ML19270F946

Ack Receipt of Facility Shutdown Show Cause Order.Requests Reconsideration,As Shutdown Will Increase Public Costs & Probability of Events Resulting in Reactor Inadequacy Is Very Small

ML19270F946
Person / Time
Site:	Maine Yankee
Issue date:	03/15/1979
From:	Thurlow E Maine Yankee
To:	Hendrie J NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
References
NUDOCS 7904090278
Download: ML19270F946 (1)

Text

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PidS DR JOSEPH M HENDRIE CHAIRMAN, RPT DLY SY MGM, WUX g

US NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION f

WASHINGTON OC 20555 DEAR DR HINDRIE I

1 I HAVE JUST RECEIVED SHOW CAUSZ ORDER WHICH MANDATES THE SHUT DOWN CF THE MAINE YANKEE NUCLEAR PLANT AND HI!<EWITH REQUEST COMMISSIO I

F2 CONSIDERATION

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}l AS I UNDERSTAND SYSTEM TO WITHSTANDIT THE ADE9UACY OF THE REACTOR AND PRIMARY COOLA THE DESIGN BASIS EARTHGUAKE IS NOT IN CUESTION.

THE ONLY CONCEIVABLE MANNER BY WHICH THE PU3LIC COULD BE ENDAN WOULD INVOLVE SENARIO WHEREIN THE REACTOR COOLANT SYSTEM SUFFERS A NAJOR PIPE BREAX SIMULTANEOUS WITH OR SOOM FOLLOWED BY A DESIGN BASIS EARTH 9UAXE THAT DISABLE HOST IF NOT ALL OF THE REDUNDANT AND DIVERSE BACMUP COOLING SYSTEM. IN OTHER WORDS TWO MAJOR HIGHLY UNLIKELY EVENTS WOULO HAVE TO OCCUR ALMOST AT THE SAME TINE:

THE FROSABILITY WOULD APPEAR TO BE VANISHINGLY SMALL THE SHUT DOWN OF MAINE YANKEE WILL RESULT IN AN ECONOMIC PENALTY TO bEW ENGLAND OF OVER 12-MILLION DOLLARS PER MONTH WHICH WILL INFLICT A SEVIRE HARDSHIP UPON MANY OF ITS CITIZENS. THE REGION WILL HAVE TO IMPORT AN ADDITIONAL ONE MILLION BARRELS OF OIL' PER MONTH INCREAS ING THE U.S.

TRADE DEFICIT BY MORE THAN 13 MILLION DOLLARS FOR EVERY MONTH OF SHUT DOWN MAINE YANMEE WILL OFCOURSE COMPLY WITH THE COMMISSION'S ORDER.

HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THE REGIONAL AND NATIONAL INTEREST COULD BE BETTER SERVED IF THE PLANT WERE PERMITTED TO CONTINUE OPERATIONS LHILE REANALYSIS AND ANY NECESSARY REWORK WAS EXPEDICICUSLY PER70RMED.

I SINCERELY URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER SHUTDOWN ORDER j

VERY TRULY YOURS

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EU THURLOW PRES IDENT, MAINE YANXEE ATOMIC POWER COMPANY, EDISON m, AUGUSTA ME 04336 0545 EST I

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