ML19321B137
| ML19321B137 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 06/26/1980 |
| From: | Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Wolga K AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8007280122 | |
| Download: ML19321B137 (5) | |
Text
{{#Wiki_filter:', ~ - VcMb ~ o ceg CD - 3 c3.0 8 0 UNITED STATES E \\*{e(f(3, NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION s
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WASHINGTON. D. C. 20555 %, v. [ / e JLN 'G 15E0 I Mr. Kenneth M. Wolga Nis DOCUMEtlT C0tlTAMS 324 Snyder Hill Road E Ithaca, New York 14850 ggg.dIY Ebbbb a
Dear Mr. Wolga:
L This is in reply to your letter of May 12, 1980, to President Carter about the safety of nuclear power. Enclosed is a statement of December 7,1979, by the President on the Kemeny Commission Report on Three Mile Island. This includes the following: "The steps I am announcing today will help to ensure the safety of nuclear plants. Nuclear power does have a future in the United States. It is an option that we must keep open. I will join with the utilities and their suppliers, the Nuclear Regulatory Cocmission, the executive departments and agencies of the Federal government, and also the State and local governments to assure that the future is a safe one." An Action Plan has been developed to provide a comprehensive and integrated basis for the: actions judged necessary by the Nuclear Regulatory Coamission to correct or improve the regulation and operation of nuclear facilities as a result of the experience with the Three Mile Island accident and the official studies and investigations of the accident. Every effort it being made to protect the public health and safety at all nuclear power plants that are currently in operation or that may start operating in the future. Sincerely, Harold R. Denton, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Enclosure:
As stated / 8087E80 /
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1 FO P. Ile'2 DI,, a. u :_ e.a s ..\\ -- g OFFICE OF THE bMITE HOUSE FFISS SECFITARY b g Eyl $f' ~. ~. .%m, THE WITE HOUSE - - -, -. _ _ _ _ _, - - _ &y a 'l s;ir :e:7-3Y THE PPE31 DENT ON Tan FI GNY C ::::SSICN F aEpoa; CN TH72; MI' E IS' 00 o { .m7 C f f i :' h '. d i t: 70cm 459, old Ewew._ ~ (AT 2:45 P.M. EST) p The purpose of this brief stct.ent this O[" 3 THE PF23:0:NT: af terncen is to outline to you and to the public, both in this country S3 j and in other nations of the world, my own assessment of the demeny Eeport racc:=anlations en the Three Mile Islan:! accident and I would like to a M, of course, in the presentation so e tnoughts and acticns 4 ,l 93 j i} of my cwn. + I have reviewed the report of the Comissica, which I i 1 acrifent at the "hree Mile Island nuclear' es tablishad to inves-igate the if The Commission, headed by Dr. Johnlemeny, fcun.2 very "" ' M serious shortcenings in the way that, both the Government and the utility powe r plant. ,e *--*-~:-- 4 industry regulate and manage. nuclear power..'
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The steps that' I l am' taking today will help to assure thatMENO d Safety;' as it always has ' AM nuclear power plants. are operated safelf.' l and will remain,' is my ~t'op ' priority.* As I have said be fore,_in gh been ~ By this .J. this country nuclear power is an energy source of last resort. re ach our goals on conservation,' cn' the direct use' of coal, on development of solar power and synthetic fuels, and { I meant that as we enhanced producticn of American oil and natural gas, h' as we reach thcse i then we nn -ini.-les our reliance en nuclear power, g
- goals, allies mus t place much greater reliance 7
Many of our foreignbecausa they do not have the vast natural g. ei than we :'o en nuclear power, job of '.eveloping alternative energy resources and we must also pass, g[T h'e mus t get on with 'he a give us sc many alternatives. resources that l l in order to do this, the legislation that I have proposed to the Congress,,; To making an effort at every level of society to conserve energy. l conserve energy and to develop energy resources in our country are the 9 g two basic answers for which we are seeking. But we cannot shut the door on nuclear power for the United States. } I The'recent events in Iran have shewn us the-clear, stark 5 3 ] dangers that excessive dependence on 1:cported oil holds for our nation.-~~$
- " i We must make every effort to lead this country to energy security.
l M includirfg nuclear power, is critical if Every domestic energy source, free as a country from our present over-dependence on ,j j we are to be of high priced foreign oil. g unstable and uncertain sources u j a d We do not have Ehe luxury of abandoning nuclear power or ' f ..e f.j A nuclear pcwer imposing a lengthy moratorium on its further use. E1J j plant can displace 35,000 barrels of oil per day, or roughly 13 million We mu s t take every possible step to increase- - j barrels of oil per year. I agree fully with the letter N the safety of nuclear power production. and the spirit and the Intent of the Kemeny Comission recorc.endations, d others of which -.j l ~,' ~ some of which are within my own power to implement, y rely on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, or the NRC, or the utility industry itself. f I To get the Government's osn house in order I will take f (mu) ~L._-
.< A l' .m ~ p,... _ _r 9m - ,~..% g I will send to the Congress a reorganization plan - f several steps. First, to strengthen the role of the Chairman of the NFC, to clarify assignrent l of authority and responsibility and provide this person with the power ^ to act on a daily basis as a chief executive of ficer, with autherity to l ~~ ~ ~ ' ' ' " * ' put needed safety reouirements. in place and to implement better The" Chairman must be able 'to select key' personnel'and to' procedures. act on behalf of the Cccc1ssion during any emergency l Second, I intend to appoint a new Chairperson of the Nuclear.U:gda:rry Cc:-ri s sien, someone from cutside that agency, in the spirit of the Kemony Ccenission reconmendatien. In the meantime, I have asked Cc: missioner Ahearne, now on the NRO, to serve as the Chairman. Mr. Ahearne will stress safety and the prompt implementatica of the j needed reforms. I In addition, I will: establish an independent advisory l committee to help keep.me and the public of the United States informed of the progress of the Na0 and the industry in achieving and in making l clear the recccmendations that nuclear power will be safer. Third, I am transferring responsibility to the Federal l Emergency Management Agency, the FEMA, to head up all off-site emergancy activities, and to ecmplete a thorcu;h review of emergency [ plans in all the states of our country with operating nuclear reactors by June, 1923. Fourth, I have directed the Nuclear Regulatory Cormission and-f the other agencies of the Governrent to accelerate our program to place a resident Federal inspector at every reactor site. l I' Fifth, I am asking all relevant Government agencies to implement virtually all of the 'other recommendations of the Kemeny s Commission. I believe there were 44 in all. A detailed factsneet is l being issued to the public and a more extended briefing will be given to the press this af ternoon. y With clear leafership and impreved c:gani:stion, the h Government and the NRC will be better able to Executive Branch of act quickly en the crucial issues of improved training and standards, safety procedures, and the other Kemeny Commission reccreendations. t i 8 ~ But responsibility to make nuclear power safer does not stop with the i { Federal Government. In fact, the primary day by day responsibility.,.,. for safety rests with utility company management and with suppliers There is no substitute for technically qualified'* of nuclear equipment. and ceraitted people working on the construction, the operation, and ' ~lQ the inspection of nuclear power plants. . ~. -., Persont.1 responsibility must be stressed. Some one person must always be designated as in charge, both at the corporate level and-also at the pcwer plant site. The industry owes it to the' American - V + people to strengthen its commitment to safety. I call on the utilities to implement the ollowing' changes first, building on the steps already taken, the indust:y must organize i itself to develop enhanced standards sfor safe design, operation, and A construction of plants; second, the nuclear industry must work together " ^ ^ " ~ ' ' to develcp and to maintain in operation a comprehensive training, examination, and evaluation program for operators and for; supervisors.
- y training program must pass muster with the NRC through accreditatic:.
This s w - m m,, _. l 7 of the training progras.s to be established. Third, control rooms in nuclear power plants must be mocerni:ed, standardi:ed, and simplified as much as possible, to permit MO RF. ~ r A+ ow' l wR" < ~, .qqqw,,g g g g x> ~ p m -J: ~"Oy, ..-(~
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-l . %.. { g .r a l better informed decision-making among regular operating hours and, of ] ~ course, during emergencies. '"'1 -{ .p _ -, ~ ~ ~ r challenge ' our utility ce=panies to bend every effort ~"-- -q ~ to improve the safety of nuclear power. ,j Finally, I would like to discuss how we =page this l transition period during which the Kemeny recommendations are being ~ imple:cated. Th re arc a nurher cf new nuclear plants.now awaiting __. .j operating licenses or cons truction permits,. Under law, the Nuclear. m., M. Regulatory cer mission is an independent agency. Licensing decisions' '- ]f rest with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, und as' the Kemeny Cora. mission?;f noted, it has the authority to proceed with licensi5g these plants.fon aMM case by case basis, which may b5 used as circumstances, surrounding,ag- ~g#g plant or its application dictate. e7 .t r + 4.2.. W d l m;,a,9,y 6g,, q.py.qg'ig/g' s Issuing any Aew licenses and construction permits in order.use. in *w%p%k.y The NRC has indicated, however, that.i.t will pa db i a to devote, ,n. + its full attention to putting its own house;in' order'and'.tigh'tening[up].f ~ g safety requirements. I endorse this approach which the NRO;hasg,$.SG-q adopted, but I urge the NRO to complete its work as 'quickly as possibl'e?8M and in no event later than six months from -today.., Once..we, have.,adMUQ-4 ins tituted the ne:essarv re forms to assure safety, 'we must resume' thew 6 ~ ~ licensing process pro ptly so that the new plants' we'need,'to reduce ~ohr dependence on foreign oil can be built and operated.* ~ j ~'- " -. gp[i%., dQ The steps I am announcing today will help to insure the safety-*M g of nuclear plants. Nuclear power does have a future.in the, United _Statesp @ It is an option that we must keep open. I will join'.with. the! utilities &.u4 and their suppliers, the Nuclear Regulatory Commiss16n',"the executive 2 departments and agencies of the Federal GovernmenWand als'o$th5, stat $[fy[M E l l l and local governments to a,ssure that the future is a safe one.,ww+ c.>*-MM l ?
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N w Dr. Frank Press, Stu Ei:enstat, and John Deutsch will.,fg.g my i be glad to answer your questions about these decisions and about +9M nuclear power and the future of it in our country. Frank? -a % _.,. ~ u END (AT 3:00 P.M. EST) ,. g { i .-,M 4. ..n ... g .. tu. , -. m m + .1 -?. , k 4 ~w is .,.c ~,p, .2,'e.:. ^ - i kj i W., ..h e m m_ n er ~ m.. m ...t ,cs l I O l .x 2 .p .x .f -
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Y '9j Ar p,- _.~. 324 Snyder Hill Road t ~~ Ithaca, New York 14850 May 12, 1980 'i President Jimmy Carter The White House Washington, D.C. 'O
Dear Mr. President:
em I am very concerned about the safety of nuclear power. More and more frequently I hear about safety problems in operating nuclear power plants. Today I read in my local paper that a broken pump in a nuclear power plant in Russellville, Ark. leaked 50,000 gallons of radioactive water. The frequency of accidents like these lead me to believe that these plants are not being made that well. I think that until they can be made more reliable they should not be built. The fact that frequent malfunctions are occurring will make it difficult for our country to switch to nuclear power in our effort to conserve on the import-ation of oil. 0 I think these questions merit your personal attention. 1 Respectfully
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I 1 Kenneth M. Wolga 8th Grade Student DeWitt Junior High School m}}