ML20039C627
| ML20039C627 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 12/04/1981 |
| From: | NRC OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS (OPA) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| NUREG-BR-0031, NUREG-BR-0031-V01N49, NUREG-BR-31, NUREG-BR-31-V1N49, NUDOCS 8112290533 | |
| Download: ML20039C627 (8) | |
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l NUREG/BR-0031 Vol.1, NO. 49 4
Weekly News Summary This Summary is Circulated Weekly for General Information of NRC Staff I
I WEEK ENDING December 4, 1981 M2E 32s S22 o4 BR-0031 R PDR
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0FFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS NEWS
SUMMARY
NOVEMBER 30, 1981 ATLANTA--The National Centers for Disease Control have begun a new study of cancer deaths among Tennessee residents living near the Erwin nuclear fuel plant, according to the Atlanta Journal and Constitution. The newspaper also reported that a Nuclear Regulatory Cannission study criticized inadtauate control and measurement of radioactive wastes released into one environment at the Erwin plant. New York Times, 11/30.
WASHINGTON--An NRC survey of eight older nuclear power plants shows that corrective action eventually may be required to guard against cracks developing in reactor vessels.
The NRC's Thomas Murley told the Commissioners last week that " substantial work" by the nuclear industry is needed to determine the likelihood of cracking. Baltimore Evening Sun, 11/26.
NRC Chairman Nunzio Palladino has established a Regulatory Reform Task Force to study whether licensing procedures can be streamlined and whether the agency can rely on state environmental impact reviews instead of doing its own. Washington Post, 11/30.
Robert W. Davies, who spent a number of years with Baltimore Gas & Electric designing and managing nuclear projects, has been named deputy assistant secretary of energy for environment, safety and health. Washington Post, 11/30.
HARTFORD--Northeast Utilities, which haL had to stretch out construction of Millstone 3 and offer a portion of the plant for sale, proposed to increase home electric rates 17 to 20 percent as part of a program to raise revenues by $186 million.
New York Times, 11/28.
ANKARA--Turkish reporters say Pakistan's president told them his government will develop the technology needed to make and explode a nuclear bomb. Baltimore Evening Sun,11/26.
The New York Times carried an article, 11/29, on officials of Tennessee dispensing potassium iodide pills to families near the Sequoyah nuclear power plant.
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OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS NEWS
SUMMARY
DECEMBER 1,1981 WASHINGTON--The Nuclear Regulatory Commicsior has concluded that current international safeguards "would not detect a diversion" of 6.uclear materials "in at least some types of facilities." A letter from NRC Chairman Nunzio Palladino to chairmen of several Congressional comnittees declared that the agency could no longer be " confident" that nation members of the International Atomic Energy Agency "would be notified of a diversion in timely fashion." The letter also said the Coixaission has begun to review its export licensing policy. New York Times, Washington Post, 12/1.
MORRISTOWN, NJ--Allied Corporation said it would take an $87 million tax write-off to shut its nuclear fuel processing plant in Barnwell, South Carolina. An Allied spokesman said: "The political future is so uncertain. We didn't want to carry it any longer on the books." New York Times, 12/1.
PARSIPANNY, NJ--General Public Utilities, citing growing government and industrial support for the cleanup of Three Mile Island, said its two Pennsylvania subsidiaries have scaled down earlier requests for customer participation in funding the project.
Wall Street Journal, 12/1.
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1 0FFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS NEWS
SUMMARY
DECEMBER 2,1981 SAN FRANCISCO--NRC Chairman Nunzio Palladino, speaking at the annual conference of the Atomic Industrial Forum, said he found the failure of nuclear industry's quality assurance programs inexcusable.
During my first five months as NRC Chairman," said Palladino, " a number of deficiencies at some plants have come to my attention which show a surprising lack of professionalism in the construction and preparation for operation of nuclear facilities. The responsibility for such deficiencies rests t
squarely on the shoulders of management." New York Times, 12/2.
t BERXELEY, CA--A draft report of Cloud Associates finds several new areas suspected of having design errors at the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant. The report states that the floor of the reactor's control room may be more susceptible to earthquake movement than its existing design permits.
New York Times, 12/2.
4 HARTSVILLE, SC--About 1,500 gallons of slightly radioactive water spilled inside the M.B. Robinson nuclear power plant on Monday. No workers were exposed. New York Times.
i 12/2.
In an op-ed article in 'the Washington Post today, Jessica Tucrman Mathews writes that the NRC's " resounding vote of no-confidence in the international system of safeguards...
is but the latest in a series of events and policy shifts that has all but wiped out American non-proliferation policy."
The Energy Department has asked the NRC for permission to begin preliminary site pre-paration for the Clinch River breeder reactor. A DOE official said if site preparation begins by next March,- $120 million to $240 million can be saved. Washington Post, 12/2.
ALBANY, NY--The head of the state's Consumer Protection Board, testifying at.a hearing of the Public Service Commission on whether construction of Nine Mile Point 2 should be halted, said a consulting firm that examined escalating costs at the plant also received a $25,000 contract from one of the five utilities involved in building the plant.
New York Times, 12/2.
LOS ANGELES--The chairman of Southern California Edison said San Onofre 1 is back on line 'after modifications and repairs. The~ unit had been idle since September. He also said construction is 99% complete on San Onofre 2 and 82% complete on Unit 3.
Wall Street i
Journal,12/2.
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OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS NEWS SUH1ARY DECEMBEP 3, 1981 WASHINGTON--Senator Cary Hart, testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, urges suspension of all U.S. exports of nuclear materials until the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is convinced that the International Atomic Energy Agency can detect diversion of nuclear fuel for weapons development.
"The IAEA safeguards are little more than a facade," said Senator Hart. Washington Post, 12/3.
Editorially, the Washington Post said today that the " lack of a nuclear waste disposal policy remains one of the chief bars to a healthy nuclear power industry...Without a waste policy, or even a realistic prospect of one, utilities are understandably reluctant to join those owning the growing pile of homeless radioactive waste."
/,n article in the Wall Street Journal today on Houston Lighting & Power's plan to build a $2 billion generating plant fueled by lignite notes that tt:e utility doesn't believe a recent reduction in the company's security ratings, because of uncertain completion schedules and escalating costs of the South Texas nuclear project, will affect its ability to finance the planned generating station.
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OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS NEWS
SUMMARY
DECEMBER 4,1981 PHILADELPHI A--General Public Utilities filed a $4 billion lawsuit in U.S.
District Court, claiming the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's laxity caused the 1979 accident at Three Mile Island 2.
The utility filed the claim with the NRC last December; the NRC rejected it in June as being "without merit," clearing the way for GPU to file suit in Federal court.
Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post,12/4.
ALBANY, NY--Former NRC Chairman Joseph Hendrie challenged as " vastly overstated" suggestions that the cost of constructing Nine Mile Point 2 would exceed projections by millions of dollars. He told the state's Public Service Commission that a consultant to the Consumer Protection Board made cost overrun estimates "on the assumed notion that the rate of regulatory requirements governing power plants would increase. All indica-tions are that new requirements will be imposed at a slower rate."
New York Times,12/14.
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UNITED STATES
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Washington, D.C. 20555 VOLL*t 7, %%ER 44 vita UCi% D[(LHR 1, I M)
NEWS RELEASES No.
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Wl/4 E '?l5 (Man by, Noved er M, 1981)
Tel.
301/492 7715 aednesday, Nove4er 25 I n!)
NRC STAFF PR0p0SFS $2M,poo Fist Ar,Atur (gyrgsurg 4.Vi m f e !Till R E T V TOR % Af t rynims CAS 6 FLI.CTRIC CO. FOR AllECFD QUAttrY ASSUUNCF VIOLATIONS 10 Wil IN h Wi %eIM, D.
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M I:ICf 9f R 10 12 The Nuclear liegulatory Comau ssion's Of fice of Inspec t wo ISe u lest kcentater & m ission's Advisory reemittee on Ren tor satecuards wi'l
's technical meetinc on arid Enforcement has prvosed a 1200,090 fine against of NRs)1ncinnati December 10 12 it h a s h t r.g t o <
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Cas and Electric Company for allege.1 violations quality assurance r=& iresents in tha construction of the As p.a r t of the meeting, the to*rastfee will meet from Zimmer Nuclear power Flant nea r Stoscow, Ohio.
9:3? a m.
to 13 ' M 1.m.
m N emser 11 with the V C Commis*
including the s t or.e r s to dis:uss safety-related itens,s sal'ety The fine is preposed fcr three alleged violations: (1) false quality assurance document'. (2) harassment and W ent/s ere of 41% reports on the MC research bu M 1, qualificattens of nuclear power plant licensees intimidation of quality control personnel; and (3) numerou, pat irg emnizat ions, a d hw a tion of siMy-relatd examples of failure to implement an adequate quality assurance program.
stems.
among other subjects to be dau ussed at the three-day The alleged violations were identified in an extensi e investigation conducted between January 1981 and October meeting is an applicatien from tri:ena public Service Company 1981. 1he investigation covered allecations made to the NRC for licenses to c prate the palo Verde Nuclear r.enerating by a former contractor quality control inspector at I t we r ;
5tatim, Units 1, 2 and 3, in Arizona, allegations provided to the NRC by Mr. Themas Applegate through the Government Accountability project. 3 hashirgton, The meeting, which is cpen t o the puSlic, will be he.d D.C.,
public interest group; information supplied by other in koom 1046, 1717 H street, N.W.
present and forrer site contractor emptovees durir.g the investigaton; and items identified by NRC personnel during (agenda iteu are subject to change. Anyone planning the course of the inveseigativ to attend should confl.m the schedale the day before the reeting by calling 202/634 3265.)
The investigatics, which is still continuing, identified a widespread breakdown in the utility's quality assurance Although meetings of the ACRS are open to the public, program for construction of the Zimmer facility. The break.
ther are no' part of the ST<C's pe t ic hearing process. The down resulted from the company's failure' to esercise adeouate ACM, as an advisory group to the Leemissien, sonducts oversight and control of its principal contracters in the independent, highly technical reviews of safety considera-area of quality assurance.
tions related to nuclear f acilities. thile sce ers of *he public may attend the meeting, the ccmmittee will consider On April 8, 1981, the NRC's Region !!! (Chicage) office enly oral or written statements linited to specific matters required Cincinnati Ces and Electric to substantially upgrade set forth in a Notice of Meeting publishad in the Federal its quality assurance program in order for construction work Register on November 30.
to cont inue.
The improvements includeo hiring of additional Thursdar, Deceder 10, from 5:31 a.m.
to 8 : 4 5 a.m., the staff, upgrading of inspection procedures, retraining of comi t t ee will discuss a report of the ACPS chatrean on ACR5 quality control personnel and a 100 percent darlication by activities.
CC4E personnel of all subsequent safety related quality control inspections performed by site contractors.
- F r om B : 4 5 a.si.
te 11:4 5 a.m., t he cou t t f ee will
- et to discuss the application of Ctmhustion ingineer,n tor (Construction of the Zimmer facility is a$ scut 95 percent final lesign approval of a nuclear steam supply s.
sa complete; the utility estimates cons t ruc t ion will be cc,nleted designated ivstem ap.
Fre11 min 4ry design approvt. sas given in mid-1982. The N9C is current!v reviewing the utility's bv request for an operatirt lice :se; a hearig on the request
^ the W staff in Decenter 1975.
has begun and furthe se sisns are pending.'
f re 11:4 5 a m.
ro 12:45 p.m.
and 1:45 p.m.
to 3:45 p..m., t he c om s h t t ee =111 meet w tJ h repre sen t a t iv es of Arilena As part of the investigation effort, the MC staf f puhlte service to discuss it s application for licen es to independently tested and analyzed a saarling of completed operate the rtto Verde Nuclear cencrating station, Units 1, work at the plant.
Scme problems reaut rina correc t ive work 4
3, u n ic> - const rac t ion in varicopa Countv, about M miles were found, but the maiority of.these tests ar.d measurements we ;t of th> ems, tach unit will use a pressurized water did not disclose hardware problems. Additional indeperdent tex t o r and provde a pet elettrical output o f ahmt IM4 hPC ptaff evaluations are planned.
megawatts
- ach, u
In addition, because of the widesrread Ireabdcun in the Frem 1:45 p.m.
to 5:45 re., the committ-w il ' meet quality assurance program, the NPC is requirin;: the utility with represent atives o f the NF ^ s t af f to diu i proposed to undert ake a coeprehensive qualit y confirmen t ion prceram to NRC plan for early resolution of safety issue-that pe r t a t-determine she nuttity of plant systems important to nu lear to nuclear p +er plants.
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safety.
The NRC staff will closels monitnr this testing program. Identified deficiencies.ill require resolution Frem 5:45 p.m.
to*:M p.m.
the t oena i t t e-ersil oct to prior to a decision en issuance of an operatine license.
diuuss prcposed chnees in NFr regalatorv guel The NRC will continue to closelv follew the construction F rida y, rec eee r 11. frem 8 : M a.m. to 9:N s.m.,
tre activities and preopera t 'ona n te ting at the in er site.
committee will meet to discuss tFe safety-related items to Two NRC resident inspecte are w igned to Zimmer, and be taken up at.ts meeting i,ith the hRC Commissicners.
their inspection effor'
!! b : supplemented by invectors from the Region I!! cit: e from 10 : D a. m. to 12:M p.m.,
the coemittee will
- t with representatives of the NDJ staff and hepar Ment of Cincinnatt Gas & Elcetric Cessans has until recerter inergy to dau u'5 rroposed ALF1 cu men t s on WN s plan to 24, 1981, to pay the fine or to protest it.
If the c cmr any iaplen nt tbc m leir %a tet y Researc h, pcVe l o r e n t and protests the fine and it is subscouently toposed by an NGC De%nstratie, sci of 1990.
The disco u ton will include staff order, the company may request a hearing.
assessment o f t he veil f or an 1 teasibill.ty of establishing a rta t io na l reactor engineering s i e.u t a t o r facility.
pas From 1:9 p.e.
to 3"f3 p.e.
the i m ittcc will meat with W tepic'entatives to d:stuss a proposed M ' plan to evaluate alternate deta/ heat remo,al s ysi ca s for nuclear power plants,
.i trom 3 p.m.
to a p.m., the committee will *cet =ith representatives of the SRC staf f to discuss propo<ej chaeges in NRC requirements for reporting of events by licensees, from a p.m. to a : 30 p.m., t he co=sitt ee wi'l dis cuss its annual report to Congress en pronosed NPC 'afety research.
Trem 1:3n p.m.
to 5:30 p.m.,
the coemittee sill discuss a proposcJ report on the applicat ion of inJust rial standards in the design ami construction of nuclear power plants.
Saturday, December 12, from A:30 a.m.
to a2:30 p.m.,
committee discussion.ill inctule proposed reports on the Palo terde pitnt and System SC.
The weeting mar include el* sed se*sions, if required, to discuss proprietary information.
Persons wishing to submit stateserts regarding the agenda nay do so by providing a readily reprodu-ible copy to the coenittee at the beginning of the meeting or be mailing it to the Executive Director Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, hashington, D.C.
20$$5.
I Persons may request an opportunity to make an oral statement related to agenda items.
The chairman of the censitt ee will rule on suc h reauest s.
Questions hill be asked by members of the committee and its consultants only.
6 Comments should be based on informstion on file for public insrection at the NRC Public Document Room, 1717 H
- street, N.h., tashington, D.C..
and the Phoenix Public 1.ibrary, Science and Industry Section, 12 hest McDowell Road.
t (NOTE TO EDITcRs: Tse use of self-contained tape recorders in the meeting roca as permitted during open portions of the meeting when a transcript is being kept.-
The use of still, motie^ picture and television cameras, the physical installa-tion and presence of which will not interfere with the course of the meet _ g, will be permitted both before and after the meeting, during any recess, and--at the discretion of the committee chairman--while the meeting is in session.)
000 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION wasumarom Dt rums 0
028418 1 9A989C9D9E9F9 A meO4 OF TIDC TEE WA 01 NASHINGTON DC 20555 t
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