ML19253A259
| ML19253A259 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Zimmer |
| Issue date: | 06/28/1979 |
| From: | Glenn J SENATE, GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS |
| To: | Hendrie J NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7908210056 | |
| Download: ML19253A259 (6) | |
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LEONARD WEISS. STAFF DIRECTOR CAVID PAYOR. ARuL WILLIAM S. COMEN. MAINg 4400 D4RKSEN WUILDINi3 CARA. LEVtN. MICH.
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Dear Dr. Hendrie:
Enclosed is a copy of an affidavit by Thomas D. >1artin re-garding possibly defective control rods installed at the Zimmer Nuclear Power Plant.
The affidavit was forwarded to my office by Representative Dennis Woj tanowski, whose covering uemorandum I have also enclosed.
hir. Startin's allegations are serious in view of the im-portance of control rods to the safe operation of the Zimmer facility, now scheduled to start up at the end.of 1979.
Also disturbing are Str. >!artin's allegations con-cerning the response of his superiors to his expression of concern about the control rods in question.
I believe this matter deserves pronpt investigation by the Commission in view of the gravity of Str. Startin's allegations.
I would like to re eive a progress report in thirty days on the status of four inquiries into this r at ter.
Best regards.
Sincerelv, 0 r Y
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John Glenn JG/lsp Enclosures 805 356 79082100 3 Lj
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g ii!! 8/f 2: m T y g gt4 rrrr-c ' at i. igi g 'titu ~~T+..-, f= C0litm[111$ e 43215 D S cG ~ s k< June 4, 1979 sp, y o h e SS 0 E \\1 pjy.t. %St TO: Sena tor John H. Glenn ,A ggut FROM: Representative Dennis L. Woj tanowski , m _.g q, RE: Problems with control rods at Zimmer Nuclear Plant Attached please find a letter and arfidavit I recently received from former employee for Reactor Control, Inc., who has testified Tom Martin, a before the Citizens Commission on Nuclear Power about the faulty control rods installed at the Zimmer plant. The allegations Mr. Martin makes in his testimony about the work done at the plant are a serious matter, and one which should be considered and investigated thoroughly by government officials. I would appreciate if you would read over this information and con-sider the consequences the poor workmanship and improper monitoring c,.. the components of the plant could have on the plant's future operation and take whatever action you deem appropriate. Thanking you in advance, I remain Very cruly yours, l 3,w9 w j %t m { -~ e n z. ,p ( DENNIS L. WOJTANCA' SKI State Representative 74th House District DLW:sbm Attachments
1 Thomas D. Vartin or l ie 8 Montgomery Way .4, ~ Apt. 6 4 3"melia, Ohio 45102 00 N~ v 4 qc3 ) N, j#, g oj Dennis L. Wojtanowski Ohio House of Representatives 7i .gv A o*9p" 93-3 Columbus, Ohio 43215 /t 2 9k,#
Dear Mr. Wojtanowski,
Please find enclosed a copy of my affidavit concerning problems with control rods at the Zimmer Nuclear Plant. I address 3d the Cltizens Commission on Nuclear Power in Ohio concerning this matter on Sat. May 5 Since our meeting I have learned that the Miami Valley Power Project has asked both the NRC and Cincinnati Gas and Electri to allow them to have the rnds checked. CG&E has denied this request. The NRC has .ot responded yet. I also have an affidavit by an Ironworker who states that the framing around water-tight doors he installed and pressure-tested leaked at 20 p.s.i. I am in the process of obtaining ar affidavit from the Mill-wright General Foreman of the crew replacing mine ; stating facts concerning meta! shtiings still in the control rods. I will forward these at a later date. Thank you very much for helping me see that the problems at Zimmer get attention. Sincerely, 805 357 we, Tom Martin 1
AFFIDAVIT OF ,,\\ DI /t THOMAS DEAN MARTIN (:$/ jpY ,>s&,o wo .? 2 ' 4 'g8 9,e ea c Vm r 3 STATE OF OHIO ) [4 c'9 f,4#> f .7',. ) SS cfFI COUNTY OF CLERMONT) % js x-I, Thomas Dean Martin, residing at 8 Montgomery Way, Apt. 6, Amelia, Ohio, age 28, hereby state that from May 1978 to September 1978 I worked for Reactor Control Inc. as a Millwright, inspecting control rods on the. site of the Zimmer nuclear power station at koscow, Ohio and that I am a member of Local 1454 of the Brotherhood of Millwrights and Joiners and have been employed as a Millwright for six years and that I have personal knowledge as to the facts hereinafter related. My crew, consisting of 3 journeyman millwrigh'.s and a general foreman found that approximately 75% of the reactor control rod blades exceeded the.280 (Two hundred and eighty thousandths of an inch) gauge specification. Berause of this fact we recrated these defective rods to send them back to the manufacturer, General Electric Company. However, after recrating the rods, my supervisor a"' Reactor Control, Inc., William Fowee, instructed us to put a clamp on the rods and reinspect them. We followed these instructions, and while the clamps were on the rods they met the.280" specification. After caking the clamp off, however, each rod returned to its original size, which did not meet *be.200" specification. A number of the h EY rods (khich"k inspected measured .300" or more when the clamps had been removec1. The control rods are made of thin gauge metal, with 805 358
numerous holes. When I expressed my concern about the defective control rods, Bud Crane, a supervisor at R.C.I. told me that when the control rods were put in the reactor vessel, clamping would not be necessary because water pressure would hold the rods to the proper specification. I asked him to explain how this would be possible when there were so many holes in the rods. I thought that the water would circulate both inside and outside of the rods, thus equalizing the water pressure, and not allowing the water prossure to push in the sides of the rods. No one could give me an answer. This was not the only problem which I encountered at the Zimmer site. We had inspected approximately half of the reactor ccntrol rods before R.C.I. provided us with a rough surface gauge for in-specting the seals on the ends of the control rods.Therefore, half of the control rod seals were not inspected at all for roughnese. The gauge with which we inspected the remaining control rod seals was made of metal with different degrees of roughness. I compared the roughness of the gauge with the roughness of the seals!. surfaces. Of the seals we inspected I did not find any as smooth = as the specifications called for. When I asked an R.C.I. inspector about the discrepancy between the seals and the gauge, he asked me if I had a calibrated fi n g.e r. I asked him,"If I'm just suppcsed to look at the seal instead of comparing it with the gauge, why hadn't they just given me a pict'.re of the seal, instead of the rough surface gauge. I got no answer. I then informed Scott Swain, a C.G.4 E. engineer on the project about the defective control rods and 22 805 359 - - - - -. - - - - -. - i------
. J seals. The next day my general foreman, William Fowee,got our crew together and told us, "Be quiet about the problems at the plant." Within a week my entire crew with the excep -ion of :he general foreman was laid off, although our work was not complate, and there had been no complaints as to the quality of the crew's work. Afterwards, a new crew was hired to complete our jcb. / AN7[uo /It3[_ e Date - 'inouas uean aaran L Sworn to and subscribed before me this .) day of &fn. 1979. / }/ t/,,/ A l,, !.,/ ' Notary P clic SH.RLEY FAHRNBACH No..n Pos;c. C'er-ont 'ru-tv. C M e My Ccmmniier. Enire. Gei.1,1979 tct 805. 360 -}}