ML20053E464
| ML20053E464 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 05/25/1982 |
| From: | Berkow H Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Nash J AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8206080191 | |
| Download: ML20053E464 (5) | |
Text
"
8 UNITED STATES 8
~%
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 9l WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 4,*****si May 25, 1982 2,x ma C21 gig Docket No. 50-289
,,p; "
1<?%%
ty
. =
Mr. John Nash 15 Northwood Manor York Haven, PA 17370
Dear Mr. Nash:
This is in response to your recent letter inquiring about the restart o'f TMI-1.
Unit 1 was down for refueling at the time of the accident at TMI-2 in late March 1979.
On July 2,1979, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) ordered that the facility remain in cold shutdown until further order of the Commission, stating that "the Commission presently lacks the requisite reasonable assurance that the... Licensee's Three Mile Island Unit No. 1 Facility... can be operated without endangering the health and safety of the public." Further, the Commission stated that public hearings would be conducted to determine whether THI-1 should be allowed to resume operation and, if so, under what conditions.
The Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) conducted the public hearing on the safety aspects of restarting TMI-1 and issued an initial decision, with the final decision to be made by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission itself.
The hearing, which commenced on October 15, 1980, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, involved a number of parties and produced a transcript covering 23,000 pages.
A partial initial decision on management competence and operator training was issued on August 27, 1981; the Board concluded that, with the exception of a pending subissue on operator license examinations, the management competence issues were favorable to the eventual operation of THI-1.
On December 14, 1981, the Board again
'made a ruling favorable to restart on the basis of emergency planning, sepa. ration of Units 1 and 2, and plant design issues.
The Board has recommended that TMI-l be permitted to operate at power levels not to exceed 5% power,pending the outcome of the subissue on operator licensing exams.
On January 7, 1982, the U. S. Court of Appeals ordere'd the Commission to perform an environmental assessment on the effects of TMI-l restart on the psychological health of neighboring residents of TMI.
In addition, major problems with steam generator tubes have been discovered which will add significant delay to when the plant can be ready to operate.
8206080191 820525 PDR ADOCK 05000289 H
.-n,-,.,--
m.
- 7, P. -
.4 The Commission will be reviewing the Board's initial decisions and'will be making a determination'in the near future as to whether TMI-1 should be allowed to operate. The Commission is also reviewing its options 1
under the recent Court of' Appeals decision. The delay in the restart of THI t aue to this decision is unknown.' In any event, it appears that the resta. ' c1 Unit 1, if permitted, will be delayed until at least October 1982 due to the steam generator problea.
The thoroughness with which thesh matters are being considered should reassure you that every effort is being made to protect the public health and safety in the event that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission decides to permit the restart of THI-1.
~
Your comments.and interest in this matter are appreciated.,
Sincerely, Original Signed by 11erbert N. Berkow Herbert N. Berkow, Chief-Management Analysis Branch Planning and Program Analysis Staff Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation l
t 1
l-cence >....M.2.B :,RR A
l sVRNCE )..V..W..i..l...
g,T........M..A..B.
P R.....
....n..h........H....r..
o n e >.. 5. /..%. 5 /. 8. 2...
.... 5../.. 9. >.../. 8 2...
l
i
-o IDENTICAL LETTERS SENT T0:
DISTRIBilTION:
. Docket FilesT50-289s~
i
~ '"
LPDR (2)~
Mr. John Nash NRC PDR (2) l TERA /DCS 15 Northwood Manor FBerkow York Haven, PA 17370 '
VWilson PPAS MB R/F Ms. Marijane Meckling 204 Clinton Street Fayetteville, NY 13066 W
^
p % *'M "\\
~
g\\te s
- n A
p( v.W e r l(0 Dac\\cek i
y Gy i
f6 7 ~
S /, % 4 2 o., n 3 )
ND
.O KfmQ., 4 sg T9g6 4 eA
. Ah (4:.p / :
j
'*4*
- i x
' nn.asem/ d&6 id raya 4,su _
Q, &ch,,ec/-bu tt'NLv?? ' t Cf a f
.JM $
t f.
,te xuu. tau
- zu ~.
~ Ta1
! d't&te&<na'-t v dctA'w'.,
G M a V^ " Mtij.i YAlz JilhElb a w y/&n k A't An k me'q M m ^'
',lcacI cv u,,i 4MA
- ~"-
N ~*7 cAc c/'Lc%it//tbS M,, b " % % 1* *.
- ~
' h i w d, ( h o. w y' u g"i"~}% d 4"^
l'!
&'c et a~av-y~ a y f.
'j cf.,c(
xe p(sca,w,gry pscnL, i
y
- u,.a n a n m ve 6 4 +0.
l
.6p a m-r ms a - M gt
/
g}p,,c('iutgbtatje.Ge</
Qt; t i v'A':' AJS t~
t.dl e a w M 4 a t u ns elas., htg r
' D* *4 ^~Ql Mhth 4:
ny.uaJs & L x
. et'ech, le'; AM e }iwa N
%b4lT x
. <;&ws w; ac
$,a tw 9~. %.nraw-k
,cupgrl&c ual "Pfl '" bV % d%.fLc-
~f~ e y.
A;z< <a aan.
sLL A4
.ci k rii,A w ]' b c d d r ; ;
w3Dm
/
m e u p nny
,