ML20038B432
| ML20038B432 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Diablo Canyon  |
| Issue date: | 11/25/1981 |
| From: | Kammerer C NRC OFFICE OF CONGRESSIONAL AFFAIRS (OCA) |
| To: | Stanton W HOUSE OF REP. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20038B433 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8112080287 | |
| Download: ML20038B432 (1) | |
Text
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g._L Hsuct The Honorable William Stanton
_ W CH United States House of Representatives Washington, D.C.
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Dear Congressman Stanton:
Thank you for your letter on behalf of Trisha Bertschi regarding the safety of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant.
The Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant is owned by the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), which received permits to build the plant from the Atomic Energy Co m.ission over ten years ago. PG&E has applied far a license to operate the reactors and was given a license by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to operate Unit I at low power levels.
The Commission requires that nuclear plants meet easign specifications to withstand earthquakes.
In the case of the Diablo plant, it was originally designed to withstand earthquakes associated with known geologic faults in the area of the plant. After the plant was partially built, a previously unknown fault was discovered under water off the coast near the Diablo site.
The NP,C staff did an extensive review of the impact of any earthquake associated with this new fault on the plant and imposed new design criteria., The electric company made a great many modifications in the plant to comply with these new requirements.
Earlier this year, both an NRC licensing board and an NRC appeal board found that the new design criteria were adequate and that the plant was built to safely withstand any earthquake that could reasonably be expected in the area.
Soon after the NRC issued the low power licerse for Diablo Canyon Unit 1, errors were discovered in the information used to determine the adequacy of the dasign of certain portions af the plant to withstanc an earthquake.
On November 20, 1981, the Nu". lear Regulatory Commission suspended the low-power license for Diablo Canyon Unit 1 pending completion of a specified seismic reverification program to the satisfaction of the Commissioners;{%L af %
by Mr. Harold Denton, Director of NRC's Office of Nuclear Reactor Regu I am enclosing a copy of the Comission's order and a copy of a letter sent**M i.
requesting certain additional information.
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Sincerely,
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5 arlton Kammerer, Director Office of Congressional Affairs I
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Enclosures:
8112080287 811125 As stated PDR ADOCK 05000275 H
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