ML20032E639

Commends Recent Public Statements Re Design Errors That Went Unnoticed for Several Yrs.Lack of Detailed Independent Review for Design Errors in Present Review Sys Deplored. Possibility of Undetected Design Errors Elsewhere Cited

ML20032E639
Person / Time
Site:	Diablo Canyon
Issue date:	10/13/1981
From:	Mendes S AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED
To:	Gilinsky V NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
Shared Package
ML20032E635	List: ML20032E634 ML20032E639 ML20032E647
References
NUDOCS 8111200766
Download: ML20032E639 (4)

Text

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STAN: EY H. MENDES, INC.

sinucTunAL awainaan izast, sTarc sT.

suiTz 7 WNRC SANTA S ARS AR A. CALIF. 93101 g

g4 yg rwows < eosi sea.sevo October 13, 1981 84A OFFICE OF SECREW 00CMETING & SERVC O'

The Honorable Victor Gilinsky Commissioner Nuclear Regulatory Commission as i on C

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Dear Mr. Gilinsky:

I wish to commend your recent public statements questioning how the recently discovered design error at Diablo Canyon occurred and went unnoticed for several years.

You are absolutely on target when you question the system that pro-duced the man-made error.

The de. sign error was predictable and even anticipated by experience d engineers and construction personnel.

It is a direct result of the lack of detailed independent review for errors in design and construction drawings by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The overall problem is far more serious than Diablo Canyon, because over seventy nuclear plants have new been built and are operating wherein only design criteria and methods were reviewed by the NRC.

No detailed review to detect possible errors in the calculations and construction plans was made by the NRC.

The present system relies almost entirely on Quality Assurance Programe developed and administered by the utility company constructing the f acility.

It is common knowledge that, as with Diablo Canyon, such programs are far from perfect' Isn't it likely that other undetected design errors exist?

Please do all in your power to change the present system of reviews.

In addition, please see that an in-depth detailed independent review for design errors is made at all of the existing facilities and those that are in process of receiving operating licenses.

Very sincerely yours,

_ S i_ L d '_ % M N m. A ~. v

)

Stanley H. Mendes Structural Engineer SHM:pm 9111200766 811030 DR ADOCK 03000275 Enclosures 8 PDR t

drikbiryait Diablo ReactorDesign.

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[,T.CS ANGM N Sept.h A Federal ecmra'wice. A spoirec-art for-Pacf!c Stressas PshablyMeesicalitE~1 P'

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!zWbro des:gn er:trs atthe Diablo Gas, George Sarxisian, said today' hors, ha a very Mgh 111:1!-

Canyon =uclear pcwer plant, which fo- "We're aware of that possibility, and

' hood dat the strms h we:s ensed at Srst on i=prcper placement of-we're=~*g that right now."

=:sprMic M far ce m"he said, supports,-% a cocling systern - Officials =f te power compa:y ap.

"The result is that ter=ay have built aga=st earcquazes, was broadened M befers ce cor-mi"ica in Wasb-those p :rm strecgiy than today to i=c!ude f!ve key safety systecs. bgton to brief ce Sve members en 3 egg t. some plaw and act strongly The PacSc Gas and Eac=2 Cem-proble=s at the plant. Statements frem encughin etters."

pany enf!.~ed today cat set e blue-. tse company, which reported de prob-lspckest=an, said that cor:puter analyr.s Mr. Sartistar., the power eccpany pr=ts ter the cet=pleted reacter were !em to the Federal authenties en Men.

ct se:s=:c ssock stre.a.gths was per.

inadve: tent.'y sw:*ched w:th dose fer a day, had at Srst bdicated cu!y ti.at ce

formed for de eccpany by Or. Jocn t

sec=cd sn

1 --A*r =csnucticn As a re- -lans for de seccod reac=r were is.

's=1r stresses en ce "se:amic support [.akeclytsedinbuIdbgpartef de ntst Blume & Wates M San Francisco, D ederal b-,- emayff1imyste=a.m av.cco. ( auttxznty an seistrofegy T

ill t Id be 3

F e

m.engmalama1,,t,we. u mt qubyts whecerthe nacorc=c?"""" fn the bluepc=t sw tch and consequent One was built and a semod when the cocid. witas:and an aanbquake. The C

shockstandards rere raised.

L -- stices Nacawits site is ear

~ e=r*-d on Page lS, Column s. [

Mr. Sartistan said it had not, been.

plant has been tba target of npeatedr.

deter =ined where t.te blueprints were.

nizedup, anoffshorecan.hquakefanitatSanLuisj [ ~

Otnspo, Calif.

.. J "We sad to submit the blueprbts-in i - -

. Company c -m--- -Investigntfac- -

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him for analysis, and that's wners the m___

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cont::sion staned." Mr. Sartistan said.

[

j' addbg that te d'd Oct ' caw wtetter it "It is a. Srst-rate screw.up," said was a case of me diagrs=s being =isla.

. Pete:- sradfor:1, a

• -her :f the No-

}a J9y i befod, and if so wrecer by de pcwer m

' 9 p

lc! ear Regulatery Occ.=issicc. "Her,,

A 4

u

.J

. a.A compa:7 er bythe cecsultant.

8 ycnhavethe =ost %.,J area cf l

. Pac:Sc Gas and Electric ofScials are l m,a.c.n in what !s picbablT 2e most*

l

^~

4 to appear befcre the comr=issicn again i

- y, carw* mad Frons Page L ^ 5 Monday.a n pert en their investiguiocr f =y.Tecec:=n an er:tr f eatscrtis akl

""al: aelear pla=rin de coun-ptr of the incke:-n Cor iscon staff said '

osc amalcgous *o a s=mie=t copy =g ;,rrc,, f,n,yyg,,,g.,n,,,,,,,,cgf g dat te er: rin the ccepleted reac:ct

+ dcwn ce wre:g--s assig:ce=tt

, =:ght =ceer have been fM if =m.

g3, p,,,g m.,,,,,

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3, pany e=ployees had =ct discovered

[ No --<=~- how br:Iliast ce wert f: cts

=m por ed de Iten Oc, he's p:st ::ot g:hg to get Se l des:gn

• cscapancy'y ~Be restdnal stru,c=ral errors d'tr=g a nview of de

.s t c f *dseccedut::.

s" g=.a :sae E21 ;r:bic affect bett ;

• • • M~.Ma

-* C The blunder will cause a funber delay-

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ne sd.:c:

f"-2 *g teat when the reac=r is s=n i=; tars to start the Srst react::r, which q : " * $ ** = r "~~I D * ~ *

• M Cfj down fcr ref::et=g a=d aise. ac:s as a cocid have gene =to fall cceranen eariy i

t I

back-up cocling device in the eve =t of a in ;SC W g s -f.11 test =g, cets-

uclear ac= dent.

pany:tficals sa2d.

The ctuer syste=s bvcived 'are the 3 safety hjection syste= i:ciudhg acca. j

-""* *rs and pp=g: Se ec.pece=t cool!:S water syste 2, iccluding de 'a= f 4-

-f-

/

^ * " ",'- "

• eccler. rese:cr cocla=t pu=ps and pp-1

~

bg; ce stes=.generater blewdewn sys- )

j te=2. P'"<" ? pptsg; and tte hytiregee, i,

recetnti: err All except de hytir ge reccc:biners l an systems i=velved in cocli:g te reac=r in :s.se cf stu:dcwn er ::uclear ac=de=n ne :~~ -+rers.er:cve tz.

L.a

ve hydregen...w ce reac=r t! hy.

? d: gen:s created.na ac= dent.

CCL KETE,:

ne er::r was =ade w ule ce ce=.

UD#C l

1 pacy was ane=;t=g to str getc2 Oe-

! systm to =eet hiper se:.smic safety i

ew :::x ::.=es

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'81 NOV -2 P2:42

=:ssics-Os =a=spontica :f me diagrads, M

l Mr. 3rsdferd safd, resulted in /*the Oc:0her '.,1331 OFFlPr "NGI'C,:EY'd:

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! ant deespers' ass"-i ? tat de fan 00CfiET SEE j

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ecoier =

ters were i: fiferect ;taces ggAgcg I

' 2an 2ev 1c=ady are in Oe c0: amer.

! ney are ce heaviest item, and they are I

! 2e key :o predic..g 2e stresses-in an

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COLKETg USNRC 11 NOV -2 P2:12.

UW OFFICE OF SECRETD 00CMETING & SERvh.-

BRANCH LOS ANGELES TIMES, June 29, 1979

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?THE NATION.~6M.35 bn n.w.m y,9 cs,.<,.mv,,t 4 Qua,ke V..uln..e.,rability Found in.1.1 A. Plants b g

.4P!pe, in at least 11'n:!. clear power...,

1 plants do. net =atcf the:r'crigmal j eardgake. resistance design rewir- '

' e=ents. the. Nuclear Regulatcry : !

- Cc==:ss:en's ', staff asserte1' Staff V

. =e=te.s tcid Se cc==:ss:ca dat a v

( buCet:n would scen be issued to all *

~

. nuclear plants, reg:::.ig studiessto *

' deter==e whcier pipe designs areN

'r safe and whece Sey were actadly ibu:!t as designed. Departures fic=

• design are considered sencus, snce' they could lead to isn:ptien of reac. {.

tcr safety systems cu.ng an eart.b(

! wake a.d cause a nuclear ace: dent as p severe. c worse than the ene three q

=ceths ago at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvarian efficialsa:1.,.,.~,,

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USNRP suoIxzzRIno azws ascoRo 11 NOV -2 P2:42 i

eML Septe.~6er 17, 1981 0FFICE OF SECREit4 DOCKEilNG & SERViCi BRANCH I

• vins teg.t. Changi, g regula.ti,as n

Post-TMI safety fixes i are confoundm.g construccon, tne unhties confound utIIItses daim. one has irdeated 300 engmeering change orders for imclementation be-i Soul-searching discussions between the tween 1981 and 1983 due to NRC Nuclear Regulatory Corrmmion staff requirements. Operators reported it is 3

and utilities have condrmed suspicions impossible to keep up with new proce-g that unless croecsed safety fixes resulting dural changes. At ene plant 450 changes frem de Three Mile.itiana accident are were made last year and 205 during the phased in slowly, deir monumental scoce_

early months of 1c81.

could make operating reacers iess safe "Real operational and desica reviews ~

than before de 1979 nusnap.

are being delayed because no other NRC's odice of inspecica and enforce-actions are pcssible due to gening NRC ment surveyed senior adicials and opera-i requirements completed," one utility-

! m2"'6er stated. "We are too busy to tors at nine private udlities, de Tennes-see Valley Audority and the Power really help ourselves. As we see it, NRC bener be right about de requirements.."

Autherny of m.e state of New Ycrk. 'D.e.

The numbers and degree ef.requ: red

. co.mme=s r=ived connrmed th.e. b.elief Exes has meant huge volumes of work for i

wtiin N2C. da.t de im9"et on. unhues og are:uteC-enginem. One unhty recorted 0

i.t spe.nt $18 mil.li.e.n. for outside endinee.r-n?.le=encng 3 pcst-m1 yter nxes, m ade.:cen. to tne normal..aw a.c-tr.g m 1980. Luhees zie comeeung m-Nxc ouse for de sesined rescureds of A.Es.

onters, a seaming manoower anc anan.

c.'al resources to me,breacng poet.

h..Their engineen have become cocrdina-As a resu.t, Nic is currendy assessm, g

,. cne owner savs. "They are 'esing ways to im lement me new recuire=ene touch and buying work,in some cases et witnout :uncermg me aceratonal safety ud *

of lants. I".a.t. maY rrQve..didicult if the

.AreniteC-engineers are, nianng a E

e sur-situadCa..descr:ced 'by u=.11:es m larte 1mo.'unt oc monev Cn 1..terpre"ng veY 2FF.ue to all nuclear, plant owners.

g,.,,3,3, ancther unlity manager com' Fer estance, me unntes staten mat plaind "Is dis really a r:le ci de A.c or mandated Nic safety backfits, in some shculd de rules be roper!y articulated cases, are requ:rtnr consruc cn crews bI the NRC'2"

'.are$er dan ic.se dat bu.ilt m. e : tant. ror Reacer vendors came in for de c:iti-cider -lants, me ecsts et sarety axes en-cism frem a few piant owners... Venders r

i exceed de oririnsietantjen..

are gening away with murder," One told Une uc.:tv s:ste mat worres punmg NRc "It semetimes se=s dev work with nad to drill 10. holes for eve:v. 3 cod ent

'I. de NRC to get recuir=. ents i em de sta:f in new base ptates :or piptng supeort' to benent memsetves. Anomer claimed ecaus,e de,recar was so 3:cse teg-tner.

.l g3, g,,,nchasis being plac ti en :re-e u

~

1ininz ss 2 saiut:en to all occ acena2 ppace:s se tznt dat paten;ces are near:y

=cossmie. sac as one owner teid.Nic, 1 recte=s' :s a "::c-out,"

specally =v r

..fany : lams are air acy too cemetex even tb '$r11 ar0und in.,. -

Venders.

_ _ _ _ _ _