ML20150C723

Urges NRC to Take Any & All Steps Necessary to Obtain Immediate Licensing of Facility.Reopening of Proceedings Suggested.Served on 880315

ML20150C723
Person / Time
Site:	Shoreham File:Long Island Lighting Company icon.png
Issue date:	02/05/1988
From:	Mcfarland J NEW YORK, STATE OF
To:	Zech L NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
References
CON-#188-5871 OL-3, NUDOCS 8803210214
Download: ML20150C723 (2)

Text

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in .w n w. . . .<, February 5 I 1988 JOI" S e 'M'Ja dt) M ait JRt ti .W $14 at t ale t 49 ttad t avH 460 4e 'Stel 60 01414 3 0 a... 4 o sw PERSONAL ' Myrg ,t,g g [1 g Mr. Lando W. Zech, Jr., Chairman Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1717 H Street Washington, DC 20555

Dear Mr. Zech:

I write as a member of the New York State Public Service Commission, which is charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the utilities of our state provide adequate and safe amounts of energy to our citizeno at reasonable cost.

There is presently a crisis concerning the inadequacy of the electric energy supply to the 2.5 million people who live on the Long Island portion of the State of New York. This is That served by the Long Island Lighting Company, as you well know.

crisis would be immediately abated if the 800 MN Shoreham nuclear power plant received an operating license from the NRC.

A failure to obtain a license for shoreham may also precipitate a cost crisis to the LILCO ratepayers. If Shoreham is not licensed, they will not only have to pay for alternative forms of energy but for the costs LILCO reasonably incurred in the Even without Shoreham costs, construction of Shoreham as well!

electric rates would have to be increased to provide needed electrical energy.

I am thus urging that the NRC take any and all steps necessary to obtain the immediate licensing of the Shoreham facility. I say this knowing of all the litigation, the procedural obstacles, as well as the public opposition you have been confronted So I realize the task will not be easy. But I urge upon with.

you that it is very necessary.

It is hoped that the NRC will find that the recently pub-lished findings of a licensing board concerning a now over two-year old evacuation plan is stale and untimely and should be rejected out of hand.

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February 5, 1988 Page 2.

I suggest for your consideration that it is simply an unfounded and unreasonable conclusion that a company which can operate a major utility.in the metropolitan area of New York cannot establish an appropriate emere?acy communications mechanism, staffed by trained people, within a re:sonable period of time.

Perhaps the proceedings should be reopened and the petitioner permitted to establish for the record its efforts and activity over the intervening time since the 1986 evacuation plan test relative to the preparation and training of utility communication staff. If that is the issue, maybe the NRC should focus its attention specifically on that point.

Hopefully there will be no need to have another evacuation drill prior to a decision to authorize a 25% operating license.

Even that would be a big help this summer.

As I see it, if the NRC accepts the finding of the licensing board and accepts it as a reason to further delay licensing this facility, it will be like issuing an open invitation to every local of ficial to block nuclear power in this country for purely political reasons!

If there any possibility that the NRC has the authority under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to have the federal government participate in an evacuation plan? If safety of the public is involved, why not? Or maybe the Federal Disaster Preparedness

! Board, or how about the President ordering the National Guard to do it! What could the New York officials do about that?

As you can see, I believe it is necessary for the energy safety of Long Island that Shoreham be licensed. The 10 mile rule is probably too restrictive. Maybe it can be finessed somehow.

Perhaps by dividing it into two 5 mile zones, with only the inner 5 miles needing a plan now and a plan for the other 5 miles developed

later.

Please keep trying. And thanks for all your efforts.

Yours truly,

.7 M dcQ JTM/bj James T. McFarland l

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