ML20235V979

Discusses Recipient 870525 Request for NRC Assistance in Refusal to Pay Philadelphia Electric Co Rate Hikes Since Oct 1985 Due to Concerns Re Plant.Nrc Has No Jurisdiction Over Util Electric Bills & Believes Plant Can Operate Safely

ML20235V979
Person / Time
Site:	Limerick
Issue date:	07/15/1987
From:	Murley T Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Bye M AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED
Shared Package
ML20235V982	List: ML20235V979 ML20235W016
References
NUDOCS 8707230375
Download: ML20235V979 (7)

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JUL 151987 I i

Ms. Mary Bye l R.D.4 l Doylestown, PA 18901 l l

Dear Ms. Bye:

This is in response to your letter to Chairman Lando Zech, dated May 25, 1987 and postmarked on June 18, 1987, at Danboro, PA 18916. In your letter, you I stated that since October 1985 you have refused to pay the rate increases l approved by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) to partially cover I

the costs of construction and operation of the Salem and Limerick generating facilities. You described your concerns about nuclear generating facilities and the nuclear fuel cycle in general, and your concerns about the Limerick facility in particular. You asked that the NRC instruct the Philadelphia Electric Company (PECO) not to collect the rate hikes which you refuse to pay until your concerns were resolved.

We appreciate your interest in the issue of safe operation of commercial nuclear powered electric generating facilities, and I want to assure you that we share this interest. The primary mission of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, as defined by Congress, is to ensure that our nation's commercial j nuclear generating facilities operate in a manner that ensures the health and I safety of the public and the environment.

In keeping with this mission, the NRC staff conducted detailed evaluations of the safety and environmental issues related to the operation of the Limerick facility. In addition, extensive public hearings were held to consider the safety and environmental concerns raised by a variety of parties prior to the )

issuance of the operating license for Limerick, Unit 1. These issues were j carefully considered in the decision to issue the operating license. A copy of )

the staff's Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Limerick, Units 1 and 2 (NUREG-0991), the staff's Final Environmental Statement related to the operation of Limerick, Units 1 and 2 (NUREG-0974) and all of the proceedings and decisions by the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board and the Atomic Safety and Licensing Appeal Board addressing the issues raised in the hearing are in the local public document room at the Pottstown Public Library, 500 High Street in Pottstown, PA. You may wish to examine the documents that are available to the public at this library. Two of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Appeal Board's decisions specifically addressed the issue of the effect on electric rates of placing Limerick into service (ALAB-789, dated November 5, 1984 and ALAB-808, dated June 11, 1985). With respect to one of the other issues mentioned in your letter, the staff is still evaluating the 3 implications of the accident at Chernobyl.

l On the basis of our evaluations, we have concluded that Limerick, Unit 1 can i j

operate as licensed without undue risk to the health and safety of the public and the environment. And, to ensure that the plant continues to meet all applicable regulatory requirements, NRC staff members and Resident Inspectors continually monitor plant operations.

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, . I I hope these facts ease your concerns about the operation of the Limerick facility. In addition, I must tell you that the NRC has no bases and no

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authority to intervene in the matter of the electric bills you have received from PECO. These concerns should be directed to the PUC, which has established procedures for handling such matters.

Sincerely, Original signed by Frard: J. Miraglia

/ Thomas E. Murley, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

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Ms. Mary Bye R. D. 4 Doylestown, PA 18901

Dear Ms. Bye:

This is in response;to your letter to Chairman Lando Zech, dated May 25, 1987 and postmarked on June 18, 1987, at Danboro, PA 18916. In your letter, you stated that since October 1985 you have refused to pay the rate increases approved by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) to partially cover the costs of construction and operation of the Salem and Limerick generating facilities. You described your concerns about nuclear generating facilities and the nuclear fuel cycle \in general, and your concerns about the Limerick facility in particular. You asked that the NRC instruct the Philadelphia Electric Company (PECO) not to collect the rate hikes which you refuse to pay until your concerns were resolyed.

We appreciate your interest in the issue of safe operation of commercial nuclear-powered electric generating facilities, and I want to assure you that we share this interest. The primary mission of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, as defined by Congress,;is to ensure that our nation's commercial nuclear generating facilities operate.in a manner that ensures the health and safety of the public and the environment.

In keeping with this mission, we have du'ly considered the issues raised in your letter, both during the extensive public hearings and deliberations held before an operating license was issued forxLimerick Unit 1 and in our more recent considerations of the implications of the accident at Chernobyl. On the basis of our evaluations, we have conclu'ded that Limerick Unit 1 can operateaslicensedwithoutunduerisktothe\healthandsafetyofthepublic and the environment. And, to ensure that the plant continues to meet all applicable regulatory requirements, NRC staff niembers and Resident Inspectors continually monitor plant operations. N IhopethesefactseaseyourconcernsaboutthecherationoftheLimerick facility. In addition, I must tell you that the NRC has no bases and no authority to intervene in the matter of the electric, bills you have received from PECO. These concerns should be directed to the'PUC, which has established procedures for handling such matters. \

Sincerely, \

Thomas E. Murley, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation DISTRIBUTION See next page PDI-2:PM PDI-2:0 ARM:DPS RPI/I :AD' D II:D RClark: - WButler AThoncibh ' BBoger SVa ga o7:o9:87 5 :j:87 g 7: 0< 87 f 7: :87  : :87 A

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