ML020920808

G20020183/LTR-02-0230 - Christine Patronik-Holder, Et Al. Ltr Re Requests That Firstenergy Corporation Be Required to Provide a Whole Plant X-ray Examination Followed by a Full System Walk-Down of the Davis-Besse Nuclear Plant in Oak Harbor

ML020920808
Person / Time
Site:	Davis Besse, Cook, Yankee Rowe
Issue date:	03/21/2002
From:	Greenberg S, Hughes D, Patronik-Holder C, Simpson A, Trepal C, Waltzer K, Wasserman H, Weir S Citizen Power, Citizens Protecting Ohio, Earth Day Coalition, Environmental Health Watch, Ohio Citizen Action, Ohio Environmental Council, Ohio Public Interest Research Group, Safe Energy Communication Council
To:	Meserve R NRC/Chairman
References
-RFPFR, G20020183, LTR-02-0230
Download: ML020920808 (5)

Text

EDO Principal Correspondence Control FROM: DUE: 04/22/02 EDO CONTROL: G20020183 DOC DT: 03/21/02 FINAL REPLY:

Christine Patronik-Holder Safe Energy Communication Council Chris Trepal, Earth Day Coalition Amy Simpson, OH Public Interest Res. Group Stuart Greenberg, Environmental Health Watch Shari Weir, Ohio Citizen Action David Hughes, Citizens Power Harvey Wasserman, Citizens Protecting Ohio Kurt Waltzer, Ohio Environmental Council Chairman Meserve FOR SIGNATURE OF : ** GRN ** CRC NO: 02-0230 Collins, NRR DESC: ROUTING:

Request FirstEnergy Corporation be required to Travers Provide a "Whole Plant" X-Ray Examination Followed Paperiello by a Full System Walk-Down of the Davis-Besse Kane Nuclear Plant Norry Craig Burns/Cyr DATE: 04/01/02 Dyer, RIII ASSIGNED TO: CONTACT:

NRR Collins SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:

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OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET Date Printed.Mar 29, 2002 16:28 PAPER NUMBER: LTR-02-0230 LOGGING DATE: 03/29/2002 ACTION OFFICE: EDO AUTHOR: Christine Patronik-Holder (OH)

AFFILIATION: OH ADDRESSEE: CHRM Richard Meserve

SUBJECT:

Requests that FirstEnergy Corporation be required to provide a "whole plant" X-ray examination followed by a full system walk-down of the Davis-Besse nuclear plant in Oak Harbor ACTION: Direct Reply DISTRIBUTION: Chrm, Comrs.

LETTER DATE: 03/21/2002 ACKNOWLEDGED No SPECIAL HANDLING:

NOTES: SECY to Ack FILE LOCATION: ADAMS DATE DUE: 04/22/2002 DATE SIGNED:

EDO -- G20020183

Safe Energy Communication Council Earth Day Coalition Ohio Citizen Action Ohio EnvironmentalCouncil Citizen Power Citizens ProtectingOhio Ohio Public InterestResearch Group EnvironmentalHealth Watch March 21, 2002 Dr. Richard A. Meserve Chairman U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission One White Flint North 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, Maryland 20852-2738

Dear Chairman Meserve:

Ohio groups today, Thursday, March 21, 2002 call upon you to protect the public health and safety of all Ohioans by requiring FirstEnergy Corporation to provide a "whole plant" X-ray examination followed by a full system walk-down of the Davis-Besse nuclear power plant in Oak Harbor, and to require that the plant remain closed until a new reactor head is installed.

The NRC approved a full X-ray for the Yankee Rowe nuclear plant in Massachusetts, which subsequently closed. A full system walk-down conducted at Michigan's Cook Nuclear Reactor after start-up had been authorized resulted in the discovery of numerous safety violations.

FirstEnergy reported in mid-February that cracks in the reactor's stainless steel nozzles allowed acid to eat through a six-inch-thick carbon steel head, leaving a mere 3/8 of an inch protection. The company proposes to mend the half-foot thick hole in the reactor with a "patch." On March 19, an additional area of corrosion was discovered.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission could not explain the leakage and described the degradation as the most extensive corrosion ever found on the vessel head of any American nuclear reactor saying: "It's certainly very unusual.... Certainly, it's a deterioration of a very important safety feature."

Sixty-nine of the nation's 103 commercial nuclear power plants are constructed with a pressurized water reactor design similar to Davis-Besse. However, the NRC has notified all of the nation's nuclear power plants to be on the alert for this unusual problem.

Davis-Besse's checkered history of safety and shut-downs was carefully documented in a report titled "Stainless Steel Clad: The Dutchboy's Finger in the Davis-Besse Dike" released yesterday by the Union of Concemed Scientists. It is clear that after 25 years of operation, the plant is already aging poorly showing signs of stress due to extensive heat

Davis-Besse concerns page 1 of 2 and radiation, in addition to the extraordinary steel cap deterioration. Yet, FirstEnergy says itwants to extend plant's operating license until 2027.

The company's failure to follow safety regulations has led to this unprecedented occurrence, which demands unprecedented action. As advocates for consumers and the environment, we urge the NRC and the State of Ohio to require the most stringent inspection ever developed, including X-ray examinations for even the smallest cracks and leaks followed by a walk-down of the entire system before the plant is allowed to resume operations.

The people of Ohio deserve more than filling the holes of what is becoming a nuclear sieve with an assortment of makeshift plugs.

Sincerely, Safe Energy Communication Council Ohio Citizen Action Christine Patronik-Holder Shari Weir 660 Crackel Road 614 Superior NW Aurora, Ohio 44202 Cleveland, Ohio 44113 440-708-1755 216-861-5200 Earth Day Coalition Citizen Power Chris Trepal David Hughes 3606 Bridge Avenue 2424 Dock Road Cleveland, OH 44113-3314 Madison, Ohio 44057 216-281-6468 x227 412-421-6072 Ohio Public Interest Research Group Citizens Protecting Ohio Amy Simpson Harvey Wasserman 2460 Fairmount Blvd 735 Euclaire Avenue Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44106 Bexley, Ohio 43209 216-791-1116 614-231-0507 Environmental Health Watch Ohio Environmental Council Stuart Greenberg Kurt Waltzer 4115 Bridge Ave. #104 1207 Grandview Suite 201 Cleveland, OH 44113 Columbus, Ohio 43212 216/961-4646 614-487-7506 cc: Jan Strasma, Office of Public Affairs, Region III

660 Crackel Road Aurora, Ohio 44202 Dr. Richard A. Meserve Chairman U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission One White Flint North 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, Maryland 20852-2738 I