ML19345B873
| ML19345B873 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Zion File:ZionSolutions icon.png |
| Issue date: | 10/27/1980 |
| From: | Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Forgus T AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8012020642 | |
| Download: ML19345B873 (5) | |
Text
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((y s,-.fj NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION UNITED STATES g
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October 27, 1980 Mr. Tristan Forgus 659 Green Briar Lane Lake Forest, Illinois 6004~2
Dear Mr. Forgus:
This is in reply to your letter of September 15, 1980, to the President about the safety of nuclear power.
The position of the President is given in the attached statement he made on December 7,1979, regarding a report by a Comission he appointed to investi-gate the accident at the Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania. He said in part:
"Every~ domestic energy source, including nuclear power, is critical if we are to free our country from its overdependence on unstable sources of high-priced foreign oil. We do not have the luxury of abandoning nuclear power or imposing a lengthy moratorium on its further use...."
"The steps I am announcing today will help assure our country of the safety of nuclear plants. Nuclear power has a future in the United States -- it is an option that we must keep open. I call on the utilities and their suppliers, the NRC, the executive Departments and agencies, and the State and local governments to assure that the future is a safe ona."
As a result of the experience with the Three Mile Island accident and the official studies and investigations of the accident, the Nuclear Regulatory Ccmission is implementing an Action Plan to correct or improve the regula- -
tion and operation of nuclear facilities. In the case of the Zion Nuclear Power Station, which is one of those located in an area of relatively high population density, the NRC issued a Confirmatory Order on February 29, 1980, identifying a number of extraordinary interim measures that will signifi-cantly increase the level of safety and that the licensee had agreed to undertake. Also, a review of the Zion facilities is being made to determine what additional measures.or design changes _should.be. implemented.
1 Every effort is being made to protect the public health and safety at all nuclear power plants that are currently in operation or that may start oper-ating in the future. Any plants that are found to be unsafe will not be j
i allowed to operate.
Sincerely,
/ my J
yn Harold R. Denton, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Enclosure:
Statement J
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0300 0!ER 7.19 79 rrt. :..".E D: Arc AE.EAS::
crr:CI Or THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SE0tETARY THE viHITE HOUSE NY C0:01:SSICN STATEMENT BY THE PRES ENT ON THE C:
RIPCRT CN THREI MII.I ISI.AND Rocs 450, old Executive office Building (AT 2:45 P.M. EST}
The purpose of this brief statment this THI PRESIDENT:
afternoon is to outline to you and to the public, both in this country and in other nations of the world, my own assessment of the Kemeny Report recomendations on the Three Mile Islu
- accident and I would like to add. of course, in the presentation some i. noughts and actions of my cwn.
I have reviewed the report of the Commissien, which I,,
established to investigate the accident at the Three Mile Island nuclear The connaission, headed by Dr. John Keneny, found very power plant. serious shortcomings in the way that both the Government and the utilit industry agulate and manage nuclear power.
The steps that I am taking today will help to assure that Safety, as it always has nuclear power plants are operated safely.
As I have said before, in
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and will remain, is my top priority.
By this this country nuclear pcwer is an energy source of last resort.
been I meant that.as we reach our goals on conservation, on the direct use of coal, on development of solar power and synthetic fuels, and enhanced production of American oil and natural gas, as we reach these goals, then we can minimize our reliance on nuclear power.
i Many of our foreign allies mast place much greater reif ance I
l than we do on nuclear power, because they do not have the vast natura We must get on with the resources that give us so many alternatives.
jcb of developing alternative energy resources and we must also pass, in order to do this, the legislatica that I have proposed to the Congress, To making an effort at every level of society to conserve energy.
conservo energy and to develop energy resources in our country are the But we cannot shut the two basic answers for which we are seeking.
f door on nuclear pcwer for the United States.
The recent events in Iran have shown us the clear, stark dangers that excessive dependence on imported oil holds for our natien.
we must make every effort to lead this country to energy security.
including nuclear power, is critical if Every domestic energy source,are to be free as a country from our present over-dep unstable and uncertain sources of high priced foreign oil.
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i We do not have the luxury of abandoning nuclear power c A nuclear power lengthy moratorium on its further use, imposing a 35,000 barrels of oil per day, or roughly 13 million plant can displace We must take every possible step to increase barrels of oil per year.
I agree fully with the letter the safety of nuclear power production.and the intent of the K' ceny Ccamission and the spirit others of which s=me of which are within my own power to implement, rely on the Nuclear Regulatory Commissicn, or the NRO, or the utility indus try itself.
To get the Government's own house in order I will take fc*VF Al l
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I will send to the C:ngress a recrgani:stien plan saveral steps.
- First, to strengthen the role of the Chairman of the NRC, to clarify assign.:nt of authority and responsibility and provide this persen with the power to act on a daily basis as a chief executive of ficer, with authority to in plac d to i=plement better needed safety recuirements"ne Chairina.n mus t be able,e an to select key personnel and to put procedures.
on behalf of the Com:sission during any emergency.
act Second, I intend to appoint a new Chairperson of the Nuclear Regulatory Co-mission, semeene fren cutside that agency, in the In the meantime, I have spirit of the Kemony Conunission reconcendation.
asked Commissioner Anearne, now on the NPC, to serve as the Chairman.
Mr. Ahearne will stress safety and the prc=pt implementation of the needed reforms.
l In addition, I will establish an independent advisory committee to help keep me and the public of the !;nited States informed of the progress of the NRC and the industry in achieving and in =aking clear the reconnendations that nuclear power will be safer.
"hird, I am trans ferring responsibility to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the FE!*A, to head up all off-site emergency activities, and to complete a thorough review of emergency plans in all the states of our country with operating nucleaf reactors by aune, 1980.
Tcurth, I have directed the Nuclear Regulatory Cc= mission and the other agencies of the Government to accelerate our program to place a resident Federal inspector at every reactor site.
Fifth, I a:n asking,all relevant Gove.nment agencias to implement vir.ually all of the 'other recemmendations of the Kameny Commission. I believe there were 44 in all. A detailed factsneet is being issued to the public and a more extended briefing will be given to the press this.af ternoon.
With clear leadership and improved organiza.ica, the
!xecutive Branch of Government and the NRC_will be better able to i
act quickly en the crucial issues of improved training and standards, safety procedures, and the other Kemeny Commission recommendaticns.
i But responsibility to make nuclear power safer does not stop with the In fact, the primary day by day respcasibility Tederal Government.
for safety rests with utility company management and with suppliers l
There-is no substitute for technically qualified of nuclear equipment.
and committed people working on the construction, the operation, and the inspec icn of nuclear power plants.
Personal rrspensibility must be stressed. Scme one persca l
always be designated as' in charge, both at the corporate level and l
- must The industry cwes it to the American
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also at the power plant site.
pecple to strengthen its ccamitment to safety.
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I call on the utilities to implement the fo11cwing changes:
firs t, building en the steps already taken, the indus try must crgani:e i ts elf co develop enhanced standards for safe design, operation, and l
ecastruction of plants; second, the nuclear industry must work together' to develop and te r.aintain in operation a ecmprehensive training, examinatica, and evaluation program for eperators and for supervisors.
This training program must-pass muster with the NRC through accreditation of the training programs to be established.
Third, control rooms in nuclear pcwer plants must be
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modernized, standardized, and simplified as much as pessible, to permit l
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i hcurs and, cf better infor: ed decision-making among regular operat ng course, during emergencies.
I challenge our utility companies to bend every e f fert to 1: prove the safety of nuclear power.
Tins 11y, I wo:1d like to discuss how we manage thisbeing transiticn period during which the Kemeny recc=mendaticas are awaitir.g There are a nu.-ter of new nuclear plants acw Under law, the Nuclear implemented.
cperating li:enses or construction per=1ts.
Licensing decisicas acency.
i Regulatory Ccemission is an independentrest with the Nuclear R it has the authority to proceed with licensing these plants en a case by case basis, which may be used as circumstances surrcunding a
- noted, plant or its application dictate.
?$e NRC has indicated, hcwever, that it will pause in licenses and construction per: nits in order to devote its f ull attent. ion to putting its een hcuse in order and tightening up issuing any new I endorse this approach which the NRO has adcpted, but I crie the NRC to ecmplete its work as quickly as pcssible safety requirements.
Once ve have and in no event later than six scaths frem today.
instituted the necessa.y re for=s to assure safety, we must resume the licensing precess promptly so that the new plants we need to reduce our dependence en f ereign cil can be built and cperated.
The steps I am announcing today will help to insure the safety Nuclear power does have a future in the United States.
I will join with the utilities' of nuclear plants.
It is an option that we must keep open.
the executive and their suppliers, the Nuclear Regulatory Ccatmission, and also the state depart:nents and agencies of the Federal Government,and loc and Jchn Deutsch will Now Dr. Frank Press, Stu Eizenstat, be glad to answer your questions about-thase decisions and about Trank?
nuclear power and the future of it in our country.
(AT 3:00 P.."..
EST)
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15th Septenter 19F0 The President Ole White House Washington, D. C. 205CO
Dear Mr. President:
niles fron Zicn I am a citizen of Lake Forest II. and live ab t 30 about the safty steps.
where there is a nuclear power plant. I as concer what is best for the ;ublic, I feel the power compa::y has not fally considerea tut what wculd r.ke the most p::cfit. _I would like to know what is your position on_
cuclear power.
Sincerely.
Wf
'histan Forgas 659 Green 3riar Lane Lake Forest, Il 60045