ML19208B383

Requests That NRC Satisfactorily Address Concerns Re Improper Const

ML19208B383
Person / Time
Site:	Marble Hill
Issue date:	07/11/1979
From:	William Ford SENATE
To:	Hendrie J NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
References
NUDOCS 7909200126
Download: ML19208B383 (2)

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Dear Mr. Chairman:

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4 Even though you cannot respond to this lett se it con-cerns a subject on which you may be asked to sit in adjudication,

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I am, nevertheless, addressing this correspondence to your personal

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attention so that you can be aware of several new developments re-

'-+s garding the Marble Hill situation which I find to be unsettling.

[2;.E Let me first say that I have intentionally refrained frcm commenting on your agency's response to the charges of construction-F==

qualiuy problems at Marble Hill in order not to interfere with, or impede, the progress of the on-going investigation..

Yestercay, your 5:.+ e office advised me that the investigation was expected to take at L

least three =cre weeks, but I am writing new because of developments

&Er in recent days which seem to be inconsistent with my June 14 request--

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and your subsequent assurance--of a full investigation.

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I've always been of the opinion that anytime you smelled smoke, G

if you looked hard enough, you could usually find a fire.

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your agency's recent actions have directly conflicted with that L.....

theory.

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gn Inspectors from your agency have determined that many of the B3 allegations of improper construction are indeed correct.

".cre than 500 air pcckets already have been discovered in the plan:'s twc F.ia reactor-containment buildings, and of these, at leas 120 are said

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to have been imprcperly repaired.

Despite the mounting evidence

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that the problems could be much greater than originally expected, EcE de NRC has given the contractor and Public Service of Indiana per-

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mission to resume construction in safety-related structures.

Your staff has explained to me in detail the terms under which construc-E~

tion was allowed to resume, and I am in no position to argue the lih-.m meries of the new quality-control standards.

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Ecwever, I can tell you this.

Given the mounting evidence I_..

tha: substantial problems do exist, I cannot name one good reason which ustifies allowing the continuation of any construction F

activities involving the safety-related structures at this site

!... a until your investigation is finished.

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Page 2 July 11, 1979 9

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[5 Considering what is at stake here--the basic safety of a rM nuclear facility-no precaution can be too great if the public in-E I

terest is to be protected.

Other factors, no matter how urgent or

.E compelling, should not be assigned a higher priority than safety, EJ and quite frankly, I do not feel that the public presently feels 5

that this is the NRC's primary concern.

If the objective of your f.ns investigation is to be fulfilled and if the public's concerns are M

to be resolved, your agency's every activity must have the support M

and confidence of the public.

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ma I can assure you chat if the NRC fails to satisfactorily

[i5 address the concerns that have been raised in a complete manner, Ti I will not hesitate to schedule a public hearing before the full jin Senate Energy and Natural Resources Co-4 ttee on which I serve and ME take testimony ander oath fron all the principals who are involved EE in this investigation.

The only f actor that could con:pel such a E3 hearing to be held would be for your agency not to carry out its L.%

responsibilities to the fullest, and I am sure you realize that.

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2 Sincerely,

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,U The Honorable Coseph M. Hendrie

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1717 H Street, N.W.

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Washington, D.C.

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