ML20040H380

Opposes DOE Request for Exemption from Commission Regulations

ML20040H380
Person / Time
Site:	Clinch River
Issue date:	01/12/1982
From:	Cheslow E AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED
To:	NRC OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY (SECY)
Shared Package
ML20040H373	List: ML20040H375 ML20040H380
References
NUDOCS 8202180184
Download: ML20040H380 (1)

Text

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ERNEST CHESLOW

,. *..Y t154 CAROL LANE

, GLENcoE. ILLINo!5 SoO22 f January 12, 1982 '

, . Secretary of the Commission Rei Docket.#50-537 Nuclear Regulatory Commission exemption request Washington, D.C. 20555 under lo CFR 50.12  ;

i.,

i Gentlemen:  ;

When considering the proposed exemption of the Clinch River Reactor from standard licensing procedures, please j take into account that such procedures were adopted by -

the NRC and its predecessor to assure the public that at least minimum safety standards have been complied with before a nuclear power plant can be built and operated.

Many of.us believe that those safety standards are too i laz, but at least they are there. I l'

To exempt an installation from standard licensing i procedures can be justified only:  :

1 In the event of the direst natinal emergency, or ,

2 If the installation is recognized as so_o safe that I the usual precautions are unnecessary. l Neither of these conditions exists with respect to the Clinch River installation.

. .First, there is no emergency of any kind with respect

! to the operation of a breeder reactor. . When Clinch River .

was first planned, it was contemplated that hundreds of water-cooled reactors would be bui3t and that uranium would be in.short supply. What has happened since then is that new reactors are not being built and that there is more than enough uranium to meet foreseeable needs.

Secondly, and.even more importantly, the safety record of liquid metal fast breeder" reactors' in' this~ ,

country has been abysmal. One experimental breeder (ES3-II) ,

and one demonstration commercial breeder (Enrico Fermi) ,

have suffered meltdowns and come close to explosion. .

Surely this justifies - in fact, demands stronger pre-caut ion s , rather thafn a relaxation.

If the people of Tennessee ever have reason to resret their present enthusiasm for the Clinch River insta11atign, you would not want it on your consciences that the NRC did less than it could have done.

• Sincerely, CC: Sens. Howard Eaker, Charles Percy, Alan Dixon Reps. John Porter, Toby Moffett, Richard Ottinser, Mward F.arkey 8202180184spokh

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