ML20085H256
| ML20085H256 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Diablo Canyon  |
| Issue date: | 11/13/1975 |
| From: | Thornburg H NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE) |
| To: | Mctiernan T NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTOR & AUDITOR (OIA) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20083L446 | List: |
| References | |
| FOIA-83-130 NUDOCS 8309070454 | |
| Download: ML20085H256 (2) | |
Text
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,s U NIT E D STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION W ASHIN GT O N, D. C. 2055 5 g
NOV 131975
,$ihd 3 +,p%eMW a
i li Thomas J. McTiernan, Director 11.,-j "h,e Office of the Agency Inspector and Auditor t
PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY (DIABLO CANYON)
Enclosed for your infornation is a transcript of a letter to the editor of a Southern California newspaper and a copy of the IE:V plan for investigating the allegations contained in the letter.
It appears that the allegations are technical rather than criminal in nature. tie will keep you informed of the results of the investigation.
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I rold D. T rnburg, Chief
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Enforcement Branch Office of Inspection and T.forcement
Enclosures:
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CLIPPING FROM TELEGRAM-TRIBUNE SAN LUIS OBISPO
~10-31-75 j
ARE THERE CRACKS AT' DIABLO?
To the editor-T.ie people of this county are being lied to.
In an edition of the Telegran-Tribune, the front page heading read: "Diablo Not Affected By l
Closure Order." The article stated that 23 operating nuclear power plants were shutdown.
The reason given was that cracks had been discovered in the cmergency safety system.
The article went on to say that no such prohlt:s occurred at Diablo, except for a fine two-inch crack in the steam generator that was recoved with carbide paper.
I worked frtza Local 403 at Diablo for a year.
I cz a welder-pipsfitter.
I worked through the containment structure where the reactor is located.
I persorolly gropnd cracks frts:s the 35-inch piping in the e. sin cooling systes.
The steam generatar had cracked outside the welded joint.
These cracks were 3/4 of an inch deep as seen with the eye.
No one was really sure why it hcd cracked.
In one instance I ground (with a high-speed air-driven grinder) en inferior weld the length of 30 inches.
They rewalded the pipe, but continuad cracking occurred.
It developed a deeper, more precured cr:ch, actually fcur cracks vhich required grinding m!t metal 3/4 inch deep, 1 inch wide, and !Fs inches long.
The pipe waii thickMss was T1 inches.
The steam generator surrounds the reactor and supplies water for cooling
--failure here in its cooling system could mean meltdcwn and disaster.
Why wasn't this inforcation released to the public? Why mention a minor crack, and fail to acknowledge an icportant, major one?
I was told that similar cracks had occurred. so this is not an isolated incident.
Couldn't cracks like these happen under pressure of operation? I under-stand that all six of the tests conducted by the Atomic Energy Commission on a safety backup cooling system have failed.
I jeopardized my job and any chance of working at qy trade in San Luis D'ispo County by letting you krow of these cracks ite~v11T"hawto-sc11 " ~~ ~
a I feel that m.ny people don't realize the danger of our home and move.
t r.uclear reactors byproduct.
The tons of deadly r.sterial they tranufacture.
V, ore nuclear units are proposed and that means core of this deadly r. ster (s),
cnd it will be kept at Diablo.
To this day no one has found a safe way I
pg.,
to store it for any length of time.
l Larry S ut
?
Gr.Wer City t
Y 9.
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