ML20039E249

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Requests Commission Commit to Position That Restart Issue Will Not Be Decided Until Psychological Stress & Operator Cheating Issues Are Resolved.Credibility of NRC Will Be Damaged Otherwise
ML20039E249
Person / Time
Site: Three Mile Island Constellation icon.png
Issue date: 12/07/1981
From: Kennedy J
PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF
To: Palladino N
NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
References
NUDOCS 8201070070
Download: ML20039E249 (2)


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Nunzio Palladino, Chairman '

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U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission \'; ~, '

Washington, D. C. 20555 \-s.

Dear Mr. Palladino:

Two years ago the NRC pledged to the people of Central Pennsylvania that it would not permit the restart of TMI-l without a full public hearing. We are writing you to let you know of our concern that your pledge be kept.

Our concern stems from your October 28 memo to the other Commissioners.

It appears to us that the NRC is preparing to decide on the reopening l of Unit 1 before several critical issues are fully resolved within the l NRC and the judicial process. These issues are psychological stress j and operator cheating.

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We are writing to request that the Commission commit itself now to l the position that it will not decide the restart issue until these issues are resolved. We believe that to do otherwide would be to violate your pledge of a full consideration of the issues, and that l even though the legal requirement may be lacking, the NRC's werd i must be kept. To do any less would severely damage your credibility with the people of this area, who need assurance that all the safety issues have been resolved before a decision on restart is made.

These issues are not trivial:

1. The Commission deadlocked 2-2 on the Psychological Stress issue.

l Both the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board and the Commonwealth of DS63 Pennsylvania recommended consideration of the issue. Moreover, the J j

NRC Staff dealt with Psych Stress as a significant issue in its Pro- //c l grammatic Environmental Impact Statement on the decontamination of TMI-2'. Several medical studies have concluded that significant stress remains two years after the accident. PANE (People Against Nuclear 8201070070 811207 PDR ADOCK 05000289 G PDR

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Nunzio Palladino December 7, 1981 Energy, a Middletown-based group) has argued before Federal District Court on November 17, with a decision expected between one and six months later.

2. Hearings on operator cheating began on November 10 and will con-tinue during the month of November, with an ASLB decision expected in February. Inadequate training of cperators was found to be a major factor in the TMI-2 accident. Further, the exam on which two operators were caught cheating happened to be on the " lessons learned" from the accident. It is clear that TMI-l cannot be deemed safe to operate while the conpetence and integrity of its operatcrs are in question. ,

Over the past two years, the NRC has been viewed by most residents as a cautious and fair arbiter of the TMI controversies. To cast a shadow on that reputation now, with-the. restart decision so close,

. would be unfortunate for the NRC and would increase the stress which many in the area already feel over the impending decision.

We await your response to this request in the hope that we can work together to ensure a full regulatory process and to maintain the public's trust in the fairness of the NRC.

Very truly yours, f y o ln Kennedy Rgpresentati e th Legislative District

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