ML20049J697

Informs of Problems W/Plant Siting on Flood Plain & W/Close Proximity & Small Gap Between Turbine Bldg & Adjacent Structures

ML20049J697
Person / Time
Site:	Midland
Issue date:	03/11/1982
From:	Gadler S AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED
To:	Palladino N NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
References
ISSUANCES-OL, ISSUANCES-OM, NUDOCS 8203190240
Download: ML20049J697 (2)

Text

. J. Gadle, , P'.E. 2120 Carter Av;nue, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108 Telephone: 646-5005

!! arch' 11, 1982 DOCKET NUMBER g, PROD.& UTIL FAC"g".*$ g*6/. b d$'7o Mr. Palladino, Chairman MN Nuclear Regulatory Commission ' '

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Washington, D.C. 20555 ~ _ s ;. ; . : .

Dear Mr. Palladino:

A recent editorial in the St. Paul Pioneer Press, entitled " Good Cop On The Nuclear Beat" is attached for your information.

This " pat" on the back by this expellent paper should make your day -

for finally, we have a regulatory agency that will do sume regulating'.

On this, I speak from the viewpoint of having been a member of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Board for 14 years. So keep up your excellent safety efforts on behalf of the public.

In this respect, I would like to bring to your attention the untenable cituation at the Midland Nuclear Plant, sited on the Tittabawassee River flood plain. As pointed out to me by Dr. Charles Carson, PhD (Geology), building the nuclear plant on the Tittabawassee River. flood plain is like constructing the plant on an earthquake fault, on ji vol-ceno or on an iceberg.

. B3cause of the unfortunate plant location, ciiosen when the AEC was pro-moting nuclear instead of providing for the public health and safety, en array of additional and continuous problems have been confronted in the construction of the plant. These problems sometimes or all the time must impose a tremendous burden on the hRC plant inspectors.

Parhaps due to uneconomic construction procedures the builders may have b:come more cost conscious in the incentives to cut corners, hide

. mistakes, relax quality standards, and taking chances seem to become o common practice, so well pointed out by your staff in its document Cntitled " Nuclear Regulatory Commission Staff's Proposed Findings of Fcct and Conclusions of Law" dated December 30, 1981.

A': the cop on the nuke beat, you must be concerned about the "the very close proximity, the small gap between the turbine building and adja- -

cent structures", as pointed out by Judge Harbor during the evidenti-cry hearing on February 2, 1982, held i .  !!ichigan before the Atomic Safety an'd Licensing Board. .

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Good luck. O p, M P.'ED _ '[7~~ ' '

Sinc ely, ,

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1. f viatory Commasa et s beginning to act hae a are not up to standare, we11 sent them down regulatory agency Tha has come as a shock to W mee2 tae ---._ _ _ ._ wt w the b-7)db' tota the nucwar industry and au critses The fed. emise h had M Iw the M Q pu te eral government - the NRC or its pre- Cainformas after it damesvered errors a me plaat ,

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• 2itwy sive a its brvesugatacek "The NRC will est cave '

fran the eldstaa." k told coo-that's new to the NRC. accordag to a snory la N the hew York Tm ts tu distruana, pisano J Palladino. Pausdtoo was appetsted to the post $sme mesabers of the Reagas admaanstraunn sis months ago by President Reagan and be am- reportedly are ca== sed that Palladiso's state-mobately pieted up os and acce6ered a move- mesu and actaeas might hamper their efforts to meet towarti toughness that had begun after the promote ecclear power. It would be better tf

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• A former Westnaghouse eagleser and college aunply is act going to accept widespread use of deas Palladino is a beuever as nuclear power. auclear energy esta it becomes convinced the He's even a bebever is breeder reactors, but be problems of safety and radaeactrve wasta dnspos-al are sobod. Getting a good cop oc that beat wasta.to see reactors built and buai operated safey-1 weit, he wouid be an a ow inatstep.

unportant imeitpianu es. tnat would appear said la at latervtew ernth the Tunes "i know they NuaD0 J. Panssano is such a cop gh

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