ML20214C864

FOIA Request for All Info Pertaining to Safety Violations at Plant,Including Background Info Re Violations Uncovered in 1983 & 1984.Documents Used by NRC in Making Decision to Shut Down Plant Operations of Particular Interest

ML20214C864
Person / Time
Site:	Peach Bottom
Issue date:	04/01/1987
From:	Moriarty P KYW-TV3, PHILADELPHIA, PA
To:	NRC OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION & RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (ARM)
References
FOIA-87-185 NUDOCS 8705210129
Download: ML20214C864 (4)

Text

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. KYVV-TV 3 TV .

INDE PENDENCE MALL EAST O PHILADELPHIA PA 19106 TELEPHONE 2384700 GROUP W TELEYlSION.INC.

april 1, 1937 Nuclear Regulatory cot 11ssion FREEDOM OF INFORMATION Director, Division of dules n ,tecords ACT REQUES{

Office of Adriinistration MA'87 M nashincton, OC 21555 $44,g 4-3 -P7

Dear Sir:

This is a reouest under the Freedo1 of Infor,ation Act as a, ended (5U.S.C.552).

I a, writing to recuest all infor,ation that pertains to safety violations et the Peach Botto1 nuclear power plant. This should include all internal ,e,oranda, on-site ins,ector's reports, and any testi,onial evidence supillied by Peach 3 otto, employees, former e,ployees, or govern,ent infor,ers. I an most interested in obteining any docuients used by the IUC in ,aking its decision to shut down operations at Peach dotto.1.

Please include background infor,ation relating to safety violations uncovered in 1933 and 1934. Mditionally, I would like any inforaation used by the IRC when it listed Peach Bottoli as one of 16 U.S. reactors with significant operating problems.

To avoid any ,isunderstanding of ,y reauest, I am enclosing l a newspaper article that outlines the areas I a, interested in. '

I a, aware that the F0la provides that if only portions of a file are exe,pted fro, release, the reiainder :1ust be released. I there-fore reauest that I be provided with all non-exe,pt portions which are reasonably segregable. I, of course, reserve ,y right to apaeal the withholding or deletion of any information.

1 g52gj29 e7o4o3 MORIART87-185 PDR

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KYW-TV 3 INDEPENDE NCE MALL E AST O PHILADELPHIA PA 19106 TELEPHONE 2384700 jy GROUP W TELEVISION.INC.

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I a, ore,ared to oay reasonable costs for locating the reouested infor,ationandreproducingit.TheamendedActdoesorovide, however, that you qust reduce or waive fees if it "is in the oublic interest because furnishing the inforiation can be con-sidered as?rimarily benefitting the public." I believe this recuest ,leinly fits that category. I therefore ask you to welve any fees. If you rule otherwise, and if the feis vill exceed 553.30, I renuest 9er,ission to review the records which are responsive to this recuest and to select those which I want copied.

If you have any cuestions regarding this recuest, clease telephone

,e at 215-2'0-4825.

As provided in the Freedo, of Infornation Act, I will expect to receive a realy within ten working days.

cerely wi Paul F.oriarty KW-TV Sth & Market St.

Philadelphia, Pa. 19106 f

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L Vol.216 No.91 e

• He ]Pftikbelphia 3nquirer

• sar was a w ms- Wednesday, AprilI,1587 cm dbi

• l; PE nuclear plant closed; operators found asleep According to ctlet the savestiga- roomiproblem PEwasorderedtofde sy's power maJ that the shutdown itscussocaers,wdl have to absorb .e a At times during sartaus shafts Ity Das Saces j

and Asyce Graperiets tros so far has r vealed that "one er a Currective plan withaa seven days won 1J resatt sa htdher energy costs costs partscatarly during the il y la +>'

WI*'h*r sh.= uses can be passed a m shaft. members of the + rating w ======== marc ~ operatur: and their saperv> The shutdown wdl have wide- on to sonsamars wdf De up to the The NRC saad 6ts lavestigataca sa.

staff have been asleep or so.ittentiss The Nuclear Itegulatory Comms sors "have. at best for the past five spread tapact on anthtaes - and p> to operations heThose sniolsed an-saca pesacrJay or& red Padasetph a months, periodcally slept at have test ally on castomers -throaghet state Mhc L hitty Gamtsstoa g,,,,,,,, that control-roosa ope a, gas ndarch.24 when been atherwise saattensive to h- the rtguia .T haalt and operates the sand la t'ne pa9 the commission has ,,,,, .had been observed sleept g cluded hcensed operators. wnmr i I m Ce to shut dawa the Ptact ceased detset* Itack Duttom reacm bet the plant relassJ t e allow PE to pass along while on daty." NRC spokesmca .se. ceased operators and shaft su;=crs -

Ikatom naclear plant at IAtta. York i tuauw plane oprators re- The erJer affects Immh nuclear as owned by fear compaanes -IT. costs sur an sarber Peach ikittom chned to say how the federal ager :y sort The hMC said ripa rators mu-'.

' be alert to ensure th4 ths plant 6 Connay'y had twta lomad sac pend sa puwcr masts at tvach thattua. whacia 1%bhc Service Ilei.tric & Gas Ca of shatJ,owa sa consadered "impre- got that saformataos.

ts along the ses gechanna Kaber. One Newark. N J, Attantac Caty I'lectric dent- Stello said that. as a result of 1 se operatang safety and must IA tapabe

,,,,,ai the castros toenL Factor Sache Jr. the NRCs estca. amat on or&ted shat down. The Ca and IAlmarva l'ower & I.aght Ca - Daniel P (Alancy. the PUC"s chael tip the hkC put inspectors la I ne of takicg tim.ly acuon sa repunwI ave daractar, sama a week of lavesta- ether anst, which was that dowa of Wdmangton. counwt. LeeJ nssterday that af the plant aroand the clocal He said t no Plant costditions."

it spokesman Nct! nacDermott aCcher farats the hkCerdered shat- savestigation, which 13 coatsaste g.

• Shift supervisors arid shift ss -

gataca deserataed that Peach ison- naarch 33 for rf achat canant be tom *ts sa namediate thrcat to the rtwirtut antal the NRC approtes a sand the Peach Inuttom facahty sep- duwe sa be amprudent".- the result so far has come op with three pria $- Pertalendents etthcr k new and coe .

plan trusa IT a correct the control- placs ap to 2e perccat of the compa- of paar chacagement - PE. and act pat fandaagt (Sce l'EAClf DOT 10M on l}At l pahtac health and safety-au l

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,, ,u u m suuren's North Carolina distrEt, ' fuhding measufes. l l

PE ordered to close plant .

PEACH BOTTOM, from 1.A tom's operation.

doned"Ihe behavior or they "should people are running plants, using Last year, PE was fined $200.000 for drugs and falling asleep at the have known.- a safety violation by one of the whcci," he said.

• Plant management above the su. plant's 12 licensed operators.The vi.

An NRC source in Washington said pervisor level

• knew or should have olation went undetected by three it was "a bit surprising" that it took '

known"what was going on and they separate safety systems. The com- the agency's on. site inspectors so "either took no action or inadequate Pany was fined a total of $170.000 for long to detect the problem. given action to correct this situation.- five violations in 1983 and 1984. that the agency has disciplined PE StcIlo said NRC regulations " pro. Last summer, NRC officials listed because of violations at the plant hibit sleeping or otherwise inatten, the reactors among 16 in the United before and that the problems were tive operators" and that Peach Bot. States with significant operating " alleged to have been going on for at tom's quality assurance program problems. In a report to a congres- least five months.

" failed to identify this condition ad. sional subcommittee, the NRC sug-verse to safety." ,

PE owns 42.49 percent of the plant, gested that utility officials allowed as does Public Service Electric ar Gas.

The shutdown began at 11:30 a.m. " poor practices and attitudes" to de-Atlantic Electric and Delmarva

. yesterday and must be comp!cte in 36 velop at Peach Bottom because they Power each own 7.51 percent of the hours, according to the NRC order. It wm preoccupied with getting its operation, was not clear yesterday howlong the new units at Limerick operating. Spokesmen for Atlantic Electric plant would be shut down.

Private groups opposed to nuclear and Delmarva conceded that the "We have no idea right now. That power reacted quickly to yesterday's shutdown would increase their costs, l all depends on what they do to fix shutdown.

the problem,"said Karl Abraham,an but they said it was too early tojudge "I think the fact they've been sleep. the effect.

NRC spokesman in King of Prussia. Ing on thejobis a clearsign of alack Edward F. Anderson, a spokesman Before PE can restart the plant, the of respect for the Nuclear Regulatory for PSE&G, said the utility would company will have to file with the Commission,"said Frances Skolnick, have " sufficient power" for its cus.

NRC "a detailed and comprehensive coordinator for the Susquehanna tomers without having to go to out.

plan and schedule" of what it in. Valley A!!!ance, side sources.

tends to do to correct the problem, "I am glad that the plant has been PE Intends to buy power from he said.

closed down because I really feel other regional utilities to replace the McDermott said PE began its own that with those kind of operators at a electricity lost in the Peach Bottom investigation of the charges yester. nuclear power plant, the public shutdown,McDermott said.The com.

day.

• Philadelphia Electric Co. is de.

health and safety la most definitely pany will have to pay higher prices termined to get to the bottom of this being jeopardized." said Skolnick, Ior it than for electricity it gener.

so as to determine whether there is whose group was formed in the wake stes, he said.

any truth to these allegations," he of the Three Mlle Island accident in The price of PE's common stock said. 1979, "The companyis committed to take fell as much as $1.873 a share after Ken Bossong, director of the Pub. the shutdown was announced, but it '

whatever measures are necessary to lic Citizen's Critical Mass Energy . recovered from a low of $20.75 to assure that plant operations are con. Project in Washington, criticized the close at $21.875 a share, down 73 ducted with the highest degree of NRC.

professionalism and excellence," he cents a share from the close of trad.

"It {llustrates the fact that the NRC Ing on Monday, said. has totally failed to implement any. i Wall Street analysts expressed lit.

lie decifned to identify the employ. thingin the way of a worker training t!e alarm about the eflect of the ces involved. lie said that because program," he said. "It was required order on PE's finances, the NRC's findings are " allegations," to do so by a 1982 law,"said Bossong, "I don't think it's an earth shatter.

no disciplinary action has been whose organization, founded by ing or an unmanageable problem. I j taken against any employce. Ralph Nader in 1971, had filed law. think it is more an embarrassment NRC spokesmen said yesterday suits to force compliance. than anything else,"said Dan Scotto, that the shutdown order was "the "The problem is endemic to the an analyst with LF. Rothschild Un.

first of its kind." But yesterday's or. Industry. There is no training of terberg Towbin Inc. In New York.

der was not the first time the agency. workers in any kind of formalized He said the imp!! cations were had disciplined PE over Peach Dot. way, and consequently unqualifed " pretty severe" for the other owners .

as well, although most of yesterday's

• attention was focused on PE, the 11 censee and operator.

Rodd Anderson, vice president of

, stock trading at Shearson lehman Bros., said the effect on PE and its payment of dividends would depend

. on how long the plant is closed.

lie attributed the recovery of PE stock yesterday to its high dividend.

- At the current dividend of $2.20 a 1

, , year, shareholders get a return of more than 10 percent a year, j