ML19309A448
| ML19309A448 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 03/10/1980 |
| From: | Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Ayers T COMMONWEALTH EDISON CO. |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8003310062 | |
| Download: ML19309A448 (3) | |
Text
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.j Mr. Thomas G. Ayers, Chairman Commonwealth Edison P. O. Box 767 Chicago, Illinois 60690
Dear Tom:
This is in reply to your letter of November 27, 1979, to President Carter, which was referred to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission by the Department of Energy on January 23, 1980.
As you know, President Carter said on December 7, 1979, that he endorsed the NRC pause in issuing new licenses and construction permits but urged the NRC to complete its work as quickly as possible and, in any event, no later than six months from the date of his statement.
We have been preparing an Action Plan that will specify the precise actions to be taken in response to recommendations by the NRC Staff and various groups that have investigated the Three Mile Island accident.
Several drafts have been reviewed by the Commissioners. Comments on the latest draft have been requested from the Advisory Comittee on Reactor Safeguards and are expected in April. A decision by the Commissioners should then fclhu.
We are aware of the effect on the availability of power generating capacity if those plants now in the final stages of construction cc r.:t receive operating licenses by the dates previously anticipated and are making every effort to avoid unnecessary delays. With this. objective. :ne Commissioners approved on February 28, 1980, the issuance of an NRC license to the Tennessee Valley Authority for the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant, Unit 1. :c load fuel, proceed to initial criticality, perform startup testing at zerc p:.er anc, after prior written approval by me, operate for testing at reactor core power levels not in excess of five percent of rated power. Several other similar cases are under consideration.
Sincerely, hpY&<
Harold R. Denton, Cire::or Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation 8 008310 N
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- c e c._' c.: 27, 1979 Honorable u _:....y Carter President of the United States The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, D.
C.
20555
Dear President Carter:
We at Commonwealth Edison believe that one of the finest hours of your presidency occurred when you and Mrs. Carter personally toured the Three Mile Island nuclear plant shortly after the accident on March 28.
Your visit was an act of courage that did much to calm the fears of a confused and apprehensive nation.
Now, Mr. President, we respectfully believe the tir.e has come for you to take a similarly courageous step:
proclaim your support for the_ continued safe operation and development of nuclear energy, within the safety guidelines forth by the Kemeny Commission, Nuclear Regulatory set Commission, a number of industry task forces, and others.
While we support the spirit of reform advocated by the Presidential commission and believe the Commission and its staff did an admirable job under difficult circumstances, we sense that the public remains uncertain about our nation's goals fer.uclear power.
A statement of _ purpose from you, sir, w:ul_ de much to alleviate this uncertainty.
- monwealth Edison's operating nuclear plants produce e..ergy that is equivalent to that produced by burning s
230,000 htrrels of oil per day.
Our plants under construction and scheduled for operating licenses within the next five years will pref ::e snargy equal to the burning of 280,000 barrels of oil per The cerbined total of 510,000 barrels could off-apprc:: ira:ely two-thirds of the oil we had been importing set daily fr:r :rin.
The cost of a nuclear shutdown would be enormous.
As an e:cample, cur customers' 1978 bills would have been S365 million higher if our nuclear plant output was generatef by coal-fired plants and S800 nillion higher if produced by oil-fired plants.
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concur with many of the Commission's reccmmendations and w1A1 soon provide to Dr. Frank Press a point by point rccp;nsa t:
its recommendations.
Our industry has already established an Institute for Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) to promote high operating and training standards in all nuclear facilities, while the Electric Power Research Institute has set up a Nuclear Safety Analysis Center (NSAC) to investigate the Three Mile Island l
accident and distill lessons that will improve other nuclear power plants.
We believe the industry should be setting goals and deadlines and that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission should monitor our performance.
In short, Mr. President, Three Mile Island has prompted an industry with an unequalled record of safety to seek and implement ways of making nuclear energy even safer.
We do not believe a halt to the issuance of licenses or construction permits will contribute to nuclear safety.
On the contrary, a prolonged moratorium would wor'k against the national interest because each reactor that is delayed would displace approximately 40,000 barrels of oil each day.
No one realizes better than yourself that the energy questions facing our nation are extremely ccmplex.
Is it prudent, for example, to treat nuclear safety as something separate and apart from our policy toward the oil producing nations?
There are many forms of risks in addition to the risk of a nuclear accident.
There is the risk of irrational acts by oil producing nations; the risk of another OPEC boycott; the risk of armed conflict over oil; and the risks attached to the production and use of other forms of energy, such as coal or shale oil.
Alongside other options, we sincerely believe the risks attendant to nuclear power are minimal.
We fervently hope that you agree with us, Mr. President, and will commi:
the nation to the continued use of nuclear power.
I Sincerely, Thomas G. Ayers Chairman i