ML19254E875
| ML19254E875 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 07/11/1979 |
| From: | Kuhns W GENERAL PUBLIC UTILITIES CORP. |
| To: | Hendrie J NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7911020506 | |
| Download: ML19254E875 (2) | |
Text
.
COCKET NUMSES E300. &tt R EAC. Sd d M _
GPU Service Corporation rAlService 2: 3 = L s4 P*
201 253-4900
'N O DOC 9
s\\.
~~
.g7
%4
~12 N
p July 11, 1979 4
e Hon. Joseph Hendrie, Chairman United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.
C.
20555
Dear Mr. Chairman:
It is my understanding that the Commission in-tends to cons'ider at its meeting tomorrow procedures for the further proceedings relating to restart of Three Mile I: land Unit No. 1, as contemplated by the Commission's Order, dated July 2, 1979, which will largely govern the schedule on which such proceedings can be completed.
We urge that, in establishing those procedur.es, consideration be given to the economic interest of the more than 4 million residents of Pennsylvania and New Jersey served by the GPU companies in permicting restart of TMI-1 as soon as that is consistent with the Commission's obtaining reasonable assurance that TMI-l can be operated without endangering the health and safety of the public.
We are fully in accord with the view that the governing criteria for resumption of TMI-1 operations must be those of public health and safety.
The proposals we submitted to the Commission on July 2 for changes in equipment, training and operating procedures were based on those criteria.
Those modifications could be completed by about September 1, 1979.
We submit that it would be a disservice to all concerned if the procedures established for the further proceedings resulted in a long delay af ter that date before the Unit could be restored to service.
The impact of the TMI-2 accident and of the shut-down of TMI-l on our ability to serve our customers and on the cost of such service were the subject of extensive proceedings before the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission 1743 lA3 3 C6 7911020 g
_._ c_c _ _,_ _ _.. C_ _
Hon. Joseph Hendrie, Chairman Page 2 July 11, 1979
("PaPUC") and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities
("NJBPU").
In recognition of the importance of these matters, both the PaPUC and NJBPU held extensive and expedited hearings, sitting en banc, with full public participation.
Both agencies established and maintained rigorous schedules for completion of the hearings and for decision.
All procedural and substantive due process rights were fully observed, but the administrative procedure was not permitted to defeat the objective of a timely determination.
In both States, the rate actions taken by the Commissions were predicated upon the expectation that restart of TMI-l by January 1, 1980 would be au.thorized.
While economic consequences cannot and should not shape the nature of the action to be taken by your Commission, they clearly are relevant to the timing of that action.
The cost of obtaining the power to replace that which would be provided by TMI-l is on the order of S14 million a month and constia,utes a burden to which our customers should not be subjected any longer than is necessary to provide reasonable assurance of safe operation.
Similarly, the necessity to import more than 7 million barrels of oil per year to replace TMI-l generation should be ended as soon as such assurance can be obtained.
In establishing the procedures for the further proceedings, we urge both that the foregoing f actors receive adequate consideration and that your Commission consult with the PaPUC and NJBPU to obtain the ' views of those agencies.
Sincerely, D. C. fh W. G.
Kuhns Chairman ec:
Hon.
W.
Wilson Goode, Chairman Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission Hon. George H.
Barbour, President Board of Public Utilities of the State of New Jersey 1248 164
.