ML18085A811

Expresses Support for Earliest Demonstration of Nj Emergency Planning Capabilities.Emergency Planning Exercise & Concurrence by FEMA & NRC Are Sole Remaining Restraints to Full Power Licensing

ML18085A811
Person / Time
Site:	Salem
Issue date:	02/05/1981
From:	Barbour G, Jeffrey Jacobson NEW JERSEY, STATE OF
To:	Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
NUDOCS 8102170067
Download: ML18085A811 (2)

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February 5, 1981 Mr. Harold R. Denton Director Nuclear Reactor Regulation US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555 RE: SALEM NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS DEMONSTRATION

Dear Mr. Denton:

We are writing to you to express our support and the support of the New Jersey Department of Energy and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities for the earliest possible demonstration of New Jersey's Emergency Planning capabilities. An Emergency Planning exercise and the concurrence in that planning capability by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission are the sole remaining restraints to the full power licensing of the second Salem unit. We particularly want to emphasize the need for this facility in reducing New Jersey's dependence on foreign oil, and its role in minimizing to New Jersey residents the increasing cost of electrical energy in our state.

Construction and startup activities associated with the second unit of Public Service Electric and Gas Company's two unit Salem Nuclear Generating Station were completed in April, 1979, anticipating fuel loading and power ascension tests that would have resulted in commercial operation of the unit in the Fall of 1979. As you are aware, the accident at Three Mile Island occurred in this same time frame, resulting in a pause in nuclear licensing activities, while a thorough investigation of our nation's nuclear program was conducted. Today, some twenty-two months later, Salem No. 2 continues to await the issuance of a full power operating license.

PSE&G has estimated that the costs associated with the delay in operation of this unit to the customers of the owning utilities currently exceeds $450,000,000 along with other associated economic and environmental consequences.

Since the Salem units serve the Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland (PJM) interconnection previously supplied by the TMi units, customers within the PJM regional area have been denied the value of the economic benefits of this unit which have been estimated to amount to an average savings of approximately $750,000 per day.

The New Jersey Department of Energy and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities are responsible for regulating the electric and gas utilities in New Jersey. Part of this regulatory responsibility is ensuring that safe and adequate service is provided at just and reasonable rates. The demonstration of emerg~ncy response capabilities through an exercise and the concurrence in that capability by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission are the only items which must be accomplished prior to issuance of a full power license for Salem Unit No. 2. This exercise will be conducted as a joint effort between the States of New Jers.ey and Delaware, and PSE&G, the utility responsible for operating Salem Nuclear Generating Station.* It is to everyone's benefit that this exercise be accomplished in a prompt and satisfactory manner.

We are sure that with your help an exercise can be successfully accomplished at the earliest opportunity. Successful execution of an emergency plan exercise will not only complete the full power licensing process of Salem Unit No. 2, but will also assure the residents of New Jersey that the State stands ready to protect their health and safety in the unlikely event of a Radiological Emergency.

For these reasons, we express our fullest support for the Salem Nuclear Generating Station project. It is our hope that a demonstration exercise can be scheduled as expeditiously as possible and that the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission will provide a favorable evaluation of that exercise.

Sincerely,

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Jo~ R. Jacobfn,/commissioner N'W Jersey DE[Par~ment of Energy 1

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George H. Barbour, President New Jersey Board of Public Utilities cc: Honorable John J. Degnan Honorable Jerry F. English Colonel Clinton Pagano