ML19323H428
| ML19323H428 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Callaway  |
| Issue date: | 05/16/1980 |
| From: | Danforth J, Dole R, Eagleton T SENATE, GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS |
| To: | Ahearne J NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8006120520 | |
| Download: ML19323H428 (4) | |
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WASHINGTON, D.C.
20018 C
May 16, 1980 Doegg g
a Usna Mr. John F. Ahearne MAYS 0 N b 72 Chairman U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission d
1717 "H"
Street, N. W.
L 8 4 Washington, D. C.
20555 o>
Dear Mr. Chairman:
We are writing you to express concern about the delays in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's review i ons of two nuclear of the operating license applicat power plants being constructed in Missouri and Kansas:
the Callaway Plant, Unit 1, owned by Union Electric Company, and the Wolf Creek Generating Station, Unit No.
1, owned by Kansas Gas and Electric Company, Kansas City Power and Light Company, and Kansas Electric Power Cooperative, Incorporated.
These plants represent important assets to the more than 4.2 million consumers which these utilities serve.
In spite of the fact that the operating license applications for Callaway and Wolf Creek were filed seven and three months ago, respectively, we have been advised that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) g has not even begun its acceptance review of the appli-H cations.
NRC's failure to carry out its review in a timely manner is unacceptable to us.
I-t increases the costs of electricity supplied to our constituents; jeopardizes the continuity and reliability of the electric service provided to the customers of Union Electric; and disrupts the utilities' construction scheduling.
Union Electric's application for an operating license at the Callaway site was submitted to the NRC in October 1979.
After submission of the application, the NRC informed union ciectric that it would not be able to perform an acceptance review of the application until a later but unspecified date.
This position was i
reaffirmed in recent meetings between utility and NRC representatives in April 1980.
l
14r. John F. Ahenrno-
.v.
Page Two-May 16, 1980 Cc..
In the meantime,. work:.'one.the. Callaway1 plant. continues.
" ~ ' ~.
Union Electric informs;.us.that. on.Narch :3L,.1.910., thei - -
'.m de Callaway plant was aboct. 54: percent ~ complete :and. that-
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re..
.m. e <.,$743 million had been' spent.
Uhion Electri'c' predicts-that"- ~ C "
it will be in a position to load fuel by April 1982, only 23 months from now.
This is less than the time normally required for operating-license reviews prior to the Three Mile Island accident.
Union Electric further estimates that for each month in which. operation of the
'Callaway plant is delayed, it will incur additional con-struction costs of about $3.5 million.
To that must be added. replacement energy costs estimated at about 57 million per month and increased financing costs of $11 million per month.
These unnecessary costs, of course, must be passed on to Union Electric's customers.
Moreover, without the availability of the Callaway plant in 1983, Union Electric's projected power reserve margin will fall below 15 percent, increasing the likelihood of energy shortages (brownouts or blackouts) in its service area.
The Wolf Creek plant is in a similar position.
The application for an operating license was filed in February 1980.
Kansas Gas and Electric, and Kansas City Power and Light have received letters from the NRC advising that the acceptance review of their application will be delayed indefinitely.
As of March 31, 1980, the Wolf Creek Plant was about 58 percent complete and $623 million had been spent.
Fuel loading is expected to begin in October 1982.
KG6E, and KCPL estimate that for each month the Wolf Creek operation is delayed, they will incur additional construc-tion costs of about $5.5 million.
Replacement energy costs and increased financing costs will each add another
$10 million per month to the total cost of the proj ect.
Moreover, the availability of Wolf Creek is an essential element of a program begun in 1972, to substitute coal and nuclear-fueled power for the KG5E's present gas and oil fired capacity.
Operation'of Wolf Creek would result in an annual savings to KGGE equivalent to approximately two million barrels of oil.
Licensing delays will result in very large additional costs.
The NRC increases the potential for damage by postponing indefinitely its review of the license applica-tions.
Without some certainty as to when and how the NRC's review of these license applications will take place, the utilities cannot properly schedule construction and pre-operational activities.
I
.,,-m.,
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A Mr. John F. Ahentne
- ~
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Page Three m;
-May 16, 1980
.~
~~ ' m -- er.d-e-iBothether Callaway-and Wo1f Creek plants sre part ~of-rr -'
- r ec. c.Nuckm:r. the: Standardized Nuclear: Unit -Power plar}t.:Sy.srem :6SNUP-PS): rr W.e: Si program.
The SNUPPS program itself was established to e
achieve the important safety and operational benefits B
associated with standardization.
"Three Mile Island:
M A Report to the Commissioners and the Public" at pp.144-45 4
(the Rogovin Report) has endorsed nuclear power plant uh
- standardization.
In view of this recognition of the value of standardizing nuclear power plants, the NRC should en-c' courage such standardization through an active and timely licensing review of SNUPPS plants such as the Callaway
~
and Wolf Creek plants.
The NRC has a responsibility to facilitate the safe development of nuclear power as a part of the solution i
to our energy problems.
The December 1979 report to the National Academy of Sciences by the Committee on Nuclear and Alternative Energy System (CONAES) concluded that h
coal and nuclear power are the only large-scale alterna-tives to oil and gas b this century.
It noted that "a balanced combination of coal and nuclear generated electricity is preferable--on environmental and economic grounds--to the predominance of either."
By delaying indefinitely the licensing of plants such as Callaway r.-
and Wolf Creek, the NRC will hamper the timely development of the nuclear option.
We recognize that the adverse impact of the Three Mile Island accident has been profound..
However, your Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards and President Carter have recognized that the pause in licensing, following the accident at Three Mile Island, should not continue for an extended period of time.
It is thus I
surprising to us that more than six months after release I
of the Kemeny Commission Report, and five months since transmittal of the Rogovin Group Report, the NRC is still H
using the accident at Three Mile Island as an excuse for additional licensing delays.
I e
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l Mr. John F. Ahearne E
Page Four.
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.May 16, 1980
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,... ~. For. the-foreg5ing -reasons ; we urge..yote t%%rigtitre ""' ' *
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e -.s c r i stmd into.the. delays. surround.ing the r licensing-6f enhese" ' c
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5'i plants, and to direct the NRC Staff to initiate and develop a schedule for the timely review and licensing c
of the Callaway and Wolf Creek plants.
Sincerely, r
7-
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e Thomas F. Ea eton John C.
Danforth A~
Nancy Landon Kassebaum Robert Dole i
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