ML20134D763

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Submits Ltr to Governor J Rowland
ML20134D763
Person / Time
Site: Millstone, Haddam Neck  File:Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Co icon.png
Issue date: 10/07/1996
From: Blanch P
AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED
To: Dromerick A, Zwolinski J
NRC
Shared Package
ML20134D719 List:
References
NUDOCS 9610300284
Download: ML20134D763 (3)
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Text

From: PAUL M. BLANCH <PMBLANCH@ix.netcom.com>

To: WND2.WNP3(jaz,awd),WND1.WNP2(hjm),TWD1.TWP4(gam)

Date: 10/7/96 1:28pm

Subject:

Letter to Rowland The Honorable John Rowland Governor -

State Of Connecticut Hartford, CT.

Governor Rowland, I read with great interest an article in the October 5th edition of the HARTFORD COURANT regarding a meeting between you and Mr. Bernard Fox, CEO of Northeast Utilities, in reference to an incident at Connecticut Yankee Power Station on the weekend of September 5 of this year.

Apparently Mr. Fox informed you at that time that the incident which occurred was of a minor safety concern. Information that has since come to light indicates he provided you with facts that were to say the least, misleading.

Another major discovery was made by the NRC in August this year at Connecticut Yankee. It concerns the fact the primary emergency core cooling system has been inoperable since the day the plant became operational? Has Mr. Fox acknowledged that even a small accident could have resulted in a major portion of Connecticut becoming uninhabitable for hundreds of years?

Has Mr. Fox explained why he ignored repeated warnings from the NRC about this potential failure? Apparently not since your office would have investigated this matter and informed the general public.

I write to you as a resident of the State of Connecticut in hopes of enlisting your help in a matter that has apparently affected all of Connecticut, and upon review possibly the safety of the populace of the United States. It concerns the. misleading activities that have transpired and are indeed currently ongoing with regards to Northeast Utilities operation of the Millstone Nuclear Power Facility located in Waterford, CT.

Governor Rowland, based on your personal experience with Northeast Utilities, the perception of safety that NU would prefer the public to believe exists at their nuclear facilities is somethin7 short of reality.

The employees are intimidated into remaining silent concerning safety issues by upper management.

You cee Governor Rowland, I am one of the people who spoke out against some of the safety concerns that have been, and probably still are, taking place at that facility. While I did not go outside company, and therefore gain no whistleblower status, I was " laid off" by Northeast Utilities for my efforts in January 1996.

Using a very " complex" igneous device called a workforce reduction matrix employees were rated on numerous items that allowed NU to specifically select individuals who posed a threat to their continued method of operation These subjective items included " teamwork", " commitment to change", " leadership" (for non-supervisory employees), " communications" and other subjective 9610300284 961024 PDR ORG NRRA

criteria. Safety concerns raised by individuals were brushed off as non-vital, or merely ignored.

I ask of you that you be the voice of a 104 people, who were notified on a cold January morning that based on their evaluations with this "workforce reduction matrix", their services were no longer needed, and then unceremoniously hustled outside the security fence. Ushered past their peers, unable to clean out their personal effects, and then have their badges, dignities, employment, and the futures of tidir families changed forever.

October 7, 1996 Page 2 In addition, Northeast Utilities while stripping us of our livelihood, offered us the option of hanging ourselves with no immediate income, or l accepting their offer of severance pay in return for our signatures attesting to the fact that we would never issue legal action against them. Similar to offering a condemned man the choice of lethal injection or hanging.

The NRC has done little to protect "whistleblowers" and has in addition shown it's inability to control utilities who chose which rules and regulations they will adhere to. This has been ongoing for a number of years. I ask that you, as the Head of State of Connecticut, bring forth an investigation into this matter. Please keep in mind Governor Rowland that a nuclear accident would occur in the State of Connecticut, not Washington DC and primarily affect the residents.

A week does not pass when new revelations do not come forth concerning the safety (or lack thereof) at Millstone. The people laid off in January 1996, along with the resident of the State of Connecticut deserve your help.

We were left to the whims of management that chose to silence us by removing  !

us from our positions. We were the conciseness of the Northeast Utilities.

Intercede for us and ask the questions that must be asked AND answered.

1. How does Northeast Utilities explain the fact that 104 people were laid off for " lack of work" in January 1996 and yet 1500 outside contractors were brought in? Why haven't they been asked to return?
2. If these people were laid off in January when 2 out of 3 plants at Millstone were operational, and now with all 3 plants non-operational;, why haven't there been more layoffs to " reduce costs"
3. The Federal Department of Labor has ruled within a time frame of 6 months, in the case of a Harry Scully, that the "workforce reduction matrix" used to select specific individuals for layoff was highly subjective using such criteria as " teamwork", commitment to change" leadership for non-supervisory employees" and a multitude of other non-definitive criteria. Yet the NRC who is investigating these layoffs has been unable to issue a ruling to date.

Why?

4. Allegedly the data sheets on all employees prepared under this "workforce reduction matrix" were destroyed, except for the 100 selected individuals who were laid off. Why? Did Northeast Utilities have some to hide?

1

5. The 104 individuals laid of in January 1996 under the guise of a " cost

. reduction" have been " blacklisted" from working for outside contractors who

currently have contracts with Northeast Utilities. Why?
6. The Attorney General for the State of Connecticut should investigate, along with the Labor Department to determine if any laws have been violated by this precedent setting event.

Governor Rowland, perhaps this is not the first you have heard of this, but it will not become silent until what has been wronged has been righted.

Watergate was initially merely a " break-in". It eventually toppled a president. 4 Nuclear plants, and their inherent safety to the population, are in the State of Connecticut.

I I implore you again, speak for us and ask the questions that must be asked.

With the new reshuffling of players again, things will only change if

, pressure is applied by the public, other government agencies and those capable of enforcing what should be paramount, the safety of the public. You are in

a position to elicit change.

, 90ctober 7, 1996 page 3 I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss with you specific items, as I confident the remaining laid off workers would also be, where both the NRC and

! NU have conveniently managed to ignore serious situations. After all, it took Mr. Galatis 3 years or more of efforts to make his concerns known, I look forward to hearing from you, either by mail, or you can reach me at i, the number above. I certainly now have sufficient time on my hands.

Thank you l Paul M. B1anch

Energy Consultant i 135 Hyde Rd.  ;

4 West Hartford CT 06117 1

} Voice 860-236-0326 l Fax 860-232-9350 4

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