ML19262B596
| ML19262B596 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 11/23/1979 |
| From: | Pressesky A ENERGY, DEPT. OF |
| To: | Montville A AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19262B594 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7912310247 | |
| Download: ML19262B596 (6) | |
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%p Department of Energy Washington, D.C. 20545
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NOV 2 31979 Mr. Albert F. Montville le Ringo Drive Newport News, Virginia 23606
Dear Mr. Montville:
Thank you for your letter of October 8,1979 to the President which has been forwarded to this office.
Your letter incicates you have given the various questions of nuclear power regulation and control considerable and serious thought.
As you may know the President's Commissicn en The Accident at Three Mile Island (also known as the "Kemeny Commission") has recently completed a'id submitted its report to the President.
Some of the ideas and suggestions you made in your letter are similar to some of the cor.ments and conclusicns of the report to the President. h'e do not knew yet just what steps the Administration will take in response to the report, but some of these will, I believe, be along the line of the ideas expressed in your letter. Some of these, such as disestablishing the Nuclear Regulatory Co=ission (NRC) and making it an Administration would require action by Congress, which established the NRC by the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974. The report, entitled " Report of the President's Comission on The Accident at Three Mile Island" is expected to be available scen frcm the Government Printing Office, k'ashington, D.C. 20402. The Report Number and price have not been assigned yet.
Even before the report to the President was submitted, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission had taken steps to implement changes in matters related to operations, controlling and monitoring, instrumentation, emergency communication, and inspection.
Some of these changes were in areas covered by the report to the President or by your letter.
In fact, several of your suggestions deal with actions which might be taken by the NRC.
By copy of this letter we cre forwarding your letter to the NRC for their consideration. You may wish to contact NRC directly for their reaction to your proposal.
In addition, we will keep your suggestions fully in mind as the Cepartment goes forward with actions in its area or responsibility in this matter.
Unfortunately, in the opinien of many, the redia coverage of the TMI accident and of other recent prcblems at nuclear pcuer plants has created a..idespread impression that nuciar pcder is not safe, or that it is not as safe as Other forms of electric pcwer generation. L'ith this positicn 7912310
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2 we cannot agree.
In almcst 20 years of large-scale pcwer plant cperation, no member of the public has been harmed.
In the Three Mile Island accident the safety systems worked despite a number of errors and malfunctions. We must, of course, learn the lessons of accidents and continue to improve nuclear power plants so that the risks associated with the further development of nuclear power will continue to decline.
We also believe that nuclear power is necessary. Much of our country's electric power is generated by burning oil. The increased use of nuclear power can help reduce our heavy dependence on uncertain sources of oil.
Although greater use of coal and increased conservation can help in reducing our dependence on oil, the greater use of nuclear is also a major element in that effort, and is essential to the efficient use of this nation's and the world's natural resources.
Further, we believe that nuclear power is environmentally acceptable and among the safest methods available to generate large amounts of electrical energy.
Nuclear energy is also economical. A recent survey showed that for 1978 the cost of electricity generated by nuclear power was less than three-fourths the cost of that generated by coal and less than half the cost of that generated by oil.
Again, thank you for your letter and for your thoughtful interest in nuclear power, particularly in its safety aspects.
Enclosed is some further information on nuclear power. We appreciate your interest and welcome the opportunity to provide this information as we believe there is an urgent need for everyone to become better informed on nuclear power and its safety aspects.
If we can be of furthcr assistance, please do not hesitate to centact us.
Sincerely, cricin~ :'- eiSY Andre;;J.ir.22' fA7 A. J. Pressesky, Director Division of Nuclear Pcwer Development 4
Enclosures:
Excerpt, AIF Q&A's on safety Fact Sheet, " Nuclear Energy" Three tables on sources of radiation Summary of U. S. Cepartment of Health, Education and Welfare report,
" Population Dose and Health Impact of the Accident at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Station" cc: Lee V. Gossick, Nuclear Regulatory._.
Commission
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Albert F. F.cntville 14 Ringo Drive Newport News, VA 23606 October 8,1979 The president of the United States Be White House i'ashington, DC Mr. President:
Elvi.g viewed the recent occurrences within the.. nuclear power intfs' W (beginning with Thfee~ Mili Island and ending with Surry, VA),
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,I feel that the'follcwing proble: arcas have becc:e. evident:
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1.
When the initial problen surfaced, no cne individual at cnsible level of govern =ent was i nediately notified that an any resp / incident had, or could possibly occur.
accid ent 2.
While the infer =1tien I now have access to is gained frem the cedia, I still feel that there is an extre:e lack of severning or authoritative power avaihble for incedhte decisicn-caking.
3.
A lack of procedural and training nethodology is apparent.
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the Three Mile Ishni technician shutting dcwn the energency cocling cysten for a still unexplained reason.,'
4 The controlling companies.<ere not 1 :ediately cegnicant of what exactly was transpiring -- or so they stated.
5 Se Nuclear Regulatory cc:21ssion was, and still is, unable to nake definitive statements en what exactly has cecurred due to the appz. rent ncn-existence of a well-defined information chain.
'"he N30 has recently stated (six conths after the Three Mile Island incident) that had they kncwn the actual extent of the dan 2ge, they would have suggested (their only pcwer) a preclutionary evacustica of the i. :ediate area.
6.
The reaffirmation of the fact that within the present bursauc-stic structure of the gcverncental agencies, it becc=es alacst 1 pessible to acec:plish the free flow of infor-stion between two int 3 rested agengies. To wit the cent 1dictory statements cade by yc ur Citizens Co=ittee and the Nuclear 3eguhtory Oc :issicn.
Such facts are appalli ng to ce as a citizen of this ecuntry.
Ipccifically, w* th rehtien to nuclear p:wer/ energy, I shiver wh:n thinking cf the nyriad pessibilities which c:ul:1 enist thragh carelessness, neglect, nisguided thriftiness, er the
" 'ast den' t give a hoot" philesophy.
I an sure, Mr. President, that your private reaction -- considering your bachs-cund in this field - was one boiering on exasperation cenpounded with frustntion when attentping to obtain positive acticns and an: vers.
At present, there is a g-oup of protestors attenptin5 to infiltrate existing or planned nuclear power sites by overt acticn.
Althou5h I could poss1bly ascribe notives other than the protection
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of the environnent to sone of these groups, I would give then the benefit of the well-published rights of the Constitution.
To, in sone way, mollify all but the nest dedicated adicals and ararchists, it appears necessary that definitive actions be taken to alleviate what could turn into a natienal crisis.
_Therefore, sir, I take the liberty of presenting several reecnneniations in this aras. These ideas are tased en ny twent three years of military experience in the opentions and connand/y-control fields both at the naticnal and international (NATO) levels.
Since we are dealing with an energy source which, if unleashed, can have a long-hsting affect on toth the people and their environnent, I feel that the following itens sh uld be given more than cursory consideration. Rationale is provided for each suggestion proffered.
1.
Dis-establish the Nueh=- :=gulatory Connicsion, per se, an:1 establish a Nuclear Regulatory Agency cr Adninistntion within the Iepartment of Energy. This entity vculd have the sane orgninational theory applied to it as new exists within the Fe:ie:al Aviation Administratien. The Director /Aninistntor wouh report di ectly to the Secretary of Enera, but the final decisien authority would be vested in the Fresident. The genem l authority wculd be to direct the cenpliance by members operating pcwer statiens/ breeder reactors (under civilian control) with existing and future reguhtions.
However, this body MUFT NOT te given the respensibility fcr the pr:ncticn of develc;.ent of this field as was the CAA in its original charter; this shou'_d be left to private industry.
Eatienale:
In the sane nanner as avit. tion, we are dealing with screthin6 wnich has a hrge-scale effect on the populace. Therefore, it should have the same stringent controls applied as has aviation.
2.
Empewer the new agency to review, rewrite when and where d
= ~' ensure necessary, and pronulgate such regulatiens to stan -"'-a the sfe ope atien of nuclear pc rer genent'ng facilitice, and such rnet: s which create nuclear ^2el.
re*'--='as It nust be assured that when openting such facilities cFin e e:s:ncy ='* *'-- which nish cc ur, that all 1:ti:ns will te pe-f:r ei in a e'
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3 Establish within the new entity a quaci-:ilit.ry ecczand and centrol structure ec panble to the Na-icnal.dilitary Cc:n.ni Systen. The contiguous and ncn-contipous United States would be divi: led into districts with each district having a center responsible for menitoring and exercising control over seven1 sites. A national center would be established which would rave the responsibility of exercisin6 control over the district centers.
Fationale: This vculd pernit the rapid disse:ination of inforration and queries concerning both day-to-day and energency situations.
If a problen or query could not be resolved at the district level, Also, in it would be forwarded to the national level for action.
the event of an actual or pending nuclear accident, infor:stion as to the possible direction of radiatica spread, etc., could be received at both the state and rational level, and the required liason with collateral agen5 es could be effected much acre rapidly.
1 4
Leave the development and construction of such power stations and breeder reactors to private industry as now exists:
hcwever, exercise more stringent control over this phase and certify tFat cach step is in eccpliance with regulations. Ratienale: This is basically the same system employed by the FAA with res.ris to a new type or codel of aircraft.
5 Es'ablish the duties of controlling /conitering and operating personnel to the Civil Service. Different qualifications would be required of openting perscanel versus controlling perscnnel.
Operating persennel would have to be certified for the type of rcactor on which they function, along with periodic recertifications being a requirement. Additionally, no-notice checks wculd be pe cr:ed to ensure the naintenance of qualificatien. Controllins personnel wculd be required to be certified on at least one type of reactor within their district, with the sane vulnenbility to no-notice spot checks; Estionale Such a systen is currently in use within the aviation field, and within the military.
It has provided an extre:ely high standard of professienalis: when used without the fear concenpt.
6.
~~nrough a period of time, install haniened cc=unicatiens and tnnsnicsien lines between rajor centers of centrol and najor distributica centers.
Fationale:
In the event of hestile actions by a f: reign or donestic pcwer, the p catest ancunt of panic and civil disorder can be genera.ted by the disniptien of pcwer and ec:nunica.tions. Additentlly, this wculd provide ancther altomative channel to ensure rational survival in sone scenaries which can be envisicned.
7.
Dim et that the new ag:ncy es' m " a energency teans to opente en an instant en-call basis skin to the ensh investigtien tcans cf the FAA. paticrale:
Such teans would pen it quick reaction to s.rass whsre an ace'. dent / incident hns cecurM, s.nd cn-site i sp ecticn by qu'lified experts to penit i=ediate decisien --ating.
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I h:.ve atterpted, in the cbve, to rcview a * * *-- which I feel PO.s ex: ceded the li-its cf ressen:.ble allcance for correction.
I lave therefore proffered a few sugestions direct to you, Mr.
President, in the fervent hope that sene sort of acticn will be tnen to rectify the problen.
I wish you success in the future and the best of luck should you decide to run for re-election.
Although I Pave disagreed with some of your policies, I feel that everall you are doing a good 'ob in an extre:ely difficult pcsition.
Sincerely yours,_
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Albert F. Montville
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