ML19332B625

Expresses Concern Re Potential Safety Implications at Plant,Particularly That Plant Could Have Suffered Undetected Damage Which Could Pose Future Dangers for Californians

ML19332B625
Person / Time
Site:	Diablo Canyon
Issue date:	10/18/1989
From:	Roberti D CALIFORNIA, STATE OF
To:	Carr K NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
Shared Package
ML17083C230	List: ML19332B625
References
NUDOCS 8911130356
Download: ML19332B625 (3)

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STATE OF CAL lFORNIA  ;

SENATE - I

. d SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA 95814

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DAVID MODERTI MIEISIDENT MIO tthefCftC r

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October 18, 1989 i

Mr.LKenneth M. Carr ,

Chairman' .,

U.S.' Nuclear. Regulatory Commission  !

W Washington, D.C. 20555 i

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Dear..Mr. Carr:

i In the aftermath of yesterday's devastating earthquake, I am f concerned _about the potential safety implications at the Diablo l'

. Canyon nuclear. power plant.

c While the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant was not at the '

. epicenter,of_the earthquake, I'm concerned that it may have suffered undetected' damage which could pose future dangers for j

. Californians. -The fact that it is operating is no reassurance 4 of safety, since: nuclear. accidents occur while plants are.in-

' operation.

I. base my1 concerns on other events that occurred on Tuesday, i

October 17,-1989. Despite the best design and construction  ;

[_ efforts-of the California Department of Transportation,-the p

highway system suffered-significant damage. This damage was -

from a quake that, while severe, was still much less powerful  ;

.than what has historically been recorded in California. By way  ;

of comparison, the 1906 San Francicco quake registered 8.0 on ,

7- thelRichter Scale - probably_ ten times more powerful than Tuesday's quake.

The initial judgment ~of the Department of Transportation was ,

that the shock waves from the quake struck in a way that was '

unprecedented and totally unforeseen. The damage done is >

causing experts to're-examine just how structures react to L earthquakes and whether or not present methods of enhancing  ;

seismic safety provide adequate protection. *

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I am requesting that you immediately send a team of engineers and geologists to the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant to reassess i I

its structural integrity and to review emergency safety procedures there. l This is a task which only the NRC can conduct i since the commission has had a strong hand in the design and redesign of Diablo Canyon. Yours is the agency which has certified its safety. +

I urge you to respond as quickly as possible to this request. '

Californians living near the Diablo Canyon plant need to know

'that it would withstand the kind of stress and strain exemplified by.the recent disaster nearby.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent request.

Sincerely, DAVID ROBERTI K

DR:mano cc: Honorable Alan Cranston Honorable Pete Wilson l

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