ML20071G973

Supports Continued Plant Operations.Plants Should Not Be Held Hostage to Evacuation Process

ML20071G973
Person / Time
Site:	Indian Point
Issue date:	05/23/1983
From:	Todorovich M AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED
To:	Chilk S NRC OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY (SECY)
References
NUDOCS 8305240453
Download: ML20071G973 (5)

Text

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SCIESTISTS AND ENGINEERS FOR SECURE ENERGY, INC.

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.M "N-(2:2) 84o -6595 Miro M.Todbrovich, Executive Director May 23, 1983 "d3 my 23

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m m m co ws m s Fredtrtek Seitz. Chairman L

Mr. Samue1 Chilk r/,*ls"7,'a'a","e';". ca, c,.,.,

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seeretarv Robsrt E. Adair, Vice Chairman 4

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission u/r*l',u"~'d'r*l,seh,,tu.e.

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Washington, DC 20555 cu en.,. a, r.

n. c~n, EEMERS (partial 11 sting):

taiis v. Alvara RE:

Docket Nos. 50-247-

msv. of ct stsensa. Eerseley Henry R. Barscha11 50-286 o inesas of ess;onssa

• Hans A.

Bethe

Dear Mr. Chilk:

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su,na m,n.a David Bodansky unsnessty or unensagaon Norris E. Pradb:ary 3."An',";,A',;;'2 u*-

Having reviewed voluminous materials from the u:. ~,er,a aR. Creighton Buck proceedings related to the Indian Point nuclear m,. a u n,ee.4.,

Deraard L. Cohen sr.a nessey at retsbann

• "'i',,*i ,"t power plants 2 and 3, having read the earlier and

• homas J. Connolly sc a,rarJ pe versa ry

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the most recent statements by members of the Dwight R. Damon vr.s s, af connecew.ct, starts

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Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and having consulted

• Albert Cold

r. sere **seeree Instituta many of our professional members'and friends, silt a= =. na a=

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Scientists and Engineers for Secure Energy has sesafard ::n:ntsst, Behram Kursunoglu n#.7"I'.'J " """'

concluded,that there are no cogent reasons to close traf 14ona Libby

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the aforementioned plants thereby depriving the

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stanford Onsvet.st, John P. Wadison cJg",l',',3YlJ/'

people of New York and neighboring states of the wrersary of cnf.ago L. Waasir.g Muntzing economic and other benefits derived from these

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Thomas Ptsford entw. et ca:L!ernia, serkeley Trsent C. Pollard plants.

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+Ja es natn.ater co;-Jancad W a t ersi t y

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on the one hand, nothing has changed in the Diny 14e Ray reorgy csonitut

'I,"."ll$.'.L...,u.;e, last three years that would invalidate the nialcolm J. Sherman szsse t~:1. st s r. A;bany judgments articulated on this same subject by

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n, tort.r:. vers s ey Jr.mes A.

Van Allen rnurs.u :f :aa

• Alexander' von craeventte Professor, Nobel Laureate, and long time resident ceivers.ts -f :ars:n Alvi,n L., Teinberg e.

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. rue.ne >. winner of Westchester County, James Rainwater, who in er.:.-

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Richard Wilson v/,/l;;".# '","'

January of 1980 spoke on behalf of SE2 (Copy of

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.ven.r. se. ems emeit t.e Statement attached.)

0305240453 830523 utm.eu. ur amme.ti 2,

PDR ADOCK 05000247 l

H PDR R.Lestic Dugan, Western Representative 215 Market Street Suite i3u. San Francisco, CA 94105 * (415)495 5669 Patricia Cope Ross, Washington Licison 122519 Street NW, Suite 415

• Washington, DC 2co36 - (2o2) 223 5381 aso a

,1 Mr,. Samual Chilk J..

'May 23, 1983 Pago Two L

on the other, the possibility of a major accident is so t

remote and the unfolding of a potential nuclear plant malfunction so gradual and protracted that on a practical time scale even the very unlikely case of a mishap requiring preventive or emergency ovacuation could be accomplished by using the existing disaster services and the national guard and without the benefit of a fully completed, formal evacuation plan.

SE2 does believe that it is a time honored duty of civil authorities to develop plans for any potential emergency and that, most certainly, it is not within their statu tory powers to try to alter technological projects and the economic life of our country by acts of administrative disobedience.

In addition, it appears to SE2 somewhat disingenuous for certain quarters to campaign for the closing of the plants -

because of the alleged difficulties of evacuation - when many of the same protagonists are equally adamant in their oppposition to transportation of nuclear wastes.

Indeed, by closing the plants and still keeping the waste materials in place, the radiation risk would still be there demanding an evacuation plan.

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i Mr. Samuel Chilk,

May 23, 1983 Page Three For all these reasons, SE2 concludes that the current dif-ficulties must be resolved by frank and responsible discussion between the various levels of government.

The plants themselves should not be held hostage to the process and should continue to operate as prescribed by other current regulations.

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Sincerely, s

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Miro M. Todorovich Executive Director MMT:ms Enc I

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SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS FOR SECURE ENERGY, INC.

o 57o Seventh Avenue New York, New York toot 8 Frederick Sciez, RockefcHer U, Chairrnart

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Atnander von Graeventez, Yale, V-Chair Erich Isaac, CuNY-CCNY, Y-Chair JRiro M.Todorovich, CuMY-BCC, Exec Sec*u s

DR. JAMES RAINRATER'S JANUARY 18TH, 1980 STATEMENT CONCERNING THE SAFETY OF THE NUCLEAR P'OWER UNITS AT' INDIAN POINT (#2 AND #3)

A - Personal Background I have lived in New York State since 1939 and in Hastings-on-Hudson, Westchester, (20 miles south of Indian Point) since 1952.

I have been a member of the Columbia University Physics Department since.

1939 when I came as a graduate student teaching assistant.

I have

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studied under Enrico Fermi, Edward Teller, I.I.

Rabi, and John R.

Dunning, an inventor of the technology for U-235 enrichment.

I have over 35 years experience operating cyclotrons for nuclear physics research, during which I have had to deal with nuclear radiation.

I worked under Dr. Dunning on the Manhattan district project during World War II.

I have had the rank Professor of Physics since 1952.

~My honors include (a) Nobel Prize in Physics (1975), (b). Ernest Crlando Award of A.E.C.

'(1963), member U.S.

National Academy of Science (1968), Fellow of the American Physical Society and Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers.

I own.no stocks or bonds except i

New York City " Big Mac" bonds.

My only financial connection with Con-Ed has been as a bill payer.

B - Statement Concerning Nuclear Power (Indian Point)

Since the 1940s I have favored the development of civilian nuclear power since it was evident thatfossil fuels had' limited remaining life-time and that fission power, if safely developed, represented a much

' larger potential energy source than fossil fuels.

I have allergic reactions to sulfur dioxide, etc related with fossil fuels, so I would never consent to live close to a large fossil burning power plant, while I would have no misgivings about living near a nuclear-power plant.

As with most U.S.

citizens, I was disturbed by the strange developing story of the Three Mile Island (TMI) accident as reported in the press and television.

I have therefore sbent about 2 months effective time since then. reviewing nuclear engineering, light water reactor safety, and, with full cooperation of the responsible Con-Ed staff, the detail.

design of the Westinghouse #2 nuclear unit.

My interest was in suggesting design and operating modifications for existing and (mainly future nuclear plants for i,ncreased safety.

My suggestions and commen

' CHARTER MIMBERS (partial listing): Robert E. Adair, Yale; Benry W. Barschall, U of Wisconsin;

• Hans A Bethe, Cornell; Felin Oloch, Stanford; David Bodansky, U of Washingten; Norris E. Bradbury, los Alamos; D. Allan Bromley, Yale;

• R. Creighton Buck, U sf Wisconstn; Bernard L. Cohen U of Pittsburgh; Thomas J. Connolly, Stanford; John D. Courtney, Louisiana State U; Dsight M. D1 mon, U of Connecticut; R. H. Dicke, Princeton;

• Albert Cold, NY Polytechnie;

• Robert Hexter, U of Minnesota; Robert Rf atadter, Stanford; Behra;n Kursunoglu, U of Miamt; Robert Lee, Hartford; W. F. Libby UCLA;

• John McCarthy, Stanford; John F. Sudison, Argonne; Robert S. Mulliken. U of Chicago; Ernest C. Pollard, Penn State U; James Rainwater, Colutabia U; Norman C.

Cn cussen, MIT; Malcolm J. Sherman, SUNY Albany; *Edeard Teller, Livermore; James A. Van Allen. U of Iowa;

• Eugene P. Wigner, Franceton; Richard Wilson, Harvard; Werner Wolf. Tale.

' Affiliation for identification only.

• Member, STEERING COMMITTEE.

Dr. James Rainwater January 18,1980 were sent to Dr. Kemeny (of the Presidential review panel), to the NRC, to the D.O.E., and elsewhere.

I found that the the Indian Point-Westinghouse design is such that the TMI type accident could not happen at Indian Point.

Since the TMI accident all nuclear power plant operators are conditioned to avoid the type of mistakes at TMI and the systems have been modified so a repeat is essentially impossible.

It is my judgment' that a catastrophic accident (Rasmussen #9) requiring massive evacuation is miniscule and that, therefore, the Indian Point plants can continue to operate safely.

I would have no misgivings about living much closer to the Indian Point plants except for the problem of extra commuting distance to Columbia.

The nuclear power plant safety record remians at the remarkable zero deaths due to nuclear accidents and they are very much more pollution free than fossil fuel power plants.

I believe that the danger to New York City is essentially zero.

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