis testified that NRC regulations did not allow for such unescorted access. However, a Westinghouse document obtained by Senator Markey’s office indicates that the NRC was told that Chinese nationals participating in the job shadow program “will meet unescorted access requirements” before their arrival in the U.S. Senator Markey is asking the NRC to correct the Committee hearing record in writing and respond to other questions about how the Chinese personnel were found to have met the criminal and other background checks required by NRC regulations.
 
Earlier this month, Senator Markey sent a letter to the NRC requesting any and all documents related to this “job shadow” program.
 
“While the specific actions that might have been taken by the Chinese participants while they were in the U.S. as part of the ‘job shadow’ program may be under investigation by the Department of Justice, the NRC has responsibility for examining the adequacy of its regulations when circumstances may reveal weaknesses therein,” writes Senator Markey in the letter to NRC Chairman Alison Macfarlane. “NRC also has a responsibility to provide accurate information to Congress.”
 
A copy of Senator Markey’s letter to the NRC can be found HERE.

Visit website

Updates on

June 10, 2014

Before the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards Re: Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Draft Safety
Evaluation in Support of the Proposed Extended Power Uprate License Amendment for the Peach Bottom Atomic
Power Station Units 2 & 3

Download PDF

Three Mile Island Emergency Siren Test Scheduled for June 5
Sirens to sound for three minutes at 12:15 p.m.

LONDONDERRY TWP., PA.  (June 3, 2014) – Exelon Generation will conduct its semi-annual, full volume test of the Three Mile Island emergency warning sirens on Thursday, June 5 at 12:15 p.m.   During the test the sirens will sound for three minutes.

The emergency warning siren system consists of 96 sirens located in parts of Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties that are located within a 10-mile radius of TMI.  The purpose of the sirens is to alert residents to tune to an Emergency Alert Broadcast Station for information from Pennsylvania state officials.   During the test the Emergency Alert Broadcast system will not be activated.

Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR)

“Environmental Radiation Protection Standards for Nuclear Power Operations” (40 CFR 190)
Comments now due August 3, 2014

EPA has extended the ANPR comment period to give the public more time to prepare written comments.  The extension was signed by the Assistant Administrator for the EPA Office of Air and Radiation. A notice will be soon published in the Federal Register. Comments are now due on August 3, 2014.

To be considered, comments must be submitted in writing to the 40 CFR 190 Docket No. EPA-HQ- OAR–2013–0689.

Financing 101 for Contractors: Making Energy Efficiency Improvements Affordable for Your Customers

Affordability is a key concern of many homeowners when it comes to installing high efficiency and other energy-saving improvements. As the price of energy efficiency improvement increases, more and more consumers are looking for simple fixed rate monthly payment plans that can be offset by energy savings. Most consumers want the stability and certainty of a fixed monthly payment and many are reluctant to make the investment in energy efficiency upgrade if the only financing option they are offered by a contractor is a large cash payment or the type of variable payment or "teaser" rate plan that converts to a much higher rate and payment when the promotional period is over. Attend this FREE session to learn about Keystone HELP, Power Saver Loans and AFC's National Energy Loan Program and strategies that will help you grow your business from Ken Yeager, AFC First's Vice President of National Accounts.

When: Friday, June 20th

9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Coffee will be served

Where: Albright College

(Science Center, Room #256)

1621 N. 13th Street, Reading, Pennsylvania

Click here for a map of the campus

Who Should Attend: All contractors in the HVAC, insulation and energy efficiency home improvement business

Register Here

Visit website

Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR)
“Environmental Radiation Protection Standards for Nuclear Power Operations” (40 CFR 190)
Comments due June 4, 2014
You may submit comments on the ANPR for 40 CFR 190 by clicking on the link below--

Submit comments 

We have found that the link may not work in all Internet browsers. If the above link does not take you to the correct page, please copy-and-paste the following web address into your browser:

http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=EPA-HQ-OAR-2013-0689-0001
 
Comments may also be submitted by mail:  for instructions, please see the Advance Notice of Public Rulemaking.
 
Thank you for your interest in “Environmental Radiation Protection Standards for Nuclear Power Operations”
 
 
Tony Nesky
Center for Radiation Information and Outreach

For Immediate Release                                 Contact:  Mary Kerr or Kate Gilman: 202-224-8832
May 15, 2014                                 mary_kerr@epw.senate.govorkate_gilman@epw.senate.gov
                                                                                      Michael Briggs (Sanders): 202-224-5141
                                                                                      Giselle Barry (Markey): 202-224-2742
 
U.S. Senate Committee on
Environment and Public Works
 
Senators Boxer, Sanders and Markey Call on NRC to Protect Communities Living Near Decommissioning Nuclear Reactors
Noting wildfires and evacuations near the San Onofre nuclear plant, Senators call on NRC to stop waiving emergency response measures at decommissioned sites
 
 
Washington, D.C. -- In light of the dangerous, fast-moving wildfires that erupted in San Diego County, including in an area near the San Onofre nuclear power plant,Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) sent a letter to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) urging the Commission to reverse its unwise policy of granting requests to terminate emergency response regulations at decommissioning nuclear reactors throughout the nation.  Southern California Edison evacuated a dozen employees yesterday from the now closed San Onofre nuclear plant due to the wildfires.  The EPW Committee held a hearing on Wednesday to examine the issues facing communities located near decommissioning nuclear reactors.  During the hearing, the NRC acknowledged the dangers associated with a spent nuclear fuel fire, which could result in large radioactive releases and widespread contamination.
 
Senators Boxer, Sanders and Markey introduced legislation on Tuesday to address spent fuel storage, emergency preparedness and decommissioning plans at nuclear plants across the country.
 
The full text of the letter is below:
 
May 15, 2014
 
The Honorable Allison M. Macfarlane
Chairman
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Rockville, MD 20852
 
Dear Chairman Macfarlane:
 
As you know, we are extremely concerned about safety issues surrounding decommissioning nuclear power plants.
 
On the same day as the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee’s hearing on these issues, a dangerous, fast-moving set of fires erupted in San Diego County, including in the vicinity of the San Onofre nuclear plant. In response to one of these fires, Southern California Edison evacuated a dozen employees from the plant.
 
As you know, San Onofre currently contains 2,600 highly radioactive fuel rods in its spent nuclear fuel pools that were originally designed to hold only 1,600.  In the event of a fire at the plant, the electricity needed to keep the pools full and cooled could be cut off, causing the water in the pools to boil off and the spent fuel to spontaneously ignite.  The National Academy of Sciences[1](NAS) and the NRC[2] have both found that a spent fuel fire could result in large radioactive releases and widespread contamination.  NRC’s analysis has concluded that the health and economic impacts of a spent fuel fire could equal those caused by an accident at an operating reactor. In addition, you co-authored a paper[3] that found that the consequences of such an event could exceed those that occurred at Chernobyl.  At yesterday’s hearing, NRC acknowledged these dangers in response to our questions.
 
Southern California Edison and Entergy have recently requested exemptions from the emergency response regulations designed to protect the surrounding communities from the consequences that events such as wildfires, earthquakes or terrorist attacks could cause.  The NRC has never once refused a request to terminate the emergency response measures designed to protect the safety of communities living near decommissioning reactors.  We trust the Commission will reverse this unwise policy, and insist on continued compliance with all safety and security precautions at shut down plants going forward.
 
We also urge the Commission to require all nuclear reactor operators to move the spent fuel rods stored in spent fuel pools into safer dry cask storage as quickly as it can be done, and to require operators to also incorporate state and local government views into their plans for decommissioning reactors.
 
Thank you for your attention to this important matter. We expect the Commission’s response as soon as possible, and plan a hearing with the Commission to further discuss these and other vital safety concerns.
 
Sincerely,
 
Senator Barbara Boxer
Chairman
 
Senator Bernie Sanders
Senator Edward J. Markey
 
###
 
 
Colin MacCarthy
Majority Staff Assistant/Press Assistant
Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
410 Dirksen Senate Office Building