ML20149M157

Informs That PM Blanch Returing Beeper Previously Assigned. Restart of Plant Discussed

ML20149M157
Person / Time
Site:	Millstone
Issue date:	10/04/1996
From:	Blanch P AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED
To:	NRC
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References
NUDOCS 9612130001
Download: ML20149M157 (3)

Text

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l From: PAUL M. BLANCH <PMBLANCH91x.netcom.com> t j To: WN02.WNP3(jaz,awd),WNDI.WNP2(hjm),TWDI.TWP4(gam)

Date

10/4/96 9:42am

subject

Another Letter 1

Forwarded at the request of the author.

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October 3, 1996

Mr. Bruce Kenyon

! CEO & VP Nuclear Services Northeast Nuclear Energy Co PO Box 128 l Waterford, CT. 06395 l Mr. Kenyon, i

i Recently while going through some material.I came across a beeper that was i assigned to me while I was on loan to Unit 1. Apparently in the haste to

! ensure that I was ushered out on January 11, 1996, it was overlooked to be i collected. rerhaps it was reflective of how procedures are rushed.

i Regardless, I am returning it to you directly with the expectation that it j will reach the proper personnel.

l Mr. Kenyon I have written to you prior to this, and even had the opportunity to speak with you during a meeting concerning restart plans for Millstone.

At that time I was impressed somewhat with what I had heard, and read about

you. I certainly intended to keep an open mind about your ability to i straighten out the previous problems at Millstone and with NU management that i has resulted in the situation the NU finds itself currently.

l When I became an employee of Northeast Utilities, the management at that -

time cared about people first, the plant second, and the bottom line last.

i But something happened long the way. The order of importance seemed to have

! reversed itself completely. The bottom line became all important, plant i

safety took a "let's see if we can do it for less" attitude and employees

[t became as important as cattle. Now the results of that are showing.

! I have listened to you Mr. Kenyon speak about how you promise to " walk the j talk" and not merely continue the mistakes of the past. You promised a return

to the original method of operations where people are first, the plant second

! and the bottom line third. How safety was paramount. How employees would be

! " encouraged" to come forward with N0 fear of reprisal. The previous j management also promised positive changes, but they managed to do was talk, 1 and very little positive action. These mistakes of the past have been costly, j haven't they?

l I have watched over the past 9 months as Northeast Utilities, like a -prize fighter in a ring, receives blow after blow to its reputation. The papers are full of how employees are " overwhelmed" by the number of hours required.

How the public's attitude toward Northeast Utilities, Millstone and more so, management is slowly evolving to a point where the public is " angry"at being betrayed by NU. I watch how NU reveals various plans and performs hand waving that does little to restore the confidence of the public, judging by the 9612130001 961210 PDR ORG NRRA

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comments made.

Perhaps I am naive, but if I were to find myself in your position, I would

! certainly concentrate on restoring public confidence as much as possible.

j It certainly appears to have an effect on causing the anticipated restart  ;

i date for any of the Millstone Plants to slip further towards the year 2000.

One tool available immediately to you to restore some of the public

} confidence is the rehire of some of the people laid off in January 1996.  !

90ctober 3, 1996 page 2

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I have seen your responses to specific questions by individuals, politicians,  !

and the general public concerning their return, and only the smallest glimmer '

i of hope is offered. Is it that difficult a decision to make Mr. Kenyon? It basically is a situation from which BOTH sides would gain.

Northeast Utilities would restore some of it's tarnished image and former

! dedicated members of the Northeast " family" would be returned to their former l positions if they so chose.

2 i Understand that some of the people laid off in January have moved on to other locales, and to other professions, but at the very least the offer would do a

great deal to restore public confidence in NU and more importantly would show you to be a man of integrity and understanding, and far more significantly, a  ;

i man who appreciates the fact that people are a company's most important )

commodity.

I I realize that you and Mr. Paul Blanch have discussed numerous possibilities l

] . of turning these decline around, one of which would be to rehire some of the  !

people laid off in January 1996. I am somewhat puzzled at the fact that you j

have chosen to remain silent.  !

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l Perhaps Mr. Kenyon you are too closely involved in fighting off the various i

! daily fires, but it does appear that Millstone and indeed all of Northeast i Utilities is losing the public's confidence entirely. A large number of those individuals laid off in January have taken the initiative to band together and have held meetings. You have seen them present at various hearings. The information stored in these minds is interesting to say the least. Some of i the insight that has been provided into how the workforce reduction matrix was j inspired, prepared and implemented is mind boggling and borders on practices

, that the public, the NRC, the Justice Department, and local governments would j be highly critical of.

i j The NRC is about to issue.the Hannon report which will not be complimentary

of NU. Based on the efforts of the individuals laid off in January the

! Office of Investigation of the NRC has asked for additional interviews concerning the event of January 11, 1996. It is far from closed. The report reviewing the "workforce reduction matrix", it's conception, implementation and whether individuals were targeted for voicing their safety concerns when issued will not be one that will inspire further trust in NU by the general public. One more round that results in another " black eye" 4

1 I ask you once again Mr. Kenyon, revisit this specific past mistake and i remove one major roadblock to restarting Millstone. The mistakes of the past j~

are coming back to haunt Millstone, don't let them destroy it. Prove to the i

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l general public that you are indeed a man capable of achieving a change in l attitude, style and methods of previous NU management.

Like any prize fighter in the ring, ask yourself can Northeast Utilities withstand blow after blow and still remain viable. Admit there were mistakes made in January 1996, correct them as best as possible and remove a major l obstacle to going forward.

l Sincerely, Paul M. Blanch l Energy Consultant i 135 Hyde Rd.

! West Hartford CT 06117 Voice 860-236-0326 Fax 860-232-9350 l

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