ML19211A660

Discusses Concerns Re Moratorium on Issuance of New Licensing & Economic Impact of Delaying Unit

ML19211A660
Person / Time
Site:	North Anna
Issue date:	11/08/1979
From:	Fountain L, Helms J, Morgan R SENATE
To:	Hendrie J NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
Shared Package
ML19211A629	List: ML19211A628 ML19211A630 ML19211A633 ML19211A634 ML19211A641 ML19211A642 ML19211A643 ML19211A649 ML19211A654 ML19211A657 ML19211A660 ML19211A661 ML19211A667 ML19211A670 ML19211A674 ML19211A676 ML19211A677 ML19211A678 ML19211A679
References
NUDOCS 7912200388
Download: ML19211A660 (2)

Text

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.^ * ~ "h sC y e.,, .e Mr. John M. Hendrie, Chairman N United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission .d'T j 93 8>

1717 H Street, NW Washington, D. C. 20555 ._

Dear Mr. Chairman:

i We are disturbed to learn of the NRC's recent announcement that no new nuclear generating units will -

be licensed until at least next Spring even though the President's Commission on the Three Mile Incident made no such recommendation.

While we agree that safety is essential in the ~~

production of electricity regardless of the type of fuel used, there are extenuating circumstances which we believe should be taken into account so far as Virginia Electric and Power Company's North Anna Unit =2 is concerned.

It is of the latest design and is certainly as safe as any of the 70 plants operating today. ,

It is our understanding that North Anna 42 will be ready for operation by January, 1980 wnen it completes all the modifications required by the NRC including those resulting from the Three Mile Island analysis.

As you may not be aware, Virginia Electric and Power Company serves 22 counties in the northeast section of North Carolina and the Company and its customers are already burdened with their dependence on expensive fuel oil for the production of electricity because of the outages of certain nucrear facilities.

Concerning the economic impact of delaying this unit, you should be aware that each day that North Anna

1. 2 does not operate requires the use of an equivalent of 25 to 30 thousand barrels of crude oil and costs the consumers of Virginia Electric and Power Company some S12 to S14 million dollars per month.

1633 429 SF8 7912200 hD .x

Mr. John M. Hendrie November 8, 1979 Page Two The recent actions in Iran should certainly make you aware of the crucial situation in which this nation finds itself so far as energy is concerned. We should be taking every action possible to reduce our dependency on foreign oil. It appears your recent action does just the opposite. We urge you to reconsider your action not to move forward with the licensing of nuclear units immediately. Please advise us as to the reason this cannot be done.

c .m ely yours, h ~l WM O Jesse Helms Robert Morgan V 4 . VM L. H. Fountain Walter Jones 1633 330 .

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