ML20206F168

Advises Reinstatement of MP Acosta NRC Control Operator License

ML20206F168
Person / Time
Site:	San Onofre
Issue date:	06/28/1988
From:	Hughes G SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON CO.
To:	NRC
Shared Package
ML20206F118	List: ML20206F112 ML20206F125 ML20206F152 ML20206F158 ML20206F161 ML20206F168 ML20206F170
References
FOIA-88-490 TAC-68699, TAC-68700, NUDOCS 8811180368
Download: ML20206F168 (2)

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* 28 June 1988 To: Nuclear Regulatory Commission Re: Letter of Deposition for Reinstatement of Maurice Philip Acosta as a Liscensed Nuclear Control Oper1 tor Dear Sirs; A good operator is hard to come by. I have worked at San Onof re for the past five years as a contract plant equipment operator, an assistant coordinator for Equipment Control, coordinator for the Technical Specifications / Compliance Group, and as a Nuclear Plant Equipment Operator (Lisconse path) for Southern California Edison. I have dealt with Philip Acosta in all of these roles, and I can state as fact from my observations of him - you are removing a truly good Nuclear Control Operator from a plant that needs his presence. It would be a mistake to waste his talents because you need a symbol in the war against drugs. On his record'alone he utands r

out as a shining example of what can be accomplished for the good of the industry.

Phil has worked in the nuclear field for sixteen years.

'He spent eight years in tne Navy protecting his shipmates from the hazards of nuclear energy and his country from the dangers of global aggression. It takes a special caliber of man to perform this task onboard submarines, but he rated consistently high in his quarterly evaluations and was considered a valuable asset to our country.

Nuclear Operators are picked for their intelligence, capabilities, sound judgement and reaction to abnormal operations or the possibilitt'of those operations. We go through one of the most extensive background checks in the country, art tested constantly on our knowlege, daily on our operating abilities, and forced by ue necessity to continuously pr, ovide power to work at all hours of the day or night. Phi 1* consistent 1P met or exceeded requirements in all of these categories for Professionalism, attention to detail, knowlege Beyond that, he manaq ed of the plant, and competancy as a control Operator.

to deal well with all other work groups while maintaining the plant in varying modes of operation. He directed operation of the unit under his control while keeping his superiors well informed and the people that worked under him safe from harm.

If he didn't feel that a particular Job could be performed with an adequate measure of safety, he would argye his point until a procedure was changed or the necessary steps were taken so that HE would have the necessary reasonable assurance that hr. could carry out his responsibilities with respect to the health and hafety of the people who depended on him and the [

veneral public.

Phil's track record as a Cont rol Operator is among the finest that the Company has to offer. He sp<nt his first two years as a Nuclear Plant Equipment Operacor for SCE while the plant was completing const ruction . Phil helpad build Units 2 & 3 during those first years. He was at the controls of SONGS Unit 2 on July 26, 1982. during the runup to initial Criticality, and has spent his last six yearn as a lisconsed NCO successfully protecting the public from anything that could go wrong and everthing that did go wrong in the incredibly complex operation 8811100360 001110 PDR FOIA P ARRISH00-490 PDR

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page 2 of a dual-unit plant. The fact as you well should know is, the supposed retraining that the Company told the press he was undergoing, was in actuality Senior Reactor Operator Liscense Training which he was handpicked for by SCE management.

The Operat. ors that came up through the ranks af ter him know Phil as a knowlegeables trainer and meticulous watchstander.

I put my trust and comp 1;te faith in him as a Control Onorator AMD a Senior Reactor Operator. He knows his business well.

As one of the most senior of the Control Operators on site, he trained said qualifled a good number of the., current CO's and ACO's on shift. He kept us on our toes, ensuring that each of our moves was backed up by an understanding of past evoluutions, current plant status, and tha consequences of error.

Phil's thoroughness and attention to detail should be used as a standard for the industry, and the Agency should require no more assurance than his record as an operator that Maurice Philip Acosta has and shall cdrry out his duties and responsibilities without undue risk to the public health and safety. Tako it from those of us who have knowingly placed

.our lives in his hands for the years before the public ever knew his name, Phil is a talented professional Nuclear Operator and deserves reinstatement of his NRC Control Operator's Liscense. Good Operators are hard to come by.

Respectfully.

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I Nuclear Plan

' Equipment Operator Southern California Edisen.

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