ML18059B117
| ML18059B117 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palisades  |
| Issue date: | 07/14/1994 |
| From: | Sinclair M DON'T WASTE MICHIGAN |
| To: | Fenech R CONSUMERS ENERGY CO. (FORMERLY CONSUMERS POWER CO.) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9407270202 | |
| Download: ML18059B117 (3) | |
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Mr. Robert Fenech Vice-President, Nuclear Operations Consumers Power Co.
Covert, MI 49043
Dear Mr. Fenech:
5711 Summerset Dr.
Midland, MI 48640 July 14, 1994 Thank you for your letter of June 17, 1994.
There are several matters that you refer to that need to be further *clarified for the record, and should be made available to the public.
You indicate that Consumers Power Co. has performed a detailed engineering evaluation of the tile strength and is satisfied that it is adequate for its use as a buffer in the critical area between the metal basket a11d the steel liner of the concrete cask~
Please make these studies available to the public.
Since this is the area that must bear not only the greatest weight, but also will. sustain constantly. the most amount of heat and radiation in this cask system, we *would also need to have. evaluation of these types *of stresses on the. tile simultaneously with the weight bearing stress of 30 tons of high level nuclear waste;.* We need *to. know how they. are held in place, *the tests on the materials used, and. how it was determined that only 29 tile arranged concentrically that are 2" x 2" by 1/4~ in. thick were adequate for this function m the cask.
We base our concerns on the fact that corrosion studies point out that a humid and damp environment will exacerbate corf*osion in a radioactive environment, and the fact* that other studies tell us that if the metal basket and metal cask liner come in contact and corrode, it will be impossible to remove the waste even if the cask is malfunctioning or the waste is leaking, or a repository is established.
- We believe our concerns are more than justified since there is abundant evidence since the beginning of nuclear power development that corrosion has been perhaps. the most severe and vexing problem in nuclear power operation.
It* has consistently been underestimated by the NRC and the utilities.
It has been a major cause. of the* high cost of operation. and maintenance in nuclear power* plahts~ including* fai'led steam.. generator tubes, cracked pipes *. pressure vessel embrittlement, and other types of equipment failure. We cannot allow this type of miscalculation in these casks in this vital I 0
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Therefore, all of this information in regard. to the important functi,on of the tiles should be made available to the public.
Our -concerns about erosion and the instability of the Lake Michigan sand dunes are based on comprehensive studies done by the Army Corps of Engineers, commissioned by the International Joint Commission; State of Michigan studies in 1988; long standing studies by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources that has designated this a "high risk erosion area"; and studies from the University of Michigan Geology Department that has defined the reasons.for the instability of the dunes.
None of these studies indicates that earthquake probability is a major cause for this concern. None of these data have been addressed in a review of the site either by the NRC or
.-Consumers *Power *co. *
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Mr, Palmisano's assertions at the May 23, 1994, meeting that shoreline protection barriers should give the public assurance are best answered by the Army Corps of Engineers study which states, "Erosion and bluff recession. will continue, regardless of lake level controls or structural shore protection measures."
In the matter of the quality control breakdowns iµ the* manufacture. of the 'metal baskets* that NRC inspection reports indicate. :existed dunng.',their...
fabrication, t~ere is no follow-up document~tion in the p~blic documents"*
room to indicate how the breakdown *of the quality co_ntrol
- process was corrected.
Asking for public confidence in Consumers Power Co.'s quality assurance process in this matter, given its recent scathing review by the NRC, is not sufficient assurance of the _adequacy of the remedies for the d.~fects in this very critical part of the cask system.
We need to have the documents on how these were corrected placed in the public documents room.
. ~ public hearing could help resolve thes'e differe~t points of view on these critical issues.
Since the NRC has already conceded that the site needs more careful evaluation, it is probable that the Court will agree since the Defendants have already intiated such studies a year after the cask was licensed.
Given this uncertainly about the Court's decision, there is a legal consideration that Consumers Power Co. management should have paid attention to, had they been prudent.
This is the fact that the Company pledged to the Court that the waste could be returned to the spent fuel pool m the event the Court ruled against the NRC and Consumers Power Co. and allowed the hearing the public has been seeking for 3 years.
It is for this
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reason" that your continued loading of casks at this time, before the Court has made a decision on this issue, is presumptious to the point of arrogance, and suggests contempt for our entire legal process.*
These are only a few o{. the issues that have *.not been adequately covered in relation to the Palisades site and storage of high level *nuclear waste on sand dunes.
More comprehensive research is being compiled and will be made available to those persons in decision-making positions who must protect the public financially as well as be concerned for public safety.
Yours sincerely, cc. Dr. Ivan Selin, Chairman, NRC V aldus Adamkus, Administrator, EPA Region 5 Attorney General Frank Kelley Chairman, Michigan Public Service Commission Senator Carl Levin
- :Senator Don Riegle Congressman John Dingell '-.. *;
- John Zwolinski *.
Dr. Ross Landsman
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