ML20058K943
| ML20058K943 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Nine Mile Point  |
| Issue date: | 05/07/1990 |
| From: | Horton F HOUSE OF REP. |
| To: | Zech L NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML17058A649 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9008030155 | |
| Download: ML20058K943 (3) | |
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- FRANK HORTON
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..saco oa.ce 2106 hesven SveaMs f AK (316) 252-6834 wasaiho'un DC 20615 002)225-4916 hivenement Desio Duiteens fAu QO2 226-spop Oswsoo NY 13126 (3 tSi 342 4684 Accesenative Assiseant The Honorable Lando Zech, Jr.
Chairman Nuclear Regulatory Commission i
1114 Matomic Building 1717 H Street, !!.W.
Washington, D.C.
20555 Dear Chairman Zecht I am writing once again on behalf of a group known as " Retire Nine Mile One". _They have raised concerns abcut having an industry run organization known as the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations monitor plant operations in lieu of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Enclosed for your review is a copy of the letter which was signed by the group's President Tom Walsh.
I would appreciate having the benefit of your thoughts on this matter so I can address the concerns of this group.
Thank you in advance for your attention to this matter.
I look forward to your prompt reply.
With best wishes, Sincerely, Frank Horton FHerbs Enclosure 100h63015h y yn P
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l ma-3 mEetire Nine Mlle One /g y,6silliorfd
... s s.. U,~ c.gitizens concerned about the safety of the Nine Mlle One Nuclear Fa Ab
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t Steering Committee Chris Binaxas Llrda Clark Ollie Clubb Helen Daly, PhD.
Clifford Feldman i
Apr il 3e,199e Nv c-ens Chris Lynch Norman Roth Virginia Durkin Stamm Edward Swift, MD.
Tom Walsh
Dear Congressman Horton:
Thank you for your attention to our concerns about-the Mark I containment at Nine Mile One and the ef f ects of advanced aging at the f acility. The information provided by the NRC is being evaluated by reactor saf ety specialists. We will appraise you of their conclusions.
In recent weeks, disturbing information about the role played by The Institute of Nuclear Power Operations in the regulation of nuclear power plants has ccne to our attention. The institute, known as INPO, was created in the af termath of the Three Mile Island accident by the nuclear industry to inspect plants and review corporate operations.
INPO is a membership organization funded by the u tl i t i es.
Niagara Mohawk is a member and evaluations have been made of their nuclear operations.
The NRC has transf erred some of the monitoring of nuclear power plants, including saf ety evaluations, to INPO and has acknowledged that they do not wish to duplicate the ef forts of IN PO. However, INPO is not required to share their findings with the NRC and release of INPO reports to the public is pr oh ib i t ed. An INPO memorandum def ends the groups secrecy, stating that "public and/or political pressure may be brought to bear on the NRC to follow-up on INPO j
evaluations for the purpose of regulatory action."
When the INPO reports on the Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant were recently obtained by citizens groups, they revealed a litany of problems never before documented and not addressed
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P.O. Box 563 University Station Syracuse, New York 13210
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in the NtC's licensing pr ocess for Seabrook. Many of the problems af f ected cr ucial saf ety systems which the c ompany admit t ed it would not address until af ter f ull power operat ivn had beg un. Recent testimony before Congress On this matter by Ralph Nader and Robert Pollard is enclosed.
The INPO/Seabrock situation has direct implications for people concerned about the saf ety of Nine Mile One. For
.7.ais y yea rs, INPO has pr od uced reports about Nine M ile One.
How can we be certain the NRC has a _ complete picture of the condition of Nine Mile One? How can we know that all the
_ pr oblems discovered at Nine Mile One b
.e been addressed if j
we do not know what the INPO reports on Nine Mile One contain?
While we recognize the right of organizations to conduct confidential internal evaluations, when INPC conducts an evaluation they are operating in lieu of the NRC. INPO reports should be available to the public as would the reports of the NRC. The cur rent process endorses secrecy-and eliminates public accountability.
We ask that you request the NRC to obtain all INPO reports related to Niagara Mohawk's nuclear operations and release them to the public document room as would be required of NRC reports. We also request an accounting of the number of INPO-reports produced related to Niagara Mohawk's nuclear operations. We hope you will insure that all in f o nn a t ion contained in reports relating to Nine Mile One be subject to restart action procedures currently in process by the NRC.
We hope you will share our concern that an industr y group has became the industr y watchdog, eliminating the public scrutiny of nuclear plants guaranteed by law.
S i nce r el y, RETIRE NINE MILE ONE n
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h by Tom Walsh, co-cha i r