ML20205F305
| ML20205F305 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Davis Besse, Perry, 05000000 |
| Issue date: | 08/15/1986 |
| From: | Celeste R OHIO, STATE OF |
| To: | Zech L NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| References | |
| CON-#386-336 ML, OL, NUDOCS 8608190147 | |
| Download: ML20205F305 (2) | |
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STATE OF OHIO DOCKETED OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR USNRC COLUMBUS 43266-0601 h F. CELESTE
'86 MF15 P4 :49 covEmon scCET NUMsER
, "'gNIV/ gust 15, Au 1986 Nt00. & UTIL FAC~*-
T 0FFICE OF Sttric luY ob 00CMEilNG & SERVICf BRANCH Lando W.
Zech, Chairman Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C.
20555 AUG/81986 1
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Dear Chairman Zech:
A
.f i F The explosion and fire at the Chernobyl power plant on April i
26, 1986, has prompted a sober reassessment of nuclear safety 2
around the world.
As I wrote your predecessor on May 7, Ohio has good reason to join in this reassessment, because the Davis-Besse nuclear plant at Port Clinton, Ohio, has one of the worst records in the country, and on June 9, 1985, came as close to a meltdown as has any U.S. nuclear plant since the Three Mile Island accident of 1979.
The Davis-Besse plant has not since returned to service.
Meanwhile, a 5 pt. Richter scale earthquake occurred on January 31, 1986, centered 10 miles from the Perry Nuclear Power Plant near Painesville, Ohio.
Despite my repeated requests and those of U.S. Senators Howard Metzenbaum and John Glenn and U.S.
Representatives John Seiberling and Dennis Eckart, the NRC decided not to conduct a thorough investigation of the safety significance of the earthquake.
l I was pleased to read NRC Regional Administrator James Keppler's remarks of July 15 which suggest that the NRC will be taking a harder look at the safety of the Perry plant before approving ful?-power operation.
.As*you know, in general the NRC has jurisdiction over safety
aspects of nuclear plants, and state governments have jurisdiction over their~ cost.
However, as a federal court rer:ffirmed in March,
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1985, state governments do have jurisdiction over proposed
. evacuation plans for nuclear power plants.
I strongly disagree l
with.the reasoning ot.the Commiss' ion's July ~24th decision.which..'
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.su'ggsst's it' hat.'a~ utilityi. evacuation plan prepared 'wlthout stiatd or',
l local participation, could provide adequate public protection.
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8608190147 860815 DR ADOCK 03000316 PDR 3
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Choiracn Lando 20ch Auguct 15, 1986
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Both the Chernobyl accident and the earthquake raise questions about whether the evacuation plans for Davis-Besse and Perry are realistic: whether the 10 mile radius of the evacuation zone is adequate; how much time ther.e.will be for evacuation to be carried out; the nature and dispersal of radioactive releases; and the effect of an earthquake on transportation routes necessary for evacuation.
Until these and other questions are squarely addressed, neither Davis-pesse nor Perry should achieve full-power operation.
For this reason, I withdraw my support for evacuation plans for the Porry and Davis-Besse power plants, and my March 24, 1986, implementing directive, pending Ohio's review of evacuation plans in light of the explosion and fire at the Chernobyl power plant, and the earthquake near the Perry plant.
Ohio's review will be completed as soon as possible, and I expect that the NRC will withhold the license for full power operation at the two plants until our review is satisfactorily completed.
If not, however, I am prepared to take.all steps necessary and appropriate to preserve Ohio's rights in this matter.
I am asking a team chaired by Bill Denihan, Director of Highway Safety, including Tom Chema, Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, and Adjutant; General Ray Galloway, to. conduct this review.
I am encouraging them to' seek.whatever.-
expert help they require to assist'them, add to provide a full hearing for the corcerns of local public officials and the general public.
As soon as possible, the task force will report its findings on the" basis of which I will then reconsider approval of the evacuation plans.
' Sincerely,
...y.Richardi F.,. Celes te, Gove'rn,o,r,,
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