ML20206J903

NRC Staff Response to Motion of Commonwealth of Ma Atty General to Reopen Record to Consider Evidence Concerning Joint Applicant Financial Qualifications to Operate Seabrook Nuclear Power Station.* Certificate of Svc Encl

ML20206J903
Person / Time
Site:	Seabrook
Issue date:	11/21/1988
From:	Bergquist S NRC OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL (OGC)
To:	NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
References
CON-#488-7532 OL-1, NUDOCS 8811290170
Download: ML20206J903 (8)

Text

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'd 3xamos G r NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMIS$10N q w y jff/j # g PEFORE THE COPWIS$10N QU ,

r In the Matter of i Docket Nos. 50-443 CL-01 l

• PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF 50-444 OL-01 i NEW HAMPSHIRE, g al. On-site Emergency Planning l and Safety Issues ,

(SeabrockStation, Units.Iand2) ) i i

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" M fAFF RE5PON55 TO MOTION OF MA55ACHUSETT5 i ATTORfiEY GENERAL TO REODEN THE RECORD TO CONSIDER EYIDENCE i CONCERNING THE JOINT APPLICANTS' FINANCIAL OVALIFICATIOP,";

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TO OPERATE THE SEABROOK NUCLEAR POWER STATION ,

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a fe Stephen A. Bergquist Counsel for NRC Staff i

November 21, 1988 i l

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY C0tWISS10N PEFORE THE COMMISSION, In the Matter of 1 h Docket Nos. 50-443 OL-01 PUBLIC SERVICE COMPARY OF h 50-444 OL-01 On-site Emergency Planning NEYHAMPSHIRE.etal.

h) and Safety Issues (Seabrook Station, Units 1 and 2) )

NRC STAFF RESDANSE TO NOTION OF MASSACHUSETTS ATTORNEY GENERAL TO REOPEN THE RECORD TO CONSIDER EVIDENCE CONCERNING THE JOINT APPLICANTS' FINANCIAL OVALIFICATIONS TO OPERATE THE SEABROOK NUCLEAR POWER STATION

• Stephen A. Bercquist '

f Coursel for NRd Staff Nover.ber 21, 1983 L

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY C0FNISSION BEFORE THE COMMISSION In the t'atter of )

Docket Nos. 50-443 OL-01 FUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF 50-444 OL-01 NEW HAMPSHIRE, e_t al. On-site Emergency Planning and Safety Issues (SeabrookStation, Units 1and2)

NRC STAFF RESPONSE TO NOTION OF MASSACHUSETTS ATTORNEY GENERAL TO REOPEN THE RECORD TO '

CONSIDER EVIDENCE CONCERNING THE Je*itT APPLICANTS' rTNANCIA' QUALIFICATIONS TO OPERATETHESEylR00KNbC:.EARPOWERSTATION INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND InALAB-895,1/ the Appeal Board held that the Massachusetts Attorney General's ("AG") petition for a waiver of the Comission's financial qualificatien rules El presented a prira facie case that Applicants lack l sufficient funds to operate the Seabrook facility safely at low power and, pursuant to 10 C.F.R. I 2.758(c), certified to the Comission the question whether the Attorney General's petition for waiver of the financial l

I 1/ Public Service Cerpany oe New Hampshire (Seabrook Station Units !

and 2),' ALAB-895, 28 hRC 7 '(15EE.J. In ALAP-895, the Appeal Board found that the AG's amended petition for waiver of the Corrissfor's financial qualifications rules, which rested upon the expressed inter, tion of MMWEC, the fourth largest of the joint owners of the l Seabrook Station, te discontinue contributing its pro rata share of  ;

the costs to raintain the 'scility, rade out a prima facie case that Applicants richt not Feve the resources necessary to operate the facility safely at low power. See ALAB-095, 28 NRC at 25-26, i Consequently, the Appeal the Board certified the waiver petition to the Comission. M.

2/ 10 C.F.R. Il 2.104(c), 50.33(f), and 50.57(a)(4). l i

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qualification rules should be granted. This matter is still pending before the Comission. See CLI-88-07, slip op, at 1 (September 22,1988).

On November ?, 1988, the Attorney General filed a motion pursuant to l 10 C.F.R. I ?.134 in which he seeks to reopen the record in this f

proceeding to admit a late-filed contention challenging Applicants' ,;r financial qualifications to operate the Seabrook Station. M Essentially, the AC,'s motion and late-filed contention puts before the Comission a l contention the AG would seek to litigate were the Comissfor to act favorably on his waiver accition. See AG Motion at 3-4 For the reasont set forth below, the Comission should deny the Attorney General's Potinn.  !

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the AG concedes, the Comission has yet to rule on the question f wnether *.he Attorney General's petition for waiver of its financial quali- l 1

i fication :vles should be granted. Ld . Thus, as matters stand at present, the AG's notion is an impermissible collateral attack upon the ,

Comission's financial qualification regulations. See 10 C.F.R. j i2.758(a). The Attorney General cites neither Comissinn authorization nor any statutory or regulatory authority for his motion, which atter: pts to introduce a centention regarding an issue which has nnt, and ray well ncver be. 0,dnitted into Ittigation.

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. 3/ See Motion of Massachusetts Attorney General James M. Shannon To

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Reopen The Record To rendder Evidence Concerning The Joint Appli-cants' Financial Qualifications To Operate The Seabrook Nuclear Power Station And To Admit The Attached Late-Filed Contentiens Concerning Said Financial Qualifications (Noveeber2. 1o8P.) (hereinafter "AG Motien"). l l T l

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3 The best that can be naid of the AG's motien is that it s prematurely submitted in anticipation of a favorable decision on the pending waiver petition, an ' vent yet to occur. It would not be inproper

. for the Comission to defer action on the AG's motion until a detemiration is made regarding the AG's waiver petition. However.

considerations of procedural simplicity and judicial econery weigh in ,

favor of dental of this motion. If the motion is not denied, and the petition is granted the AG riay move to introduce additional contentions r'lative to the subject matter of the petition at either the Licensing Board or Comission level. This would result in unnecessary procedural complications and could lead to simultaneous decisions by different tribunals on issues in controversy. Since such potential bifurcation is avoidabic and the AG's rotion ie, in no event ripe for consideration on tlie '

r.eri+s at this tire, the Sta'f is of the opinion that denial is the preferable alternative.

l CONCLUSION r The Attorney General's Potien should be denied.

Respectfully suteitted, t

4us Stephen A. Bergquist Counsel for NRC Staff Dated at Peckville, Maryland this 21st day of November 1036 I

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA -a ru mm i.

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION ~

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In the Matter of 'l I Docket Nos. 50-443 OL-01 PUCLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF I 50-444 OL-01 NEV HWSHIRE, et al. On-site Emergency Planning llI and Safety Issues (SeabrookStation, Units 1and2) )

CFRTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that copies of "NRC STAFF RESPONSE TO POTION 05 MASSACHUSETTS ATTORhEY GENERAL TO REOPEN THE RECORD TO CONSIDER EVIDENCE CONCERNING THE JOINT APPLICANTS' FINANCIAL QUALIFICATIONS TO OPEPATE THE SEABROOK NUCLFAR POWER STATION" in the above-captioned proceeding have been served on the following by deresit in the United States mail, first class or, as indicated by an astcrisk, by deposit in the Nuclear Regulatory Comission's internal nail

, system, this 21st day of November 1988:

Samuel J. Chilk (15)* 18. J. Flynn, Esq.

Office of the Secretary Assistant u neral Ccunsel U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Corrission Federal Emergency Management Washington, DC 20555 Agercy 500 C Street, S.W.

Sheldon J. k'olfe, Esq. Chaiman* Washington, DC 20472 Administrative Judge Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Calvin A. Canney U.S. Nuclear Pegulatory Comission City Hall Washington, DC 20$!5 126 Danfel Street Portsmouth, NH 03001 Dr lerry Harbour

• Administrative Judge Robert Carrigg, chaiman Atotic Safety and Licensing Board Board of Selectmen U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission Town Office Washirgton, DC 20555 Atlantic Avenue North Hampton, NH 03870 Mr. Fmeth A. Luebke Administrative Judge Judith H. Mizner Esq.

(515 Villard Aver.ue Silverglate, Gertner, Baker, Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815 Fine, & Good 88 Eoard Street Philip Ahren. Esq. Bosten, MA 02110

. Assist 6nt Attorney tieneral Office of the Attorney General J. P. Nadeau State House Station Board of Selectmen Augusta ME 04333 10 Central Street Rye, hH 03870 ,

Thomas G. Dignan, Jr., Esq.

Robert K. Ged, !!!, Esq.

Ropes & Gray 225 Franklin Street Boston, MA 012110

2 Carol S. Sneider, Esq. R. Scott Hill-Whilten. Esq.

Assistant Attorney General Lagoulis, Clerk. Hill-Whilton Office of the Attorney General & McGuire One Asht.urton Place, 19th Floor 79 State Street Boston, MA 02108 Newburyport, MA 01950 George Dana Bisbee, Esq. Allen Lampert

• Artistant Attorney General Civil Defense Director Office of the Attorney General Town of Brentwood PS Capitol Street 20 Franklin Concord, NH 03301 Exeter, NH 03833 Diane Curran Esq. William Amstrong Hamon, Curran & Tousley Civil Defense Director 2001 S Street, NW Town of Exeter Suite 430 10 Front Street Washington, DC 20009 Exeter, NH 03833 Gary W. Holmes Esq. Rnbert A. Oackus Esq.

Holmes & Ellis Backus, Meyer & Solomon 47 Winnacunnet Read 116 Lowell Street Hampton, hH C3012 Manchester, NH 03106 Ai mic Safety and Licensing PauY McEachern, Esq.

Appeal Panel (8)* Mattnew T. Brock, Esq.

U.S. Ouclerr Regulatory Comission $haines & NcEachera

>'ashington, DC 20555 25 Paplewood Avenue P.O. Box 360 Atomic SJfety and Licensing Portsmouth, NH 03201 Board Parel (1)*

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission Charles P. Graham, Esq.

Washington, DC 70555 McKay, Hurphy & Graham 100 Main Street Decleting and Service Section* Amesbury, MA 01913 Office of the Secretary U.S. Nuclear Ergulatory Comission Sandra Gavutis, Chaire.an Washington, DC 2)555 Roard of Selecteen RFD #1, Box 1154 Peter J. Patthews, h yor Fensington, NH 03827 City Hall dewburyport, MN 09150 William 3. Lord Board of Selectmen Ashed N. Anirian, Esq. Town Hall . Friend Street Town Counsel for Perrinac tresbury, MA 01913 376 Main Street

. Haverhill, MA C2130 Sheldon J. Wolfe, Esq.

Administrative Judge 1110 Wimbledon Drive McLean, VA 22101

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Mrs. Anne E. Goodman, Chairman Michael Santosuosso, Chairman Board of Selectmen Board of Selectmen  !

13-15 Newmarket Road South Hampton, NH 03827  !

t Durham, NH 03824 l

Hon. Gordon J. Humphrey t

. United States Senate 531 Hart Senate Office Puilding  ;

Washington, N 20510 r

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yephe'n A. IlergquistI -

l Counsel for NRC Staff l l

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