ML19323B253
| ML19323B253 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane, Sequoyah  |
| Issue date: | 04/21/1980 |
| From: | Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Vetta J AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8005120149 | |
| Download: ML19323B253 (3) | |
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513g l "00 ADR 21 1930 "r. Janes M. Vetta 2 Surning Tree Road Rolling ideadows, Illinois 60303
Dear Mr. Vetta:
This is in reply to your letter of February 27, 1980, to President Carter about licensing nuclear power plants.
A statement by President Carter on December 7,1979, about the Report of the President's Comnission on the Accident at Three !!ile Island (the Keneny Connission) included the follouing:
" Finally, I would like to discuss bcw we canage the transition period during which the Keneny recoa endations are being icple-mented. There are a number of new nuclear plants now awaiting operating licenses or construction pomits.
" Licensing decisions rest with the !:RC and, as the Keneny Conmission noted, it has the authority to proceed with licensing these plants on a case-by-case basis, which nay,be used as circunstances surrounding a plant dictate. The NRC has in-dicated, however, that it will pause in issuing new licenses and construction pemits in order to devote its full attention to putting its house in order.
I endorse the approach the NRC has adopted, but I urge the NRC to conplete its work as quickly as possible, and in any event no later than six nonths from today.
"Once we have instituted the necessary reforms to assure safety, we must resuno the licensing process promptly so that the new plants which we need to reduce our dependence on foreign oil can be built and operated."
The "uclear Regulatory Commission is conmitted to protect the public health and safety. The Three !!ile Island accident resulted in a need for changes in the approach to safety. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has found that actions recommended by its own staff and by the President's Commission on the Accident at Three Mile Island in the areas of hunan factors, operational safety, energency planning, nuclear power plant design and siting, health effects, and public infornation are necessary and feasible.
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"r. Janas I. Vetta i.PR 2 1 G30 At this time we are preparing for review and approval by the Nuclear Regulatory Cocnission an Action Plan that will specify the precise actions to be taken.
It will include new or improved safety ob-jectives, detailed criteria for their implenentation, and various implenentation deadlines. As soon as the Action Plan is conpleted and approved, the resulting regulatory requirements will be trans-mitted to all utilities concerned.
It is recognized that there will be a significant effect on the availability of power generating capacity if those plants now in the final stages of construction do not receive operating licenses by the dates previously ant.icipated, and every effort is being nade to avoid unnecessary delays. With this objective, the Commissionars approved on February 23, 1930, the issuance of an itRC license to the Tennessee Valley Authority for the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant Unit 1 to load fuel and, under specified conditions, to operate at low power levels for testing. Several other similar cases are under consid-eration.
Sincerely, CW ti. :24
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Harold R. Denton, Director Office of !tuelear Reactor Regulation DISTRIBUTION:
Docket Nos. 50-320; 50-327 1
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February 27, 1980 President Jimmy Carter The White House Washington, D. C.
20500
Dear President Carter:
I am writing to you as a concerned citizen and would like to respectfully express my feelings concerning the recent action taken_by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission of stopping the issuance of construction permits and operating licenses for nuclear power _ plants. From a utility standpoint, this action'will cause high interest payments on the part of not only the utilities who are holding permits on nuclear plants, but those utilities who sometimes purchase power from those utilities whos e plants have been put on hold. This will eventually affect, directly or indirectly, the nation as a whole -- all energy users whether nuclear or otherwise.
I understand there are several nuclear power plants waiting for operating licenses.
I further understand a typical reactor displaces some 10 million barrels of oil a year. Wouldn't this provide the needed oil we will be lacking during the winter months ahead, as well as help compensate for the loss of Iranian oil?
Comparatively speaking, nuclear power, as opposed to other sources of energy, is econonically beneficial, safe for public health and can be made readily available. This is not to say that other sources of energy should be discounted, but nuclear power should definitely be one of our first choices.
Mr. President, I respectfully ask tha t some consideration be made toward reinstating operations in our nuclear power plants as soon as possible.
I, for one, am not a supporter of Jane Fonda. Thank you for your valuable time and consideration.
Very truly yours, h.
sv(n s M. Vetta t
cc: The Honorable Charles H. Percy The Honorable Adlai E. Stevenson The Honorable Philip M. Crane 2 3ura:n: Tree Road j
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"!ea 'ows, Illinois 60009
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