ML19256C881

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PNO-79-276:allegations Made That NRC Investigation Re Design Error at Site Was Whitewash,Based on Belief That Investigator Was Not Structural Engineer & No Independent Calculations of Design Made.Allegations Refuted by NRC
ML19256C881
Person / Time
Site: Rancho Seco
Issue date: 07/23/1979
From: Glynn J, Reinmuth G, Thornburg H
NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE)
To:
References
PNO-79-276, NUDOCS 7910150628
Download: ML19256C881 (2)


Text

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PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION July 23,1979 0

PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION CF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE--PNO-79-276 1

This oreliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of POSSIBLE safety or oublic interest sionificance.

The information oresented is as initially received without verification or evaluation and is basically all that is known by IE staff on this date.

Facility:

Sacramento Municipal Utility District Rancho Seco Nuclear Power Plant Sacramento, California Docket No. 50-312

Subject:

VASHINGTON POST INQUID.Y REGARDING IE INVESTIGATION OF RANCHO SECO DESIGN ERROR ALLEGATIONS

~

Ms. Joanne Omang, a reporter with the Washington Post, has informed the Of fice of Inspection & Enforcement and the NRC Region V office that Ron Clary stated to her that the NRC investigation of his allegations relating to design errors at Rancho Seco was a whitewash.

Investigation of Mr. Clary's original allegations was made in May, 1978.

According to Ms. Omang, Mr. Clary takes this position because (1) the NRC Region V technical investigator was not a structural engineer and (2) the investigation relied on calculations supplied by Bechtel rather than making any independent calculations of the designs in question.

Further conversation with Ms. Omang elicited another statement given her by Mr. Clary to the effect that the same error in the Spent Fuel Storage Building may also have been involved in the other (Class I) buildings.

Ms. Omang was told that the NRC Region V investigator was a registered Professional (Mechanical) Engineer with over 20 years experience in the nuclear industry and that he was technically capable of extmining the design calculatior.; involved.

Ms. Omang was also informed that we consider the investigation of Mr. Clary's allegations concerning the Fuel Storage Building pool wall and the cooling tower seismic design as closed, bu' tnc.t we will inter-view Mr. Clary again to determine if he possesses new information relative to the design of any other structures or components of the Rt.ncho Seco plant.

A news release by the NRC Region V is not planned.

Region V (San Francisco) discussions with the Washington Post were held on July 20, 1979.

CONTINUED 1447 272 2910150 h h

    • d July 23, 1979 PNO-79-276 Continued

Contact:

JGlynn, IE x27551 GWReiamuth, IE x27551 HDThornburg, IE 28184 Distribution:

Transmitted H St Chairman Hendrie Commissioner Bradford S. J. Chilk, SECY Commissioner Kennedy Commissioner Ahearne C. C. Kammerer, CA Commissioner Gilinsky ACRS (For Distribution)

Transmitted:

MNBB P. Bldg 4 R V.-Stello, IE L. V. Gossick, EDO H. R. Denton, NRR Region L H. L. Ornstein, EDO R. C. DeYoung, NRR J. J. Fouchard, PA R. J. Mattson, NRR N. H. Haller, HPA

0. Vassallo, NRR (MAIL)

R. G. Ryan, OSP D. Eisenhut, NRR J. J. Cummings, OIA H. K. Shapar, ELD SS Bldg R. Minogue, SD W. J. Dircks, NMSS

- S. Levine, RES PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION 1447 273