ML20249B559

PNO-76-096A:on 760913,Region III Ofc Testified Before State of Il Commerce Commission Hearing in Chicago Re Handling of Radioactive Effluents at Commonwealth Plants.Attorneys for Licensee Objected to NRC Testimony on Listed Grounds

ML20249B559
Person / Time
Site:	Dresden, Quad Cities, Zion
Issue date:	09/15/1976
From:	Roy G, Thompson D, Warnick R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE)
To:
References
PNO-76-096A, PNO-76-96A, NUDOCS 9806230302
Download: ML20249B559 (2)

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PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION R. 1'

'"\ lpH hl2, September 15, 1976 -

PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE--PNO-76-96A This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of an event of.

POSSIBLE safety or public interest significance. The information presented is as initially received without verification or evaluation and is basically all that is known by IE staff on this date.

l-Facility: Commonwealth Edison Company (Dresden, Quad-Cities and Zion)

Subject:

NRC REGIONAL DIRECTOR TESTIFIES AT HEARING BEFORE ILLINOIS COMHERCE COMMISSION Reference PNO-76-96, June 9, 1976.

The Director of the NRC's Region III (Chicago) Office tastified September 13, 1976, before an Illinois Commerce Commir,sion (ICC) Hearing in Chicago concerning the handling of radioactive effluents at Commonwealth Edison Company's operating nuclear power stations (Dresden, Quad-Cities and Zion). The subpoena issued the Regional Director on June 9,1976 by ICC, at the urging of Citizens for a Better Environment (Chicago based environmental group), was denied by OELD; however, in accordance with an agreement reached by the ICC hearing examiner and OELD, the Regional Director appeared at the hearing to assist the ICC in determining whether Commonwealth Edison had taken all " technically and economically feasible steps" to abate pollution in accordance with a previous ICC Order. An OELD attorney accompanied the Regional Director at the hearing.

- Written testimony was provided by the Regional Director in response to questions submitted by CBE. This testimony focused on many ,of the problems experienced in recent years at the Dresden, Quad-Cities and Zion Stations and was generally unfavorable to Commonwealth Edison Company. Inspection reports, licensee event reports, and other official correspondence were introduced as exhibits. In an attempt to provide perspective to this testimony, the Regional Director also prepared supplemental testimony com-paring effluent data for Commonwealth Edison's nuclear plants with other operating nuclear plants within Region III.

Attorneys for Commonwealth Edison Company objected to the NRC testimony on grounds of relevancy and jurisdiction; however, the objection was overruled. Cross-examination on the prepared testimony was conducted by Commonwealth Edison Company attorneys, the Illinois Attorney General's office, and the ICC staff.

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CONTINUE ,

9806230302 760915 PDR I&E PNO-79-96A PDR s .

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Page 2 PNO-76-96A Continued September 15, 1976 Several news media representatives and state officials covered the hearing.

Although one newspaper carried a somewhat distorted story, news coverage has been generally low-key and straight-forward.

This PN is prepared because of the uniqueness of the Hearing and sensitive y., nature of the testimony provided.

Contact:

RFWarnick, IE 27261 GWRoy, IE x27261 DThompson, IE x27541 Distribution: -

Chairman Rowden Commissioner Mason S. J. Chilk, SECY Commissioner Gilinsky C. C. Kammerer, CA G. F. Murphy, JCAE Commissioner Kennedy L. V. Gossick, EDO E. Volgenau, OIE J. A. Harris, PA B. C. Rusche, NRR H. K. Shapar, ELD T. J. McTiernan, AIA K. R. Chapman, NMSS R. G. Ryan, OSP Transmitted: PBldg  ; H St  ; MNBB  ; Luge  ;

PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION s .

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