ML12270A138
| ML12270A138 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | San Onofre  |
| Issue date: | 09/24/2012 |
| From: | Peevey M State of CA, Public Utilities Commission |
| To: | Agran L City of Irvine, CA, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| References | |
| LTR-12-0544 | |
| Download: ML12270A138 (7) | |
Text
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET Date Printed: Sep 25, 2012 16:40 PAPER NUMBER:
ACTION OFFICE:
AUTHOR:
AFFILIATION:
ADDRESSEE:
SUBJECT:
LTR-12-0544 LOGGING DATE: 09/25/2012 EDO DEDMRT Michael Peevey (CPUC)
DEDR CA DEDCM Annette Vietti-Cook (cc'd)
AE V Concerns California Public Utilities Commission's Initiation of an Order Instituting Investigation of the San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant ACTION:
DISTRIBUTION:
Information RF LETTER DATE:
ACKNOWLEDGED SPECIAL HANDLING:
NOTES:
FILE LOCATION:
09/24/2012 No Immediate public release via SECY/EDO/DPC.
ADAMS DATE DUE:
DATE SIGNED:
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION STATE OF CALIFORNIA S05 VAN NESS AVENUE MICHAEL P. PEE VEýSAN FRANCiSCO. CALIFORNIA 94 102 FA',: 141S3 70~3-509 September 24, 2012 Councilmember Larry Agran City of Irvine OneCivic Center Plaza Irvine, California 92623-9575 RE: California Public Utilities Commission's Initiation of anl Order Instituting Investigation of the San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant
Dear Councilmember Agran:
Thank you for your letter of August 14, 2012. 1 thoroughlyreviewed the letter and agree with you that there are many unanswered questions concerning the San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant (SONGS), not the least of which is the unknown future of both steam generators. As you mentioned, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is conducting an investigation of the facility and nothing can be done concerning future operations until the NRC concludes its work at. the site.
However, in the meantime, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUG) is also concerned with the other issues you discussed including the state of the steam generators and when and if the units are safe to return to service, the cost of returning either or both of the units to service, cost of replacement power while the units are out-of-service, and the cost comparison of alternative energy resources. The CPUC intends to open an Order Instituting Investigation (OII) at our November 8, 2012 meeting since that date,ill coincide with the plant being out-of-service for nine months-the trigger for us opening the OIl. The OII is currently in the drafting stage, but it will address all. of the subjects you brought to our attention in your letter.
We appreciate the fact that SONGS and all the subjects related to the outage, any return to service, and the financial factors are of great importance to the residents of Orange County and San Diego County. We intend to draft the OIl in a broad manner so that all matters you advanced, as well as others, can fit within the scope of the investigation.
The CPUC will be holding its October 25, 2012 regular business meeting in Irvine. Each business meeting begins at 9:00 a.m. with an opportunity for comments from members of the public. We anticipate that many people from the community will show up and tell the commissioners just how concerned they are about the future of SONGS. I invite you to come and speak if it comports with your schedule that day.
Thank you again for you interest in the SONGS investigation and we look forward to hearing from your constituents at our October 25 business meeting.
Sincerely, Michael R. Peevey President
- CC:
Governor Edmund G. Brown U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer U.S. Congressman John Campbell California Senator Tom Harman California Assemblymember Donald Wagner Irvine City Councilmember Larry Agran Secretary of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Annette L. Vietti-Cook
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 2055"..001 September 19, 2012 SECRETARY President Michael Peevey California Public Utilities Commission 505 Van Ness Avenue San Francisco, California 94102 RE: CPUC Order Instituting Investigation
Dear Mr,
Peevey:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is referring the enclosed correspondence dated August 14, 2012, addressed to you from Councilmember Larry Agran for a response. NRC Chairman Macfarlane attended a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety Hearing on Wednesday, September '12, 2012. At this Hearing, Senator Boxer provided Chairman Macfarlane with a number of letters for response. The NRC is in the process of responding to letters from local communities regarding the San Onofre nuclear plant.
If you should have any questions, please contact me at 301-415-1969, Sincerely, Annette L. Vietti-Cook
Enclosure:
As stated
0p.
LARRY AGRAN, Ccjunciimrmibeý August 14, 2012 President Michael Peevey California Public Utilities Commission 505 Van Ness Avenue San Francisco, CA 94102 RE:
CPUC Order Instituting Investigation
Dear Mr. Pecvey:
The purpose of this letter is to convey my concerns regarding the future operation of the San Onofre nuclear power plant.
First, I am concerned that hundreds of millions of ratepayer dollars will be spent on defective steam generators for a shuttered nuclear facility that is not supplying any electricity. Following the failure of one of these newly replaced components and the release of radioactive steam into the environment, inspections revealed unprecedented tube wear in the steam generators of both Units 2 and 3. As a result of this pervasive problem, the plant was shut down and has been kept offline for more than six with no restart in sight.
The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approved the imposition of the $671 million cost on ratepayers - including my own constituents - for these steam generators based upon the premise that these were "like-for-like" replacements. However, the replacement generators contained significant design modifications which resulted in the excessive tube vibration that led to the accelerated wear and the premature failure of these new steam generators, At its June 28, 2012 meeting in Orange County, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) announced that faulty computer modelling by manufacturer Mitsubishi Heavy Industries failed co accurately predict the speed of the steam and water running through the tubes by almost a factor of four. The combination of major design changes and a flawed computer simulation used to test these changes eventually led to the abnormal tube wear. This, in turn, resulted in the radioactive leak and subsequent plant shutdown. Given these contributing factors, it is clear that unless the PUC intervenes, ratepayers will be saddled with a massive and unjustified expense :for the damaged equipment.
Second, I am concerned that the operator of the plant, Southern Californi, Edison (SCE). has not provided the public with adequate information about the actual cost and duration of the outage and has not revealed its plans for covering the damages. I have learned that SCE may request the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to approve additional rate increases to fund the cost'of replacement power despite the fact that SCE - not the ratepayers - is primarily responsible for the equipment failures.
Third, I am concerned that the escalating costs of future improvements - most notably, steam generator repairs and/or replacements and safety upgrades - will prove to be a poor financial investment while also failing to provide electricity to consumers in a safe and reliable manner.
Instead of spending billions on aging reactors that are showing alarming signs of wear and tear, consumers would be better served-if the PUC directed those investments toward developing renewable energy sources. As the San Onofre nuclear reactors approach the end of their design lifetime, I believe the PUC needs to seriously consider the viability of alternative energy sources and conservation measures in order to permanently replace the energy generated by the aging San Onofre plant.
I urgently request that the PUC move forward with the proposed Order of Investigation (Oil) regardingthe San Onofre reactors to determine: 1) the economic impact of the equipment failures;
- 2) the costof repairs and/or replacements; and 3) the potential effect on ratepayers of any decision to restart and operate the failed reactors. On a'broader level, I believe the PUG should hold a public hearing to assess the wisdomr of making additional investments in the deteriorating nuclear reactors at San Onoflre. A transparent, public evaluation is critical to protect consumers and to ensure that clean, sale, reliable energy alternatives are pursued and developed in a timely manner.
Sincerely,
~4 Irvine City Councilmember CC:
Governor Edmund G Brown U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer U.S. Congressman John Campbell California Senator Tom Harman California Assembly Member Donald Wagner Irvine City Council
Remsburg, Kristy From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Attachments:
Goldthrite, Cody [cody.goldthrite@cpuc.ca.gov]
Tuesday, September 25, 2012 12:50 PM NRCExecSec Resource Letter to Councilmember Larry Agran from President Peevey RE: CPUC Iniation of an OIR of the SONGS Plant City of Irvine Councilmember Larry Agran Letter to President Peevey RE CPUC OIR on SONGS.PDF; Letter to Councilmember Larry Agran from President Peevey RECPUC Initiation of an OIR of the SONGS Plant.pdf; Letter from NRC to President Peevey RE CPUC OIR on SONGS 09-19-2012.pdf Good morning, Attached is a letter from President Peevey to Councilmember Larry Agran Re: CPUC Initiation of an OIR of the SONGS Plant.
- Regards, Cody Goldthrite Office of President Peevey 415-703-2722 (Phone) 415-703-5091 (Fax)
Codv.goldthrite@clpuc.ca.gov 1