ML19350C862

Submits List of Questions Re AEC Assessment of Site Stability

ML19350C862
Person / Time
Site:	North Anna
Issue date:	10/29/1977
From:	Allen J NORTH ANNA ENVIRONMENTAL COALITION
To:	Case E Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
ZECH, NUDOCS 8104060895
Download: ML19350C862 (3)

Text

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NORTH ANNA ENVIRONMENTAL COAiR!Of I

P.O. BOX 3951 CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA 2290 (717)S33-7694 or (804)293-603 Acting !)irector October 29, 1977 Of fi ce of Nuclear lleactor Regulation U.S. Auclear Hegulatory Commission bashin gt on , D. C. 20555 Dea r Mr. Case:

Since you have recently been reviewing the events re-lating to the horth Anna case, would you kindly answer the following questions for the Coalition:

1. According to Mr. Walter Butler, AEC horth Anna Project Manager in 1970, several technical dis-cussions were held between AEC and VEPCO regard-ing site stability conditions. Who attended the meetin;s on the following dates, and what was the substance of the discussions?

a. February 18-19, 1970 Technical Meet ing; and

b. Seutember 10, 1970 Site Visit.

2. Accorcing to a VEPCO memorandum regarding the September 10, 1970 Site Visit (in the Justice Department pa pe rs , dated 9-14-70), "Mr. Waldron (USGS) wanted to visit the plant site and othe'r areas. Mr. Cardone (AEC) wished to confine the visit to the damsite." Why did AEC geologist Ca rdone encose not to inspect the reactor ex-cavations?

(This is particularly baf fling since an earlier Justice Department report of October 28, 1975 quotes en "AEC staf f geologist" who must be Mr. Cardone as saying that " reports of offset" in thrust faults at the site " raised questions in his mind." Surely such questions should lead to reactor excavation inspection.)

3. According to Mr. Ilutler, who recalls "a geolo gica l concern during the review" of North Anna, he made a rra n gemen ts for Mr. Cardone to meet with Mr. Swiger (Stone & Webster engineer)"at the time of excavation."

Was the date of the trip arranged for Mr. Cardone Februa ry 25, 1970 when Mr. Swiger flew down from lloston? If not, what was the date of the meeting br tween AEC geologist (s) and Mr. Swiger at the site?

4. At the 1970 meeting between the AEC and Mr'. Swiger, what " geological concerns" were discussed? Is there a t rip and meeting report in the Public Document Rooms in Washington and Virginia of said meeting, placed there in 1970?

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5. Did >lr. Cardone inspect the chlorite seam in the excavation fo U;.it 1 with Mr. Swiger?

6 was either Str. Rebert llenry , Mr. John liriedis, or Mr. David McKittrick present at the meeting arranged by Mr. Butler for Messrs.Carsone and Swiger?

7 Did Mr. Swiger tell Mr. Cardone that he and Messrs llenry,13riedis, and McKittrick had all considered faulting in Unit I? (See AEC Investi-cation Report of March 1974, page 14, plus llenry deposition paze 19, and Briedis deposition page 42.)

8. Did Mr. But ler also arrange in 1970 for a North Anna site visit by a geologist by the name of Mr. Steppe? I' ao, what was the date of his visit and what did he report to the AEC?

9 #hy were AEC Inspectors Crossman and Long at the North Anna excavation site on February 19, 1970?

(VEKO had no construction permit at that time, and did not apply for an " exemption to proceed" until August of 1970.)

10. Who received the report of Inspectors Crossma'n and Long regarding North Anna's collapsing excavation wall, and wnat follow-up measures were taken?

Vrhat course was recommended by Messrs. Denton, Gammill, and Cardone regarding the Aorth Anna foundation problem? To whom were their -- or any other' AEC staf f member's -- recommendations or observations made?

II. hhat- AEC of ficials or staff members - (names and titles) were aware in 1970 of what Mr. Butler calls a " geological concern" at the site?

12. On April-30, 1970, why did the AEC require VEPCO to instal L "at least one strong-motion seismograph in the basement.of the containment building" and to

" consider the installation of another seismograph in the upper part of the structure"? What other

- .. - + -U.S. reactors haveisuch seismographic installations?

13. 'Also on' April-30, 1970, why did the AEC tell North--

Anna "that for your site, diagonal reinforcement of '

the containment will be required"? -

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14. Still pursuing the AMC's early assessment of the North Anna site, why on August 15, 1969 did the AEC/DRL recommend the more stringent seismic values for North Anna of .00 and 15g (as opposed to the applicant 's .06 and .12g)?

Were the more stringent AEC consultants' recom-mendations for North Anna supported by AEC geo-logist Cardone Aho signed the August 21, 1909 report of the August 15, 1969 meeting?

15 Did the AEC require or authorize the increase in thickness of the concrete mat in Unit I from 7 feet to 10 feet? If so, what was the rationale behind the need f or t he increase?

16. Do you agree with the geologists, Drs. Goodwin, Funknouser, and Mueller that the chlorite seam in the North Anna excavations represents "a zone of weaknaes"?

16. In 1970, did the AEC read the March 1970 Stone and webster reports on stability conditions at the North Anna site, one of which was written by site geolozist Robert llen ry? If so, what actions were taken thereon? or on the Dames & Moore Foundation Conditions report of May 8, 1969?

17 '4 ha t was the exact level of AEC authority over the North Anna nuclear station in 1909 and 1970?

(We know that no construction license was granted until 1971 and no exemption to proceed until Sep-tember of 1970. Nevertheless, we also know that the first North Anna contract with Stone & Webster was signed in 1966 and the PSAR was filed 3-21-69.)

18. Returning to 1977, and VEPCO's April letters to your of fice serial numbers 134 and 138,

--what is the current installation completion date for the horizontal drain system to combat se t t li n g?

--what is the current installation date for the cool-ing towers to combat " fouling and corrosion prob-lems" in the take Anna water?

19 Will the above described systems be required to be completed and tested before your office recommends the granting of an Operating Licr.nse for North Anna?

Thank you for your professional attention and interest.

N -

Y ne Allen (Mrs. P. M.)

' resident, NAEC cc: Senator Gary ifart Representative John Moss Representative Jonathan Ilingham Union of Concerned Scientists o