MEETING MINUTES

Yankee Rowe Community Advisory Board
May 11, 2000

The Yankee Rowe Community Advisory Board met on Thursday, May 11, 2000 at the Charlemont Inn in Charlemont, MA. Chairman Gail Cariddi called the meeting to order at 7:12 PM.

CAB ATTENDEES

Doris Lewis
Allen Twitchell
Nina Newington
Bruce Lessels
Gail Cariddi
Jack Cable
Rick Williams
Lenny Laffond

The minutes of the March 30, 2000 CAB meeting were approved and accepted.

INTRODUCTIONS

Russ Mellor was introduced as the new President and CEO of Yankee Atomic Electric Co. and Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Co. Ken Heider was introduced as the new Vice President of Yankee Atomic and Connecticut Yankee.

PRESENTATIONS:

Decommissioning Update: Russ Mellor

Russ said that Yankee has completed more than 300,000 work hours without an accident or an Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) recordable safety incident.

Fuel inspection has been the main focus for the last month. Two tiers of fuel, 308 assemblies, have been inspected. Yankee has kept good records and no surprises were found. Yankee also measured the assemblies and found they have not bowed, which means the fuel will be accepted into the dry storage and transport system design.

The process of selecting a Decommissioning Operations Contractor (DOC) is progressing well. All material was received by May 8th.. Yankee is now evaluating the data and is on target for a July decision on a DOC.

Yankee's web site is up and running. The contents will be printed and mailed to all CAB members. The site can be accessed at www.yankee.com.

Site characterization efforts continue. Paint that contains PCBs has been chipping from the external surface of the containment structure. Traces have been found in the storm drains and in the pond sediment near the discharge point. The EPA and Mass. Department of Environmental Protection have approved Yankee's plan to develop a sampling and remediation program.

Nina Newington asked how many fuel assemblies would have to be reconstructed before being put in dry cask storage. Rick Williams answered that it will be between 6 and 12 assemblies. Damaged pins may be pulled from the assemblies and reconstructed.

An update from the Site Survey Sub-Committee on its last meeting was tabled until further notice.

SITE RELEASE PROCESS UPDATE:

Merrill Atkins Merrill Atkins was introduced as Yankee's Regulatory Affairs Manager. Merrill replaced Jane Grant. He has had extensive environmental experience working with New England Power Company cleaning up rivers. In April of this year, he became Yankee's Regulatory Affairs Manager. Merrill provided an update on the radiological and environmental condition of the site and the process for site closure. Merrill's presentation is attached.

Q & A during Merrill's presentation:

Bruce Lessels asked if Yankee signs over liability when turning over waste. Merrill said Yankee is still responsible, as there is no method of transferring liability.

Nina Newington asked how waste is stored at Envirocare, which is a low-level radioactive waste and mixed waste disposal facility in Clive, Utah. Yankee's mixed waste (radioactive and PCB) is sent to Envirocare. The CAB was promised more information on Envirocare.

Site dose maps depicting computer models of the remaining amount of radioactivity on the Yankee Rowe plant site were shown to CAB members. Based on current information, the maps showed that more than 90% of the Yankee Rowe plant site is less than 10 millirem and all the ground water is below the EPA 4 millirem limit. Bruce Lessels asked if a similar map could be used to show the radiation dose rate when Yankee completes decommissioning. Merrill indicated that was a good idea.

Nina Newington asked if Yankee is going to keep the 15 millirem level in the revised License Termination Plan. Russ responded that the NRC site release criteria is 25 millirem and the LTP is developed to address the critieria for release from the NRC license. However, he pointed out that before the property can be transferred for any future unrestricted use, the State of Massachusetts will require Yankee to meet a 10 millirem release criteria. Russ said Yankee thinks 10 millirem is better than 15 millirem. It was also pointed out that the majority of the site is already between zero and 10 millirem based on the dose maps. Nina registered dismay, on behalf of Citizens Awareness Network, that Yankee has gone back on an original and public commitment to use the 15 millirem level.

Nina asked if Yankee could get the CAB a primer on MARSSIM.

Bruce Lessels asked if the PCB-containing paint used by Yankee on the containment building was unusual. Merrill Atkins replied that this paint was commonly used in industrial facilities throughout the US prior to 1977.

Summary:

• Radiological and environmental characterization and remediation efforts continue
• Yankee will develop a site closure plan to facilitate discussion on the site release process
• Yankee will continue to work with stakeholders to achieve both radiological and environmental closure of the site

Stephen Angiulo, a member of the public, asked about Yankee's environmental impact. He was told that more than 40,000 environmental samples have been taken during the past forty years as part of an ongoing program to monitor the environment around the plant. The results have shown Yankee's impact to be minimal.

It was noted that Doris Lewis will be retiring and no longer will be a CAB member. She was given a hand for her fine job as CAB member and Secretary.

Gail Cariddi said a secretary must be elected and if one is not found at the next meeting she will appoint someone.

The next meeting will be held June 15, 2000, at 5 PM, at the Yankee Plant main office. The meeting will begin with a tour of the site. The rest of the agenda will be announced.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:40 PM.

A video of the meeting is available by calling Mandy Comai at 413-424-5498 or 802-423-7775, or e-mailing a request to mcomai@together.net or mcomai @yankee.com.

Respectfully submitted,
Doris Lewis Secretary