ML16340B723
| ML16340B723 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Diablo Canyon, Crane  |
| Issue date: | 04/09/1981 |
| From: | Kammerer C NRC OFFICE OF CONGRESSIONAL AFFAIRS (OCA) |
| To: | Metzenbaum H SENATE |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8105120255 | |
| Download: ML16340B723 (6) | |
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~O DOCKET NUMBE 4'ROD. 8e UTILFAW:~
NUC AR REGULATORY COMIVIISSION WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 ACKET NUMBER D. Bc UTILFA APR 0 9 198t The Honorable Howard Metzenbaum'<
United States Senate Washington, D.C.
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Dear Senator Metzenbaum:
ocr::,Q usaa-c MAY 5~g8~
Oiiiga i a aim $a Oon"<I!ng g <@~,j~
Bran II
'V Thank you for your recent letter on behal o
your constituent, Carl Gausewitz, who is concerned-about-.NRC--l.icensing"delays-and expresses
~ concern that-*no new" licenses may be issued in 1981.
In particular he mentions the Diablo Canyon units and Three Mile Island Unit 1.
Following the accident at Three Mile Island, the Commission did not issue any further operating licenses -for over a year while a thorough review was made of implications of the accident.
In the spring of 1980, ihe ComIIission approved new reouirements for operating licenses based on the lessons learned from Three Yiile Island.
Since that time several new operating licenses have been
- issued, the most recent being for Farley Unit, 2 in Alabama on March 31, 1981.
The diversion of resources and the rethinking of safety requirements following the TMI accident adversely affected licensing activity at the Comnission.
As a result, we estimate that in 1981 and 1982 approximately a dozen nuclear plants will be completed from 1 to 12 months before a full power license decision can be'ade.
The Commission is concerned about this situation and is taking a number of steps to correct it.
This steps are outlined in the attached testimony given by Chairman Hendrie on April,2 before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development.
With respect to the Diablo Canyon units, an updated Supplemental Safety Evaluation Report for low-power operation was issued by the NRC staff on March ~,
1981.
Hearings will commence in May with a licensing decision on low-power operaiion expected in February 1982 and on full-power license in March 1982.
These projected decision dates would mean a thirteen month delay using the applicant's construction completion date and an eleven month delay using the NRC staff's.
Three Mile Island Unit 1
was down for refueling at, the time of the accident at TMI-2 in late March 1979.
. On Ju'ly 2; 1979, the Commission ordered that the" faciliiy remain in cold shutdown until further order of the Commission, stating that "the Commission presently lacks the requisite reasonable assurance that the... Licensee's Three Mile Island Unit No.
1 Facility...can be operated without endangering the health and safety of the public."
Further, the Commission stated that public hearings would be conducte'd to.determine whether TMI-1 should be allowed to resume operation and if.-so,-.under-what; '"
conditions.
e
In a subsequent order issued August 9, the Commission established procedures for the hearing and decision on the issues.
The hearings began before a
NRC Atomic Safety and Licensing Board in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on October 15, 1980.
The-current.estimate is,...thM.aBoard decision. weal.l not be made before late 1981.
I am enclosing for your further inf9rmation the most recent. Commission order regarding the restart proceeding.
I hope that this information is helpfu1 in responding to your constituent.
Sincerely,
Enclosure:
As stated
~KCar1ton K
Dire or Office of Congress',
Affairs
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