PNO-III-86-123A, on 861030,Governor as Earl of State of Wi Requested That NRC Delay Rail Shipments of Spent Fuel from Plant to Ref GE Facility,Pending Federal Railway Admin Insp of Route & Investigation of Possible Sabotage

PNO-III-86-123A:on 861030,Governor as Earl of State of Wi Requested That NRC Delay Rail Shipments of Spent Fuel from Plant to Ref GE Facility,Pending Federal Railway Admin Insp of Route & Investigation of Possible Sabotage

ML20197C756
Person / Time
Site:	Monticello
Issue date:	10/31/1986
From:	Axelson W, Creed J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:
References
PNO-III-86-123A, NUDOCS 8611070025
Download: ML20197C756 (2)

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PRD IMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE--PNO-III-86-123A Date October 31, 1986 This pr iminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of POSSIBLE safety or public interest significance. The infomation is as initially received without verification or evaluation, and is basically all that is known by the Region III staff on this date.

Facility: Northern States Power Company Licensee Emergency Classification:

Monticello Notification of an Unusual Event Monticello, MN 5536.' Alert Site Area Emergency General Emergency X Not Applicable

Subject:

APPARENT SAB0TAGE OF RAIL LINE - UPDATE Governor Anthony S. Earl of the State of Wisconsin has requested the NRC postpone licensee shipments of spent fuel to the General Electric Spent Fuel Storage Facility in Morris, Illinois, until the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) can ccmpletely inspect the rail line used between the Monticello Plant and the GE facility.

In an October 30, 1986 letter to NRC Chairman Lando Zech and U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary, Elizabeth Dole, Governor Earl said he also wants the shipments delayed until

" appropriate authorities have completed their investigation of the reported sabotage."

(See PNO-III-86-123).

Governor Earl said his request is based on two concerns: (1) "that we exercise more care than ever in making the decision to ship this highly toxic material," and (2) that the tracks involved in the shipments have not been inspected since 1984, even though, he said, the tracks are to be physically inspected at six-month intervals.

He said he is requesting that the FPA immediately undertake a physical inspection of the entire route from Monticello to Morris, including the track and all bridges, trestles and embenkments, the signal system, and the carrier's operating rules.

He also is concerned about 12 " highly vulnerable areas" along the route, and wants a detailed written report on each of these areas. These areas were identified in the Governor's letter.

A rail shipment of spent fuel was recently delivered to the GE Morris facility without incident.

1 DISTRIBUTION:

H. St. ED0 NRR E/W Willste Mail: ADM:DMB Chairman Zech PA IE NMSS DOT:Trans only Com. Roberts ELD OIA RES Com. Asselstine AEOD Com. Bernthal e7t Com. Carr SF dd,1 Regional Offices 4/ V4 ACRS g\\

SECY IMP 0o2l39 NSACJ.Y/ \

CA RIII Resident Office PDR Licensee: of.MS~ - (Corp. Office - Reactor Lic. Only) 8611070025 861031 1 PDR I&E Pegion III l ONO-III-86-123 PDR Pev. November 1985 '

PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSt'AL OCCURRENCE--PNO-III-86-123A Date Oct*.bar 31, 1986 The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the licensee continue to investigate the October 27, 1986, incident in which a section of track was removed on the Burlington Northern Railway, resulting in the derailment of the engine of a freight train. A sign painted on a nearby bridge stated: Stop Radwaste Shipments.

This information is current as of 11:30 a.m. (CDT), October 31, 1986.

I N

CONTACT: J/ R. Creed /4(. L. Axelson FTS 388-5643 FTS 388-5612 I

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