ML20127J657

Forwards Statement by Seaborg Correcting Erroneous Rept That Russia Has Abandoned Its Nuclear Power Program

ML20127J657
Person / Time
Site:	Monticello
Issue date:	05/01/1969
From:	Harris J US ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION (AEC)
To:	Ramey, Seaborg, Tape US ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION (AEC)
References
NUDOCS 9211190390
Download: ML20127J657 (2)

Text

,- . . .s- . - - . . .- .. - - . . - _ . - - ._ - . .__- -- - ~ -

i b

0 m. h V j

UNITED STATES w -?,13nn

1. f .x r N W /

.<\ ) -

' ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION A'L

• M h f .~ ',.

d ,' wasmuorou. o.c rosas -

, s,,,g ,(Y -

Lp %y - -

- n wtn m .

,Y1 M 569 /- \

(

.{,LA I -/ -

hY '

l Chairman Seaborg N j Commissioner Ramey Commissioner Tape

\  %

j Commissioner Johnson i Commissioner Costagliola

"~2'

THRU: General Manager e '

!- CRITICISM OF'THE NORTHERN-STATES POWER PROJECT a

l Yesterday, I received a call from Richard Ferber, Vice i President of Northern States Power, asking for our

assistance in putting down an erroneous report. .Mr.

Ferber said that the previous evening, Professor Abrahamson of the University of Minnesota had said in ,

l i a speech that Russia has abandoned its nuclear power

! program because of concern over radiation safety.

i With the assistance of DIA and DRDT, we prepared the

! enclosed which, with the Chairman's approval, was issued

! as a statement by Dr. Seaborg.

! The' statement was provided to Mr. Ferber-for use in a TV-I appearance last night, and to distribute.to the press.

i

-Stred M ,N. M S ,

I John'A. Harris, Director l' Division of Public Information l Enclosure-

! cc: H. L. Price, Director of_ Regulation *.igee ~ d i: 1 l

l

. a !lf. Dir,0[ flee. t

. .**_. ' 6

• y e

w- _ -

. ., 3 Dme ~. ? ._

~ '

~

'9211190390 PDR 690501 j ADOCK 05000263 l A PDR 1 l <

lv, ,.n,,... a .,.e,,..,- e ,u-o, ~r.-r,..,-,,w.nw,~-. r -m n.-r .m,,e er w-, ,.m.~rn- e ww -s n 4.s . S.~,,r, ~gn-s w-.vr+ -,v,,. .< + , '

e We were informed this morning of reports in Minnesota that the Soviet Union has abandoned its nuclear power pro-gram because of concern over safety. Only two days ago, I me t with Mr . Pyo tr S . Neporozhniy who is the Soviet Union's Minister for Power and Electrification. The Soviets have a large, on-going nuclear _ power program. Mr. Neporozhniy ,

i expressed interest in the_ feasibility of expanding their pro-gram. His only reservation regarding nuclear power in the Soviet Union involved economics--whether it is cheaper than fossil fuels. He said where nuclear power is cheaper, the Soviet will use it. While they do not have as many civilian nuclear power plants as we have, their safety record appears to compare favorably with our own excellent safety record.

9 be i

l l

l l