ML20023D038

Repts Investigation Re Possible Flawed Equipment at Facilities,Per Eyewitness News Broadcast

ML20023D038
Person / Time
Site:	LaSalle, 05000000
Issue date:	07/26/1982
From:	RADIO TV REPORTS, INC.
To:	NRC
Shared Package
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References
FOIA-82-366 NUDOCS 8305190119
Download: ML20023D038 (2)

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RAJ O N R EPO TS, isc. A 4/01 Will Al/l) AVI Ntff . Clli VY CilA';l . MAlfYLANI) 20111b (6/ 11WI M NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION N Eyewitness News STATION WQyg }y DA4 July 26, 1982 6:00 PM CITY Washington, DC i

"I Investigation of LaSalle Nuclear Plant MAUREEN BUNYAN: The Government Accountability Project called on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission today to launch a full-scale investigation into the LaSalle nuclear power plant in Illinois. The Project contends that the NRC is dangerously clone to granting the plant a full power operating license, although*it might contai.n flawed equipment.

' Eyewitness News correspondent Jane Van Ryan reports.

JANE VAN RYAN: The allegations of posstbly substandard equpment were raised by two whistle-blowers. Until recently t hir y were employed by the Zack Company of Chicago, but they say they were fired because t. hey knew too much. Zack is the contraetor for heating, air contlitioning and ventilating equipment at the Ia Salle nuclear power plant, and the two whistle-blowers were responsible for handling the documents which assure that the company's building materials met nuclear plant specifications.

At a new conference today, they said that some of the docments were missing, others had been doctored, and that it appeared that commercial grade, rather than nuclear grade materials, were installed in the plant.

I WOMAN: The documentation should be taken care o f b e f o.re

{ any of this material is shippecj out to the site. The problem

- n. that we had is that we wanted this done, and the Zack Company wants the shipments made in a hurry.

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U$ MAN: We didn't feel linty were hanell ing it enrrect ly.

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VAN ltYAN: Thomas Devine, of the Government Account- .

ahtlity Project, says the materials used in the LaSalle plant ennld lead to a serious safety hazard in the event of m nuclear accident like the one at Three Mile Island. He says the heat isig, air conditioning and ventilation ducts in question are respons-ihle for supply air to the control room. If they were to break down, the personnel staffing the plant, and the communit y could be jeopardized.

THOMAS DEVINE: If the reactor operators have to leave the control room, it's go.ing to be more t h a ri a little b i t-difficult to respond to an emergency condition. We think that these do have severe safety significancs. We simply don't know how dangerous the plant is because we don't know the quality of these parts. As Mr. Howard says their quality is indeterminate.

VAN RYAN: Today a spokesman frum the Nuclear Regulatory ~

Commission admitted that the faulty ventilation system could cause a serious problem in the cuntrol room, and added that the NRC launched an i nvestigation into the Zack Company laat Wednen-day. But the whistle-blowers say they informed the Commission abnut the document problems about two and a half monthu ago and '

were ignored.

l.ast Monday, in fact, the NRC releaned a report on t he, l.aSalle plant uaying that there in sio reanon why the plant uhonid not be g iven 'a . license to operatet at full power. Ihe Comminnion is supposed to discusu 'and possibly vote on that Iicenne tomorrow. .

Jane Van Ryan, Eyewitness News.

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