ML20002D530
| ML20002D530 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 01/07/1981 |
| From: | Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Berger D AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8101210309 | |
| Download: ML20002D530 (3) | |
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JAN 7 g; Mr. Dorsen A. Berger 2239 Fairview Street j
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Dear Mr. Berger:
This is in reply to your letter of September 26,198J, to President Carter about the effect of the accident in March 1979 at Three Mile Island Unit 2 on the cost of electricity to customers of Metropolitan Edison Co. and the need for federal assistance.
Enclosed is a copy of a letter of July 3,1980, from the Assistant to the President for Domestic Affairs and Policy to the Chairman of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. This states that there is no statutory authority for any form of dirdct federal financial aid to assist in clean-up and recovery costs associated with the accident at Three Mile Island.
It does refer to proceedings at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) that would provide for a discount for Metropolitan Edison in purchasing power while the TMI plant is down. This was subsequently approved by FERC.
As you know, the accident at Three Mile Island Unit 2 also caused Unit 1 to be shut down until its safe operation can be assured and has necessitated the purchases of electric energy by Metropolitan Edison from other utilities. Enclosed is an item from a recent report of the U.S. Department of Energy that discusses these purchases.
Special arrangements were made with utilties outside the PJM power pool to provide lower-cost power on an "as-available" basis. This is said to have saved the cus-tomers of the GPU System, of which Metropolitan Edison is a part, over $114 million from the date of the TMI accident through May.1980, compared to prevailing contrac-tual arrangements within the PJM power pool. However, at times during the summer heat wave in 1980, these special arrangements were cancelled to enable the supplying utilities to meet their own high demands for electric power.
The resumption of operation of Three Mile Island Unit 1 is the subject of a hearing by an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. That hearing started on October 15, 1980. The Commission has determined that satisfac-tory completion of certain short-term actions and resolution of various specified concerns are required to provide reasonable assurance that the facility can be operated without endangering the health and safety of the public. The Commission has also detennined that certain long-term actions are required to be completed as 8101210
Mr. Dorsen A. Berger promptly as practicable and that reasonable progress on the completion of such actions prior to restart is required in order to provide reasonable assurance that the facility can be operated safely over the long term.
The Commission's primary commitment is to a fair and thorough hearing and decision. Given this overriding imperative, it is the Commission's expectation that the Board will conduct the proceeding expeditiously.
The decision on resumption of operation will be made by the Commission after the hearing is completed.
Si ncerely, Harold R. Denton, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Enclosures:
1.
Ltr. of July 3, 1980 2.
Recent Report of the U.S. Department of Energy 1
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