ML20147C634
| ML20147C634 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Fermi  |
| Issue date: | 01/11/1988 |
| From: | Broomfield W HOUSE OF REP. |
| To: | Zech L NRC |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20147C617 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8803030124 | |
| Download: ML20147C634 (4) | |
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. WILLIIM S. BROOMFIELD C ""'
'5-is,. o*srx' woea FOREIGN AFFAIRS va cai.....
""l," h,h,$',g-(OHgress Of (IJC EnittD htatts SMALWSINESS R)ottge of Represtiltatibeg o,,-, o,,a 3x
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3.o Hlasfjington, DC 20515-2218
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P=ont 6 2-3800 January 11, 1988 Mr. Lando W.
Zech, Jr.
Chairman Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1717 H Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.
20555 Dear Mr. Zecht A constituent of mine, Mr. John M. Roberts, has contacted me to express his concern about the safety of the Fermi II nuclear power plant in Michigan, in light of a recent article in the Detroit Free Press.
He questions the safety of this plant and wonders wh; it will be increasing testing.
Any assistance you could give me in responding to his concerns would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your assistance and kind attention to this matter.
Sincerely, William S.
Br ield Member of Congress WSB/tp enclosures 8803030124 080226 PDR ADOCK 05000341 g
Jcnuary 6, 1988
~
Congressman Villiam S.
Broomfield Suite 2300 Rayburn Office Building Vashington, D.C.
20515
Dear Congressman Broomfield,
The enclosed article "EXPERT PICKS FERMI II AS A
LIKELY ACCIDENT SITE" appeared in the DETROIT PREE PRESS on Friday, January 1, 1988.
I cannot believe that such an operation is allowed to continue to function. The article emphasizes:
"....is badly designed, its management has a poor safety
- attitude, and its reactor operatore are inexperienced.
In
- 1985, an operator started a nuclear chain reaction without knowing it...."
The article further states:
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....the NRC had not enforced tightened safety standards at U.S.
plants since the April
- 1986, l
Chernobyl disaster in the Soviet Union."
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was not only dismayed, but I was furious when I read this article.
As my Representative, I am concerned about your involvement in such a
" t i ne bomb". Even though Bob Vergiels, spokesman for Detoroit Edison, stated that he had not seen the report but discounted its conclusions. Big deall That wasn' t bad enough, when on Tuesday, January 5,
1988 an article, "FERMI II SEEKS OK FOR INCREASED TESTING" appeared in THE OAKLAND PRESS. This article is also enclosed.
What about the millions of lives of those
- living, not just in the area near Monroe, but the people who live in other areas that could be affected when some thing blows, such as a "melt down"? This will depend on which way the wind is blowing! I remember Chernobyl, ever.
if no one else does.
I do believe that we have to advance in technology. Nuclear power could very well be the way of the future. I do not argue with that. I just say, "let's do it safely and not jeopardize the lives of the citizens of this country, let alone the horrible crippling things that can happen to their offspring in years to cone!"
REMEMBER CHERNOBYLI I Very truly yours, k. Hr.
wY John M.
Roberts 1059 Alter Road Bloomfield Hills, MI 48013 Encl. (2)
a
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p,.n. ;hpe'rt picks Ferihill l
n (eas a h.k.l 7 accident site, e
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kno'wn problems facing nuclear p_ower; E,f' WASHINGTON-A nuclearsafety Plants, which plants have the gredtest.
- 3. specialist Thursday named the Fermi 11 combination of problems that &uld, f nuclear plant near Monroe and four He said !t was virtually impo$ !
lead to an accident?"
ssible; t,other U.S. nuclear power plsats as U leading candidates for a major accident to quantify the risk of an accident at a VrIn 1968.
nuclear plant,but be said the NRC had:
U. ' ' Robert Pollard, nuclear safety engl-not enforced t!ghtened safety stan,
- 5. neer at the Union of Concerned Scien-dards at U.S. plants since the April:
t!sts, a non profit group of sdentists 1986, Chernobyl disaster in the Soviet.
1 and other professionals, said in a state-Union.
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{g ment that the plants had problems
' Pollard sa!d Ferml II is badly de I ranging from poor design to tax safety afgned, its management tu a poor!
y', standards.
.. E safety attitude, and its reactor opera-l
' Bes! des Ferm! !!, Pollard named tors are inexperienced. In 1985, an; I. Diablo Canyon Units I and 2 near San operator started a nuclear chain reac.
I-Luis Obispo, Calif.; Indian Point Units 2 tion without knowing it, Pollard.said.'.
, and 3 near New York City; Yankee-Bob Vergkis, Wemn for N Rowe in western Musachusetts, and troit Edison, which owns and operates r Arkansas Un!t I between IJttle Rock Ferm! II, said be had not seen Pollard's (
' and Ft. Sm!th, report but discounted its conclusions.
t Pollard cited testimony to Congress Edison designed the plant in actor :
. In April 1985 by the Nuclear Regula-dance Mth the NRC, the plant hu s' t
tory Commission, the body supervising new management team, and the utility '
the U.S. power Industry, which said company hu worked "very diligently" !
g there wu a 45 percent chance of a, with the NRC on training of plant.
$ severe core meltdown at a U.S. plant operators, Vergiels sald.
- within 20 years.
Y Asked how he had selected the five '.
Free Press Staff Writer Roddy;
?,,'.f actlities, P 11ard said, l asked, of tbe Ray contributed to this is '> ort. _,
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. Fermi ~II seeks OK for increased' testing' I MONROE - Detroit Edisor Co. expects to restart its shut down Fes.
l. mi II nuclear plant today but still needs federal approval for stepped.
i up testing, offletals said Monday. The utility said last week it had completed testing at less than 4 percent of capacity and requested
- P Nuclear Regulatory Commluton approval for testing above that.
f level. Thursday.n! ht, the plant automatically shut down when a.
6 N power supply failed during computer maintenance, Detrts Edison en officials said. Since Oct.10, the plant had operated for more than
[k ior the Detroit Edison system, officials said..
1,000 bours at up to 75 percent power,' generating up to 830 megawatts t
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