ML20078T064
| ML20078T064 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Fermi  |
| Issue date: | 11/29/1994 |
| From: | Dingell J HOUSE OF REP., ENERGY & COMMERCE |
| To: | Selin I, The Chairman NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19354A475 | List: |
| References | |
| CCS, NUDOCS 9412300055 | |
| Download: ML20078T064 (6) | |
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The Honorable Ivan Selin Chairman Nuclear Regulatory Commission 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, Maryland 20852
Dear Chairman Selin:
I am forwarding to you, for careful consideration by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the enclosed November 21, 1994 letter to me from Citizens' Resistance At Fermi 2 (CRAFT).
As you know, CRAFT is concerned about the safety of the proposed restart of the Detroit Edison Company's Fermi 2 nuclear powerplant.
CRAFT apparently disagrees with some of the findings in the NRC's November 15, 1994 safety evaluation of Fermi 2.
In this evaluation, the NRC found that the various causes of the late 1993 accident at Fermi 2 have been adequately identified and addressed; that corrective repairs and new operating requirements mean the unit can be safely restarted and operated; that normal water chemistry in the plant has been restored; that earlier changes to the water, caused by the accident, have not injured the facility; that the plant structure has been adequately repaired and is safe; that Detroit Edis(,
s start-up plans are acceptable and safe; and that additional inonitoring and future inspections and repairs are adequate for the safe operation of the plant.
I am pleased that the NRC has taken a hard look at the lengthy investigations and repairs of the Fermi 2 plant.
Safe operation of this plant is absolutely critical to the citizens of this area.
I understand that Detroit Edison and the turbine manufacturer considered more than 1,500 possible causes of the accident before finally settling on the seven causes noted in the safety evaluation.
Nevertheless, I urge you to review and s/n 74/2.300o55 ff
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1 The Honorable Ivan Selin Page 2 l
consider any further information or arguments in the enclosed letter that may bear on the future safe operation of Fermi 2.
I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter.
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JOHN D.
DINGELL CHAIRMAN l
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i CITIZENS' RESISTANCE AT FERMI 2 l
P.O. Box 463 Monroe MI 48161 November 21,1994 -
Honorable lohn D. Dingell U.S.Houseof Representatives Washington. D. C. 20515 l
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Dear Congressman Dingell:
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On 8/18/94 Citizens' Resistance at Fermi 2 (CRAFT) requested the Nuclear l
Regulatory Commission to show cause as to why the DECO should be granted l
permission to restart the damaged facility. CRAFT recuested that the NRC deny restart of Fermi 2 until an Independent Technical Teview regardin8 the structural integrity of the turbine system was conducted; And that a public j
hearing be held on the findings. (enclosed packet) l In a letter dated 10/12/94 William T. Russell (NRR) of the NRC has responded that...' Sufficient technical expertise is available within the NRC staff such that 4
separate independent technical review is not warranted.' He NRC informs l
C3 AFT that... 'The NRC staff is conducting a detailed technical review of the event and the licensee's corrective actions. A Safety Evaluation Report willbe j
published upon completion of the review.' (enclosed packet) 1 j
In addition, CRAFT informed the NRC of our intent to file a request with the NRC under 10 CFR 2.202 (Public Hearing) and 2.206 (Show Cause). CRAFT l
specificallyrequested the NRC to place CRAFT on the list of recipients of FDR j
documentation as it pertains to Fermi 2. CRAFT asked to hear from the NRC j
regarding our requests and concerns prior to restart.(enclosed packet)
William T. Russell (10/12/94) responds to CRAFT with personal assurances j
... that plant restart will onlyoccur after the NRC has determined that Detroit Edison's root-cause evaluation and corrective action have been ad ate to i
f support plant operation 'withoht risk to the sublic health and safety.'
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... we willinclude you (CRAFT)oncurdistrbution list for NRC correspondence l
to the licensee related to the turbine event.'
In a NRC document dated 11/15/94...'Le staff concludes that the RAP j
(Restart Action Flan) issues assigned to NRR for resolution have been
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i adequately resolved." %e Safety Evaluation Report which accompanies this l
document as an enclosure is used as the basis on which the decision to allow restart has been granted. However, in the Safety Evaluation Report several l
documents are referenced which have been declared 'Proarietaryinformation.
l Not publicly available". In essence the decision by the NLC to allow restart is based on documentation that is inaccessible to the public. (einclosed packet)
As of this time CRAFT has not reviewed nor are we aware of any root cause l
analysis conducted by DECO or the NRC specifically looking at thebent turbine shaf ts as a potential root cause of the Christmas Day turbine failure. His has been one of our contentions all along that the turbine shafts are bent, but no j
analysis to our knowledge speaks to tais obvious flaw as a potential for the root l
cause.
l It is particularly interesting that this analysis was not addressed because DECO has placed on order new turbine shafts and blades to be installed in refueling outage number 5. DECO intends to operate Fermi 2 with known bends in the i
shaf ts of all three 1.P rotors for approximately 18 months until refueling outage number 5.
High vibration is expected and because of this DECO intends to monitor turbine vibration and to manually trip the turbine.
DECO has de-activated automatic turbine vibration trip for 60 to 90 days after near full I
power operation.
To date CRAFT has received two Deco documents from the NRC dated I
8/24/94 and 10/13/94 and arriving 10/17/94 and 10/26/94 respectively. The Safety Evaluation Report (11/15'/94) document which was to have been distributed to CRAFT has not yet arrived as of 11/21/94. Access to documents through the I.PDR is at best negligible, this is why CRAFThad requested direct mailings of these documents. CRAFT has also made FOIA requests to obtain
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other " Proprietary Information' including root cause analysis.
CRAFThad informed the NRC of ourintent to file both 10 CFR 2.202 and 2.206 wtnions. Our opportunity for public participation has been extraordinarly j
hampered by our inability to secure documentation which would allow us to l
participate, even though we have specifically requested these documents. The l
NRC has granted approval for restart without allowing the public to review the documentation that they have based their decision for restart on.
l For these reasons CRAFTis requesting that Congressman John Dingellinitiate
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action to assure that the Confirmatory Action I.etter of 12/28/93 remainin place i
or be reinstated in order to halt restart of the Fermi 2 reactor until the public I
and your office has had adequate opportunity to review the documentation on which the NRC has based their decision to allow restart. Please help us to secure this documentation.
As our Representative in Congress and as Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee which has oversight of the NRC we make this appeal topu onbehalf of the public, it has been the contention of CRAFT that an Independent Technical Review regarding the structural integrity of the turbine system must be conducted. To date that has not occurred. What has occurred is deliberate and calculable denial of access to documentation which speaks to a root cause. Congressman John Dingell please consider an investigation of this most serious matter. If you should have any questions pertaining to our requests or if we can be of assistance please contact me at (313) 457-5979.
Thank you for your considerations of our most rerious requests.
Sincere 1
Michae J. Keegan CRAFT ct Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRR)
Attorney General Frank Kelley U. S. Senator lieberman Governor John Engler The Monroe County Board of Commissioners Public Citir.en The Union of Concerned Scientists MPSC Commissioners U. S. Senator Carl 1.evin The Safe Energy Communication Council Nuclear Information Resource Services l
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