ML19338B856

Forwards Article from Philadelphia Inquirer Re Rush to Commercial Operation Issue. D Evans & Author to Meet W/Reporter to Discuss Allegations

ML19338B856
Person / Time
Site:	Crane
Issue date:	08/31/1979
From:	Vandenberg L NRC OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND PROGRAM ANALYSIS (MPA)
To:	Parler W NRC - NRC THREE MILE ISLAND TASK FORCE
References
TASK-TF, TASK-TMR NUDOCS 8001200076
Download: ML19338B856 (6)

Text

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION "g g WASH WG T ON,0. C. 70$G5 3..

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August 31, 1979

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MEMORAf!DUM Note for:

Bill Parler I

From:

Larry Vandenberg bi Attached is an April 16 Philadelphia Inquirer-article relating to the. ' Rush to Commercial Operation Issue' that reporter Rod !!ordland

~

sent to me. As we discussed, I believe we have to talk to every person named in the article. Dave Evans and I plan to meet with flordland to discuss the allegations and see if he is willing to provide additional supporting information.

-Attchment:

article cc:

Evans E. K. Cornell R. C. DeYoung (15,(- h hyQ g

3 G. Frampton M. Rogovin s

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' fect that men undiscovered for five U'

dMed Ma

. J '.i ans, known as " scrams,:" tor sb. accord. k' "w a,,_

a.

N h.,,t. years.

,,, %d Ik 0.her.N t documents reveal an ing to NRC reports.

' ("

s: /. -

G Th IU'

'7 unusually rge number of major in

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E'"

A i'

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C 4 breakdowns at the piant Those t; rea N s coohng sys* ems.

s" i F X

%1ME p' $ problems included numerous in.

to

% ear 4ndustry Jarpo MM }i n. 'f ' [",r..;3 7 i j y,f m'

a h(

k(i I

e

[

f eg' p t.I e ones t.

C ha d r in were the immediate causes of the p,l March 23 accident.

other parts of s tem M

Y.'k' r;;,

p').

"Nobody ever did like unit two,"

Trips are routine in nuclea'r rlants- -I O',

s:rarns are not, especially if th a're e

% ' Y-N. -

!N Qt said a technician who has worked on r.nt pNned. When one happe,w, it II; I.?

UE D O'D g? a disaster. De equipment never ran ND it from the start. "It just always was means that there has' been some tfbch?.FMfth-bu

.@pf'p ns

-1 potential failure in one of the many.M'Y'$g*.e Wr&

N6 h

right."

comnlet systems that prevent the '

7 M.M *Mh.'h.l q;f reactor from going out of contr0I

' M/.;

N'.D YN k~N '

Many Three h*ile Island strkers The NRC therefore insises on a de5 d..-

- [' '

'h~

s

_9 hwe been quitting since the accident, teil d report of each scram.

.N k

hb Mb e

e tg'- b" enny conceded that "five or six" had according to sources there. We com.

D:rme the reactor's first scram, * ' '

d'

?:3$%

4*. [;

eccording to NRC reports, a fuse.

il

. Wp,[.? WM,

M Ed.* " nuit since then.

blew, causing an efectrically oper.

8 ap p

• 5 rr' 7.

Two 'of them are health physicists ated valve to stick open; vital cml. [T f'

g7 3

H; E-Q,** - y, N I.C' monitoring and are specially trained C

workers uto handle radiatim hff un r pred and

/ C ~%

.%.N i+[3 g N.

the n" dear ins'rumen,tation ;, f

crc 3 ph;feO in the

@g ([ in the effects of radiati m exposure.

y i R MM

'E-' gy; g y '.

r*

ew e bahp s ut ; {g ?

e h' sa"ety," said I us concerned for my own lv and t M

~

1 g

'pl'g%'rW-F Q e '.

u'$ der con!folkn ffve brought f

of those health g

m p

? hha'$"%'also enntacted nu.b' '.1""

?"'k""U : 'tbn a fu.t h bk $ h kbk$y $

.?

Y.-

Insuirer N A9tII 23. after' less M

$ ~ne emnloves who had quit be.

f -4 :of-operat on, the; p;3nt s i 1!i hk h

kN re..t 4

V

• rc the accident be:ause, thev said; dW mah! steam-relief vakes fall.-l Q%@r.t'd" i t ;'P h, *N T

4 M*

O-y:I *ev were nyerwn-ked or cnneerned 'idmat resu? red in such a serious t "hl h

M h~hjfN[.P s,

J'

%nt safety and maintenance viola., serem that operators were afraid the

• g

{Q}:

h8f W

,. ns.

7 -

nudear core might have been ex.

eA

,a d ip.

ger of a meltdown). The reactor wss. N'5%.[pd.g(*h ',,9

)

A posed fwhich could result la the dan. -SbY

• du

.[s Jg,La%y,35, who nottives on

)4N rai! boat in Ifilton llead. S. C',wd ins his un machine shop, was am shut down for repairs until Septem. ~

Q.q 3.

e D

Wfg yr" '.

i: d the Threc,ber, Qg r;rst. class re> airman at gg g%*

pany officials before the'Penn3.y!.Acc#tf!TY test 1mifoy' by w'e Island. He had a long back.

(

.l.hround in melear. plants, beginning ON n.7i..f'1 e?% M @,$ '

p

A si*h the Navy and induding work t;5 vama Pubbe Urlfity Commission N

$ as an assembly insr'ector for the (PUC), those valves were untest-d,. '

4

.

• J'" ~ ~ 1 Y ',@&

M i, M; L.

'i [

\\

M.4nited Nuclear Corp. in Connecticut, apenmental models. The staivs F.

' k + @k' bto 4 h

'i ne quit his. fob on' tractor nu nber. c nsumer. advocate called their vse ' '% ^'j;':'

N;'

an unacceptable risk, and eventually

-se, whicT~be:ame operMiohnal'hi "because I was dissatisfied with a hearmg examiner penalked the ' ---

4 I

N S. - adacement. and safety grecautieni-company by reducing

.-c I

q rate m D"'"**-""* r G)}

' IT its 4

$,,M svirtcuts."

crease request by 57.86 million.

Shortly a'ter the vahu had been i..d F

~

aul Bakerlf, ale quit his first,

rc# ced and the reactor had come ' ~ C2h

g f[G

" 5/

g +ss repairman's job at Three \\H!e N3 Nand because, be said, he was up-back "on jine" ~ jargoo for func.

tionin h et over rnaintenan:e procedures P

..& g - there wre fur *her scrams.. ' '

A Middletown family b d

Sept & a' feedwa(er valve g

h. that "left a lot to be desired.aP W f ""A

=, ". '.% S ~,. trippe3-an,d cau i

i f7 aacram jm p/ gain pA/ e 'c

'. 4M,.hve b~4 W M Ii i %,c.

03

.a.. _

~.-

$8*ne" valve idit G:

. 7.'_ _,'

_4. L,%' 70#0:t.

. 23 r

.D dis '$nde m. du a,Mw-C I N E--

' /

a, 1

y pe "'.m.:,5 =C99..uto is tw 'tri@ed' and caused a scra:n. The. /

m +.... _...

-.. ~.

gili;hard BlaEema Port noted, u! ha-tres to cut, sa:ne valve did i' again on~ 5ept; 25.

dividends ta s gs namtmg contractor in

.on

/j n. C., was,one of us.... o,s n '. 3,c Q A mte hW ;. ccmpany rega.

that abernative,

On Oct.

k.w".crs/ but the.

r 3e,

g

to function' p, hanical mamtenance fc n im as "disastres,,

cetim>ed psy-se qui. in August. He complained 4 s-

}((p,a,ing its' divide.

k,.

m emed m rn,.%~.,a w "" Q

-u ta alt sam; rate as.

hat his ovevrked rep crews y,7;;,7; _;

r

~

w a wee, titeS 00 VilaIIf cgrcugAr[.

pl* ; 3u,ps,EI.

g. Mas 1:ft 28 aca air

. RCop, g was cut

'ng ort sydt,

• by R

->%,M.

s

~

c tis

7 a - *.. P

• . There were ve acrums in. percen 6De increasina s nJr d'I

[

it ip 8

Y,' r _

Eovember, t=e o.com.; un't e, wwh iras M N

to hsay $ 2

', -,.h e ti

~

v.,

v,.,,,

O

?J

,a. e, me. w.r e.

~t

. ___ a,.v.a she a

s 4 see a

m.m. _ y_or, mu J

• N

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side

.w.a.we s.w :o c.2t.

gwc was one et unts two7 y

.same Dn'*nC2 f*

" "*O. tiecorte t'

. smed. comp *nds to stockholders! but serne

' ' ~ '

ny; regzeded that aberr ative

be -

se qui > i2 t-

..... inled his <rn comptjried -N' GC

,i tt g, j"_.Cg ~,srid a prenurner valvfeednter pump ! as " disastrous" and contim>ed p1y.

psitores of the icg iu'davidends a~ the samt rs:e as w.ro twed t

..htft m,7 cuntrariumg causes to tne accZem -

yn,,

g y33p337 g,

,7,,g,f k

earlier.

e yre r-aso.

7 m ~ J March 23, accordmg to NRC w!!icials.

-.a nt.

A n'ose and many other worken was cut spen There were two more terams in pacent M ding on unit two by i

'. omplained particular:,

November, and four more in Dwem-e knaeng Wng m about the i.; See hours they had been. arced m un't one ber - three of them on-the.same mg des, p was hady gnest.

d 43~

Mi d., irk, even before the accident.

day, Dec. I city, h 9 M ce n e

F al've *een guys work sM De piant was shut dwn for six But there was still pressure to get.

4 i

d cock 24 or 32. hours

. days after a Dec. 6 scram because.

un t two on line as soon a,s possible.

Blarem

' rdd Fu!!

4

[ '. ary. Wou tust go, go, of proMems with the main feedwater; trangimcommer-QLeration would fs M

4~

t (( "m."y work es to dea'h," Sli Idays before full cdmmercial opera., pump. It sta2ted up

the,

p. ant's

operator,._N d

o

.tG ne@

' tion officia!!y began on,Dec. 30 at !!-

er d eE@ty from other TtHIEes - p

?-A mamten:"1:e techmeian. J

%ne of the guys are worW 18 to i

to a net sel p.m.

% a job where we shoc!d be alert.,d in ; fore the big one tha g

5

f. 20 baurs a day. We're ovuweke e

W n:e

['ph be..*as weU.'

a, -

l", 3:cident rather than face cen+mu..' plant March 23 A tmit-two foreman quit after the -

By bednning commercial oneta..

W>

• ?

tbn prior to Jan.1,1979, it wMd

i. W By comrast Three Mile Island's :

Q%K:

U ng hours and lack of days eff. An "k

~

unit one -- a, reactor sim9ar m de,a!!nwance an$Jo million deprec:st;.cn qualify for a t

~M sign but smaller than utd:

nstrument techrdcian quit beh be d an mvestment

'" acci:!ent after being forced one week : has had far fewer problenir. In its credit of $12 million on two --

JSbd

.a r _

b N#Y J $ only twice! in its first si '"first year of operation, it scram

$ n wr6100 haurs.

g#.

- f. r,ne typical werker,s, o!!cted 500 i

1p9 haurs 'of overtsrae a year,4Md!d not scram a single time;.

n aiong:

1"9yff r mor,ths,it :to.its censumers thrmgh a rate m ;

h" vorkers said; if his job, skill.is m>ed twice as m,any "re M, 6V mard, the'erert:me is>mandr. tory During 1978 plant officir.ls repott,' least 51' mdhon m rets x crew. Metropo!it:m Ediwn lest at, Th YMd";

umd often runs up to 1,200 hour0.00231 days <br />0.0556 hours <br />3.306878e-4 weeks <br />7.61e-5 months <br /> 9 99 hat'the 'NRC hrences". - problems scrimn.cnou;n

';&rg!

e

• • C " C"*

• M he_ pjar:c t

=

M *can L

Ffor unit two than fEr unit oneasTtribe 'in_%r.nl f MitTWttrthrrniddre of ari55crP ne posee industry ". said's unit T

P'78t"

g A

W'g dwo foreman,. " believes?.that 9 cording to Richard llartMd ' ireg MINWWoperap

, ac.TaMaWerilnimtsy-g it's heaper to. work sta "pwpiefen4 tor of the NRC's nianageme,nt and 9

2 d

y

>2mrs than to hire Inore peyle.

i".{t.. w]

~

program analysis o!Tice.

---

"That-hike wasreramed*Merrch' fJederal government had no limit on., A spckesman for,the NRC said $e0on unit two i

elltror".. disastrous: ecram, gg

' pthe job.inhe number of boers or days that;p' on,ht mpared to sTx'on unit N 08 meresse, or,JWut two. thirds gg

$3MDC Jnuclear plant workers can put,in en _ U two had 50 percen+ ttMM &c me ommucia@. based w

g gw-3

• w/M.

.] ne busiest time in.a 'nu: eay tionwhe "Itt terms ef;ueentivee/4 -

mWe.9

. ~.cwer plant is durir.g refdeling, when tors llattfield s' aid,we:2g,_f,,, ggggg37_

.sumer - ;adwcate 7 pavid F@1 bhr reactor is shut deva as is num.

s u

were stront' there's no gestica trut a sseh,

--u

?b:r one now, because ma,ny complet ;.

. irusintenance and. repair jobs can.By the time umt two bega7 com- 'Qthat plant co:-3nere: a 1

een in W v-e W

• i

'lbe done ordy while the reactor is off :, produringmercial operation.-that is/ started.

1 anonal before the rate cue ended '

Are

' Td.iE~js_a.rus!LtageL411 thase jobsp;cf mditom of dollars C2f -8f. had cost its owne s hundredsat 100 percent of its ca Many wptkers at Three $lile Insnd E

f f

so 6at once tee niant is re-said that was just:what happene1M 1

4

~'fsiNd,~it 'Eari~

~~~Tiste operation ~gofrnuneditteIf~ bag. had expected to spend on it.more than they Then rieft " saiCa hrmer uniert3 t J offic al; who-', quit 4 m 5

--- ~ f kncnv of guy.

his s who just got done1 lion by the time,: ens!ru: tion wasng cost overturtr EM mechanicab.

0,-A doing 40 days straight," sa:

e wasn't. ready 11 was a rue fobli 4 a teerd"fiiirihed carip'laTt nician. "You're probably mt:as eili"FehiEdTche~duTET} hen Rey ~ were ju,st on you all the ume '

Eary.ffe ytars.a tsaying) "Let's gei it done

> cient.".

'J..N 0.' and sciami, whnh delayed even f 4 t came the trips to cet ne got" j

Union cmefals have talse pretest about these pohc:,es..d littla? er the time when the reacter would *on bba.

- p ur. -

t.

7.-

gt 4

w..,4 1

his is not safe " said.. fames 'K!nO."No.one. approached me to,csay... begin paying fo

..y.y. ;went o lilii December, instJbefore urtit twoM N

y The prqstigious cocs11 ting firm of' the; plant ne NE mspectors visited

• n

.N ref, president of Local N.of We ' New J Touche Ross Inc., repo<ng to 'tae ~ " containment intesTt t.

i

,,.;nternanocal Brotherhood of TW g

ersey public advocite-en the _Ts;5Fbea5e~ptant%fficiai ~hid e,'!

meal

,a wmen, wmen represents financ 3 y

y most of the plant's-ulumste,_.made'sidie~tEatTaIFes In f

%vryone at gcpts nhaThree Mile Island emp! ayes. ' (owrer, s ; not:1

(*

General g

Public Utilities g

GPU), wrote that:

tainment building, t}ffs5.f656thW.

hL, an.1 goes about doing ti.etr 8,Q. tl.ere i

e rs "As a result of underesHrt' ann; concrete'nciamrr thef.*hAde t'::

V I

0

?'

the secpe cf nuclear <n.wurtlan reactor,,ffnemoperlLchri -

4l titut twfs trnub!es began the day wie:ts, GPU was unable to sue;'ntt ne December inmeetion tum 4.ho. Q/

I **

T k

fter it first "sut critical" - that tha overall ji ger.cratian.,natnbian fwnd a generally ankemot ar;vr. M I'

k. when the first atomic re nn in its uranium core action be~ p.:.gren with adequate fin.mehl re-

- durmg hite and tiro!rMng a,round on strrstytth M d!Pi C

'I *C ance intide the piant gi s wrces "

h' I

y!

te. tmg on Lrch 28.191, 7

c p u he erore faced a serbas_ways, radiats.wt saram.a m1s y.'+

, in the nest _M mnnths the onit had can.fl., -

n nu,blem, ToJ:Ne~bh mining or down, and 50 on. TSe 11-g,1 7 m.Tnr wytomtve thy, the te.

Sre"; ors cited instan, cs of

. '.,, y q

. -... - erly or inadear.te!i smW

..Tf0>

...y 7 m

.~..

W -@ -

,e f

7 g

~~ O

/

R a 31.nts 181aDG preparatiOli ' i De amtersty program, p.'nch Elet' - ih I'

.c,m,

.;.mk([A ih. h '. ropalitan Edison told whers wouU inreb*ga$')*

$s ib' N p','[.

2 l ry.'

'mean cutbacks.by a third in main. cther Wds'en t*4-W pe6 k.

7 j.N,...

1 g. y - 5.o - -,.

tenance. programs, was neceuary-terted and. prow 2,w ga '

became the company suspected -

pv Often v

U' N

.d.

corrcaly - that it would rm receive dures c'er tes-w p

7.,.

'.d.*[,$. y@.h:j. ky l,,.

$.} as mu:b d a rate hike e it.uanted,i were ignoerd ak$

~,

"y;e t,

qg,,

In January the. reactor < typerated there were ind,cathi'the e.

f..

'~

I%/.h,A c.w!'.f.1 only 336 out of a posroote 7H hour:,pre takedy, s g,,4,,,,,

[

I according to NRC documents..,,..

W, "In the U econdary '(nocradioac

, w.

~.

'" - ","'V'uf.!7.y",T,, M.1 the pressurizer valves, and no soon. "dve),pyree;n,.said a

.. ', On Jan.'14, repairs were made.on

, g J+

'4 4 ;

trician, "we'd test now stuff,.and i

~'

k/.h. h,36.q':'~>;r-.( er had they been comple:cd than the ' dMn't %fk; We trsed 'to c W,IIe'

• d T&{'.9 (.. '.S.";R

• g.,@lik<..r.'l.1 reactor. i. crammed again' beca'cic a,~,? '{llow could.they accWt' (frorr c

N. g~ d t 8;g r h,.s.d. )blj/y?y. joint had ' ruptured, releasing steam. 'the s

I

37.@e

,W-a'nd knocking out transfc*mers. Dat ;ddn't korkP' Ile said his reprisI l

put the umt out of servk,e toni.Jan.- lf out moperanve. equipment

.4 wy

.s

3.. %.,..m.rared...a.

c.._

.were{'

m i

k( N [i'.N $.f.3M h, 33 Finally,'ff Fe$rthry,' the 'NactorI.id N'mid; ibd* frequently neN Nd I

q j

t ed, full-tilt "all'"hio rJC bperating r pc'hp Tayithst,,, wtreqrticdarly, T9,:

i

went p

Q

.d-

, Q.f.<

pf.

672 hours0.00778 days <br />0.187 hours <br />0.00111 weeks <br />2.55696e-4 months <br /> Iut i a' possib!c 672.l t rt1Loejy Nf N,[. ~ 'N) N e p pti rb er h n

n.

b f.,

t to be reduced tv eneck tne p. rop. No.

For such ressms,,hxumm.s:aML

)

.[#.)

D,r*:[.

['

'f E I

!i.b.;, I[' 6

, ed

., g n

a

0. tripped; aga!3 it'v$ chechd:Wfu /

W mp F tn % sM tuo L'h ff. l-i h pr-de-n'Was,fcund,, aad the ro.i on standby. lf one broke down. they'd t./;-

b',[; rQ ;,]g.

3'

> d f,g. Q'f D

b

,.. % g

',; g 8 ',,'h.4 actor.was frAlya.ro 2-find that the reserve @uuhrk.-

1. Up 'to fun, I remember' running (tmit one ylth g- -

eu:

!- bm.3 v eMteh.:

.. +

n, 7 nMy one (feedwater) rIump-fortwo or.

c-

.n Q,Nk"1.J

' [,

in

'EeSe amiinU5

,? T':o%rjn';$.. hv fh if ' ' compo. cats Mt it.if d.in.the.scr.an d

t,'.-

i

? J)i.d O'.M[p5%F ' of Marchy$

f E ~' "

.g.. One of the m.ut bla' ant riotsflonst

~ s pne day bhre M0' ii dr~cE(df.

"U#*sh m. unit 4 neQ

• y : Q.Wa.,4c '.9 71 b "I

'*Prece4rcQan crne.f the' g

.;h,&

i dere

. ' L.an operator'in t nit ont dhe 6

dyJ.i tM"'M[c.dtne emergency coaling system, all 3 d O'Y,,m.ad. Wen 1-F

"" " 8 that a valve had been left c!osd 'on'

&Wlk'$

5' >

]

s i) -.

eer. ithirh Imk and work

. ego.Mions, andN

""1 Eke.shxk absorbers on an!

7 a Q,%l>f L,,

f i

u!ation of fodetal 4it.Sf t%,

.t ner.moh.ue, and they are intended to t

c A

>.p-3 4 ~.- ksgt t* F.'?.:

k S.4..

(, y, O y y

,Cr he quie)Jy reopened s

i r.

But on one,.arprently, ihi@t:0 t *,y 4 g :

• the event of an Q:,'& &w.f y

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x-93 r

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f,5 ' check the identical espergency. cod.*f.

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% JfE _M!J[q ke. reed!ed..thatS frequently, 7 June N 'isie y %en there hadTrec,3tima kak Wes. " shet:t the 5

.j, tv nid

~ [ M i ~,, a f,a b,k,.

,the uould be (med w1th twkmg "I was supprr,ed gS.. h..'/'l '.h E,[$.ff-

-are more co,th, and o9en requ::e I wt.s off for two days. Whea f came

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'I8' 'er than tr: -iunical seMs. Le!'d that testing program (in March 1978).

,d :p#. ;F 9MI? M.9 -

. cutting back opernthris.

back, af' mt overnic*n all of t}Em I

@ pg 1.

i, y J.M.v7M "Ttx attitude wa: 'af we shtt it were PW1 cm-at t? or is of tt>efn.

.<j t3 df

'do kme enMnce-orv sinn, and.

. !'.. IL g*%ad a.n, n'11 have to car it 1the re-I

{..fp(ca4" a.

tor) don to 75 percent twe'. So tarned them aff with his pene:LTE

"""*8'"'

tava s for Easter FeMCCS

. we'll rtm it till it (the pump scal)' kmd of t,te me up."

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COCs.* "

D "h! LQv; "was a faree. The only,

DemalltY enntrn! departr' tent,C n uid h ~ m!'fet m i s -

2.

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, ga

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"y,.

icas of *' I d. recJ!rg bem;; depe at P t..,: *rarg be ere contmfling was the i

.ta.

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occa plant g rat $n t.

udin; 5 key. seve. times cn emarenev er.";panerwork.",

. area :a i "c re-fi ma

. pu n and he- : nmwat ria L

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e

~~ ~~~~ ~ptk. gatern [ sfst.dZu;1 An in icatior of han m a repa,gu aar;gerdMint. station.m

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teca ed reacuue said Labb "was a iu-I sting prouiures,, in 13 areas y stead of seal:rg ing donc at least ' thing thev re c.tmiling was the

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seven time

. eme rgency co' sling rape work."

plant operaton, mcitdin;; such key g,

g areas as tb " core-flooding system,,,

i An Indi4 'i a o.

ow much repair nudear

• cts atir cration nre very-% M i

" reactor,.noling system, and ft i

worlt was ' ut o'*

gisen by the hne!e re.c ' :ed. 'n, %veh aa: ard

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,e in i do e t le

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seven times on emergency cWE ke at

%SYS".l, pumtw and bert removal pumtm On p$er, me cperations o' a,.

r*

An indication of how much repa,r nud ar generarire station are tery-c.

i

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'*8 Y' work was put o'! is given by the finelv re.caed. '!*;e "swi.ch.nt wd M.

.,n q...,nrirv af back cdm & t*.

taeong" proccu is an example.

jope tote-,52 n 'a licy area of unit i

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so tud mat supervisors had bwn y Werk'ers said the backlo:s occur-Por instance,if a pump somewhere red because umt tn had tea many in a line has to he remired..two e'

)

a se of tne need to r"r**

go3 nn.im desc! ne, altnou,tt problems to handle durimt shutdown. valves on a line might have ta be e

TcTpl.c:tly orderG cornet. cut.

eerrocs, no matter how much over-closed in order to wrk on it.

M, ting to meet 21.

e was worked.- And rather than SMtching and taceing is an elaan.

yeep,he reactor shut down to catch rate orocedure designed to make

4. -We beard that u was imp.,rtant up on repairsrthe cmunany had them sure no one urks on that pu no until j get the thing on line because of put otCback orders,brkers said.

. these valves are closed and also to brget the safely.' Part of the j,'ob ispe rooney. But 'nobody said, Hey, Referrirurtot.e$le of backlog;ed -reare sore tha' supervisors know at work orders in the electri:a1 main.. all t mes what to realize that the compsofs gomg tenance shoo, a malntenance wdker.are closed'off.,(parts of the system so lase 5 -illion if you don't get said, "I'd say it's probably a feat er-

"In that process, distinctivciv color-ed tags are put on each piece of{

5e plant on the line," the foreman ~two hieh. You just can't get them ga;d.

done. Movt of them are pist normal ' equiament. and a report has to be'

~

p maintenance and PM (p event 3ve.. sicned ecch shift, three times a day Tip ru$n maintenance). We cart only cope with ' eve y day,- until the job is comricted.

lteff.'s a waya a bi rush where so much of what we got to handle."

The ARC bas-repor ed that' three there were drawers of them,"

valves on unit /two's crt?!.:ayy im..

s@{

[d O..uck'..

said Blakeman the former mainte:S Nrtant. emergency cooling system -

u t.

m 8'

ance foreman "B!s was mainly bc... hsd been 'feft-closed for,two. weeks emhw Ire. a contrac dae:ps with maintenance work cause there was a manmwetshort. prier to the eccident'-ari !!Iegal enni'

(

.d D##8. Mile Islard* Bt:t be insisted a,ge. Take the oil changes ffor pumes. di* ion that, if discover-d b7 NRC in.

,t.bt big rtsb*. could find-work orders for tha* tMtsnd' other machinery)-l'lI.b'et you 1 h

isnt : was.

.es maint ce o-der to shut down the p;an* Because the.od, a ak r (Me vahes wm closed, thev cut ef'.

. are a cotmle yests?old." >

yo do not cut corners," he said..

ut one unit-t.vii'breniid m'atn/ ~.dercerately needed coolins Even though there,were. austerity :

wate ye.cr nree Mile 1s!and. supermtengtained that workLorders for 'really,;,during theJiar

pres. said James O Raun, ador is 2

k

. fdroc who now manages a;,ne&r. lor ed. Still, helsaid, "a lot of pre,. dangemusly.

I

~

ventive maintenanc'.cou!d h2ve beeri. ! Beesuse those 'v,alves had e

piant in Arkansas they Mcted only donec If somethindr9e. then it get. literate!y closed for rena rs,been de Ia

'Jeessential,mhintenance,,not nu-

,2ng te :workeri, the switching and

• p:eventive maintenande."..,'

c! car safety.'

- Many wrkers cited instances.in. : tagging pmcedure meant that one i Bot Blakeman, the former main-which equipmer:t'did not wdprei., tro thh's murt_have hme

't c. nee foreevm, said there was a. erly,from the time it was built or de.

Jher the control-room-E.Wd

. general attuude.of;" Ice's mst iury-livered.

4

. ors And responsase tere nen'en mrv irit it and cet the damned thien back A former mechanical maintenance. bL over.a twn-week. tong perib'!

'la operaton an:L bope it'll hold.".

' worker re:alled that when his crew.s!!!'ned the switching and tagzing re-.

~,

. i He said be would have his mam-,took over a relishing-system tank...ISILS.routinelyi. withou't readin- -

tenance crew begin, a job only to,We[ from 4onstruction crews,'it feaked. CELem..M contmi-room superviso.5 be

'pterrupt;d by a b:gger crists.

"We had to go inside the tank and. a%foreme:r were k vere pushed; it.vos a: simple casek patch it because it was in dire need - they emergency;. wett we, %

coofing system

~.

( having. too muctr-to do and not s of repair.... At the time they ra:t ;valres were !!!ecally closed.

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eving emugh people.to 'do it.".

' the tests -(on the tank) everythirg -

No doubt, the offEiii[InTestig'y w'ill atic is l

One subordinate of Jack IIerbern was patched up with liquid rubber,, that are already under wa m

letropoluan rAson vice preudent all kinds.of things just to keep theq answer those and other questinns.

h r pner generationLrecalled over. water in." he.said.n

/

~ bout unit two's final scram.

e

.l' sting many conversanoos about According to docume tts en t'le-But perhaps GPII's presiden, II. r -.

J Z

f thanical breakdowns h between (th the NRC, a weldertr'-orted that man Dieckarnp, tmwittingly provihd:

N;.

tbein and " white,tsts,5the com-had heen erderef to 'ulde sub#an answer.cf sorts wnile. testifying.-

by slang for supervisory person- - standard and inadequate welds to at-7.before the PI'c about o

1

, who wear s'aite,$ard hats.

tach an anchor; plate in.the core sf.q that safety and enuronmental regu-;

'I used to sayf to Herbein, 'It the reactor. An NRC investigator re-5 lations came nn: lear plant operators.

p tms like the men are taicmg short.

ported that he found the allegatten tot "neset ! changing i requirements ".L.

c) sl " the tubotdinate 1 recalled!

be true and ordesed,the proper-Te-j' of immense magnitude, cree he said,."when imposed on a project '

le sec!d say,A lot of times ved g

pairs.

.W ne welding ton./. place iri Jone or, mand for attention to detail that yn, {

re to take shortetri t3 ret back

. g' ',-

ime.* It wculd be when wo wre

~~IiTe, he would make statements July of 1973 d. trine concru:tinn c!' ; almost impossible to ss!isfy."

ur.it tn, but 't wss not until March a that."

of last year : at the 4 12. rcranc.I.

M "*N" 2* U" h b '

tierbem has' refused to talk to re-the incident.

@EUbn."' " ^ %b

• L

TIEiTsince s%ortly af:er the March "Performac:.e of the work ln this f ased on his reporung cnd r/mi of ;,

axident.

fashion had been a cen:ern to hun inqutrer staff writers _Marv Bhh.. l f,

t".

(the ve! der) since that time and he y Art Carav. Errderid remrk,,

=

The new war began on twa oreet-had finally decided tbst the NRC INIlm Ut20"e l0fh FN'hnon. G;6 O '

...' T ng notes: Tt:c company annoanced /nuld be informed," imestlemt 1..

Urgmp, Ray Hnfron, Emda tim', s ',

new ansterity perwram and ther Narrow wrme. "Tne aimer knew of Te Mas!nnd and Jane ShormcD

• 3: tor bewn scramrmng,again af-no other examples of improper m florrisburg and. Richard hen r oMy tan weds et full power. wm k.a Cramer in Washinyten b

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