ML20003E253
| ML20003E253 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Black Fox |
| Issue date: | 03/31/1981 |
| From: | Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Birdwell H AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20003E254 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8104020672 | |
| Download: ML20003E253 (2) | |
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Mr. Harry Birdwell, General Manager j o,4'.sA'Oj78 q
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Dear Mr. Birdwell:
y Your letter of January 22, 1981, to President Reagan was forwarded to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) by the Department of Energy on March 2, 1981. We note Resolutions 9 and 10 approved by your organi-zation with regard to nuclear power and the Black Fox Station.
After the accident at Three Mile Island (TMI) in March 1979, the NRC decided not to license any additional nuclear power plants until the causes of the accident were evaluated and criteria for improved safety were devel oped. An Action Plan, which was published in May 1980, was developed to provide a comprehensive and integrated plan for actions necessary to correct or improve reactor safety.
Priority was given to units that were nearing completion of construction over those whose construction was in earlier stages or had not started.
The first full-power operating license.;ss issued in August 1980.
Enclosed is a statement of March 13, 1981, by Chairman Joseph M. Hendrie on steps being taken by the NRC to solve the problem of delays in licensing nuclear power plants.
With regard to applications for construction pennits for nuclear power plants, the NRC is seeking public comments by April 13, 1981, on a proposed rule that would establish a new set of safety requirements, in addition to the existing ones, as-a result of the lessons learned from the TMI accident. Currently pending are six active applications for the construction of eleven units, including Black Fox Units 1 and 2.
In the case of Black Fox, matters other than those related to TMI have been covered in hearings already hel d.
After issuance of the new rule on TMI-related requirements for construction permits, time will be needed for a utility to revise its application, NRC staff and the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards to evaluate those revisions, an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board to consider contentions, hold hearings, and prepare an initial decision, and the Appeal Board and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to review that decision before a construction permit can be issued.
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Mr. Harry Birdwell, General Manager The Office of NuclearA egulation is planning to expedite its consideration R
of applications for construction pennits.
A project manager will be dedicated to each active application.
For TMI-related requirements, a dedicated team of technical review perstanel will perform the safety review of all pending applications in order to achieve consistent and efficient treatment of the issues involved.
An offer will be made to meet with all applicants to clarify the new requirements so that subsequent submittals by the applicants will more likely be complete and acceptable.
We appreciate the interest of your organization in these matters.
Sincerely, MOY Harold R. Denton, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Enclosure:
As stated I
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UNITED STATES
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Office of Public Affairs Washington, D.C. 20555 No.
81-43 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tel. 301/492-7715 (Friday, March 13, 1981)
CHAIRMAN HENDRIE COMMENTS ON STEPS TO SOLVE PROBLEM OF LICENSING DELAYS Chairman Joseph M. Hendrie of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission commented today on the steps being taken by the NRC to solve the problem of delays in licensing decisions for nuclear power plants.
Dr. Hendrie said:
"In my opinion these steps and other actions under con-sideration will reduce the impact that had been projected for plants that will be completed over the next three years.
The basic problem we are confronting is -he backlog in licensing decisions for new plants which resulted from the accident at Three Mile Island.
That accident inhibited our licensing process for more than a year in spite of the additional resources provided by the Congress and the redirection of NRC staff resources that was made.
Thus, our licensing approval process now is on the critical path for operation of a number of plants.
I believe immediate solutions to the delay problea are both possible and necessary."
Dr. Hendrie said major improvements underway or being considered include:
Expedited and rescheduled review by the NRC staff for plants in the short term category--those presently complete and those to be completed in 1981 and 1982.
The delay to the Fermi and Waterford plants already has been minimized by adjusting staff resources for a total savings of 10 months for these two plants.
Increased efficiency of the hearing process and
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subsequent Commission and Appeals Board review.
The time now being taken between issuance of the supplemental staff evaluation report and initial decisions by licensing boards averages 18 months.
The NRC believes it can compress that time to about 10 months by tightening up the times allowed for each part of the prehearing process and by h J ;J
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. 81-43 providing firmer time management of the whole process. The Commission is publishing for public comment proposed changes to its rules which would accomplish this.
Changes in the review process the Commission itself exercises over these cases.
The Commission is considering two alternatives to shorten this review period which could save at least two months in each case that has been in hearing.
Early completion of NRC staff review for plants to be completed in 1983 and beyond.
This will require better scheduling of reviews and increased staff resources applied to casework.
Some staff resources can be redirected by deferring lower priority work and shifting some work to other NRC offices.
Before making such a change, the Commission will carefully review the impact on other essential safety-related activities.
"In order for these measures to be effective in reducing delays, the utilities will have to meet the schedules for submitting information to the NRC," Chairman Hendrie said.
Chairman Hendrie noted that one further step could be taken--legislation to authorize the Commission to issue limited, interim operating licenses before completion of hearings where all applicable safety requirements have been met.
"In sum, I am confident the actions we have taken and
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those we will take will provide major improvements in licensing schedules without compromising the regulatory requirements for safety," Chairman Hendrie said.
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