ML19297A123
| ML19297A123 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 10/07/1980 |
| From: | Ahearne J NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Mcintyre J OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT & BUDGET |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19297A118 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8010280303 | |
| Download: ML19297A123 (2) | |
Text
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UNITED STATES
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 2
W ASHINGTON. 0.C. 20555
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October 7, 1980 OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN The Honorable James T. McIntyre, Director Office of Management and Budget Washington, DC 20503
Dear Mr. McIntyre:
The final report by the Comptroller General of the United States entitled "Three Mile Island:
The Financial Fallout" (EMD-80-89), was recently forwarded to our agency. This letter is in response to recormiendations to the Chairman, NRC, summarized on page 62 of the GA0 report.
The recommendations focus on the issues of restart of Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit No.1 (TMI-1), cooparation with the Secretary of Energy in a recormlended study of the General Public Utilities System, and cEvelopment of regulatory guidance relating to the restart, clean-up and recomissioning of the TMI units.
As you are aware, the Comission Order of July 2,1979 directed that TMI-1 remain shutaown until further order of the NRC, and determined that a hez: ring preceae restart of the facility in order to allow public partici-pation in the proceeding.
By Order on August 9,1979 as supplemented on March 6,1980, the Comission specified the bases for their concern, the issues to be considered in the hearing, and t ie procedures to be appliec.
An NRC Safety Evaluation Report, '.NUREG-0680) issued in June 1980, proviced an evaluation of the licensee's compliance with items covered in the August 9 Oraer.
A supplement to the evaluation is scheduled to be issued in November 1980 covering the resolution of open issues identified in NUREG-0680 and addressing the management issues in the March 6 Oraer.
The assigned Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) conducted a final pre-hearing conference on August 12 anc 13,1980 and subsequently issued a Memo-randum and Order on August 15, 1980, in which the hearing was set to begin on October 15, 1980. The NRC staff is currently involved in the on-going review of technical information and hearing preparation concerning the restart of Uni t No.1.
The record on which the Commission will make a determination regarding restart will incluce a recomendation from the ASLB. We have placed a high priority, considering other efforts required of the staff, on completing all of the staff effort required to support an expedited hearing scheaule.
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. The Cormission and staff will cooperate fully with any further Department of Energy study undertaken regarding the financial aspects of the GPU system, if it is determined that an additional study is required.
The Commission is continuing to independently evaluate information in the finan-cial area as part of the TMI-l restart review.
An NRC Task Force will soon issue a report examining the possibility of NRC assuming direct responsibility for the TMI-2 cleanup in the event of default by the licensee, and alternatives to such NRC action.
Due to the uniqueness of the TMI-2 clean-up activities the staff prepared and issued en August 14, 1980, a Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) related to decontamination and disposal of radioactive wastes resulting from the March 28, 1979 accident at TMI-2.
Thi-draft PEIS presents an overall study of the activities necessary for decontami-nation of the facility, defueling and disposition of the radioactive wastes which resulted from the TMI-2 accident.
Since the precisc condition of the reactor core or reactor building is not known, the staff has described and assessed probable or bounding situations.
When more information becomes available, supplements to the draft statement will be issued if the affected operations are found to be significantly changed with additional guidance to the licensee as appropriate.
A discussion of the ultimate disposition of TMI-2 is beyond the scope of the draft PEIS, though the staff concludes at this time that all of the clean-up operations must be performed whether TMI-2 is ultimately decommissioned or restored to a condition acceptable for licensed operation.
Regulatory requirements related to the TMI site are continuously being evaluated and revised as deemed appropriate in response te new information developed in the course of recovery from the accident, which of course, represents a unique set of regulatory circumstances.
Additional clarification or information regarding the recommendations will be supplied upon request.
Sincerely, John F. Ahearne Chairman