ML19263H148
| ML19263H148 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Marble Hill |
| Issue date: | 06/16/1980 |
| From: | Ahearne J NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | William Ford SENATE |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8007080159 | |
| Download: ML19263H148 (3) | |
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UNITED STATES g.
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 5
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OFFICE OF THE June 16, 1980 CHAIRMAN The Honorable Hendell H. Ford United States Senate Washington, D.C.
20510
Dear Senator Ford:
This is in r.esponse to your letters to me dated March 13. April 17, and May 8,1980 regarding resumption of construction at Marble Hill.
A decision on a plan that, if satisfactorily implemented, would permit the resumption of safety-related construction activities at fiarble Hill has only recently been reached. The plan is based on a step-by-step phased resumption of construction activities at the site, with each successive step dependent upon (1) development of acceptable procedures and control systems for'that step, and (2) substantive demonstration by the licensee that all work previously authorized was and is being con-ducted in an acceptable manner. under proper control, and in accordance with established requirements.
The first step, currently under consideration, would be fomal receipt and inspection of equipment; and materials which have been delivered to the site since the order became effective.
To date, deliveries to the site have been placed in safe storage in quarantine pending NRC authorization to proceed with the program of receipt inspection.
Actual resumption of Class I construction will not begin until a number of prior steps are taken. We will
.not allow Class I construction work to resume on site until the NRC has confirmed acceptable corrective actions have been taken by the licensee.
We are aware of the continuing FBI and Department of Justice activities associated with the Marble Hill project. The steps we are taking on the basis of our own independent investigations of identified safety concerns are, in our opinion, adequate.
Requests for any further information per-taining to the FBI and Department of Justice activities should be directed to those organizations.
We have informed Mr. Dattilo that his request that the NRC utilize the services of an independent engineer as a consultant in determining the integrity of existing concrete placements would be honored. We have developed a panel of individuals with appropriate expertise from which the consultant can be selected.
An individual recommended by ?!r. Dattilo is included on that panel.
We have considered your recomendation that the independent engineer consultant be retained for regular inspection duties at Marble Hill.
We believe this is not necessary. NRC Region III will closely monitor all future construction at flarble Hill, and is able to provide specialized Consultants inspection skills to ensure the quality of that construction.
800708015'l
s The Honorable Wendall H. Ford can be utilized on an ad hoc basis as circumstances require. As you are aware, Marble Hill also has an NRC resident inspector who devotes full time to inspection at this site.
In our view the use of a consultant to perfom ragular inspection functions would not provide additional assurance of safety.
Comissioner Bradford would have preferred to allow the consultant to participate in periodic reviews while Comissioner Gilinsky reserves judgment on whether continued consultant assistance is warranted pending completion of the review of existing and repaired concrete work.
The Comission and its staff shares your concern for the adequacy of construction at Harble Hill. The inspection program now in effect for that site will be pursued vigorously to ensure that past failures will not be repeated.
Sincerely.
02iginal Signed By Joh17. Ahearne Joim F. Ahearne Chaiman
Enclosure:
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Office of Public Affairs a
Washington, D.C. 20505 No.
80-94 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tel.
301/492-7715 (Friday, May 16, 1980)
NRC ADVISES PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF INDIANA OF CONDITIONS FOR RESUMING MARBLE HILL CONSTRUCTION The Director of the Nuclear Regulatory Co=ission's Office of Inspection and Enforcement has advised Public Service Company of Indiana of the conditions under which gradual resumption of construction at the site of the Marble Indiana, will be
. Hill Nuclear Power Station, near Madison, permitted.
The company halted work en safety-related construction on August 7, 1979, after the NRC Inspection staff determined that there were significant questions regarding the adequacy of Public Service Company of Indiana's. quality assurance g
program and its construction management.
These findings were based on NRC inspections and, further, on the con-firmation.of allegations by construction workers at the site and the results of inspections by the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspections during the spring and summer of 1979.
The company's commitment to halt construc-tion was confirmed by an August 15, 1979, NRC Order.
Since the Order was issued, there have been numerous meetings -- including one on March 25 this year in Madison, Indiana -- and discussions between the NRC staff and Public Service of Indiana's management.
In addition, the company has submitted a formal report describing its revised quality assurance program and steps taken to :ssure that safety-related construction'will be conducted in accordance with -
the Cc= mission's regulations.
if suc-PSI has been told that a five-stage program, cessfully implemented, can lead to resumption of construction.
The five stages will be subjected to intensive reviews by NRC inspectors with an NRC " hold point" at each stage before the next one is undertaken, as well as intermediate " hold points" within the stages.
.