ML20237B790
| ML20237B790 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Fermi  |
| Issue date: | 03/07/1986 |
| From: | Weil C NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | James Keppler NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20237B682 | List:
|
| References | |
| FOIA-86-244 NUDOCS 8712170155 | |
| Download: ML20237B790 (4) | |
Text
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.. i March 7,1986 MEMORANDUM FOR: James E. Keppler, Regional Administrator FROM:
Charles H. Well. Investigation and Compliance Specialist
SUBJECT:
ALLEGATION TMT THE EDO WAS TRYING TO CHANGE AN OFFICE OF INVESTIGATIONS REPORT ON FERMI (50-341)
On March 6,1986, Monroe County, Michigan, Connissioner Frank Kuron telephoned Roland tickus with infonnation that someone in the NRC was going to " doctor up" an NRC internal report on Fermi. Mr. Kuron was then contacted by E. G. Greenmen, R. Lickus and myself. Mr. Kuron advised as follows:
He had learned from "our people in Washington" that "Stello is trying to change an internal (NRC) report." Further, that "Stello has been at it all week" and "was burning the midnight oil" to change the report.
Mr. Kuron stated that any change in the material was a " cover up," and "I know you'll take care of it and you'll fire it out."
The Region III Staff explained to Mr. Kuron that both the Office of Investigations and the Office of Inspector and Auditor had recer.tly issued reports on Fenni. We aise explained the difference between 01 and 01A to Mr. Kuron. In response Mr. Kuron indicated that Mr. Stello was trying to change the OIA report.
Mr. Kuron was asked to identify the source of information. Although he declined to identify the source of information, he indicated that he may do so at a later time. Mr. Kuron also stated that the information source was " dead right" in previous dealings.
Mr. Kuron also stated that he had obtained the above information from Jennifer Puntenney (phonetic spelling Puntenney is a Ferzi intervenor with the Safe Energy Coalition). Mr. Kuron stated he had been in contact with Michigan State Senator Jim DeSana on the above infonnation.
Kuron also furnished a separate allegation that the Ferzi Plant had dropped two rod bundles during storage / handling and had not reported the dropped bundles, only " covered it up."
The dropped rod bundle allegation is being handled separately from this memo and through the Allegation Management System.
Roland Lickus received a telephone call from Senator DeSana at the conclusion of the above reported telephone call with Mr. Kuron.
Senator DeSana reiterated the information that Mr. Kuron had already provided and asked for clarification of the report in question.
Mr. Lickus indicated the status of the Fermi OI and DIA reports and indicated that these reports were not available for public consumption.
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James G, teppler March 7,1986 Subsequent to the telephone call with Senator DeSana, Messrs. Greenman and Lickus telephoned Jennifer Puntenney. Ms. Puntenney provided the following information:
At approximately 10:30 p.m., March 5,1986, she received a telephone call from an 'NRC source." The NRC source told her that Victor Stello was trying to tamper with the Office of Investigations report on Ferni.
The MRC source stated to her that the Office of Investigations had concluded that Detroit Edison employees had engaged in wrongdoing, and that Mr. Stello was trying to. change that conclusion.
The IstC source also told her that the 15tC had been meeting all week on the report and the Office of General Counsel was arguing that Mr. Stello cannot tamper with the report.
Ms. Puntenney was informed that both the Office of Investigations and the Office of Inspector and Auditor report directly to the NRC Commissioners, and as such Mr. Stello did not have the authority to change the report of l
either Office. Ms. Puntenney stated that her interest was that the report I
not be tampered with and indicated that she had contacted Congressman Dingell on the subject.
Mr. Greenaan connitted to following up with Ms. Puntenney.
Mr. A. B. Davis telephoned T. A. Rehm to inform Mr. Rehm of Mr. Kuron's information. It was agreed that Mr. Davis would contact Mr. Kuron and explain that the Office of Investigations and the Office of Inspector and Auditor did not work for Mr.. Stello.
Therefore, Mr. Stello could not change the reports of those offices.
Subsequently, Messrs. Davis and Lickus telephoned Mr. Kuron.
They infonned i
Mr. Kuron that the Office of Inspector and Auditor and the Office of Investigations report directly to the NRC Consission and were not under Mr. Stello's control. Therefore, Mr. Stello did not have the authority to change the reports of either Office.
Mr. Kuron was also informed that Mr. Stelle may be in the process of reviewing a report to detennine what action, if any, was appropriate, as a result of that report.
This matter uns discussed with E. T. Pawlik.
Pawlik advised that Congressman Dinge11's Staff had been in touch with the Office of Investigations on the morning of March 6,1986, and had requested a copy of their Fermi report.
Russ Marabits advised that on March 6,1986, the Public Affairs Office received media inquiries on an allegation that NRC officials were tampering with an Office of Investigations report.
The inquiries came from the Monroe Evening News, Detroit Free Press, Detroit News and the Ann Arbor News. Each indicateJ that they were responding to "a tip."
EXEMPT E0!.0:SCLOSURE
q' James G. Keppler 3
March 7. 1986 This memorandum serves to document the series of telephone calls that took place on March 6,1986, as a result of Mr. Kuron's information that 'someone was doctoring up a NRC report," and is forwarded for your information/ action.
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Charles H. Weil Investigation and Compliance Specialist cc:
V. Stello, Jr., EDO E. T. Pawlik, 01:RIII l
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Panel split L
on Fermi II i
cover-up Cy Sussa Ser*elman. Dudley Plotson ered David Sedgwicit News $teer wreare snade false statementa lastA preliminerv lederal repart concludes that Detroit Ediaun Co__
ment open tu charges that the are summer to the Nuclear
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E C'ommiteson clavut an incident involvmg itnproper operation of thRegulatory Fermi 11 rear *..r. NRC scurres said-down annce October to siee Edloon e
However. top NRC staffers dia*
time to do maintenance and correct report. ybich we NRC foers that fermi II..peretoni espment problems.
aartee aeth the w re not prnperly temme.1 McCarthy has personally ww.d ta corupateri t y the atero e Onice t.!
e Investlantion The investigation.:un.
At imue now u whether Ediam.
oversee the plant's operations and chaeion ta not r.meSaartly final and p,operly informed the NRC s.hwt no* epends three days a meek on site.
euuld be ehere NBC rifficiala amid that incident. which occurnd a =cek IN JANUARY. the NRC <.ited yeeterda)
The stait before the NRC granted an operating Edien for seven ufety relatet wla-leave the. eave istdupate probably will hcense to the plant. lenprop. notin.
tions and 19 prneedural infrartmain the hands of the cation could mvolve either mentate.
The vintetione reduced ufety rnar.
bRC,s five.rneer board.,,hich menu or lack of timely $nt en.br rting.
pns in the event ni an accident.
meeta tomorrr,= to.!wuna & inves.
The timins of h ine rameed NRC ofSciata, who wed by 80r"'rhng to federst regulators I4M"
.r-James G. Koppler, director of the i
2P THE ror,mseiur, r..n tdes were unawais of the incident's sigmfi.
NRC's Chicago office. said the NRC l
eenee when they Wrs is enouah evidence aseirut the operating license, granted Edmon the
'Probably" would fine F.daon for utiht), the rese cou6d be turwt over NRC pra n.ed Edinan ofncials for thei, those 36 incidenta. But he did not say At the twae. the to *.he U.
Hzwever S. Departinent of fustice.
- ffort8 to operate the plant safely _
how large the fine might be.
a decuina w not espected According to Edison nookawwn.
In an laten new last,wnl W,ar.
for several weeks thy said. *M3 feeh,ng u that we are hisanwhile, a repocal NRC offi.
an Carla Gnbba. N utuity has not well os. nur way to ent<mg the prob
- no the NRC investigation rupnet I6* ?
chl sand th* stency probahlv wu! fine but said Edlaon pmmptly inforened i
Er.Wn fui ?6 othet safety o'nd proc,.
the NItC of the incident dura.mdaterw "Wa have UfE UTil ITY boys tv get the, l
l been very open with the NHC.* M.,
As far the futur* t)f fertni II, the sompt}une this springNRC sopromi to re(
Chbbs said cfT r.I wid
- her. La et*.ainh. dia.
F4taon Chairtr.an Walter McCe, plu said he tiri t v,ra.bdtt s " tsa t the.NF:C w,mid ths de 3
is not yet ab./.N ew. %:'
med that th utility decc...
,o vmr em has comi W s's to mt an bv thu e.rrnrne, ger.ersntg plang the WC. *! can't imagine that problems but the utllity min be 4 r
me
- NF stad :te msestiretsun in dt have made a metenalh *ake I.swed tr fire up the reatie r n ine bee.,nor, a.'.ar # Ju*.y 2 tncident ir-autement.* McCarthy said.
j wh + a enetM rw n op,retor im.
SOME OFFICIAL,8 e.ithm tri.
urder delay would hurt 16rtr. it I
pr-tb-rer. M x,c. rni rods fro.a-atency appsst to acree with Ediw.n FWon 'inaneseth becau.e the
<am-
. /.s c.m t.ed,ng to a p,,m,.
and have reported 4 s,ritten wr a pany cannot get an electrec rate m-tur? c '..im
.*eC = +
crease to pay for the D 7 bdha in the r nor sevw they have deep n *enetsom ven. i tt 'he : > Fe yi81,r,a*)rt ohnut the conchsainne drawn by tb projet t untd it ta in tonernercial t,ta locar i to prM.ee a cr. eta ructwin ff' ice f Investigation.
suon intercet chargen on mony t..
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finans e
't E JULY 2.nc4ent Sources when told 'I n Dettu.t the plant are costin r the i
News. Inc. of the investig,. tion report utthty chot 3i mdhnn e dav
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e re o.d l
would not talk slavut evntence that Ic :
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- t.ut 25 C
- to its corarlusions,
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Since last eummer. a stria probleans has left Feaon mar
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