ML19225D034
| ML19225D034 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Rancho Seco |
| Issue date: | 06/07/1979 |
| From: | Varanini E CALIFORNIA, STATE OF |
| To: | Hendrie J NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7908030612 | |
| Download: ML19225D034 (2) | |
Text
gt gegygm ~~ " -
'"1 gy CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION JB y} M [pl i
~
b,*
L, g
,11Al H0nE AVE h[kw umm m g
SACRAMENTO CA 95825
_n 4-052569E158 06/07/T9 ICS IPMRNCZ CSP WSHB 9169206615 MGM TORN SACRAMENTO CA 700 06-07 0359P EST JOSEPH H HENDRIE, CHAIRMAN
' EC: LhNC. LEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION v
1717 H ST NORTMaEST WASHINGTON DC 20555 "JN"
_4
(
THE CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION HAS RECEIVED INCREASING NUMBERS OF
(
INQUIRIES FROM THE PUBLIC REGARDING THE NRC SHUTD0aN ORDER FOR RANCHO SECO AND THE CIRCUHSTANCES UNDER aHICM THE NRC NILL ALLOW THE REACTOR TO RESUME OPERATION. THE PUBLIC'S CONCERN HAS UNDOUBTEDLY BEEN HEIGHTENED BY RECENT MEDIA ACCOUNTS REPORTING TMAT SOME OF SMUD'S
(
OPERATORS HAVE RECENTLY FAILED NRC AUDIT mHICH EVALUATES THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF REACTOR OPERATION DURING ACCIDENT LIKE 3 MILE ISLAND.
(
IN AN ATTEMPT TO ACCURATELY INFORM THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE RANCHO SECO SITUATION, ME HAVE COMMUNICATED WITH SEVERAL MEMBERS OF YOUR STAFF.
(
THESE CONVERSATIONS HAVE TROUBLED US BECAUSE THEY REVEAL A LACK OF CLARITY IN YOUR PROCEDURES AND CRITERIA FOR HANDLING THE SHUTD0nN AND STARTUP DECISIONS, FURTHERMORE, YOU HAVE NOT SPECIFIED THOSE CORRECTIVE
(
ACTIONS nMICH n0ULD BE REQUIRE 0 SHOULD THE NRC SAFETY EVALUATION TEAM UNCOVER AREAS OF U8SATIFACTORY COMPLIANCE. THIS TROUBLES US: IT UNDOUBTEDLY TROUBLES THE S ACR AMENTO MUNIC1P AL UTIL ITY DISTRICT p AND IT
(
APPARENTLY TROUBLES THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC AS aELL. ONE MAJOR CONCERN IS THE PRESENT LACK OF ANY TYPE OF HEARING TO INFORM THE PUBLIC AND r,ALIFORNIA 0FFICIALS ABOUT HOW THEIR INTERESTS ARF BEING RESPONDED To l
IN NRC'S DECISIONS, THIS IS A PARTICULAR CONCERN CAUSE OF fME INEVITABLE JUDGMENT OF THE NRC WHICH aILL BE REuu1 RED.
(
AS TO THE P4'CEDURES FOR DETERMINING COMPLIANCE nITH THE SHUTDOWN c
ORDER'S CON _
':0NS WE SUGGEST THAT THE NRC EXPLAIN VERY CLEARLY nHAT CRITERIA IT
- r. _L USE AND WHETHER THE FULL COMMISSION OR THE DIRECTOR OF
(
NUCLEAR REACTCR REGULATION NILL MAKE THE DECISION ON RESTART. IN ADDITION, WE UNDERSTAND THAT AT PRESENT SMUD AND THE NRC STAFF DISAGREE 4
ON THE NECESSITY OF CERTAIN STARTUP TESTS AND PROCEDURES WHICH TME NRC lj{
HAS REQUIRED OF OTHER SHUTDOWN BABCOCK AND WILCOX REACTORS. H0n AND co WHEN NILL THESE DIFFERENCES BE RESOLVED 7 o
( to WE ANTICIPATE THAT RANCHO SECO WILL NOT START UP UNTIL THE REACTOR jh OPERATORS ARE TOTALLY GUALIFIED TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH NRC'S NEa INSTRUCTIONS RESULTING FROM 3 MILE ISLAND AND HAVE DEMONSTRATED AN e) UNDERSTANDING OF THE RATIONALE BEHIND THOSE INSTRUCTIONS. THE NRC i
(
HAS INFORMED US THAT OPERATOR PERFORMANCE IN ORAL EXAMINATION THIS PAST nEEK *AS NOT SATISFACTORY AND THAT EXPERIENCED CONSULTANTS WILL PROVIDE
_(
SOME DEGREE OF FURTHER TRAIN'ING DURING THE NEXT fen nEEKS, NILL SMUD'S OPERATORS THEN BE REQUIRED TO RETAKE BOTH WRITTEN AND ORAL EXAMS, AS WELL AS TO CONTINUE FURTHER TRAINING BEYOND THAT IMMEDIATEL UI R EC,77 TO REPLY BY MAILGRAM. SEE REVERSE SIDE F03 WESTERN UNION'S TOLL FREE PHONE N M $S
/
J
- g7fg+
- wg7
' ^ff f
muji3 gg) h
,.[ [ _.
m2D 1
m_
IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU SPECIFY THE RELATIONSHIP BETnEEN STARTUP OF F
THE FACILITY AND FURTHER OPERATOR TRA*,NING AND POSSIBLE TESTING. WHAT CRITERIA DO YOU INTEND TO USE? WHAT CRITERIA HAVE YOU USED IN THE PAST?
FINALLY, AND PERHAPS MOST DISTURBING, IS THE MATTER OF THE PETITION REQUESTING A PublIC HEARING PRIOR TO RESTART. BOTH IN TERMS OF LOGIC AND FAIRNESS, THE NRC OR ITS APPROPRIATE DELEGATE SHOULD RULE ON PETITIONS PRIOR TO ANY DECISION ON STARTUP. EITHER THE PETITIONS ARE APPROPRIATE AND THE NRC SHOULD HOLD A HEARING OR THEY ARE INAPPROPRIATE IN THIS CASE--BUT A SIMRLE DECISION ON THAT ISSUE SHOULD BE RENDERED
(
IMMEDIATELY. TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER RESTART TO DECIDE WHETHER A HEARING SHOULD HAVE BEEN HELD PRIOR TO RESTART MAKES NO SENSE AND DOES NOTHING TO RESTORE THE PUBLIC'S CONFIDENCE IN NRCIS PROCESSESS AND DECISIONS.
(
PLEASE LET US KN0n HOW YOU INTEND TO HANDLE THESE PETITIONS AND aHEN YOU PLAN TO RULE ON THEd.
(
IN VIEW OF THE RECENT DISCLOSURE OF OPERATOR TRAINING PROBLEMS AS WELL O
AS THE OTHER UNCERTAINTIES IDENTIFIED, WE WOULD APPRECIATE A PROMPT RESPONSE SO THAT WE MAY ASSESS THE STATUS AND RELIABILITY OF RANCHO
(
SECO FOR CALIFORNIA SUPPLY PLANNING. aE WOULD ALSO SUGGEST THAT AT v
LEAST A PUBLIC INFORMATIONAL TYPE HEARING IN SACRAMENTO WOULD REASSURE THE INCREASINGLY INTERESTED PUBLIC OF THE SOUNDNESS OF NRCIS DECISIONS
(
REGARDING RANCHO SECO. WE SYMPATHIZE WITH YOUR INCREASED PRESSURES AND w
WORKLOAD, BUT nE WOULD APPRECIATE AN ANSWER TO THESE INQUIRIES IN THE NEAR FUTURE SO THAT WE MAY ASSIST YOU IN KEEPING THE PUoLIC INFORMED.
(
SINCERELY, s
C EMILIO E VARANINI III PRESIDING MEMBER, NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE COMMITTEE CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION l
--~
CC: COMMISSIONER VICTOR GILINSKY COMMISSIONER RICHARD T KENNEDY l
COMMISSIONER PETER A BRADFORD 0
COMMISSIONER JOHN F AHEARNE l
16:00 EST MGMCOM' 4M L
J L
i A40 118 se ko
(
TO REPLY BY MAILGRAM, SEE REVERSE SIDE FOR WESTERN UNION'S TOLL - FREE PHONE NUMBERS