ML20065L572

Requests Assistance in Representing Great Lakes Energy Alliance in Steam Generator Replacement Proceeding.Author Deeply Involved in Midland Proceeding

ML20065L572
Person / Time
Site:	Palisades
Issue date:	10/04/1982
From:	Sinclair M GREAT LAKES ENERGY ALLIANCE
To:	Garde G GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT
References
NUDOCS 8210190480
Download: ML20065L572 (2)

Text

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5711 Summerset Drive 9 l Midland, MI 48640

[ October 4,1982 ,

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Gcvernment Accountability Project Olh Wn. m bA

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Washington, D.C. 20009 Attention: Billie Garde E / j

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Dear Billie Garde:

OL Flyt A We would like to bring a special and important problem to the attention of the Government Accountability Project and to request your legal assistance in handling it.

On July 23, 1979, the Licensing Board for the case involving the replace-ment of steam generators at the Palisades nuclear plant issued a special

) Prehearing Conference Order which admitted the Great Lakes Energy Alliance (GLEA) as a party to the proceeding. I was designated as the representative for GLEA in the proceeding.

% I had assisted in organizing a citizens' group in the vicinity of the Pali-sades nuclear plant which was a part of the coalition which constitutes the Great Lakes Energy Alliance.

No further action was taken in this matter by the NRC or Consumers Power Co., the applicant, until this past summer.

i On June 23, 1982, the Board issued an Order requiring each party to the proceeding to file a statement on or before July 12,1982, concerning g the status of this proceeding. I sent that material to several of the people who had been especially concerned about Palisades and the steam generator Q problem asking them to go ahead with the case. I explained that at this time, I am deeply involved in active participation as an intervenor in the q

g Midland nuclear plant operating license. I also sent them the August 9, s 1982, notice of a prehearing conference to be held on September 21, 1982,

[ in St. Joseph, Michigan.

t liowever, the citizens I contacted did not respond either by filing a

'q statement concerning the status of this proceeding or by appearing at the prehearing conference.

The Board has now issued a show cause order stating that GLEA should be dismissed as a party to the case if it falls to show good cause for its failure to attend the prehearing conference within 20 days from the date received, September 28, 1982.

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C . Page Two Government Accountability Project October 4,10S2 As I mentioned, I am extremely busy with the operating license hearing preparation at Midland. Tc.erefore, I would deeply appreciate your legal ass! *tance in this matter.

A. you know, the nuclear industry has serious problems with its steam generators. Several nuclear plants have had to be shut down for extended periods of time in order to replace steam generators at great cost. The steam generators at Surry nuclear plant in Virginia had to be replaced in 1979 at a total cost of $3G7 million. Current replacement costs at the -

Turkey Point nuclear plants in Florida are estimated to cost $500 million.

Besides the economic costs, there are the human costs--the exposure of thousands of " jumpers" or " sponges" temporary workers who are exposed to radiation while fixing steam generators. Defective steam generators can impair the cooling capability of the reactor and can also result in accidents such as the one that happened at the Ginna nuclear plant last January which released 1,400 gallons of radioactive steam and water to the environment before being brought to a cold shutdown.

In addition, there is no real solution at present for disposing of the highly radioactive steam generators once they are replaced.

As you con see, the plans to replace the defective steam generators at the Palisades nuclear plant have s!gnificant public health and safety, environmental and cconomic impacts in whose resolution the public has a great stake and should be involved.

We know of the excellent legal and investigative work that the Government Accountability Project has done at both the Zimmer and Midland nuclear plants. Therefore, I would deeply appreciate your assistance in this case in behalf of the Great Lakes Energy Alliance.

Yours sincerely,

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Mary Sincla MS/jt cc: Senator Carl Levin Senator Don Riegle James Keppler w-