ML16341B591

Forwards CA State Senator to President Reagan Urging Highest Priority Be Given to Nuclear Power Plant Licensing.Prompt Action Essential

ML16341B591
Person / Time
Site:	Diablo Canyon, San Onofre
Issue date:	03/11/1981
From:	PRESIDENT OF U.S. & EXECUTIVE OFFICES
To:	NRC
Shared Package
ML16341B592	List: ML16341B591 ML20003F512
References
NUDOCS 8104220004
Download: ML16341B591 (10)

Text

THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE REFERRAL MARCH ll, 1981 K): HXLEM R13ZKAEORY CQKISSION ACTIN REXgESZED:

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,004997 MEDIA:

LETZERt IRTED MBRUAElY 12, 1981

'EO PRESIDEÃZ REAGAN FRM" ~ EmORABLE ALFRED E. AIQUIST SZATE SENAEOR CVQZFORNIA SPATE SENATE 5031 STATE CAPZIOL SACEQMEÃIO CK 95814 SUB3ECZ:

URGES 'IHE PRESIDE5fZ 1Q.GIVE THE HIGHEST PRIORITY 'IO ACTION V3 HK) %K PARALYSIS WHICH NCN GRIPS NUCL'EAR'POWER PL7&Z LICENSING PEOCEIXJEKS (SPECIFICALLY IN RXJZEEERN CA SAN ONOFRE NUCUWR MITES 2 AND 3 PRCMFZ ACZION IS ESSENTIAL IF REQUIRED'CTION HAS M7Z BEEN TAKES WIDE 9 WORKING DAYS GF'ECEIPT, PLEASE TEXZPEKHE %K UNDERSIGNED AT 456-7610.

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~ 4 STATE SENATOR ALFRED E. ALQUIST ELEVENTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT REPRESENTING SAN BENITO, SANTA CLARA, AND ALAMEDACOUNTIES IN THE U

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February 12, 1981 COMMiTTEES FINANCE CHAIRMAN ENERGY AND PUBLIC UTILITIES GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION il04997 President Ronald Reagan The White House Washington, D.C.

Dear Mr. President:

When you served as Governor of California many of us worked with you to develop policies aimed toward ensuring the State's energy future.

We are convinced that future is now being jeopardized by

>inordinate delays in the licensing of the Diablo 'Canyon nuclear power plant.

In Southern California, San Onofre Nuclear Units 2

and 3 also are delayed in the licensing process.

Fuel loading for San Onofre Unit 2, we understand, needs to be completed before

'October, 1981.

I We urge you to give the highest priority to action to end the paralysis which now grips nuclear power plant licensing procedures.

r On December 7,

1979, President Carter, in responding to recommenda-tions of the Kemeny Commission on the accident at Three Mile Island, endorsed the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) decision to pause in issuing licenses in order to put its house in order but urged the "...NRC to complete its work as quickly as possible

and, in any event, not later than six months from today."

Fourteen months later, the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant near San Luis Obispo, California completely constructed and ready to come on line has still not been licensed.

No other nuclear plant, including those recently licensed and those now operating,

has, undergone such intense scrutiny, which includes at least 160 public hearings.

Once allowed to operate, Diablo Canyon could save 20 million barrels of oil annually and could result in a net decrease in costs to Pacific Gas 6 Electric Company's (PGSZ) customers of approximately

$ 330 million a year.

As the California Public Utilities Commission has stated:

The President...........-.----.--.-------------------------

g From an economic and service reliability perspective, operation of Diablo Canyon units would appear to have substantial advantage:

added generation capacity at a

time when electric reserve margins are low; replacement of overworked oil-and gas-fired generating plants which depend on expensive and insecure supplies of imported fuel; and utilization of the massive investments already made in Diablo facilities."

~The California Energy Commission also recognizes the vital importance of Diablo Canyon and San Onofre Units 2 and 3 and includes "these power plants in its forecast of the energy supplies required

'to meet state needs to the year 1990.

Ne urge you to prompty declare in clear terms that it is the policy of your administration to expedite the licensing of nuclear power plants so that those plants now constructed and awaiting licensing

'an make their contribution to the energy needs of this country.

As your Energy Po3icy Task Force stated, "Revitalization of the essential nuclear power programs requires top-level national leadership which itself can substantially strengthen public support and facilitate necessary legislative changes."

Safety is, of course, a concern to us all, but it need not be sacrificed in order to gain an expeditious regulatory process.

Again quoting from the report of your Energy Policy Task Force:

Expediting the licensing process would force all regulators to separate the important from the unimportant and thus direct sufficient attention to safety matters which have currently become smothered in a morass of detail...Reducing the licensing time for nuclear power plants by focusing on substantive issues only will enhance safetynot compromise itand speed the time of the United States'nergy security.

j As a first step in support of the policy defined by your task force,

'e urge you to appoint at the earliest date a strong chairman to

~ the Nuclear Regulatory Commission who will see that your policy is

,'arried out.

Sincerely,

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LF D E.

UIST, Chairman

,Senate Co irttee on Finance

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The President.......

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R BE S.

AYALA, Chairman Sena Committee on Agri lture 6 Water Resources ROBER G.

BE ERLY, Chairman Senate Committee on Revenue Taxation AN EL E.

BOATWRIGHT, airman Senate Committe on El tions and Reapportionment RALPH DILLS, Chairman Senate Committee on Governmental Organization F.

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xK'man enate Committee on Transportation ALEX P

GARCIA, irman Senate Committ on Business S Professions J

H B. MONTOYA, Chair enat Committee on Energy ubl c Utilities ROBERT B.

PRES LEY Senate Committee o

Natural Resources

& Wildlife NEWTON'R.

R SSEL, hairman Senate Committee on Public

'mployment 6 Retirement

SCHMITZ, rman Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments AVID ROBERTI President Pro Tempore State Senate

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