ML092740570
| ML092740570 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Turkey Point  |
| Issue date: | 09/29/2009 |
| From: | Saporito T Renewable Electric Systems |
| To: | NRC/SECY |
| References | |
| LTR-09-0482 | |
| Download: ML092740570 (5) | |
Text
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET Date Printed: Sep 29, 2009 17:15 PAPER NUMBER:
ACTION OFFICE:
AUTHOR:
AFFILIATION:
ADDRESSEE:
SUBJECT:
ACTION:
DISTRIBUTION:
LETTER DATE:
ACKNOWLEDGED SPECIAL HANDLING:
LTR-09-0482 "Emr't" LOGGING DATE:
09/29/2009 C.&: DEDMRT Mr. Thomas Saporito a
DEDR DEDCM FL AO NRC,ExecSec Q,
0 16,ý s 100 News release - NRC considering sanctions against Florida Power and Light Company regarding operation of the Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant Appropriate C
09/29/2009 No Immediate public release via SECY/EDO/DPC c A' Te,&a tQw1L
~ (~$tot 2q 4W D(VVLLU2 3Jt)7ý NOTES:
FILE LOCATION:
,DATE DUE:
DATE SIGNED:
Mike, Linda From:
Thomas Saporito [support@renewableelectricsystems.com]
Sent:
Tuesday, September 29, 2009 2:31 PM To:
support@renewableelectricsystems.com
Subject:
<<< NEWS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - FPL - NRC >>>
RenewableElectricSystems.com Not-For-Profit Educational Organization Post Office Box 8413, Jupiter, Florida 33468-8413 Voice: (561) 247-6404 Fax: (561) 952-4810 Email: SupportnRenewableElectricSystems.com Website: RenewableElectricSystems.com Date: 29 SEP 2009
Contact:
Thomas Saporito Office: 561-247-6404 Mobile: 561-972-1452 News for Immediate Release:
NRC CONSIDERING SANCTIONS AGAINST FPL REGARDING OPERATION OF THE TURKEY POINT NUCLEAR POWER PLANT In January 2009, Thomas Saporito (Saporito) filed a petition with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) seeking enforcement action against the Florida Power and Light Company (FPL) regarding operations at the FPL Turkey Point Nuclear Plant (TPN). According to Saporito, "A hostile work environment exists at the Turkey Point facility which dissuades nuclear workers from raising nuclear safety complaints to FPL management or directly to the NRC."
The NRC is the government agency directly responsible for the oversight of 104-operating nuclear reactors across the United States. Saporito was the first whistleblower fired by FPL after he raised substantial nuclear safety complaints directly to NRC investigators related to operations at the Turkey Point Nuclear facility in 1988. FPL offered Saporito a cash settlement in excess of $500,000 dollars but Saporito rejected that offer seeking reinstatement for the benefit of his coworkers. Years of litigation followed Saporito's termination.
Please follow this link to view the history of this case.
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/document-preview.aspx?doc id=-12234249 Since Saporito's termination in 1988, approximately 20-30 other nuclear workers at FPL's nuclear facilities have filed whistleblower claims against FPL. Most recently, FPL fired Paul Infanger, who held the position of Licensing Manager at the FPL Turkey Point Nuclear facility. Infanger was fired shortly after [h]is written report to the NRC showed that FPL's employee concerns program was a failure and that nuclear workers had no trust in the program. Please follow this link to review Infanger's report.
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/document-preview.aspx?doc id=10951904 Infanger filed a whistleblower lawsuit with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and shortly thereafter FPL settled the case by compensating Infanger about $190,000 dollars and forgoing any repayment of the huge bonus Infanger received in accepting the job at Turkey Point. Following the termination of Infanger, a senior I
nuclear plant operator at the Turkey Point Nuclear facility, David Hoffman abruptly quit [his] job because FPL management was apparently trying to force Hoffman to restart one of the nuclear reactors in less than 12-hours after the reactor had shut-down due to a voltage discrepancy on FPL's high-voltage overhead power distribution system. Hoffman also filed a whistleblower complaint with the DOL and the matter is pending. In addition, Hoffman and FPL are suing each other about the huge bonus FPL gave to Hoffman to work at the Turkey Point Nuclear facility.
"How many other nuclear workers at the Turkey Point Nuclear Plant know of nuclear safety issues but fear retaliation by FPL if they voice their concerns?" Saporito asked. The NRC requires its reactor operators, like FPL, to foster a work environment at the Turkey Point Nuclear facility that encourages employees to raise nuclear safety complaints to FPL management or directly to the NRC without any fear of retaliation. Such a work environment is required because the NRC has limited resources and depends on nuclear workers at Turkey Point to be the agency's eyes and hears to nuclear safety concerns in the interest of protecting public health and safety.
Notably, FPL was recently fined by the NRC for having security guards asleep on duty at Turkey Point; and other guards covered for the sleepers; and a security person disassembled his weapon on duty. FPL paid in excess of $400,000 in security related violations at the Turkey Point Nuclear facility. According to Saporito, "The customers of FPL should not have to pay for FPL 's mismanagement of the Turkey Point Nuclear Power plant in the current $1.3-billion dollar rate case related to fines FPL paid to the NRC."
FPL has recently made application to the NRC for the construction of two more nuclear power plants to be located near the existing Turkey Point nuclear facility at an estimated cost of $1 8-billion dollars and an apparent
$16-billion dollar build out of supporting infra-structure including an overhead high-voltage power distribution system. Saporito is currently scheduled to make a presentation before he City of South Miami located at:
http://www.cityofsouthmiami.net/index.php?src=events&srctype=detail&category-=Main&refno=23137 regarding FPL's plan to build these two additional nuclear plants. "It is incredibly hard to believe that the NRC would even consider FPL 's application to build two more nuclear plants when FPL cannot manage the nuclear plants they now operate. "Saporito said. Professor Philip Stoddard will join Saporito at the Commissioners' meeting on October 6th. Both Saporito and Stoddard will be available to the media to answer questions following Saporito's presentation.
"Solar-voltaic electric power generation is the future of Florida - there is absolutely no need to construct additional nuclear power plants in Florida when power from the sun provides free and clean energy for everyone. " Saporito said.
<<< End >>>
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FACILITY:
Turkey Point (TP), Units 3 and 4 OPEN PETITION REA&OR TYPE:
Pressurized-Water Reattar UNDER PETITIONER:
Thatirtas Saporito U.S. N CONSIDERAnOU DblE OF PElrnitoi.,
,DrRMCrR'3 DEitsIoNw (66) TO BE isS~on By:
FINALi D150 U~C PEýTINTIO AAG4W~iýEMTO:
CASE A1T*4keY:,
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,JAýS6N PAIG4E MOLLY SAAKMAN inie petitonrOrequests mat [he NI'(t tite enl"Oefri'taeel.
89fenst Honeda Powerl and Light tQompany (F-IFLJ, the t~cnsee lof TF, Urlt tad4 ~
issuing a Notice cLt Violatuon and Civi Pftnaly in Me amuntu of $1 million anid aConfinnetor Order mordifying FPLs oper atin lie~rses, CP,31 aill DPR-41 tori TP UnitS 3 an 4, as described in the Janurary 11, 2W%, 10 CFR 2.206 petiton reques~t RASIS FOR THE REQIJEST On or atciul ýanuary IT7,00$~3, th lic~aee. FPL. completed a self. asessrmrr of te TP, Unit 3 and it facility, wich irdn t an asseswrrlen of it-TP Employete Conrtns pr<ýr
[ECPI he) pourpose tof hIf-sl oisvsiýnt was, for FPt. toui rowet and address voacness er in 6e ECýp The pet~ibner slates that FRI. has continually en, 9e in r aoyatosagainst its own emptoyees who raise safety concernr at TP Units 3 and 4, and Mat the errioceamen: actions soxg1. l the =fmatrr y order, w4ll dwiundo FP from further Vticlaons 01 NRC reghiat ion ad re~quhnr mtsundrvr ICFR 50.ijirl irtc The Pet tonercontenrds that suCh Iro VI Prowle triopijbLi;heath a satvy by eknirinwnong Mhe chitng effect tht'4 currently existsat TP Units5 3 antI 4 aind fostering a wQoA erivrorment in w~iicli rrnplti'ees can freel raise sar'Vly concernss direc4t to the NRC and FF1. nrai-agerrnt 'willhal fear W1 retzliciatioi.
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From: Thomas Saporito <support@renewableelectricsystems.com>
To: <support@renewableelectricsystems.com>
Subject:
<<< NEWS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - FPL - NRC >>>
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:30:41 -0400 Organization: RenewableElectricSystems.com Message-ID: <000001 ca4l32$fd296840$0101 a8cO@sec5l97bl 9ad60>
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