ML20206D971
| ML20206D971 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane, 05000000 |
| Issue date: | 09/08/1988 |
| From: | Cale Young AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| To: | Zech L NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20206D924 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8811170337 | |
| Download: ML20206D971 (2) | |
Text
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262 She2 field Lane Glen Ellyn, 11.
60137 6eptember 8, 1988 Hr. Lando W.
Zech, Jr.
Chairman U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C.
20555
'I
Dear Lando:
During our telephone conversation on 17 August, I told you I had been working on problems in the commercial nuclear power field for a long time. In 1984, I wrote three letters to 1
Chairman Palladino critic 1cing the chLnge in Federal Regulations which authorize-a Senior operator to deviate i
from technical specificatis in an emergency.
Marold Denton replied to my letters. In his letter dated July 31, 1984 Mr. Denton listed specific circumstances which must b
exist before the-neu rule can be used. I replied to Mr.
(
i-Dentou on August 6, 1984. In my letter, I showed that Mr.
Denton's specific circumstances existed at Three Mile Isli..d while the nuclear plant operators had the emergency core cooling system shut down:
An emergency existed. The Senior Operator thought that it was reasonable to shut down the emergency core cooling system because it was not immediately apparent to him that following Technica) Specifications was providing protection. It was not immediatt, apparent to the Senior Operator that following i
Technical Specifications was needed to protect public health and safety. It was not immediately apparent to him that fuel design limits might be exceeded threatening a barrier i
designed to protect public health and safety by preventing the release of radioactive fission products.
l Region I of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission was notified four hours and forty-five minutes after the accident began.
At this time, reactor coolant system pressure was below the set point of the emergency core cooling system but the i
cooling syntem was shut down. The licensee continued to deviate from Technical Specifications. Fuel design limits t
were exceeded, fission products released, and the health and safety of the public threatened.
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Rather than permitting operators to deviate from Technical l
Specifications when operating Three Mile Irland, operator 5 should have been required to follow Technical Specifications.
l ItiMetropolitan Edison executives had required that Three Mile Island be operated as stipulated in the Operating License and Technical Specifications, there would have been no accident.
[
t Mr. Denton did not reply to my. August 6.'etter.
l Enclosed are copies of letters exchanged between the Nuclear Regulatory Commission ar.d me in 1984.
i i
{
sincerely yours, b
f-7
}
t Charles Young
Enclosures:
Hy letter to Chairmin Palladino dated May 3, 1984 Hy letter to Chairman Palladino dated June 14, 1984 i
My letter to Chairman Palladino dated July 17, 1934 Mr. Denton's letter to me dated July 31, 1984
[
Hy reply to Mr. Denton dated August 6, 1984 i
Hr. Denton's letter to me dated August 23,1984
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