ML20054B683
| ML20054B683 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | South Texas  |
| Issue date: | 03/04/1982 |
| From: | Zech G NRC |
| To: | NRC |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20054B682 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8204190061 | |
| Download: ML20054B683 (2) | |
Text
UNITED STATES 8T NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
,E WASHIN GTON. D.C. 20555
+
March 4, 1982 OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER MEMORANDUM TO FILE FROM:
Gary Zech
SUBJECT:
SOUTH TEXAS VISIT Although I cannot recall the exact date, sometine during the first week in February, I called Mr. John Collins, the Region IV Administrator in Arlington, Texas, to discuss with him a potential visit by Commissioner Thomas M.
Roberts and myself to the Region IV offices in Arlington. I indicated that the preferred dates were February 22 and 23 with a return to Washington on the 24th. Mr. Collins suggested that, due to the traffic problems in the Houston area, we should consider visiting the South Texas project on Sunday, February 21, followed by a visit to the Region IV offices and to the Comanche Peak facility.
As with other visits by Mr. Roberts to regional offices, the purpose of this visit was to meet the regional staff and to discuss any issues or problems that they wished to bring up. When visiting a regional office, Mr. Roberts has visited nuclear reactor facilities in the-vicinity in order to familiarize himself with the facilities the Commission licenses. My call to Mr. Collins was in response to Mr. Roberts suggestion that we visit Region IV.
I suggested that we also visit the South Texas facility outside of Houston, Texas, and possibly another plant under construction within the Region IV district.
During the week of February 8, Mr. Collins and I finalized arrangements for' the trip--such things as who on the Region IV staff would meet us, where to stay, etc.
I asked that Mr. Collins prepare some background information for Commissioner Roberts review prior to our trip to Houston on the 21st.
Since I was out of the office for most of the week of February 15, I did not talk to Mr. Collins again until February 19th when I confirmed our itinerary and acknowledged that we had received the advance information.
I also called Mr. William Crossman of the Region IV office to discuss his offer to meet Mr. Roberts and myself at the airport.
At no time did I speak to any person in Applicant's employ regarding the trip.
Because I was not in the office most of the week after confirming the trip arrangements and because the office was very busy on those days that I was in, I did not think again of the Texas trip.
Specifically, I did not think about the South Texas facility being the subject of a contested case and; therefore, did not think of notifying the parties.
8204190061 820415 PDR ADOCK 05000498 G
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Af ter arriving at home on Friday the 19th, Jessica Laverty, Mr. Roberts' legal Assistant, called me at home to ask me whether the parties to both the South Texas and Comanche Peak proceedings had been notified.
When I said no, she volunteered to try to call them for me.
On Saturday the 20th, I received a call from Mrs. Juanita Ellis, a party to the Comanche Peak proceeding.
We discussed the possibility of her accom-panying Mr. Roberts and myself on the Comanche Peak facility tour on the 23rd.
I called Mr. Clyde Wisner of the Region IV office and discussed this with him.
I also asked whether the parties to the South Texas pro-ceeding had been notified regarding our visit to that site on the -22nd.
He.
indicated that they had been notified, and that they had indicated that they probably would not accompany us on the tour of the South Texas (. '..
Mr. Roberts and I arrived in Houston at approximately 10:00 a.m. on the 21st. We were met by Mr. Crossman, who drcve us to the South Texas faci-lity. We arrived at about 1:30 p.m.
We met with Mr. Jerry Goldberg and another associate from the Houston Lighting and Power Company.
Even though we expected no one, we asked Mr. Goldberg whether any parties from the proceeding had arrived.
He said he had not seen any, but called the visitor's center to confirm this.
Mr. Goldberg was advised that no one representing the parties was at the visitor's center.
We therefore pro-ceeded with the tour of the facility.
We indicated that, in view of our flight from Hobby Field in Houston at 5:00 p.m., we would have to leave at about 3:15 p.m.
As it was then almost 2:00 p.m., we were given a brief description of the history of the faci-lity, prior to our walking tour.
Commissioner Roberts asked what were the circumstances which led Houston Lighting and Power Company to hire the Quadrex Company to review construction work at the South Texas site.
Mr.
Goldberg explained that, due to his perception that there seemed to be excessive delays in the construction schedule and perhaps some over-designing, he had decided to hire a company to do a detailed review of the i
architect-engineer's activities at the site.
He indicated that he was dissatisfied with the report because its very general nature will make it difficult for HL&P's new architect-engineer to use as an action document.
Mr. Goldberg,further stated that Houston Lighting and Power Company had ultimately fired Brown & Root as architect / engineer and as contractor on the South Texas facility.
He said Brown & Root was being replaced by Bechtel.
He also stated Ebasco would take over as contractor.
We then proceeded with the walk through of the facility, which included the F
Unit I containment area and areas which ultinately would be the control i
~
room and the cable spreading room.
We continued our tour in a van to nbserve more readily the intake structure and discharge ponds.
We then toured one of the equipment buildings that is being used to store equipment that will ultimately be installed in the facility. We left at about 3:15 p.m.
Due to our tight schedule, we did not call the visitor's center to determine if any party had arrived during our tour.