ML19263C149

Expresses Concern Re NRC Disregard of Safety Stds Re Concrete Base Mat Foundation.Nrc Would Almost Be Criminally Negligent If It Approved Matl from Which 57% of Samples Tested Did Not Meet Stds

ML19263C149
Person / Time
Site:	Wolf Creek
Issue date:	01/05/1979
From:	Bangs M AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED
To:	NRC OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY (SECY)
References
NUDOCS 7902080023
Download: ML19263C149 (2)

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A Nuclear Re;ulate y Ccecission i -

3ethesda, Maryland 2001i Cear Sirs, mi \\ r Re: Wolf Creek Nuclear ?cwer Station, Surling:cn, Kansas I am extremely cuccled and disturbed by reporti in the '?ichita Eagle & 3eacen newspaper this morning that, first, federal inspectors repeated their findings of deficient ccccrete in the foundation for the 'iol: Creek Nuclear ?cwer plant, that the base mat was weaker than the standard set by the plant designer; but, second, that NRC officials said crivatelv they thought the concrete in the Wolf Creek foundation would probably be declared streng encugh.

What kind of dcuble-talk is this? Why are government standards set if they are to be disregarded? There are already too many questions about this plant to ignore this fundamental question of its safety. RGSE greatly overestimated demand; and today, even without Wolf Creek and their interest in Jeffery coal plants 3 and 4 still to be built, KG&E has a 45 percent reserve generatinb capacity, when fifteen to twenty percent is regarded as adequate. Why should censumers have to pay skyrocketing rates primarily because the utilities overesticated demand?

Moreover, there is no assured supply of uranium for the lifa of the plant. Reliable esticates of ccst for perpe:ual care of radicactive wastes and the deccc=11ssioning and decantami-nation of the plant have never been nade by either govern:ent or industry. Not to speac of :he technology Oc manage these vastes for many thousands of years.

It wculd seem to border on criminal negligence if the NRC were to approve a base sat frec whica 57 percenc of the concret.sacples tested 90 days after the =at was poured did no

=eet standards set for the plant.

Ha=m, the N'1C consultant, also said that the testing equipment was inspec:2d two weeks before and two weeks af ter the March 15 tes: and we3eino faulty.

In the light cl :hese several factors how can the NRC say that the base ca vill probably be found strong encugh?

iitth much concern, u.

79020800.23

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Samuel 'i. Jensch, Chair:an lj((

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Dear Mr. Jensch,

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This is a letter which ! intended to write you three yeaev the time of the licensing hearings en the nuclear ago at power plant :o be built at Surlin; ton, Kansas by KGSE and KCPL.

I had intended to cece only the one day at the outset of the hearings in January 1976 in order to read a statement as part of public input; but I centinued to return to ::ansas three er City whenever the 'coard cenvened there for the nex:

four conths because the testi cny was so instructive and I was so concerned.

I came to admire during those tenths not only your very impressive and vide-ranging knowledge but also your exceed-ingly equitable guidance of the hearings. Fair and just,

you were; and also stern and strict. You were always eb-jective; and I had not expected such a course of conduct from a government regulatory body that had a long history of favoring nuclear cevelopment.

I an wholly honest when ! tell you that your conduct of the hearings brought to =y mind cenpariscas with both Solocen and Rhadamanthus, a legendary Greek ruler who because of his knculedge and justice wss made by Zeus cae of the three judges of the dead in the icwer world.

Your inflexible integrity caused me to make such a judg=ent, even before yours was the icne vote against granting the license. You restcred y fai:n in government officials.

Some of them.

Will you please direct the enclos ed letter to the prcper person or of fice at the NRC.

My very best wishas c

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