ML19209B214

Notifies of Concern That NRC Review of Recommendations of President'S Commission on TMI Will Result in Prolonged Delay in CP Hearing.Only TMI-related Issue Open for Receipt of Evidence Relates to Site Characteristics

ML19209B214
Person / Time
Site:	Skagit
Issue date:	08/31/1979
From:	Ellis J PUGET SOUND POWER & LIGHT CO.
To:	Hendrie J NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
References
NUDOCS 7910090335
Download: ML19209B214 (5)

Text

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{ PUGET SOUND POWER & LIGHT COMPANY

'UGET POWER SUILQiNG - (2063 4544363 B ELLEVU E. WASHINGTON 98CO9 orrict or rat eatsiocNr August 31, 19 3 Cat  %

k The Honorable Joseph M. Hendrie dh Chairman 7 g\N37 ,@

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Q"-

1 Washington, D. C. 20555 -.)

Dear Dr. Hendrie:

Puget Sound Power & Light Company Y -

Skagit Nuclear Power Station, Units 1 and 2 Docket Nos. 50-522 and 50-523 We understand that the Commission will meet soon to consider whether NRC licensing proceedings for construction permits should proceed, pending receipt and evaluation of the 1 Kemeney Commission recommendations. We are concerned that any.

general suspension of such proceedings may result in a prolonged and unnecessary delay in the completion of the long-pending hearings on Puget Sound Power & Light Company's application for a construction permit (including a limited work authorization) for the Skagit Project.

Puget filed its environmental report and construction permit application in September 1974, and the balance of the application, including the PSAR, in December 1974. Notwith-standing the exceptional delay in completion of NRC's processing of our construction permit application and request for an LWA, we have been optimistic that these proceedings would be completed and our application acted upon favorably before the end of 1979.

In accordance with schedules and plans for hearings adopted by the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, we had ex-pected that the hearing on all issues other than c2 ology and seismology would be completed during the week of August 27, 1979, and that hearings on all remaining matters (principally geology and seismology) would be completed in October 1979.

We were, there fore , surprised when the NRC Staff advised the ASLB and the other parties that the Staf f would not proceed with evidence concerning population density and the feasibility of emergency evacuation of the Skagit site as previously

scheduled for the August 27 hearings.

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3 PUGET SOUND POWER &, LIGHT COMPANY

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Hon. Joseph M. Hendrie August 31, 1979 The Skagit Project consists of two General Electric BWR VI boiling water cower reactors. Puget is carefully following the TMI-2 related activities of the NRC and other government bodies. By letter dated August 13, 1979, and its attachments, we have filed with NRC our detailed commitments to implement the recommendations of the Lessons Learned Task Force and other TMI-2 related actions. As stated in that letter -

"It is Puget Power's intent to continue to review, study, and assess all relevant material and data as it becomes available through the construction phase and implement any additional changes neces-sary.to protect the public health and safety."

We emphasize that these " additional changes" would, of course, include any future recommendations of the Kemeney Commission which are adopted as requirements by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, as well as requir.ements of other government agencies.

The only TMI-2 related issue outstanding for receipt of

( evidence in the Skagit hearing relates to the characteristics of the site as.related to the feasibility of emergency evacua-tion within a ten-mile radius. Evidence concerning these matters was, as noted above, to have been presented to the ASLB during the week of August 27. The NRC Staff,.however, advised the ASLB and the parties that it would not present its evidence on these issues pending the NRC's consideration of Mr. Denton's mecorandum to the Commissioners dated August 20, 1979, and NRC censideration of Dr. Denton's commitments to the Kemeney Commission.

We urge that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission direct its Staff to complete the hearings on our Skagit application as rapidly as practicable and without unnecessary delay. 'We urge also that the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, which presides at the hearings, be directed to complete its consideration of the record, and the issues before it, and to make its findings and issue its decision as promptly as practicable on Puget's application for an LWA and construction permit.

We recognize that the President's Commission may have recommendations which will affect NRC's regulatory procedures and requirements, including NRC's requirements with respect to Skagit. The pendency of that Commission's deliberations should not automatically be regarded, however, as requiring suspension

( of all pending licensing proceedings on TMI-2 related issues.

1 ; 'i4 11IiJ . .

PUGET SOUND POWER Es LIGHT COMPANY

(

Hon. Joseph M. Hendrie August 31, 1979 In light of the history of the Skagit application, and the present status of the Skagit proceeding, there will be ample time for NRC to consider the recommendations of the President's Commission without prej'1 dice to NRC implementation of those recommendations for the Skagit Project. This is especially the case since there appears to be little or no possibility that the ASLB could complete the hearings and issue its deci-sion before the end of October, when the President's Commission is scheduled to issue its report. In the meantime, we perceive no justification for suspending the processing of the Skagit application on TMI-2 or other issues, whether because of the pendency of the President's Commission deliberations or the deliberations of the other government bodies which are also studying the TMI-2 accident and its implications.

If it would be helpful to the NRC, we would be pleased to present additional information concerning the Skagit Project, or to appear before the NRC to present our views orally.

We appreciate.your consideration.

(

Sincerely,

' SW, ,

ohn W. Ellis President cc: Commissioner Richard T. Kennedy Commissioner Victor Gilinsky Commissioner Pe er A. Bradford Commissioner John F. Ahearne Dr. Harold Denton L

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Date: September 11, 1979 Valentine B. Deale, Chairman Robert C. Schofield, Director Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Skagit County Planning Department 1001 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. 218 County Administration Building Washington, D. C. 20036 Mount Vernon, WA 98273 Dr. Frank F. Hooper, Member Richard M. Sandvik, Esq.

Chairman of Resource, Ecology, Assistant Attorney General Fisheries and Wildlife 500 Pacific Building University of Michigan 520 S.W. Yamhill School of Natural Resources Portland, OR 97204 Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Roger M. Leed, Esq.

Gustave A. Linenberger, Member Room 610 Atomic Safety and Licensing Board 1411 Fourth Avenue Building U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Seattle, WA 98101 Washington, D. C. 20555 CFSP and FOB Alan S. Rosenthal, Chairman Eric Stachon Atomic Safety and Licensing 2345 S.E. Yamhill Appeal Board Portland, OR 97214 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D. C. 20555 Robert Lowenstein, Esq.

Lowenstein, Newman, Reis, Dr. John H. Buck, Member Axelrad & Toll Atomic Safety and Licensing 1025 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.

Appeal Board , Washington, D. C. 20036 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D. C. 20555 Warren Hastings, Esq.

Associate Corporate Counsel Michael C. Farrar, Member Portland General Electric Company Atomic Safety and Licensing 121 S.W. Salmon Street Appeal Board Portland, OR 97204 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D. C. 20555 James W. Durham Docketing and Service Section Portland General Electric Company 121 S.W. Salmon Street Office of the Secretary Portland, OR 97204 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D. C. 20555 Richard D. Bach, Esq.

Rives, Bonyhadi, Drummond & Smith 1400 Public Service Building Richard L. Black, Esq. 920 S.W. 6th Avenue Counsel for NRC Staff Portland, OR 97204 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Legal Canadian Consulate General Director Donald Martens, Consul Washington, D. C. 20555 412 Plaza 600 6tn and Stewart Street Nicholas D. Lewis, Chairman Seattle, WA 98101 Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council Patrick R. McMullen, Esq.

820 East Fifth Avenue Skagit County Prosecuting Attorney Olympia, WA 98504 Courthouse Annex Mount Vernon, WA 9827' 4 Thomas F. Carr, Esq.

Assistant Attorney General b Temple of Justice  %

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QS Olympia, WA 98504 Sp jjjj }'{ { p {4 EXHIBIT II -

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NOTE: THIS DUPLICATES THE SERVICE MADE ON SEPTEMBER 4, 1979. IT IS BEING MADE BECAUSE SOME PARTIES HAVE REPORTED THAT, ALTHOUGH THEY RECEIVED THE CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE, THEY DID 53T RECEIVE THE ATTACHED LETTER.

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 4 oo A NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION $6M y BEFORE THE COMMISSION 6 Ch' 6 In the Matter of )

)

PUGET SOUND POWER & LIGHT )

COMPANY, et al. -

) DOCKETS NO. 50-522

) and 50-523 (Skagit Nuclear Power Project )

Units 1 and 2) )

. _ _ )

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I certify that I mailed a copy of the attached letter dated August 31, 1979, from John W. Ellis to the Honorable Joseph M. Hendrie, and marked Exhibit I, to the persons listed on the distribution list dated September 11, 1979, marked Exhibit II, at their addresses as shown, postage prepaid, on September 11, 1979.

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F. THEODORE THOMSEN N

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