ML20237G121

Comments on Recent Repts Re Gross Mismanagement at Plant by Util.Placement of Organization on Mailing List to Receive Press Releases & Other Public Repts of NRC Insps & Decisions Re Plant Requested

ML20237G121
Person / Time
Site:	Comanche Peak
Issue date:	08/01/1987
From:	Parker G SENIOR CITIZENS ALLIANCE OF TARRANT COUNTY, INC.
To:	James Keppler NRC OFFICE OF SPECIAL PROJECTS
References
NUDOCS 8708130318
Download: ML20237G121 (3)

Text

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Scnior Citizans Allianco of Torrent Ccunty incorporated . . . ,

t s August 1, 1987 Mr. James E. Keppler, Director Office of Special Projects gdkfy buclear Regulatory Commission -

Washington, D. C. 20557 -

Dear Mr. Keppler:

We have read with interest the reports in our Fort Worth Star-Telegram, copies attached, of the vigorous reinspection of the Com-manch Peak nuclear electric plant to be undertaken by NRC. We urge that under no circumstances should the plant be commissioned for oper-ation until its safety is fully assured.

We have followed with great concern the reports in our Fort Worth Star-Telegram of the gross mismanagement by the Texas Utilities Electric Company in the development of the Commanche Peak plant and the ,

Company's tendency cover up mistakes rather than correct them. We {

also do not buy the Company's contention that the plant must be placed in operation regardless of safety and cost considerations because of the Area's need for Commanche Peak power. There are too many safer and cheaper alternatives.

Our Senior Citizens Alliance is a federation of most of the senior citizen organizations in Tarrant County, with approximately 50 member organizations containing about 20,000 members. Because of the great concern of the older citizens in our County about the Commanche Peak plant, we would appreciate it very much if you would place our name on your mailing list to receive press releases and other public reports of NRC inspections and decisions relating to the Commanche Peak plant.

Sincerely yours, 7

u k kW George A. Parker, Chairman ,

Public Utility Committee 1 6048 Wonder Drive Fort Worth, Texas 76133 Enclosures CC: Hon. Jim Wright, Speaker House of Representatives GO B70013o318 070801 '8 l  !

DR ADOCK 05000445 L I PDR

. FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM July 30,31, 1987

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i i i O lu san its contractors are r I during n im percent iahdatum at an

"* safety r.pci t5of Ibr plant. 'I hat d rw e mean esca) wallor pine of equipsin si 8

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isscluallybempremspetied Whent fl.

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ilerm in he iminited are bmied met. i t 1 0,,,W fO, UH 0  ;

HHitiete, to' f in%t.iltre, or ulicle ll t officiah and their consultants behco that the rlant is sale. total reinspection

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o. ..c., are not being done. Engineenng cah n ce lations. in some instarret are beim atP used to shnu theevetrally that thecm

, , cred item is safe.

Keppler uid he thinks the ntrico s

. L agency will have to send "te;uns of EVrwi m Gb.e se,Rran w mi PC"PIC"i"'" C"'"a"Che Peak 'o I""1 :"

what is hcing done.and decide nhethrt DEG - Comanche Peak - I' 55 '"""fh  !

nuclear power may have to un- 'Ts hard to acceni O lPs plan)mitb dergo yet anoter round of special in- /t J out getting in and testing the thine spections by the Nuclear Regulatory c, .

theyNe do he said?We've gor s loi comnussiai before it is pronounced s hok in'"-

safe to operate. ' '

Keppler s ofnce requested tha That's thr opinion ofJarnes Keppler, ), % week's meeting wnh utihty omeials lo who ' tow heads the agency's regulation i o'g clear up essenshe questions atuut tir of f e troubled plant near Glen Rose. comphcated reinspection and repair andoGcialsofmqjorityplantowner - progra.ns, which the company routine-TU Dectric Co. said yesterday that the . . h desenbes in an alphabet soup ofini plant is t wo months behind schedule on tials for varim= nmdures, the utility's own massive "fla-it" pro- What the company hasn't described gram. . >' '

fully in its voluminut i reports on Co-TU Dectric and regulatory commis. James Keppler: "We've got manche peak, plant opponent Hilhc sion a'Ucials met in Dallas yenerday a los to look mio" fi Garde charged, n the actual constnr-and will reconvene their talks today on '

tion rework and repair that is beine the rework program.Theprogram drew done, and the final reinspection pro-praise, puzzlement, skepucism and criticism from regulators.

QMf MA1 L gram.

Keppler said it wnuld be a "fairstate.

Kcppler also said he is concemed *

. From Page 17 ment" to say the company has not pui that information about much of the enoup -I that information in the f, recent repan work at the plant has not

' areas proved to be problem-free, he reccio been put in the pubhe record. ,

lhllCounsiL 10 carcutive vice pres-This week's meetir.gs are the latest said. the reinspection could have tren ident for mrlear engincenng and oper.

scaled down.

l. round of negotiationsaver what'TLfar nhs said the reinsWmn pig. ram v Dcctric will have to do to convince the . But,TU went at. ite

! federal nuclear agency that Comanche direct >on, begmnm,it from the oppos.

g with a sampling -ahhuuF hnotcalledt thetitleused program of problem areas, and then at yesterday's session - has alwas

! Peak is safe to operate.

been part of the enmpany's rework

W Dectric, a Teus Utilities subsi. ancreasmg the scope of remspections as plan and has hern described before in g diary. has failed three times thus far to . pmblems. especially in the design of t he previous meeting convince the agency's licensing board . huge plant, turned out to be larger than i that the plant is safe. . T .

the utihty had hoped.

The plant,about 45 miles southmest The plant now is being virtually re-of Fort Worth, is now scheduled to engineered by a set ofoutside engineer.

begin commercial operation in early ing firms, and the onginal architect-1989. That is nine years behind its orig. _ engineer has been_taken ofTthe job.

"'Nm"Iresulatory problems, or hi Fort Worth Star-Telegram serious delays in finishing the repairs and rework, could push that opening )'-'

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' tarneswhatwasfirstestimated- high.

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Editorials /Viewpomts w.c.. - - ,Comanch' e Peak engineenng and construction, said the slower-than-expected pace of reptrs ,

adaiaa - a * =='ar mean that the opening date wif. have to NRCshakeup is a confidence bud, der

agai he so e r.1f the Nuclear Regulatory Cornmission che Peal, is a start tow'ard building publi.

d 's, n t theleastbitsatisfied' with theway confidence in Ihe agencfs ultimate det i Keppler is the director of the nuclear .he Comanche Peak nuclear power plant sion on licensing the plant.

agency's Omcc of Special Projects. cre. tas been built, what then of the residents Allegations ofinspection irregularities sted earlier this year specifically to take .of North Central Texas?

including mangement intimidation and overregulation ofComanche Peak and .In view of the devastating accident at

. a few other plants that are m trouble. the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the harassment of inspectors who criticin 1 i He said at one pmnt that it appears Ukrame last year, everyond knows what aspects of the plant's construction, hav Rihaddone"shellofalotofwork to , damage to the environment and to public fueled a growing public skepticism about cure problens at the plant. health a nuclear power plant mishap can the licensibility of the plant But if he had been brought into the in siew of the importance of the pimo prorct earher, Keppler said, the utih- .cause.

ty's huge rework efTort on Comanche Because of that, peoph of this region plant to the economy of the region and th" have not just a right, but an obhgation to vast sums that already hase been espend Ke said ucu v n demand credible assurances that Coman- ed in its construction. most residents of assumire '. hat the plant needed to be che Peak is safe to operate before any this region would like to see the plam 100 percent reinspected. When certain nuclear fuel is loaded into it. become operable.

(More on PLANT on Page 28) .;The recently announced shakeup of

. But they don't want it licensed if it I snanagement in the NRC's Region IV means they will f ace going to bed esen otDee, widch has had responsibihty for night worried about w hether a Chernoby l I mitoring the construction of Coman. tragedy will harm here.

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