ML20107F382
| ML20107F382 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Diablo Canyon  |
| Issue date: | 10/05/1984 |
| From: | Panetta L, Patterson J HOUSE OF REP. |
| To: | Palladino N NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20107F352 | List: |
| References | |
| OL, NUDOCS 8411050460 | |
| Download: ML20107F382 (3) | |
Text
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v Congress of tije Uniteb 6tates IRas$ington, D.C. 20515 3',
October 5, 1984 Honorable Nunzio Palladino chairman Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1717 "H" Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.
20555
Dear Mr. Chairman:
Thank you for your assistance in making-Messrs. Richard Vollmer, John Martin, Isa Yin, and Thomas Bishop of the NRC staff available for the House Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment's Diablo Canyon oversight hearing in San Luis
.Ca.lifornia on August 30.
We sincerely appreciate the Obispo,' ion's compliance with Congressional requests of this Commiss kind and are especially grateful that Commissioner Asselstine took time out of his busy schedule to testiE3 at the Subcommittee hearing.
~
At the August 30 hearing, Commissioner Asselstine identified three issues associated with the licencing of Diablo Canyon j
which he feels demand additional consideration by the Commission.
He noted.that the stay of Diablo's Full Power Operation License by the U.S.
Court of Appeals for.the District of Columbia provides the Commission with ample opportunity to further pursue these issues and to minimize the potential for further delays in the Diablo licensing process.
Specifically, commissioner Asselstine recommended: 1) that the Commission provide parties to the Diablo proceeding with the opportunity to litigate the complicating effects of earthquakes on emergency planning for this facility; 2) that the Commission allow Mr. Yin to conduct a special review of the adequacy of Diablo's small and large bore piping support systems; and 3) that the Commission reopen the investigation into allegations of NRC staff misconduct during Commission meetings held prior uto the issuance of Diablo's low power license.
We believe Commissioner Asselstine's recommendations should be followed and would urge the Commission to take them under serious consideration.
In our view, the additional time provided by the Court's stay of the Diablo license should be used productively;to address commissioner Asselstine's concerns.
Because proper seismic design is critical to the safety of the Diablo facility, we are especially eager to see this issue resolved.
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'Page Two October 5, 1984 LThus, we would again like to outline our views in this. area, T.
with the hope that you will reconsider your decision not to authorize design review.
In our letter to you dated July 30, wer expressed concern about the handling'of the. seismic design control issues raised by Mr.
Yin before the Commission on March 26.
At the August 30 hearing, Mr. Yin and Commissioner Asselstine outlined the implications these seismic design problems have-for the overall quality assurance program'at Diablo Canyon.
As Commissioner Asselstine pointed out:
The record of this (licensing) proceeding, allegations filed by former workers at the site and subsequent NRC inspections, including those performed by NRC inspector Isa Yin, all. document a widespread quality assurance breakdown
)
in the seismic design work for small bore piping in the plant.
This quality assurance breakdown raises serious questions regarding both the adequacy of quality assurance for other design' activities for the plant and the adequacy of the Independent Design Verification Program (IDVP)....
Based upon the continuing concerns expressed'by Mr. Yin regarding the adequacy of the (NRC) staff's verification i
efforts and the extent of the seismic design quality assurance breakdown in the case, I am not yet satisfied that the Commission has the information needed to conclude, j
with a high degree of confidence, that all significant seismic design errors for this plant have been identified
[
and corrected.
The conclusions of the NRC Peer Review Group (PRG) and the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) notwithstanding, Commissioner Asselstine's comments lead us to question whether a "high level of confidence" in the full power operability of the Diablo facility can exist at this time.
Given the special significance of seismic design for Diablo and the extent of past quality assurance breakdowns in this area, we feel it imperative that the'NRC staff now achieve a consensus resolution of the concerns identified by Mr. Yin.
It is particularly important for Mr. Yin to be satisfied with any design reverification effort, since it was he alone who was able to identify substantive design problems which had gone unnoticed by previous NRC staff inspections and the IDVP.
Therefore, after careful consideration, we again respectfully request that you provide Mr. Yin with the additional time and
~) organizational freedom necessary to undertake a thorough analysis of the seismic design and quality assurance issues at Diablo which he and Commissioner Asselstine feel have not been adequately addressed.
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' Page Three October 5, 1984 We believe now would be an appropriate time to initiate this review, especially given the full Court of Appeals' October 2 decision not to lift the stay on Diablo's full power license.
Commissioner Fred Bernthal stated at the August 2 Commission hearing that he "would have no problem" with such a review, and Mr. Yin has repeatedly stated that this effort could be completed in only three to five weeks.
Such a review would help assure the public and the Courts that every step is being taken to provide for the safety of the Diablo facility.
Thank you for considering our views.
We hope to receive a response from you as soon as possible.
Sincerely, W
Mem(yY PATTERSON
,QM E.
PA TTA JE oer of Congress Megber of ongress cc:
Commissioner Asselstine Commissioner Roberts commissioner Bernthal Commissioner Zech l
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