ML19341B316
| ML19341B316 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 01/19/1981 |
| From: | Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Market J AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8101300695 | |
| Download: ML19341B316 (2) | |
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UNITED STATES
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION C
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555
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Docket No. 50-289 JAN 191981 s %
o9e E"'%lD'rA'! ai4 Ms. Joaquin A. Market 290 Larkin Street O
q{J Montery, California 93940
Dear Ms. Market:
This is in response to your letter of December 10, 1980 to Chairman Ahearne.
In your correspondence, you cenanented upon the activities involving the Three Mile Island Nuclear Station with emphasis on the delay in restart of Unit 1 while similar nuclear facilities are operating.
Unit 1 is shutdown in accordance with an Order of July 2.1979, by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which stated:
"In view of the variety of issues raised by the accident at the Three Mile Island Unit No. 2 facility, the Commission presently lacks the requisite reasonable assurance that the same licensee's Three Mile Island Unit No.1 facility, a nuclear power reactor of similar design, can be operated without endangering the health and safety of the public. Accord-ingly, we direct that the Unit No.1 facility, presently in a shutdown condition, shall remain shutdown until further order of the Commission itself. The Commission has further detemined that it is in the public interest that a hearing precede restart of the facility."
The Commission's Order and Notice of Hearing on August 9,1979, stated:
"In addition to the items identified for the other B&W reactors, the unique circumstances at Three Mile Island require that additional safety concerns identified by the NRC staff %e resolved prior to restart. These concerns result from:
(1) potential interaction between Unit 1 and the damaged Unit 2, (2) questions about the management capabilities and tech-nical resources of Metropolitan Edison, including the impact of the Unit 2 accident on these, (3) the potential effect of operations necessary to de-contaminate the Unit 2 facility on Unit 1 and (4) recognized deficiencies in emergency plans and station operating procedures."
The hearing conducted by an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) of the NRC, comenced on October 15, 1980 and is ongoing. The record on which the Com-mission will make a decision on resumption of operation of Three Mile Island Unit 1 will include a recommendation from the ASLB. Because of the unique l
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I Ms. Joaquin A. Market nature of the Three Mile Island Unit 1 restart proceeding and the broad spectrum of issues under discussion, it is difficult to provide a defini-tive schedule at this time. Our best estimate is that the Hearing will be completed in mid 1981.
Your comments and interest in this matter are appreciated.
Sincerely,
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-ti t1 n.e.Cu;a Harold R. Denton, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation F
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e 290 Larkin Street Monterey, California 93940 December 10, 1980 Mr. John F. Ahearne Chairman Comissioner U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1717 "H" Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.
20555
SUBJECT:
TMI - UNIT 1
Dear Comissioner:
l This letter is to urge you to allow TMI - Unit 1 to be re-started.
This unit was not involved or damaged as a result of the accident at TMI - 2.
Unlike other power plants in the country that are making modifications while operating, TMI - 1 has not been allowed to return to service. We feel this is unjustified and discriminatory.
This country needs every non-petroleum source of power to make us energy-independent and to cut down our balance of payments deficit.
Sincerely,
,.(
oaquin A. Market JAM:ra ec: Congressman Leon Panetta Senator Allan Cranston Senator S. I. Hayakawa f
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