ML20207A363

Requests Assurance That NRC Conducting Affairs as Regulator of Nuclear Program at TVA in Manner Free of Political Influence

ML20207A363
Person / Time
Site:	Sequoyah
Issue date:	03/18/1987
From:	Lloyd M HOUSE OF REP.
To:	Zech L NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
Shared Package
ML20207A360	List: ML20207A357 ML20207A363
References
NUDOCS 8705060194
Download: ML20207A363 (3)

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Congress of the united j5tates

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wawngta, se am March 18, 1987 Mr. Iando W. Zech Chairman Nuclear Regulatory Commission Matomic Building, Room 1114 1717 H. Street, hN Washington, D.C. 20555

Dear Mr. Zech:

I am writing to you regarding your current investigations of Tennessee Valley Authority matters.

I assure you, I am appreciative of the degree of complexity involved in these issues.

As you may know, I represent the Third District of Tennessee which includes Chattanooga and Sequoyah Nuclear Plant. The Tennessee Valley Authority is important to me and to my constituents.

I am knowledgeable about and active in nuclear issues, both as chairman of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee's Energy Subcommittee and as chairman of the Tennessee Valley Congressional Caucus -- both positions I actively sought.

This letter, however, is from the perspective of a Member of Congress representing Tennessee's Third District and a TVA ratepayer.

Additionally, I have been a longtime supporter of the Nuclear Regulatory Connission, and I certainly recognize the regulatory importance of your agency in ensuring that all nuclear plants in the country, not just those in the Tennessee Valley, are operated safely and pose no danger to the public.

I appreciate the difficult task -- and sometimes thankless job -- the NRC has in its mission. However, we all know of its importance, and I speak now as a resident living only a few miles from the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant.

TVA is not just another utility, but a government entity with strong supporters and strong opponenets. There are those who would like to see TVA fail and be turned over to private industry, and the current problems TVA is having with its nuclear program provide a convenient avenue f ar attacks on TVA by those who disagree with the mission and purpose of the agency.

Recently, I invited Steve White, Manager of Nuclear Power for TVA, to appear before the Caucus to brief members of the Valley delegation on his efforts to restore the TVA nuclear program to a position of excellence in the industry. During the meeting, I became concerned about comments that j

pressure from outside the Valley was making Mr. White's efforts to correct

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problems at TVA more difficult.

I am aware of the amount of time both Mr.

j White and others involved in the nuclear recovery effort have spent in Washington either answering questions from the h7C and/or both Houses of Congress. Naturally, the NRC is charged with regulating the recovery effort and must be kept informed and up-to-date.

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Mr. Lando W. Zech Page 2 March 18, 1987 l

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i Based on what I have been hearing, I as concerned some members of the staff of the NRC have knowingly or unknowingly become too involved in political issues surrounding the nuclear recovery effort at TVA. For i

example, one of my colleagues expressed concern at the recent meeting of the Caucus that the so-called Appendix B issue continues to be debated -- both j

publicly and privately.

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Following the January setting between the NRC and TVA, the consensus of j

Hill staffs and the press accounts all concluded from the remarks made at j

the meeting that the NRC staff appeared satisfied with the answers provided by TVA. Then, on the following day, you can imagine my surprise at the 4

announcement by the senior staff member that an official investigation into i

the Appendix B issue had been launched.

(The attached newspaper account sets forth the press reaction from the Valley on this matter.) Timing of this anouncement alone gives rise to any number of questions.

I as certain l

you will understand why these actions leave me and others perplexed and i

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unsure of the real motivation behind this issue.

There is concern in the Congress that some members of the NRC staff are i

inappropriately influenced by sources outside the agency. It is common j

knowledge that there are those who, for their own purposes and to further their own agenda, are attempting to cause TVA to fail. Also, there seems to i

j be some conviction here on the Hill that the conclusion of the investigation j

has already been determined, even though the investigation is not completed.

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I would like to have your assurance that NRC is conducting its affairs j

as a regulator of the nuclear program at TVA in a manner free of political influence. I believe it is the Commission's responsibility to insist that all members of the NRC staff approach their work in a straightforward manner and resist efforts by those on the outside to influence the performance of j

the NRC's oversight of TVA.

-l I look forward to hearing from you on this important matter.

Sincerely, b

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MARILYN LLOYD C\\

j Member of Congress i

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• C.*;"fm sur that this Appendia 3 evernight authortsing sa investiga. l.

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and legally)is still being

• on' March Sob 1988. 'In that lettw, '

%eido. He said he had been lutructed.' debated by us and theftRC"jald Cra.

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'lon. 8tello could not be reached in.; von Crowell, director'ef iktelrmation. White sold he breakdows"la quaBig congrol et the.

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'H ut other sonrees who rwaalned it c.hRve,not asked abogt it forniany?

position la early January, enough evt.

i during the Washington storat -.., On (Monday',7Jan.i,13, Steno o

that there had bun *significant dence had been compiled to suggest L

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' confirmed the memo and orpressed 1NRC's Bethesda,.Md+k headguarters lated to the welding progra.3 as it re-

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agreement that there were sig' ificant further esemples of shoddy workman-

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mot having seen the communique and problems with quellt

.aot,,havlag,.been told that nucl. ear ',me welding program,y. control wi j

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