ML042610175
| ML042610175 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Davis Besse, Perry  |
| Issue date: | 08/13/2004 |
| From: | Buchanan S - No Known Affiliation |
| To: | Caldwell J NRC/RGN-III |
| References | |
| Download: ML042610175 (2) | |
Text
August 13,2004 Mr. James Caldwell Region I11 Administrator Nuclear Regulatory Commission 2443 Warrenville Rd., Suite 210 Lisle, IL 60532-4352
Dear Mr. Caldwell,
As you know, Ohio Citizen Action opposed your decision to allow FirstEnergy to reopen the Davis-Besse plant earlier this year. We warned that although the company had invested money in the hardware at Davis-Besse, the company as a whole does not know how to run nuclear plants safely, and the financial pressures on the company and workforce will continue to make the situation worse. We and others pointed out that the companys intense scramble to get Davis-Besse up and running was draining resources from the companys other two nuclear plants.
Two significant events have occurred at FirstEnergy nuclear plants in the last ten days:
at the plant, and was forced to shut down.
Perry plant that you are sending in additional inspectors.
- 1) On Wednesday, August 4, Davis-Besse had a scram7 when a fuse apparently blew
- 2) Yesterday, you announced that FirsEnergy has made enough safety mistakes at the FirstEnergys response to these situations has been the same as its been for the past three years. They claim the Davis-Besse shutdown was normal, and that the Perry problems will be addressed by yet another personnel reorganization. And, just as in the past, the company is playing musical chairs with its executives, putting the same people in charge of Perry who spent two years falsely claiming that Davis-Besse was ready to restart at any moment.
What will it take for the NRC to realize that FirstEnergy must not be allowed to run nuclear power plants? You have already allowed them to come within three-eighths of an inch of a major nuclear accident at Davis-Besse. You have allowed them to make repeated mistakes in running Perry at a time when the company should have been on its best behavior. Will FirstEnergy have to cause an actual nuclear disaster before the NRC takes preventive action?
The Atomic Energy Act of 1954, which chartered NRCs predecessory, the Atomic Energy Commission, stated,
- b. The Commission shall issue such licenses on a nonexclusive basis to persons applying therefor... (2) who are equipped to observe and who agree to observe such safety standards to protect health and to minimize danger to life or property as the Commission may by rule establish.
Please write me back and tell me under what circumstances you would consider stripping FirstEnergy of its authority to run these plants.
Sincerely, Sandy Buchanan Executive Director