ML20079F373

Forwards Packet of Newspaper Articles Re Facility.Packet Acts as Chronological Summary of Major Events During 14 Months Prior to 831201

ML20079F373
Person / Time
Site:	Zimmer
Issue date:	01/10/1984
From:	Suits J CINCINNATI, OH
To:	Bernthal F NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
References
NUDOCS 8401180245
Download: ML20079F373 (96)

Text

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'84 Ja 17 A9:55 Environmental Addsory Council LIf , ..

January 10,1984C?.L n:,j ; y,,,,

Bhaticy 5 o - 35 8 '

The Honorable Frederick Bernthal Commissioner, Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555

Dear Commissioner:

Mr. David Altman, Chair of the Cincinnati Envirenmental Advisory Council, asked me to send you the enclosed photocopied packet of newspaper articles concerning the Zimmer Nuclear Power Station.

The packet is a chronological summary of the major Zimmer events of the last 14 months (up to December 1, 1983).

I will send copies of additional articles dealing with more recent events soon.

Sincerely, i

Lt.

J. Bruce Suits Administrative Assistant Cincinnati Environmental Advisory Council Enclosure 8401180245 840110 PDR ADOCK 05000358 Equal Opportunir> Employer O PDR

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8'.A s 12 tw oscsetAM PWstE2Srway, Anw tIMS2 Repairs At Zimmer Called

- A- t. ..

RICHARD WMTMIRE

.A icia and DAVO 5HAPtRD

• Gemen news ser*e

• nut Genom sees kres Dmmer nuclear power station IN THE charges Nichols sent to getung only cosmeuc changes an Ildall,he claimed-repairs, quality assurance spec

• e Devlauons sin major Zimmer ist Jeffrey M. Nichols charged g j forcement unit that checked nut safety analyses " threaten the Nichols' charges, was asked about week- integrity of essentialsystemay INichols. .

Nic'.ols-fired last mont.h by . e Quality assurance manuals s

Kaiser Engineering, Zimmer,a i "We found him to be a credible show no *conunulty of responst- , person " Johnson said. "He's a le-main contractor-spelled out his 4111ty" between CO&E, whlch la gttimate suy Everything he complaints in a letter to UA Rep overseeing construcuon and will brought to us definitely needed Morris K. Udall, D- Arta, and in an operate Zimmer,and Kaiser. attenuon?

Interview with The Enquhr and e Quality control over supptl.

Cannett News service. ers was a "flasco? CO&E secepted I' " **

He charged that Kaiser Engt* certificates of compliance from # "# #

oeering retallated against inspec- one s%el supplier"on faith? E

• tors and permitted stoppy certl* e Widespread problems tracing *Some could have been tasued fication of quality assurance materials, idenufted by the NRC Nottces of Violauon" Johnson personnel and welders at Zimmer. as a major problem, began early. maid but the NRC son compliance e Blueprints do not refleet the From the public uullty and con-NICEOLS ALSO identified plant as built. tractors without such formal ac-what he said were hardware prob- e Inadequate training and tion once they had Nichols' evi-lems in vital safety systems. An certificauon touches "all quality. # CC example involved what he said related personnel, from the qual-were badly cut and welded beams And that's a critical difference Sty assurance management on between Zimmer and the Wash-and cracks in the drywell around down for Kaiser and CO&E? ington facility; NRC ordered the reactor. e Too many required inspec-

"The defect is so serious that Lions and tests " simply do not remedial measures after a decade the 1989 American Welding Society occury ,of work at Dmmer but the West commentary does not even pro- Coast fact!!ty was less than a third vide for repairs" Nichols wrote- e Nichols'" hold tag"and Npn, conformance Report on reactor complete.

"rbose beams should just be re* drywell problems were ignored Nicaols cited that time ele-placed? contrary to mandatory proce- ment as part of the reason he Nichols, who described himself dures. went public. He said he has lost as an aceocate of nuclear power' e Management at Elmmer in- faith in the NRC, CO&E and Kats-said Zimmer could be fixed up and 11midates inspectors and docu-eun right if interested parties er "It's been in construcuon for il ment reviewers but even when . Fears and why haven't they done it abowed the *rtsht attitude? Nonconformance Reports are is- up to now?If they could do it. I say But that's just what's missing, sued,they often are circumvented. 'to you,they would have done it?

be stad. " Management at Zimmer e Reta!!auon for dtselosing .

Today, Nichols is co-operating does not have a commitment to safety problems "has been a way . with the Government Account-completing the necessary repairs of life at Zimmer . . . When I int. Ab111ty Project (O AP). which as for a safe plant" 48 ally idenufted the drywell design pursuing other complaints against As a result,"There could be a problem, my supervisor told me to ele"f-failure because we don't have any throw itin the trash can.1 persist- OAP has a reputauon of being idea of whether the maternal is ed and three days is'er sas forced anti-nuclear, Nichols conceded, what it is supposed to be, whether out of my job through an unac- but he is working with it because the people are who they are sup* eeptable transfer?

posed to be, or whether the stand- O AP offers an

• avenue to make ards have been enforced where correcuons in the industry?

Wy are supposed to be enforced. gy,S TH AT bad and worse

• Nichols said this week. "If I were D AVID ALTEMUEBLE. a allowed to go into that plant with

the authority to look where l have spokesman for Cincinnatt Oas & to. I can prove that plant is not Electric Co., characterised Nich- ready for licensing?

els' letter to Udall as "more,, cries On the other hand 7Jmmer of youtrom sJn ex-employee, can " work just fine" if'someone Altemuehle.said problems in cracks down on CO&E, Kaiser and the drywell will be addressed by the NRC, he said. Nichols said he CO&E's new quality confirmation Snt to Udall because the con-gh a nd that, Attemuchle said (fn g senior utility officials were in arty" to oversee remedial work at Washington f or Thursday's hear-4ng and could not comment on b 513 (bion fac111ty' g w,

'Stichots* charges. Nichots sold he orked at eSeveral unsuccessful attempts were made by phone to reach Wal. Elmmer ,,on and of f,, f tom j 4er Hedstk. head of Kaiser Engl. November,1981, through May. i hn, he sald, he was told there ensering's quality assurance pro-was no work for him as a IJvelIII lehols'sta-pages of charges ,%1ality engineer / trainer / systems 4B18 not come up at Thursday's auditor. He's been unemployed turning you because left town Wednesday, he ftse problems have gotten worse said.Decause he feared retallation atace the Nuclear Regulatory for his accusauons.

g>wnmtanton (NRC) report lasued Nichols acknowledged his vul-Aast Movember," Nichols wrote nerability to the " sour grapes, all, the Interior Committee chstge, but he pointed to f!as

. That report accompa- whistle-blowing in Washington the SN0,000 fine NRC levied State asproof of hisintegrity.

' pNichols,CG&E.a whisue-blower at with There, he went to the NRC a list of camplaints about another project, t 3d Uda11 that he safety-related procedures at

' tried to stay out of the pubtle de. Another nuclear power stauon tale over Zimmer "I attempted to under construction.

work within the system but was ALLEN JOWNgON, head of the le t go atter* my repeated com- Region V savest4gauan and en.

plaints.'ols'said Nich be had hoped the NRC would solve the problems "It didn't The only reallessons CO&E and Katser learned from the 1981 WRC invesugataons was the iden.

.18tp of the safety dissidents and to cover up deficiencies with-out getung caught agnan?

I h C383esAvl marm met /T?stsesy, Adv la Me2 E V Titness (Castigates Zimmer Y PAUL AIEXMOER maaren*ed Press bLUMBUS. Ohio-Of the toto 15 #

muensar power plants under con-con ,

J as e L=umm,in an eight-state rmeet, area, ne- -w. gpw@

%g,g NS"#" M '#' CG&E has moved n asusus I'et."" '"* " ' ' "

e NRCcriticized,Zimmer

, jQ jn! *drove For all CG&E's failures, however, N, the NRC has made its share of mis-delay looms; Page D-1.

m. ae stigervision

4 t kes.io Ciesersur-mance.ciearer controls, a Nuclear Regulatory directives and speedler acdons by the commission orricial testified

^ hTHE BEST recent decision on the NRC would doubtless have prevented he roposed Itcensee of the many and corrected others long ago.

saemty.clactanau Gas si Dectric {-Zimmer nuclear power station was The agency was created for that p Mhe decision that stationed Earl pose. So neither CO&E nor the g7p%8%y"us C0 I

Borgmann, senior vice president of project's major contractor, Kaiser program, which was too under-staffed to tighuy check construc- Cincinnau Gas & Electric Co., at the Engineers, has any monopoly on tion, said Gene Warnick, director .. plant site in ClerinontCounty. Zimmer mistakes.

s QIore , en,anjnn{g ugauon Yet if mistakes on Zimmer have rhe problems also led the NRC  ! 'Come from inadequate on site super * 'But the movement of Mr. Borg-to deny cosit an operating 11- yision, the Nuclear Regulato y Com- mann's offlee to the site should cem mis year.

{anission's (NRC) latest evaluation brighten prospects for t

. N72 INSFECTIONS of the ra. (shows CGLE did a lot right in the start operaung n*xt year. Many of its ellity turned up thousands interval between Oct.1,1980, and last problems might have been averted if gn nn g or gn tor March 31. The NRC.said that *the he had been there long ago. In fair-beve ratsed allegauons or tocs- p effectiveness of the overall quality- ness to CO&E, though, the firm had sents involving harassment and y assurance program improved sub- no previous experience wnh nuclear tamg y when, cg ptantially following the identifica- plants. And not every problem could Hon of major breakdowns earlyin the have been anticipated.

ost'stacle-unts re actor assessment period? Still, the NRC .

.'re"siden' " i NRC, spotted what it said were continuing The task now is to ensure eury while dual-unit factuues have - weaanesses relating"to the qualifica, weakness in the latest NRC evalua-twoinspectors,warntea man But because of uman's mast r tion and certificadon of personnel; tion is corrected, and that evacuauon

$4 dent!fication, evaluation, documen- planning meets all requirements. For NNplantis aNe'.two NRC lors already live near the

,, tation and reporting of construction many reasons - some valld; others, t site and another win ne sent 3.ile!!clencies, and timely completion perhaps, not - Americans have be-P1Df commitmentsy come increasingly wary of atomic there econ.he said.

NE SAID that before the NRC g" But improvements cited werekilled plants, though no one has ever b in a nuclear-power accident in required a boered-up program

.tsfecially heartening in view of the this country. Atomic power offers the MA$'t ran tel three categories the NRC uses to WAtomic Safety and Licensing Board's cleanest fuel source and, handled evaluateconstrucuanpro ams.  ;'recent refusal to license the plant for correcuy,the safest. And with Ameri-

i. operation, pending revisions in its ca's feared shortage of electric power warnica testtried Wednesdar St ' emergency evacuation plans. Just in the next decade, nuclear energy

,g * , Sj'My,U'8d p [sbout sverything that can happen to should not be neglected simply be-posed $100 mtulon rate hate re-tue.st by columbus and southern .a nuclear-power piolect seems to cause utillues have had problems e the -have happened at Zimmer.One result adapting it. Certainly CO&E, for all (N D,eytric co;ggwny ,, ' been to help increase tc 81.5 bil- its Zimmer woes, should be encour-and taghico.ana coat n the plant's originally projected aged to get its new power source on

% oat of $240 million, though in 1900 line as soon as possible.

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Skeptical CG&E Undecided About City Zimmer Hearings mE CMONNAT1ENQUstEW/Weewsdsy, August tI. 39e2 nati City Council Chambers, beginning Commission, which controls federal is their way of doing bustness." voting in favor of the resoluuon we I CY w, CAM,,s.L,A

,, WARRICK Sept g. licensure of nuclear plants, hasn't de- violate the etty's 1981 agreement wt .e cided whether it will play a part in the CINCINN ATI'S ENVIRONMENTAL CO&E,ln which muntetpal o?lletats drop.

Cincinnatt Oas & Electric Co. Isn't sure ALTROUGN ZIMMER has been under sessions. Russ Marabito. N RC public af. Adv6sory Council was formed about 10 ped their objecuons to Zimmer's fMernt whether it wants to get involved in a construction for nearly a decade, there fairs officer in Chicago, confirmed that years ago ta do just what its title suggests operaung license in exchange for CG& E series of public hearings that will focus have been few-if any-opportunttles for Region III chief James O. Keppler has -advise city council about a brced range promise to provide air and water mont-en the safety and reliability of Zimmer issues associated with the plant to be been invited to Cincinnatt for the hear- of enetronmental matters. Its authortty toring equipment at the Moscow plant, Nuclear Power Station. presented in a "stmpitfled" local forum, Ings, but isn't sure "It's been completely begins and ends there. But, suggests Alt- Altman explained that the resolution.

But proponents of the hearings view said Altman, spelled out to him what it's att about. I man,its experuse may go at least a Iltue which had been promoted by counettman CO&E as a key voice in the ongoing de- He argues that the upcoming meet- can't say what he'll do." further. . Guy Duckenberger, was "somewhat un-bate and are eager for the uultty's par- ings could fulftll this need. But Altman's Regardless of what CO&E or the NRC lie points out that the volunteer precedented" since councti rarely worrs tictpauon. enthusiasm doesn't seem to be shared by opt for, the Government Accountability g"oup of businessmen, professionals and for the EAC to do something. Normally, Sponsored by Cincinnatt's Environ- CO&E,the managtng partner of the three Project (OAP), a Washington-based nu- industry re'presentatives has "had a long the advisory counct! acts on an Inforraal merital Adelsory Council (E AC), a 23 utstitles butiding Zimmer. clear watchdog, will participate. "If involvement with Zimmer," dating back request from the city manager or a coun-member body appointed by the etty man- CO&E already has partletpated in a there's one subject the people of Cinctn- to 11M6 when it recommended the city cil member.

intervene in the licensing of Zimmer.

ager, the chance tohearings will provide collect information in ettisens "a calm, aings couple of years as well of public as a recent licensing batch hear

• nati would want to go to schoo: on, it's.

of congres* "The hearings will be neither a white. The EAC's dectslon to persevere with what's happening at the Zimmer plant, wash or a witchhunt," he said *but a the hearings was greeted with enthust-rational and dignified setung," said stonat ones in Washington, said company said OAP spokesman Tom Devine. asm by Duckenberger, although he sakt counc11 chairman D. David Altman. spokesman Bruce Stoecklin. "It's dif. chance to answer some quesuons."

Those adjectives artse from Altman's fleult to see what point is to be served by He said OAP will be much more inter

• A month ago,in a 6-2 vote Cincinnatt fnd ldus no asa determinauon that the meeungs not be- these since this group (the Environmen, ested in the hearings if all stdes are City Council acted on the recommenda- nc I em

• come jeering sessions. "No applause or tal Adytsory Counctl) has no authority or present, but will share its findings re* tion of Assistant City Soltettor Peter Ouckenberger, who plans to paruel-expresrons of m ^ ce dasagree- expertise te discuss the matter " he said. gardless of who shows up. "The predlet- Helle and abandoned a resolution that pate in the forum, atso la hoping for ment will be taerated from the audi- "But that doesn't mean we won't partict- able rescuan by the uullty and the gov- would have launched an E AC inquiry COI E's presence. "If I frere CO&E. I'd ence,* he said. pate. it just means we haven't decid ad.a ernment has been to discourage public about Zimmer. take every opportunity to defend myself

• The hearings weet bs from 7-10 p m.on knowiedge." he said. "Kwf%g things be- he said. "I would hope they'd s** It s?

four consecuttw % relays in Cineln. SIMILARLY,Tgt Mueteer Regulatory htnd clowd doors with *** Investtgstion NElt.R TOI.D counctl members that another opportuntty to makeAhst- ram Zim~m'ei THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER AUGUST 12, 1982 hearings - NRC To Participate In Hearings

--. . . . a g .

P I Onned Shority and has no expertise.

TNE REARINds before f'* '

That certainly makes un dubl. James Keppler, regtonal head of NRC's interest in the hearings Cinelnnem EnM ous about the values of the member panels will be on four- the Nuclear Regulatory Commis- Is good news for the advisory Adetsory Council will conduct hearings" he said. "We still are consecuuve Thursdays from Mo ston, will come to Cincinnau for a counctl, which hopes to attract all four public hearings beginning answerable to the NRC and the 10 p.m. In the Cincinnati City series of public hearings on the . sides in the longstanding debate Sept. 9 on the safety and tell- licensing board about licensing Council chambert safety and reltability of Zimmer over the Moscow power plant.

ability of the Wilitam H.Zimmer of the plant, and that process is The hearings will be held Nuclear Power Stauon. Cincinnatt Ons & Electric Co.

Nuclear Power Station. ettil ongoing." without approval of the city D. thvid Altman, chattman of the managing partner of the three However, offletals of Cincin- NRC spokesman Jan council.which decided that they Cincinnatrs Envitonmental Advi- uttittles butiding Zimmer, hastet nau Gas & Electric Co. and the Strasma said regional offlctale could jeopardize an agreement sory Council, the sponsoring decided whether it will get involv.

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Com- will evaluate the purpone and with CO&E that exchanged organ?zation said he was contact- ed in the forum, which has been mission may not participate. nature of the hearings before water monitoring equipment for ed Weincsday by an NitC pubtle designed as pubtle fact-ftndtng CO&E spokesman Bruce decidinglf they will partletpate, a pledge not to interfere in affstrs of ficer in Chicago, who opportunity.

Stoccklin said the company is Zimmer licensing. said Kepplet and other staff They will be in Cincinnati City David Altman.councilchair. The environmentalcouncille mmbers will parttelpate. Keppler Council chambers from 7 to 10 undecided about participating an said today he will seek is tentatively se.cduled for 7 p m. p.m. on consecutive Thursdays.

in hearines while its opersting fndtviduals and groups who a 23-member body appointed by Thursday.R pt.23, the city manager t6 advise the beginning Sept. 9.

slcense for ese 81.3 billion plant want to present " factual infor-le pendtne utore the NRC's mauon that will add something council on environmntal mat-Atomte pa' or and t.lcensing to pubite understanding of this ters.

itaard. Mme"

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Why strange things happen a ZiFnmer 7,, w p,.,, was.v. augme 2. Het CINCINNATI POST 7btheednorof ThePost: have safety consultants who v'ork Any safety-related devtce must le with the architects and engineers made of nuclear grade matertst.even 1 congratulate The Post for the = e excellent series on Zimmer, and nu- and construction people. These caen the nuts and bolts. Every suppikt of L clear power in general However, the are specialists in the field of Ir;dus- nuclear products must have a quality . J c.rticles did not give an explanation trist safety, and are expected to assurance program approved by the . Thrsdev. August it.

cf why strange things have been make suggesuons for reducing risks. commission. TSts involves an expen-happening. It's simple good business for the owner to fcllow the suggestions-he stre lot of writing and rewriting a Q and A manual.This involves making The NRC thm. ks the plant's foes Inspectors were doused with wins on insurance costs and plant changes in the factory. It involves L water. why? rreguent quality ecntrol roof-ups make Coat look like ama*

safety.

Nuclear power was not handled in sitting through several meeting]

with an audit committee which at ItaVe exhausted all their argumenis

"' s Itke a medinalInquish in pt t yY ere a sen 1 Nar'sya goeYnre'nt ITS DECISION not to conduct rehashed the same arguments that atur ble explanauon? There ls. Some plants are investor-owned, but resh hearings into allegations of have already been examined and re-

'the design and construction of a approval of virtually everything If the company passes this torture ' quality-assurance fallings at the extrained.

nuclear plant ta not handled Itke a comes from the Nuclear Regulatory- test it receives an "N stamp. But are the products any better? A company Zimmer Nuclear Power Station the coal-fired plant or chemical process Commissson. The Itability lasurance Nuclear Regulatory Commission That opponents ersist in de~

plant. To understand the differ- to handled by government, and since makes, say, nuts and bolts. These are sneIs, some background Informa- government insures, it does the in- made of steel that meets ASME (NRC) has provided a long-overdue mands costly in both time and re.

tion: specting and approving. specificauons. After earning their N gilmmer of hope. sources suggests that their quarrel is stamp they make the same nuts and A century ago steam boilers occa. As a result, insurance company, bolts, to the same ASME specs, label less with the Zimmer I' tant and the stonally blew up. To prevent these safety specialists were not consulted, them NUCLEAR, send a traceability Nearly a decade has passed since details of its construction and pro-disasters, Insurance compantes com. and control rooms were not laid out report with each batch, and doubl, .the NRC's predecessor, the Atomic posed operation than w!th the whole missioned studies to find materials by engineering psychologists. Do you the price. Energy Commission, tssued a permg complexionof tomorrow's Amerfca.

cnd methods to make boilers safe. remember the accounts of the Thm This evolved into the Boller and Mlle disaster-how confusion reign- This system places an Inspector for Zimmer's constructlon. The Pressure Vessel Code, published by ed, operators made mistakes, and in an interesting position. He can expectation was that the facility , mmer plant the American Society of Mechanical noboby knew what was going on? paint to a valve and ask for the would cost $240 milllon and that it has become the focus of a national Engineers. This code is the bible of The accideht itself, and the . errors traceability report on the bolts that Would be completed by llR5. By this campaign waged by powerful fwces that enlarged it into a disaster, were hold it together. If it can't be foun<t the industry. It is a vast storehouse caused by poor controt room design- (imagine the thousands of such re. 'tpring construction costs had reach- ' that could not care less about the tf knowledge concerning materials, strsas calculation methods, allow- 80, who was in charge of control ports involved) he can accuse the $13 billion, and the plant's operat- econom!c future of Greater Cinein-able welding procedures,the works. room des!gns? According to an builder of taxity in quality assurance, ing license ls stili notin hand. natt These forces have elected to ig-Investigation by Adam Reed pubitsh- and The Post prints rnother story of note the relative safety of nucles Durtng the 1950s the insurance ed In Reason Magazine ( August 1980) sloppy procedures. Want to bet that companies crem a new specialty the designers learned that their this was the kind of incident that In the course of the decade, oppo- power. They simply do not want to called " human engineering."Investt- plants depended on a host of Itcenses caused the bucket of water? nents of the plant have voiced some 8ee an expanston of power-generat-gitions of industrial accidents re- and permits by political officials at valid concerns, which have been, if Ing fac!11 ties, whether nuclear or escled that most accidents were state and local levet These bureau- The impression we get from all anything, studied to death. Even now' non-nuclear. They find the whole crused not by faulty equipment but crats knew nothing about nuclear the complaints and problems is that by human error. Research into the power or good control room layout, nuclear power is simply too complex there is the assurance that an operat- idea of economic and industrial ntture of these errors led to the but were Inipressed-by large and and dangerous to be acceptable. Th14 Ing license will not be lasued before M gomnt, redesign of machtnes and controls complex-looking layouts prepared by is false. Nuclear power generation is which significantly improved sa4ty a commercial artist who loved old far less complex and dangerous than l,all problems involving quality assur- But the battle isn't being fought by reducing the probability of opera- Irrankenstetn movtes. Only atter many chemical process operations ahce have been resolved.

tot error. that are running cvery day with no under those colors. It has been co-

, Three Mlle did engineering nevrted instead into a struggle in Specla!!sta in control room design pahchologista find out what was in disasters, no protest marchers, and ware called engineering psycholo- no stupid evacuation plans f or But in rejecting an appeal for a which fear - b!!nd. unreason!n$ f'

. whole new Tound of hearings the nuclear power control rooms. What sists. Their field was laying out they saw made them shiver, schools to miles away..

NRC has concluded, correctly

• that smitt control rooms, to make an The commission places its major operator's job as simple and logical emphaats on quality controt which ts Nuclear is the safest, cleanest. p] ant opponents have not produced The NRC apparently has had as possible, to evaluate quickly what important, but it is no substitute for cheapest way to generate electricity. any new evidence. They had instead enough.So has Greater Cinelnnatt.

Was happentng and make the right common sense. it went overboard to All the problems, and most of the moves to avert trouble. develop a quality assurance program cost, are caused by government. The u n is to gd gomnment out of To cover liabilittee at a typteal all its own. Three new books were construction, project the owner buys addeft a--- to the ASME code,just for nu*

~ -- EVE.,R.ETT,

- D, eJ,A,GER

THF ONONNATI E sQUsWst/ Friday, August II NOT C-7 CG&E Allowed To Reduce Zimmer Quality Inspections CY BEN L KAUFAAAN i

o asy nesysw maintng 50% will be checked by CO&E.

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CO&E has refused to say if it but an NRC official told The En. commissioners last month nar- commissioners' ban on heartngv.

In a rare moment of accord, the CO&E's Stoecklin said utility incurredwill sue Kaiser to recover as a result costsamong of the con. quirer that them.the suspects were not rowly overruled their Atomic OAP's brief must be filed by Aug.

Safety & Licensing Board dectston 20.

ownars, regulaws and criucs of Inspectors will sample areas where tractor's quality assurance f all. Reports of harassment did not to reopen contested licenstng Zimmer nt' clear power station sc. Kaiser is doing best and concen. ures.- die with that inclJent. Recently, hearings. The dectston went 3-2. The five commissioners are all presidential appointees under cepted reduced quality control in' trate on re-inspecung the rest. A recent NRC rettew found James 0. Keppler NRC Region Igg The NRC license la vital to , pressure to get commercial nu.

spIctions by Cincinnau Gas & Strasma said the 100% re-In. current quality control at Zimmer boss, went to Zimmer to warn key Zimmer operations.

Electric Co. spection program never was in. was adequate. employees of the serlousness of clear plants licensed and operat; In July, the three. member ing.

The Nuclear Regu14 tory Com. tended to be permanent. In a related situation, no one the situatton. It was the first time lleensing board opted for more mtssion iNRC), which ordered the 01rde said the commissioners has been apprehended for doustng he had to do that at any plant, he hearings on s!!egauons of safety.' are overruting all decisions to re4 inspecuens, cut its demeids be- THE EAISER and CO&E three Inspectors at Zimmer earlier sand, underlining the pervasive. related problems at the Moscow open hearings to pursue quentanas cease of improved qualtty assur- response to the NRC prod generat- this year, CO&E's 8tocckitn said. ness of quality assurance prob. construction site, the three-judge Itcensing tnerW ence programa, commission ed " sufficient confidence" to war. That incident forced CO&E to lems at Zimmer, in June, the licensing board want answered.

spikesman Jan Strasma said rant easing off,he added. Close the site for half a day. In addition to CO&E's probe of had decided on reopened hearings Thursday. The NRC still is watchful, Those rulings put the commt..

It also led to most construction the dousing Incident, federat on what it said were inadequattes stoners not only at odds with their "They've done what they've given a history of quattty assur. Workers signing affirmations that Investigations into allegations of in emergency planning in neigh. licensing boards but with NRC's beIn asked" Strasma explained. ance problems at Zimmer,, they understood federal laws on criminally shoddy work and boring eommunlues. professional staff. Region I!!

"It's ume,to crank down on the Strasma said.any "CO&E cover-ups continue.

progr m . more than otherisuttltty stati in doing the harassment and intimidation.

A handful who refused to sign Garde, a O AP Investigator in Adminstrator Keppler, responet.

At the adversarial Government country." Despite conunued allegations Cincinnau Thursday for a brter ble for Zimmer, supported OAP1 the required forms lost their jobs, of trouble Strasma said the new 50/50 ar- at Zimmer, NRC's five vistt, said OAP would appeal the call for reopened hearings. '

Accountabiltty Project (O AP), -- -

Invesugator Billie Garde went rangement is not engraved in stone and Is subject to CO&E and "I""m"E kind of agree with that," Kanser performance.

Garde sand. "There was s lot of du*

The NRC recently added a third resident inspector, the first pileat,lon and unneceestry ex. responsible for construction, to d&E spokesman Bruce [NIC Stoecklin welcomed the change as "o esw" I CINCINNATI ENQtlIRER AUGUST, 1982 an " expression of added conit. mine how well the new effort is dence"In expanded quality assur- going' -

ance programs at Zimmer. The 50/50 arrangement doee not affect CO&E's Quality Conttr. immer eOrings p Onne the $1.5 billton plant is pendtrt INfore the NRC's Atomic Safety and ucensing Board

• AT ISSUE was CO&E's direct mation Program initiated tast Cincinnatt's Environmental Advisory responsibility for inspecung on. year under NRC orders to rechack Council wlit conduct four pubtle hearings going work at the $1.5 btillon fa. selected work done before April s.

citttyin Clermont County. The re-inspections were order. beginning Sept 9 on the safety and reliability NRC ordered extra inspections ed before NRC fined CO&E a then- of the William H. Zimmer Nuclear Power IIst year after it found CO&E's record 3300.000 for breakdowns in Station.

prime contractor, Kaiser Engt. the Zimmer quality assurance neertng, botching the job. program. Charges included docu- However, officials of Cincinnatt Oas &

C o. since April 8,1981. CO& E ment falsificauon and inspector Electric Co. and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory h:s been responsible for inspect. harassment. CO&E pald, but with. Commission may not participate.

Ins new work already inspected by out conceding the accuracy of a!!

CO&E spokesman Bruce Stoecklin said N , NRC has decided that u Ity as penalised be. e mpany is undecMed akut parucipat.

CO?E*s greatly enlarged quality cause the NRC has authority over Ing In hearings while Itr. operating license for assuraner staff need only dupil. builders, owners and operators of c3te half of those contractor in. commeretal nuclear power plants, spellions. A sample of the re. but not ovet their contractors.

Group claims agencv softened Zimmer report ne scoven Post, Saturday, August 71, im 7A B hy bh other Ohio uttitues. OAP had unut midnight Friday tdappeal the view of Phtittp Otttings, former quality assura tce d omsamsena sween A Nov. 21.1981, report by the NRC cited various NRC decision. O AP said the kinal version did not msnager for Kaiser Engineering Internations, by WASHINGTON - A governmentinvestigattTo quality assurance problems at Elmnter. The agen- specify the deftetencies found, did not follow up the NRC Office of Inspector and Auditor. Katser e fined CO&E S300,000, on leads and " suggested there were no hardware is the contractor for the project.

8 e was seve yc ed a d to co But GAP contended Friday that the report, problems." . . The interview, which O AP claims was deleted clusions changed," Zimmer opponents charged based on an NRC Invesugation, identitled "only a imm he ftpallnus onre % " "

O AP also said the final report, unlike the gg Friday in pettuons filed with the Nuclear Regvta- small portion of the deficiencies" at Zimmer and. draft "did not mention the on-going criminal C", " ad ua tory Commission, did not include *some of the most significant , of," ng e thoug the uttitty knew investigauon of CO&E officials in connection The allegauons by the Government Accoung- affidavits tad statements produced by the probe. with falsificauon of quality assurance records." Kaiser could not comply wlth (NRC) regulations',"

tam ley Po t, at ed I y I dra t " its G AP ALLEGED numerous employee inter- guing ends"on the I mnoqa uons asking the NRC to reconsider its July 30 basic conclusions were, changed to justify less views were changed or " rewritten to weaken their contrel inspectors.

refusal te reopen Zimmer licensing hearings. drastic action" by the NRC against CO&E. statements indicating CO&E had knowledge of The NRC ineestigators "overheimingly THE PETITIONS also ask the NRC to stop THE CHANGES, OAP contends, reflect deep and involvement in violations of NRC regula- recommended to NRC regional administrator tenstrucuon of the Dioscow. Ohio, reactor, which discord within the NRC over its handling of the tions." James Keppler in March is81 that Zimmer con-ts owned by Cinctnnatt Oas & Electric and two controversial SLS billion Zimmer proTt. As an example,OAP cited a July 8,1981 inter- struc be stopped.G AP said.

Public-Interest Group Asks NRC To Scratch Zimmer BY BEN L KAUFMAN are so pervasive that Zimmer can't tricity can be produced commer- which cover more recenup coob j

w, m be salvaged, the OAP spokesmen clally next year. Under Ohic law, pleted work, with independent in-argued. consumers will pay for Zimmer re- spectors.

Crtues of Elmmer nuclear power The NRC rejected,3-2, reopen- gardless of whether it produces NRC rules require a utility to station petitioned the Nuclear ing the hearings last month when electrtetty. prove that a power station has Regulatory Commission (IERC) G AP ftrst reguested them. Last month, the utility ap- been built according to acceptable Friday to stop construction on the That put the three-commts- plauded the NRC's refusal to re- plans by tested craftsmen from St.5 btillon project. stoner majority at odds with the open the hearings which could approved materials and that it has The Government Accountabil- MRC's regional staff, which is re- delay Zimmer's operatinglicenne. been adequatelyinspected.

Sty Project (OAP) also asked the sponsible for pottcing Elmmer, "The NRC has had the author- Untti then, a plant may not tie NRC to reconalder its ban on fur- and with the NRC's Atomic Safety Ity all along to stop construction if granted its NRC operaung license, ther hearings into safety prot)lems and Licensing Board. whteh had there were ju;ufication and it Quality assurance is the pro-at the Clermont County workste. agreed to reopen hearings. hasn't, and ste don't feel there is gram meant to see that all of than O AP is a Washington-tased The same commissioners will any," CO&E spokesman David is done correctly or redone unul it pubtle-Interest group which is vote on Friday's petition. Attemuchte said Friday. is correct and that records show representing the officialinterven- "Only one has to change his in addition to requesting that how It was done.

or in the Zimmer hearings,the mind," UAP's Dillie Garde noted, the NRC suspend Zimmer's con.

Miamt Valley Power Project. pointtr's to John A. Ahearne as struction permit O AP asked the R AIS E R,S quality-assuranse OAP wants to prevent Zinmer the swing vote. panel to: program for the first 10 years since frem senerating erectricity. Eier. Possibly 80% of the evidence o Replace CO&E's " quality- e nstrue n began in ml was "Ztmmer la currently unafe" accompanytng OAP's petluon will confirmauon program." which "

OAP's prinetpal investigstor, be new to the commissioners. covers work which was completed hundreds take It ver ofand in hire and train Thomas Devine, said Friday itsen Garde said. "We're trying to give long ago, with inspectors uncon- tors to replace contacted by telephone in WIsh- them enough seenues to do netted with the uttitty or its prime * ""**

Inston D C.*There can be no d.her something." " "'

contractor, Kaiser Engineering nest,lnterpretauon of the vi- G ARDE SAID another NRC Those outside1 should be free to q$lt y w de

"# a d ret sin vn refusal would send G AP to federal identify problems and impose cor- neely trsined inspectors soon IT'S WORNE than that, id appeal courts. mure acWns. after they began working.

G AP executive director IJuts Cinctnnatt Oss & Electric Co. e Require an independent . CO&lL was fined a then-record Clark from Washington. "We lave (CO&E), which is building audit of CO&E and Katsen man- $300. coo last ysar for whet the NRC supplied the NRC commissloters Zimmer, has consistenuy dented agement at Zimmer, including said were falsiftsd quality-assu.'-

with enough solid evidence to hut G AP allegauonn. recommendations about whether ance recorvis, inumidauon of in.

Elmmer down forever." The uuttty has urged the NRC .to replace CO & E end Kalser spectors and other documentation Quality *assuTancM becaIddrns t411 cense Zimmer so that elec- quality-assurante nine r a m s. Drobleme me coeconenti eveausresuss eweer,r.upsa 21,19s2 C-3

_s v. ._, m s., .

8 l e DEER CONTBeUED FROM PAGE 84 CG& [Q Q ) f back in an arena with intervenorsseem who are more than happy to sing to be any point at all In hisinitialannouncement

( the hearings, Altman had said all of to get their song against Zimmer." L parties concerned with the plant) n n an 3d - adequacy would be invited and TGkU PGA E E AC chairman D. David Alt-man said,"We're very disappoint. stressed that the meeungs will be ed that they're not going to thos

• conducted in a calm, rauonal In Hearings up, espec eguiam,ially since the y Co-n Nuclear

- seen

!!t to make a trtp tnto town "

and dignified setting.

H

,efo,said, C the au C>tEAC,"an, C adm SY CAMg LA WARRrCK wanted a

• simplified" pubtle s,umaw neport, forum that would allow local rest-ALTMAN SAID he learned of , dents to learn more about the Cincinnau Gas & Electric Co. COLE's dectston in a telephone plant and have many of their won't play a part in a series of conversauon Wednesday morning

• quesuons answered.

with company President William public hearings on the safety of Dickhoner, whom he desertbed aa =

ALTMAN ARGL'ED that recent Zimmer Nuclear Power Piant.

Althougt its participauon was being "very, very co-operative" in congressional hearings in Wash-pursued oy organizers in the city's a series of converserauons about Angton and the utt11ty's !! censing Environmental Adytsory Count!! the hearings- hearings, which were formal and

• He said be agonised over the *

• highly technical," did not satisfy (EAC), the uttitty announced decision, but checked with local a local need for more informa-Wednesday that it's not coming and national pubite-relauons Mon because the meeungs,"which v111 firm include appearances by groups pear,s who told them not to ap* But CO&E said its paruelpa-unalterably opposed to Elmmer " Altman said. "It's sad that tion in the hearings "would set a station and r.aclear po this ts being presented as a PR precedent whereby any group sem no useful purpost,m er, will (public-relauons) tssue " could decide to convene a public meeung on any subject and ex-Alte e le sa he doe (See ZIMMER Page B-2) pect CO&E to parucipate, even though the group would have no

, expertise, authority or jurisdic.

tion In the matter."

Altman admitted he was stung by that comment becauseatt 1g.

notes our track record and the background of the organisauon.

'Diey have no idea of the huge amount of time we've put into these hearings."

Within days of issuing Sta Aug.

10 invitauon, the EAC received confirmauon that James Keppler, head of the NRC's Region III *n

. Chicago, would come to Cincin-natt !or one seaston.

Among others who agreed to paructpate were City Councilman Our Ouckenberger and represen-

• ' tatives of the Government At-countability Project (OAP), which represents the Miami Valle; Power Project, one of the chief

, intervenors in the lleensing proc-ess.

, The hearings in city counell chambers will begin at 'l p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 9 and stil run for three consecuuve Thursdays.

.* Keppler is tentatively scheduled for tr.e Sept 23 meeung.

• 4* IN ANOTHER matter relaung to 7tmmer, the N RC's Atomic

,*I Safety and Licensing Board on I

Tuesday decided that when mem-a bers of NRC's Office of Nuclear

'., Reactor Regulation are satasfied that the plant hat been ecm-

• • pleted according to specificauons.

they can issue CO&E a fuel-load-

• ing and low-power testing floense.

9 b.

y Zimmer Costs $6iral mE CoetoseaD EtsuuefER'vWoewedDY.S8IM"ter t,19er

{ Sevenfold ise apt and the peepse e4 And eue own wey '

EdIIer WIG est MNte"of about BY CAAd.LA WAEGICK e ,e , , recruary, test.=

in the ennutng two years. the prten or the plant has grown by The Cincinnati uuttty buns the mtInons. Company spokes- e e ThQ

• WHham R. Burleigh Renneging Editor Ea*r*Mr*2E'n*l"a"".J3 "a',4We'aign"."OM, 4 "L",f"s'n^iP3""i,"edM

smn Umes since it was just a and Columbus & Southern Ohlo amount"of the new esumate ts gitmerinits planners' eyes.

CmCmHall == m Electric Co. picks up the rematn- due to the carrytng charges (te.,

Once eeumata3 at $300 mtMion ing 2 mat interest)on the money."

g EdeoelalPege Edleer and schedulad far completion In

• The new eettmate e ethe Contribuung factors, he said,

=

Ob Martsnne OBegan f[5 angles a '

til - n ens ha e keep g o 30, , 000 %- ha.orea N ppm m,N a ner tag of th -

represente 80% of the original Zlmmer staff members. "These The latest cost projoetten was cost. are CO&E operating personnet, saade recentl williant H. Plans for Etemer a power sta- not construcuan workers." he o e u Diethoner, & and chief tien with a net capacity of 810 said,explaintng that although the esecutive o icer of Cincinnatt snegawatte, were announced in plant is not in operation, these Oss & Electric Co., the chief legt. At that time, uuuty officials workers are kept busy " learning

- QQ$

owner and managing partner of thought it could be fintshed in thetr jobst- '

e e e the three attittles buuding Elm- about five years. e mer. ALTEWtTRIILE SAID the price agCa 3UT WflEN ISTS arrived, Increase,Ilke most of the nuclear l l3a5 IN AN interview with the Dow- delays had already caused the etsuon's other costs, etil "ulu-Jones News Service, Dickhoner project to lag behind schedule. mately be borne by the cutom. The public forum ort safety. in the past front the anti-riu-called the nuclear piant our beg- rhe later, in the sprtng of ers in rates earmarked for ad-gest chauenge*and aald "all three IM E reacheduled its start justment after the plant goes on and reltabilltI 9uestions con- clear forces. The utility says it companlee have agreed that fuel 4$ for late 1982 and estimated Itne. A small percentage of the cerning the Zimmer Nuclear can see no public benefit.

leading can't be before mid-leEB, finnicosts would hit sl billiort cost has been recovered durag Power Plant, scheduled to start There is, nevertheless, the nextThursday, regrettably,will pubtle benefit of public under.

the course of construction, said lack one necessary component. standing. As long as questions Altemuchle, "In rate cases for Tom Carpenter, head of (frn- The Cincinnatt Oas and Elec- of safety and quality assurance tr1e Co., co-owner and operator remain about Zimmer, CG8sE po ted

" N ear th back etirbe strttched out over ute

~ '

• '8 .down' t,he bo"ard's me'n'o n

,o f tr ch, Elmmer. objected to the sugges-

$ of the plant so far han declined owes it to the people and its to take part. Stockholders to use every Ug',*IgZimmer. which is rought; [yg"n'ing a thIs tl tjon that intervenors hav s1 wed The forum, to be conducted means available to help allny

• d" #

9 Last Et, the Atomic Safely E "" .no el se o beIng com. "Tha s lust not true," he said. .y ncnna nhnm- 2Moh and 1.leensing Board of the Nu-

" * *

• I" "They brought their problems on tal Advisory Council, will flave According to the environ-clear Regulatory Commleston ,

"*' "U"E themselves. If CO&E had butit a Irepresenatives from the U.S. mental council, the purpose of (NRC) ruled that when NRC staff '" safer plant and If the enure nu-members are natisfied that the 18 gw I be nu lif tf th clear industry were safer they

-Nuclear Regulatory Commis- the hearings is ne8ther a I has ben completed accord- NRC's five-member commission wouldn't have these delays.g ;ston, the nuclest power indus- "witchhunt nor a whitewash,"

g rules in favor of a plea to halt try, and critics of nuclear but to get .3seful informattor nat c n hat was filed by the " ' "

im'm COYE a f ced a ggg , I bte 10 upt me power. Four meetings will be into the hands of the public.

Iow-power tesung tteenne. [ ment Accountablitty Pro- Court in which the Cleveland Altemuchle said the utility Elect'ical rituminating Co. was held on four consecutive The Cincinnati Post had the Allemuchle said that although . Thursdays in Cincinnati City same purpose in its recent at coufd$ nab equipment-teaung program to a mon * ' uuHty views trils mow as un. ,$,74'"8,7.,*,pd Council chambers. series on Zimmer.

ylgy.lt m@t weu pmmpt addedto its customers. He said that if It is understandable that We believe that the time has

' 8"*""*

bertn someume next rear. gr 'p,' *"$'"'D

, zimmer is put aside by its man. *CO8sE might be wish to avoid come to get on with Zimmer.

agers.a move that ther have steen RC no and eat do ;further public confrontations and thst an informed pubtle la Frant Iner .ehe ,w sof the kind it has had to endure oneof the meanstcthaternd.

ers do not have to pay.

C_ab._le._Tw_o _Pl_ugViewers Into Zimmer Hearings f &

SY $tE MacDONALD cow, will not paNetpate in the the Environmental Adultory Government Accountability Pro- the community because people Jessica Baron, spnkesenman t.,*e, neeer,,, four-part forum that begins this Counctl(FAC). which wili conduc t jert and members of the Nuclear who can't be there in person can for Warner, said full coversee of Thurwlay at etnelnnatiCity Hall. the public hearings. Regulatory Commission. bt the witnesses in the eye-en- the heartngs is something new to Mare than 50,000 Cincinnati It doesn't change anything." . An EAC panel will ask ques- cept CO&E-and see how they re- the teleitsson field. Usually, the homIs will be plugged direcuy CO&E spokesman David Alte. "THE IDEA (for televising tions of the participants. spond. look at their demeanor and heartnes are condensed inte, nest into the upcoming informal hear- muchte said Tuesday of CO&E's them) was that this would fit in "The hearings will not be dull sense things that are very impor- stortes and are not televised in Ings o" the adequacy of the decaston to stay away from the very nicely with (Warner's) re- history." Altman said. *We will ast tant when you're evalusting the full.

Zimmer nuclear power station. hearings. "We had assumed these sponsibility to the community," he quesuons about the safety and members of the NRC or the crttles Carner-Ames cable televtston (hearings) would get coverage." said. "It's quite a breakthrough for rettability of Zimmer that people of the plant or whometer," Alt- "Till515 a much fairer way of will televise the four three-hour CO&E annou*nced Aug. 23 that us because it's evidence of the want answered? man nald. covering anything." she seld. *nnd hearings and broadcast them in "no usefu' purpose

• would be serv- community's Interest in the The hearings will be less tech. The public hearings will be that's theldes behind It?

fril on a one-day delay. It will be ed if the company participated in (Zimmer) project " nical and confusing than regular held in Cincinnati City Counct3 QUBE 43 is kystfable in the thy first time that any Zimmer hearing 1 at which groups "unal- The EAC, an advisory group to licensing hearings and will help chambers from CIO to l030 p m.on more than 50.000 Warner house-hearings w!Il be telecastin full. terably opposed" to Zimmer anf Cincinnati City Counent, is con- Cincinnatt-area residents learn f our consecutive Thursdays hoMs that subgertbe to evpended nuclear power also would testify. more about the plant and have beginning this week. and QtJBE cable service. she nald.

CINCINNATI G AS & Electrte "Thta is gavel-to-gavel cover-. sons ducung the hearings concerned so all with the per- their quesuons answered, Altman riant's Warner-Amen cable will re- Public radio station WOUC.rM CO., however, is not changing its age on a one-day delayed basis, adequacy can take part. Paruct- said. broadcast the hearings at'f.30 p.m. also wiu present a one-hnur new=

Intnd about participating. CO&E, and the these are the first hear- pants will include Zimmer's sup. Friday,2.30 p.m. Saturday and 1 summary of atleast the first three which ts butiding Zimmer 2s miles Ings geared to the general pubtle." porters, crtues, former Z1mmer **I THINK lt's a tremendous p m sunday on QtJRE channel 43, hearings at I pm. on the iridays uprfver from Cincinnatl at Mos- said D. David Altman. chairman of employees, starf members of the thing they're (Warner) doing for f.he Oreater Cincinnau Channel- after ecch Thursday sessicin. -

CG&E Protests Added Hearin-s e Zi W R CONTINUED FROM PAGE A-1 E E "'"~";

CG&E said the bulk of MVPP's

%sewwsey. seemereser & issy THE ONONNATI UsGUIRER menerter EE S fl ns CO o construction at Zimmer,NRC rule o th NRC violations and Imptoper re- ed with Zimmer.

fmm I poor quality control sponus to nonconhance n-Cthelnnations & Electric (CO&E) e Cable 10 teleC8St hearlD The problems that led to the Co. Tuesday disputed the need for pnets by both CO&E and its con- "IF THE (NRC) is dissatisfled e have been corrected. CG&E with the performance of cntain o second round of incensing hear. Page C-1 ,f,in,o tractorgatwf Enginens Inc.

Ings at Zimmer nuclear power -instead, MVPP simply re. Individuals of the staff, the stauon, calling requests for the at ues factual matters with appropriate soluuon is to replace hearings repetitious. unnecessary with the NRC trl Washington, N "8 -F F f"U those individuals with others in D.C., the local utility linted its [ rester f8 I I "* P' whnd the NRC can repose greater rtatnalelaboration than to its l '8 and counterproducuve.

major objections to critics' allega- pleading in an effort to "" ant constr'uction."CO&E said the pl confutence, not more hearings.*

' CO&E, major owntt of Lions about the St.5 billion nu- show that the (NRC) should exer

• NRC also has the responsibiltty Elmmer, argued that the proper clear plant under construction in f I at um t s ch nvkw whm it (H&FTheargued'E CG& answer said the a If nt re u t ** d a t of determtnes it to be 'mnecessary NRCW the bcensing board or way to ensure quality control at Moscow,Ohlo. CO&E.s mpone sag.

the nuclear power station is for or even counterproductive." another layer of bureaucracy--

the Nuclear Regulatory Commts- CG45 SAID the Mlaml Valley Th M P alle tions that The hubbub over new bearings shnuld retain the prime responst.

slan t'WRCi to hire staff members Power Project's (MVPP) requests enreg spun in design plans and actual n* began in July when the NRC's hitity for making sure that it can trust rather than reopen for new hearings have no legal Atomic Befety and 1lcensing the hearings. fonung, do not follow NRC rules (Mee glMgFR. Daard agreed to re-open the Z,immer

,,,gg7 is butit and inspected In a 22-page document filed and are no different than the berk et tMs wetlang Elmmer hearings because of CO&E also chided tile MVPP MVPP's tharges about shoddy f or admitung that it submitted qualtty asnurance programs. dif ferent information to the Two weeks later. however, the Atomic Safety is 1.icensing Board full NHC board spht in a 3-2 vMe than 11did to the full NRC bnerd.

and dented the gecond roimd er Atilnformauon should be sub-hearings, calling the MVPP al'e mitted in full and on ume,*not in rations "stmply a repetitann of bits and pieces according to the intervenor s personal dictates "

CO&I said.

Two Back Stage set aprmai Zimmer fOr, hear.mg _ . _ .__._e_

Hearings AREN GARLOCH gg,q On ZOlmmef By Ron Uebou ttve to COLE so that an industr*i Two "Nuclear

" Kentu R" eCom.ru'ission Regulatory r

m ra r enembers, who opposed the reopening of for-smal licensing heerings for Zimmer nuclear mover station, support the holding of informal (NRC) meer swe n===' view is presented. bearings to educate the public, accord 1r.g to thnhairman of a loca) addsory councu mch Despite the absence of a key ON THE EVE of the first ses- ** "

actor, the stage is set for the ston, Altman was stilllining up I,',g$%TgI gh"[,,$"# "U "

first of four pubite hearings nuclear industry representa- D. David Altman, chairman of Cincinnau Thursday into the Zimmer Nu- Lives ~

clear Power Stauon- City Councu's Environmental Advisory Coun-He had on1y two eommit- su (fr.Ac t, said written opinions from two NRC The hearings are sponsored ments: sommissioners show they support the idea of by the Cincinnatt Enttronmen- eOeorge Wessman, director enformal hearings even though they opposed tal Advisory Counct!. The coun- of Torrey Pines Technologies, the reopening ot formallicensing hearings ett will tssue a report to the Cin- San Diego, Calif. Wessman is an Although Altman has received numerous etnnatt City Councu. authority on quality assurance quesuons about whether the local EAC hear-The City Council has refused standards at nuclear power Ings are a duplicauon of past NRC hearings.

to sanction the hearings. City plants. Much of the crit 1ctsm at he has contended that informal hearings are a lawyers advised the council that Zimmer' concerns the quality better way toinform the pubite.

to do ao would jeopardise a 1981 assurance program. ^

eem n w n th c y and eBob Koppe, an engineer hem ngs in h a'n e t it a

' Wensing hearings were formal and hiehh Co The etty obtained radiolog1- C 0, c mpa Koppe de-eal monitoring equipment and weloped a computer progiaI' techntcal and did not sausfy the pubise's rieed promised not to interfere in that analyr.es all safety inci- for information.

lacensing. dents at nuclear plants. Af er reading the opinions of NRC com-E ACH bearing runs from 7 OPENING night panelists in missioners John Aherne and Thomas Roberts.

p.m. to 10 p.m. in the City Coun- addition to Altman are Dr. Altman said he has further support for that ett chambers. Five members of Richard Goldsmith, an internist postuon.

the advisory council will ques- and specialist in nuclear medl, tast July, Aherne and Roberts joined NRC chairman Nunzio Palladino in opposing a re-tion witnesses. Audience mem- cine; David Surber, a naturaltst bers will not be permitted to ask who hosts a weekly television quest to reopen Zimmer !! censing hearings.

question

• Dissenting wne commissters Wetor 01-program produced by the Isaak unsky es The hearings will be held on Walton League of Kentucky, Al a d he h no't seen the Aherne tour consecu'1=e Thursdays- Floyd Byrd, manager of enva- snd Roberta opinion unut he recently began The first session will consider ronmental affairs for Procter & preparing his own te.umony for a sept. It ap-general safety issbes in the nu- Gamble Co.; and Mike Fremont petrance before a House of Representatives glear industry, followed by the of Rivers Unlimited, a conserva- subcommittee on nuclear acuvtues.

erttics of Zimmer,the regulators tion group. "They said formallicensing hearings are a

, of nuclear plants and author- The Sept.16 hearing will be very costly way of achieving the same objec-8ttes on transportation and devoted to critics of the $1.7 bil- tive that result from holding informal hear-beklth- tion power plant at Moscow, ingh," Altman sand.

Missing from the proceed- Ohio. Testimony will be taken "We decided to have these hearings before ings is CO&E, which elected not from Thomas Devine, assistant Aherne and Roberts wrote this opinton, but.

to participate. A company director of the Government Ac. tronically for the very name reasons the' nota spokesman said the hearings countability Project, a inthetr opmlon," Altman added w111serie nousefulpurpose." washington-based group that g gg The no-show by CO&E is a has pressed allegations about disappointment for Dave Alt. safety problems. press thai the fauure to reopen licensing hear-man, the 36-ye1r-old attorney RICH ARD L. Retter, a former me s au u who chairs the 23-member advi- employee at Zimmer, also is s,someh o q g sory councll. scheduled to testify.  : so and the very commissioners who were "I TN!NE there is a tremen- James O. Keppler, NRC re-  : against opening licensing bearings recognised dous amount of important glonal administrator, leads a that?

Informatton to be clartfled delegation of r?gulators on bept. still, officsels from Cincinnat10as & Elec. ,

without CO&E," said Altman. 23. The NRC has primary re- trte Co. have refused to appear at any of the i "But there are important ques- sponsibility for regulating nu- four local hearings which start Thursday and Lions that only CO&E can an- clear power plants. run on consecuuve Thursdays at city councu awer and I can't get around Donald M,ttan Ohlo's chief

• chambers.The hearings wu! be ! rom 'J.10 p.m.

that."

boiler inspector, also will testify In announcing rnat decision last month.

Altman said the hearings on Sept.23.

CO&E spokesman David Altemuchte stad the TH E FIN AL night, Sept. 30. * "8 "

will be confined to factual mat- gr ups te ly t ters and not opinions about nu- will be devoted to d.scussions of and nuclear power, win service no useful pur-clear power. '

radiation and the transporta- pose."

Altman has been trying tion of nuclear fuel and radio

• Altman sand the first meeung will tnclude desperately to find an alterna- active wastes. testimony from three widely regarded quahty assurance expens. They will not cominent on Elmmer directly, he said, but will discuss plant safety, what can 30 wrong and what quellts c'surance programs have left to do.

Warner Ames Cable CommunIcauenst.1 broadcast al; the heartngs on its pwbhc acceu channet.

LincinnaU Post 9/10/82 ,

NRC i 1- i gets fi , ..

blame By Ron Liebeu r 4, ,- '

v l

ease se masam- g A former Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff member said , g Thursday the NRC has failed to y ,

do its job. g And that failure helps ex-plain why there has been a ,'

history of construction maa. age- . .

ment problems at the William y H. Zimmer Nuclear Power Sta-uon. according to Robert D. Pol-h , . ; EQ_.

. A

'M y(3 M-M ' y lard. I g. ., p-

,d *%

p A ,

POLLARD WAS a witness at N9 the first of four public hearings -

• 7, J P.I '

i by the Cincinnat! Environmen-tal Adytsory Council into the 4 .0 sp

, fa M "' fd safety and reliability of the St.1 'tM" I w *.

billion Zimmer station sit Mos-cow, Ohto. d Pollard advocated tougher, independent inspections and -

greater opportunttles for per-sons living close to power plants to have a votee in licensing.

Now a nuclear safety expert i with the Union of Concerned _

Pol $Nftth NR in 1 a With the framed photograph of a nuclear power pl in project manager. the background. J, Floyd Byrd and LH. MAe Fremont of The Zimmer hearings, being the Cincinnati Environmental Advisory Counci! lister' to held at City Hall, resume Sept comments during Thursday night's hearing on the Zimmer 16 with tesumony expected from plant.

NRC Commissioner James K.

Assetsune and regional NRC years aa manager of plant safety ment was adequately tnstalled.

officials. at Con Edison Electric Co. In Unlike Pollara, Wessman Pollard's testimony sparked New York, blamed most of the said he has confidence in the an otherwise lackluster opening reported safety incident:1 on de- NRC. "I think if they are satts-n!ght of hearings thet Cincin- sign flaws and not on faulty Iled, that ought to be your nau Gas & Electric Co. has de- construcuon. assutance,"said Wessman.

cided to ignore- .

ROPPE ALSO said the num- WESSMAN ALSO disagreed Testimony from Pollard and ber r,f safety incidents is mis- with Pollard that an independ-two nuclear industry represen- leading because the NRC re- ent third-party ought to be in Latives mostly avolded any quires the filing of reports for a charge of monitoring the qual.

references to Zimmer. variety of reasons that range Sty o! construcuor work.

ADVISORY COUNCIL Chair. from the " sublime to the ridicu- Atthough Cincinnate City man Dave Altman, pleased with lous." Council has refused to sanction the three-hour session, said he "The fact 1:1st a piece of the hearings, two of its mem-wanted a general discussion of equipment doesn't work is not bers, Guy Ouckenberger and Safety lasues in the nuclear unusual,does not mean they are Thomas Brush, attended the power industry. unsafe "he said. hearing.

Altman was disappointed George Wessman, manager Upon completion of the that quesuonsag L;y s:tvisory of Torrey Pines Technologies of hearings Sept. 30, the advisory council members sometimes San Diesc, Calif., outlined the councll will issue a report to city strayed into such off-limits ingredients of an effecuve qual- counct!. Council has resisted in.

areas as a speaker's feelings ity assurance program. He said volvement in the sessions on the about the merits of nuclear most important is a top-level advice of the city solicitor, who power. "Such quesuons don't management commitmant, f ol- said the hearings could be view-mean anything."he said. Iowed 15y qualifted 7ersonnel ars- ed as interference with CO&E's ,

In response to just such a proachlag their rork in a sys- request for an operatinglicense.

[

' question Robert Koppe, an temaue manner. CO&E and Cincinnati signed )

I industry consultant with 8.M. Pollard considered an agreement in October 1981 Stoller 1nc.cf Boulder,Colo de- construcuon records much that gave the city radiological clared that nuclear power le safe more significant, saying that monitoring equipment in return and reliable. they can be at uses the only for the city not opposing licens-Koppe,who ircrkwd for eight way to check whether equip- Ing.

_ _ _ _ _ , _ . . _ . _ . =

i rw cavanat,PostJrunny,,Septpr

~

ear ta les.

l A poMr bdustry.

j Altman C s disappointed

% thSt quesuoning by tdvisory

' evancil membits somItimrs strayed ints such Eff-Ilmtts -

fOr prob oms areas a? a speaker's feelings

=,""'"""'0'"O'""

"Such quesuons don't mean anything." said Altrun af ter I

l l

pr men u the heanngs.

0t Z*l m mer l

ennseen. 6. IN RESPO.NSE to just such a i question, Robert Koppe, an l Industry consultant with 8.M. '

Stoller !nc. of Boulder, Colo., de-A former Nuclear Regula Now a nuclear safety expert clared that nuclear power is safe Commission staff member d ath the Union of Concerned and re11able. -

Thursday the NRC has fane IO scienusta in Washington, D.C Koppe, who worked for eight l do its job. Pollard left the NRC in Irl6 as a '

years as mant.ger of plant safety prcject manager. at Con Edison Electric Co. In And that failure hel lain why there has b The Zimmu hearings, being New YMk, blamed most of W g1 story of construcuon m " held

• at City Hall, resume Sept. reported safety incidents oc de-  !

.Inent problems at the Z "" 13 with tesumony espected from sign Haus and not on faulty Nuclear Power Stauo

• NRC Commissioner James K. construction.

,ang to Robert D. Ponar Assetsune and regional NRC Koppe also said the number Pouard was a witne off c als. of sMety hendents is misleading first of four public h, ' Polistd's tesumony sparked beca:Je the NRC requires the

.the Cinetanau Em* tron an oWrwise lackluster opming Eng M Wons W a muty of Adytsory Cbuncil into the IHght of hearings that Cincin- reasons that range from the and reliabutty of the 31.7 b 1 nau Oss & Electric Co. has de- *subtlme to the ridiculous?

Zimmer station at MoseOw, cided to lgnore. George Wessman, manager Ohio. of Torrey Pines Technologies of TESTIMONY FROM Pollard San Diego, Canf, outlined the POLL ARD ADVOCA W M Mh MW N* ingndknts of an effectin qual-tou gh e r, independent in Ity assurance program.

Sions and greater opportun 8* "" " ""'

Advisory Council Chairman HE SAID MOST tmportant is for persorn living close to powe a top-level management com-plants to have a voice in lleens- Dan Altman, phased with W ing three-hour session, said he n)ltment, follce'ed by qualified personnel approaching their wanted a general discussion o. work in a systemaut manner safety issues an the nuclear Unlike Pouard, Wessn.ar.

said he has confidence in the NRC.

"I think if they are sausfied, that ought to be yout assur-The Cincinnati Enquirer 9-10-82 -

ance,"sald Wessman.

Wet.1&n also disagreed with

, Pollaru that an independent Z' [H e Ithird party ought to be in Feharge of monitoring the qual.

sty of construcuon work.

Defines Operation f Koppe listed three problems that could interfere with the cool.

The first of the city's four public ing process: cooling pumps can hearings concerning the deeply fall, electricity can black out,or-troubled Zimmer nuclear power most seriously-piping can break.

stauon was a layman's course in That's why, he said, there must nuclear plant operauon and safe. be independent backup systems.

ty. He also said his firm, which The hearing Thursday night monitors nuclear plants for their at Cincinnat1 City Hall, sponsored parent firms, records 3,00th4,000 by the Environmental AdTtsory safety-problem reports each year Councu, was attended by about "I

[f30,"8' g ,h a from the nation's 10 nuclear "THE FUTURE of new plants taped replay of the three-hout E '"I"t in"' w a specWie pkee la uncertMn

• be said.

hearing la shown on Warner- of equipment that didn't work',, The prinetpal owner of the nu-Ames @ telukta ekar power stauon,about 30 miles he said. " Simply telling you how east of Cincinnatt, ts Cincinnau {

FIRST T0 speak before the many tienes something gets re- Oss & Electric Co. It has been the-member council was Robert pwted desn't te,U you how safe Mckar poww k fined and reprimanded by the Koppe, of the 8.M. Stoller Corp., NRC for a faulty safety and qual-

%oulder. Colo. He holds a master HOWN. RE said, thue Lty assurance program.

of science degree in nuclear engt- Although invued CO&E of fi-have been some serious problems cials dechned to parucipate in the wing' one thing which distin-

"the e as INhm Mut Island public hearinga guishes a nuclear power plant. . . accident, whue opuntor con f u- Among the other speakers was a n muowed the cwe pacte k . Robert Ponard, a former NRC is the heat comes from fission of ecome overheated and damaged.

trantum rather than the burning gmployee and a member of the wa8 a sWprise to emyone of fossil fuel."be said- you can damage the core that Union of Concerned Selentists "The principal difficulty with hadly and not have serious radla-He 1t the NRC ta lri6, concern- )

ed t atit only monttered uttituef making nuclear plants safe is soon."he said. unitty assurance programs-irben urantum pellets fission, He also said that the cost of !ather than do its own independ-mey give off radlauon which is building nuclear plants and the harmfulto people? Isas wait for licensing from the E

'"I(mentality that has exist-Sederal Nuclear Regulatory Com- ed in util10es,that what was good NE EIFLAINED the radlauon masalon (NRC) make new con

• er.ough for coal ta good enough eminates from the inside fuel strueuen impracucal. Indeed. he for nuclear. has not been dispeu-sods, which contain the uranium said no new ones have been start.

They are within the core of the ad in aome seven years-and ed

• Pouard said poclear reactor, several canceued after Three Mile "The safety of a nuclear power Island.

plant relies on keeping those rods ecol so they don't gtve off radia.

Ston? -

l l

i l

[

r i

l THg CINCNNATI D80UutER'Fridev, September 10, tee?

~

Hearing On Zimmer "

Defines Operation ~

f . .

SY STEVEN ROSEN lty control inspectors-rather p  ; , ,

easaw meaner than relying on the work of em- p '

I'es of the nuclear plaht's lThe city's first concerning public troubled the deeply hearing .er*gg you ask the NRC wl$o is

~

4a *e

'Elmmer nuclear power station ulumately responsible, they will was meant to give those watching tell you the utillt is," said Pol- C

%.' ~-

a simple explanmuon of nuclear lard, a member of the Unions of * -

plant operauon and safety-but it Concerned Scientists. "The men-

' didn't. tal!ty that has existed in uullties, t

"We haven't resolved this that what was good enough for .

i l major quesalon-the quality of coal is good enough for nuclear, ~

• ( i I life versus the dollar value (of nu* has not been dispelled.

I clear safety)," said Dr. Richard The people can see over the bg l l Ooldsmith, member of the city's years a lack of integrity on the Environmental Advisory Council. t of the Industry and its regu-That group sponsored Thursday [ tors.

night's hearing.the ftrat of four at Pollard had refuted earlier " -

City Hall tesumony by Robert Koppe, of .

"We are told there is no Itmit the 8.M. Stoller Corp., Boulder. (

to the public money you can Colo. He holds a master of science spend to add 10 years to a dying degree in nuclear engineering. ~ ' "

old man's ftte," he said. "Then I i

Koppe had said the cost of

• y

• don't think we can put a legal building nuclear plants and the , i t

i Ilmtt on nuclear power safety." long wait for NRC licensing make T

Ooldsmith made his remarks new construcuon impracucat. In- '

after hearing former Nuclear deed, he said, no new ones have Regulatory Commission (NRC) been started in some seven years employee Robert D. Poltard say be -and several cancelled af ter quit the agency in dispute about Three Mlle Island. ew wsweevo m e Its standards for assuring the "The future of new plants is safety of nuclear ptants. uncertain," he said. ROGERT KOPPE of the S. M. Stoner Co, Boulder, Colo. Insists new construction of in perucular, Pollard said the nudeer power plants ft Impractical becmse of cost of building them and the long NRC shnuld employ its own qual- (See yIIMIER, Fate C 2)_ wait for federal Scensing.

SM CONTNUED FROM PAGE C-1 is the heat comes from fission of mont seriously-ptping can brent.

urantum rather than the burning of fossil fuel," he said.

"The principal diffleulty with That's why.he sald,there must be Independent backup systems, He ' Iso said his firm, which "It was a surprise to everyone you can damage he ente that badly and not have serious rartta.

uon," he said.

The prtncipal owner of the making tuelear plants safe is monitors nuclear plants for their Pollard, incidertially, said

, Zimmer nuclear power station. when urantum pellets ftssion, parent firms, records 3.000-4.000 Three Mlle Island was not a result -

about 30 miles east rf Cinctnnati. they give off radiation which is safety-probiert reports each year of employee enor. He called it a la Cincinnatt Oas & Electric Co. It harmful to people " from the natton's 'l0 nuclear "rather complex accident," eau s-has been fined and reprimanded He explained the radiation power riants. ed by poorly designed equtpment, for a faulty safe eminates from the inside fuel "Most involve a speelfte piece equipment f allure arid poorfy a

by the assi qusitty NRr'.rance program.ty and rods, which contain the uranium, of equtpment that didn't work." tratned plant operators.

t Althou*h invited CO&E of fi- They are within the core of the he said. " Simply teiltng you how There were two other speakert, '

clats dec!*.nei to partictpate in the nuclear reactor. many times something gets re- a nuclear-power ir dustry con-public hearings. "The safety of a nuclear power ported doesn't tell ytid how safe sultant and a University of Cin * '

Thursday's hearing had start- plant telles on keeping those rods nuclear power is." etnnati professor.

ed with Koppe, who attempted a cool so they don't give off radla- llowever, he said, there have Thursday's public hearing was.

layperson's explansuon of nu- uon." been some serious problems- attended by about 100 persom. ,

clear power plant construction Koppe listed Jtree problems such as IFirs Three Mlle Island Many more are expected to water and safety. that could interfere with the ecol- acettent, w here operato* con f u- tonight, when 6 taped replay of -

"The one thing which distin- Ing processt cooting pumpe can alon allowed the core reactor to the three-hout hearing to showet gulshes a nuclear power plant. fall, electric 1ty can black out, of- become overheated and damaged. on Warner- Ames eab!e televtston.

3 experts give l varied - - - .

views of

_0. -

A-plant safety Pl ant is safe, Ponard repued,"If true.

4 WES M how could you possibly get tato the gg,g y,g,,

ONONNATI-Three nuclear es, snuados ya'n gotten younelf lato at parts drvw sharply different views on DE #

the safcty of the William H. Emmer BE NOTED 50W the plant was 95 auclear power plant and the nuclear percent completed before the NRC dia-power industry itself in the first of covered the quaBty-control break-four public hearings bere Thursday down and subsequently numerous con-alght- struction deficiendes la the ptsat's One questlosed whether aDeged piping, electrical eystems and other defidendes in the construction of crtucal components.

Emmer can be corrected, dting miss- By then, he said, stuch of the work ing documentatloa. already was buried under tons of con-The other two. wb!!e generaDy crete and documentation required to svoldlag any specific reference to show that the hidden work met NRC Zimmer, told this dty's Environmental requirments was missing.

Advisory Council that nuclear plaats The NRC. PoDerd said, lacks the have suffident backup systems if prt* staff to evaluate every aspect of a au-mary systems fall. clear power plant and must rely on the THE COUNCE. 5ET the pubbe bear, stility ladustry malatainlag an ade-legs to namtae safety and reliabluty quote quaBty. assurance program, in-et the 81.7-biluos Emmer plaat la ciudlag maintaining the mamanary Ilght of what the federal Nuclear docentados. ,,_

Regulatory Commission described last And rigo aus testing and re-inspec-November as a 1w breat- u= c==t a=emeur ornct -r7 NRC LJ testify Tuesday down"in the plant's gualtty assurance potential deficiency in a plaat program. resulting from a quaBty control break. A congressional hearing Tuesday will The NRC fined Qadnasti Gas & down, he said. focus on the status of the Nuclear Regulatory Electric Co. a then record 5200,000 TEE 400gT ESSENTIA1. tagredient u I at wer on.

last Noveraber for a variety of viola

• to safer nuclear safety, pouard said, is tions, lachding misstag records, har- estabushing an "ladependent QA func. (* '

aasment of quality-control inspectors don" at construction sites that is "not Envir me h schM ed a a t es I and other problems with the plant's affected by the bottom Bae on an ac*

mony in Washington, D.C. The subcommittee quanty assursace progna discussed Zimmer June 16.

count sheet."

The NRC also ordered a massive James G. Keppler, regional NRC admints-He said the klads of constructice trator, sill present an update on the 81/2 bil.

ruinspection program. More than 430 defideocles found by th NRC at lion power plant at Moscow, Ohio.

laspectors and 1,000 workers have hmw could affect its safe shutdows noen involved la making repairs, com* to the event of an acddent and la-NRC inspectors are conducting the sec-Pleting new construction and anarch- crease the the5 hood of such as acci-ond phase of an invesugauon into nafety lag for the missing documentation.

concerns at Zimmer. In addition, the NRC is dont occurring tnonttoring an extensive uultty rechecking of No NRC representatives partidpated A sharply different view was nrrvious construcuon work, la the session Thursday alght, but an presented by Robert H. Koppe of Sx  % N N PosNen smoteneer it we NRC -amidoner seat a letter to the StonerCorp.of Boulder,Colo.

80ty saytag someone may parodpate at Koppe acted that there are 800,000 a later sendon. CG&E has decBnad to astural gas leaks discovered each year Participate, saytag m heartags wald la the United States and so one is con-surn no enfalpurycee-tsading that gas is assafe ta use.

TM MCofG E9sION wtu be nest He compared this to the 3,000 to eursday at 7 p.m la thec hama" d,000 reports each year of safety Oty CouncB chambers. related probiens discovered a. seclear Whne CGAE is respondble for coa. power plaats, which range from the struction of the plant at Moscow. "sabllme to the ridiculous."

Ohio, Dayton Power and IJgkt Co. and me Cahtabus and Saka Ohlh tric CA also em Pan owmen of te things E CONCEDED TEAT "a few happen that are truly worrl-87-some" sack as the accident at Three Robert pollard, a former NRC Bdlie lsiend te hfarch,1979.

staffer and member of the Union of t'ammted Scientists, criticised both Eut he ned te nuclear hadustry is g

the utiuty todustry and NRC.charglag ,,,, f,,raduaDy a

they were piadas flaandat condders-dents and equipment fanures?

George Wesumma of Torrey Plaes

'We must lasdH the attitude that a Tammanagens San Diego, Calif. said good QA (quauty-assurance) pregam is the " single most reliable source is the the best friend a utiBry has,"_be said. NRC asself" regardlag puhuc assur-Asked if the pahuc can rely en the ances that a nuclear plaat is built NRC for assermaces that a encinar Property

e-e.mm *--h

> - - . g ,

6 ,

"~~

_1 The .

i ncinnati Post Tuesdoy evenieg, Septernber 14,1982 price 25e NRC 'p ans new Zimmer check, by Jerry Conde James O. Keppler, the NRC's that both the NRC and Cincin- , Keppler said the NRC does "It seems unrealtsue to have mauon program "Is progressing rw.e ween.ww.s-se Chicago regional director, told natt Oas & Electric Co., majority not want to bring in the Inde- confidence that the company more slowly than (CU&El had WA8HINOTON - A Nuclear the House Energy and Environ- owner of the power plant,"have pendent firm until the quality (CO&E) that neglected quality predicted."

Regulatory Commission offlctal ment Subcommittee inqutring a st1gma attached to them," conttrmation program is " fur- assurance for so many years will flowever, Keppler added. the tortay told a House subcommit. Into safety problems at Zimmer making the independent audit ther along." on its own. fully uncover the NRC is "not concerned with the toe that the NRC Intends to that "a third-party check is necessary. Udall had urged such an deficiencies resulting from its rate of progress of this prograre ,

bring in a third party to audit essential for pubite acceptance CURRENYLY. CG& E is con . Independent audit at a subcom. own neglect," Udall said. but rather that the program ,

• ccfety condtuons at the William of Zimmer." ducting a quahty confirmation mittee hearing on Zimmer in KEPPLElt.THE leadoff wit- completed properly."

11. Zimmer Nuclear Power Sta- Keppler went on to explain program under scrutiny by the June. He stressed the need ness in the one-day session, told tion at Momeow, Ohio. to Rep. Morris K. Udall, D-Arts NRC. again today. Udall the CO&E quality conftr- See ZIMMER, Pew SA In discusstng the ongoing "Since the last henring (June quattty confirmauon effort. M E A N WRIL E, EARL A l'0L no progress has been made Keppler said the NRC sees a Borgmann, nenfor vice presiden(

in reducing the backlog of alle- "potenttally significant" of CU&E, said in remarks pre-gattons of quality assurance amount of work to be redone in pared for delivery to the sub-problems and wrongdoing on three areas: structural steel, committee that It appeared to the part of the uuttty and/or its weld quality and the ability to CO&E that the NRC "is sausfied contraetors," Keppler said. trace materials throughout the with progress being made by the "IN FACT, THE list of out- plant. company and its contractors in standing allegations has grown "WE CAN ONLY speculate the implementauon of the up-larger. Our progress during this about the magnitude of the graded quality assurance pro.

perlod has been hindered be- major correcuve actions that gram in confirming the quality cause we underestimated the will be required if existing of construcuon."

amount of starf time required to uncertaintles are not resolved Borgmann noted that the respond to inquiries. We are through ongoing quality assur. NRC, as of Aug.1. had author-presenuy staffing Zimmer with ance program reviews." Keppler tred the utility to reduce from eight full-Ume people. Including said. 100 percent to 50 percent the three investigators from the Keppler went on to say the level of reinspection requtreet of HRC Offlee of Investigations. work port rmed by subcontrac-Two additional investlestors, corrective actions could be extensive if serious deficiencies I*f" who will soon jotn the NRC, will augment the lnvestigation."

are located in areas such as structural steel, weld quality, past personnel qualtftratlang, denign document and draming control, and the quality of ether rasendal material.

. a met e e

Doubt cast on Zimmer work quality.

3, n m,,,, o NRC Investigators are actively vance by the manufacturer. In the other emer sese nse pursuing 300 separate allegations about ?nstance, miscellaneous work, such as C ,,

g y

,4 gg Ug "The real sin we have Mt now to that safety problems at Zimmer. Allegauons are temoval of paint and Insulauon, had not 3 [

being recetved " faster than we can put been done properly.

the, quality of this project is ind1termina-With that stateenent, James O. Kep-pier, restonal administrator of the Nuclear them u_ ._

1981 to b_ed " said Keppler.

mplete .ulThe investiga.

s_eume ln p_ASK,EDa. IFh HE he thought

.o - nsel there Co scrap the plant because it was becoming be a would.m as reason for dismissal R:gulatory Commission, summarised al*

e Keppler defended his decision not too expenrtve. Keppler said he is not the The general foreman whose fttters union and is under re-to institute an independent audtt of con- least bit interested in how much CO&E will dtsmissalWednesday at the Wit view within job site grievance most two hours of testimony Thursday in struction ectivtues until an NRC-ordered have to spend. Ilam II. Zimmer Nuclear Power procedures."

the second of four hearings in Cincinnat: quality confirmation program of past work "I think you would be disappointed as a Station touched of f a walkout The dismissal prompted the saMy William li. Zimmer Nu- is further along. by 500 pipetitters that conunued pipetitters nursday morntne to council if I considered the cost of the "CO&E...should be Initially allowed to project,"said Keppler. today complained Thursday of refuse to go to work at the St'I THE STATERIENT was not reassuring determine the construction quality for it- Keppler joined David A tman, advisory heavy management pressure to bill:on plant at Moscow, Ohio.

-nor totally sausfactory-to the Cincinnau Environmental Advisory work," he said. members of self.Then others can come in to review the council chairman, in crittc zing CO&E for e mpMe W pmM

. not attending the public hearings.

• WHHam A. Ments, a nyear. The paperitters did not re-t sa e pl t i e The $200,000 fine last November "At some point in this total highly Id generalforemanin thereac. turn to work today, and there when tt is completed against CO&E for construcuon manage

• Tolatile, ht;hfy visible issue. CO&E ls going tor bundtng's suppression pool, was no indicauon when the) i was fired for what Henry J. would. However 15I cut of I'30 Shrugging, Keppler suggested the advl* ment problems was raised to that record to have to get off the sidelines and get onto almCo,WMmecontracW. ptpenuers on the second shut sory counct! hold hearings early next yearselves. level byKeppler the five said NRCeon"nissioners he recommended them a . the playing field and make its P tuon called Insubordination. reported Thursday night, ac-known,"said Keppler*

when the NRC expects to get closer to $150,000 penalty, but the commissioners in Ments declined to elaborate cording to a spokesman for the CG&E HAS SAID the hearings serve no on the speelfics of the firing. Ite Cincinnau Gas & Electric Co..

statuating EI"*'f- just what is wrong with closed-door sessions in Washington added useful purpose.

another 380,000 for intimidation and har- said only there was a personality prime developer of the project.

"I want to point out today the Zimmer assment of Inspectors. The lead-off witness Thursday. NRC dispute between him and his Those pipetitters who re-situation is one of not knowing what the e Keppler has not changed his opin-Commissioner James K. Asselstine, said superintendent that was the re- fused to work Thursday did so qYality of construction is at the plant" lon supporting further licensing hearings the federal agency had made " substantial" suit of a demanding production without the consent of the f'ra-Kepper said. "The uttitty's quaHty assur- into quality assurance concerns at Zimmer pmanns in stepptng up its enforcement timetable. fitters Union Loe I 392, accoro ante program simply has not demonstrat- program. Still, he cautioned, the NRC can* Hal Lauth, director of corpo- Ing to Bob Sulti- union bust-ed that the plant has been built property or ject. brought by the Miami Valley Power On July 30, fiRC commisaloners order-Pro. not do it aH. rate affairs for Kaiser in Oak- ness manager.

"A" ed the U.S. Atomic Safety and Licensing "We do not have the capablitty or the ' land Caltf, tasued a statement Telser Ments salo THE PLANT IS being built by the Cin- Board not to reopen the hearings. Keppler resources to inspect Independently all, or late Thursday on the dismissal. management hae n% 4 been clanau Gas & Electric Co, along with Day- said the lasues should be pubitely alred. even a major poruon, of the construcuon ..The management of Ray- satisfted with the pace of work ton Power & Light Co. and Columbus and e In the past month. CO&E or its con. acuvities that ate involved in butiding a mond Katser terminated Mr. In Installing pipe hangers in the Southern Ohio Electric Co. . tractor Henry J. Kaiser Co.. lasued two nuclee.r power plant" he said. Ments for what we censider . suppression pool, whic!n is de-Thursday's heartnss,in sharp contrast limited hatta to work after NRC personnel Because an operating license is pend- jusuftable reasons. In accord- signed to contain steam in the to the dull opening night asesion last week, alerted them to prob: ems. One order in- Ing before the commissioners, Asselsttne ance with provisions of our event a pipa breaks.

produced some new informauon and pro- volved a halt to welding on the reactor did not dtseuss Ztmmer. labor agreements. the action vided insight into the NRC's progrend in cooling system piping where the weldtng The next pubite hearing will te at "I has been appealed by the pfpe. -By Ron Lmbou ikenning Zimmer, procedures had not been rettewed in ad- p.m. Sept. 23 in City Hall chambers.

i

' Y 0 rue new vons riuaQsunoAY, serreusen n, snt .

Qhio Nuclear PkntIk. Once Again Under Scrutiny -

l syfvERPETERsopf iI

,M

" .M' t

soinsa m entwanee i! * }%% M3

. CDeCINNATI Sept.13. The saarty as a genney comphance pengrant. The N e-

[.

nespisted Zimmer nuclear sta- le bar"""'I on cuatractors who

t

> come under just up the Ohio River here, Federal and eral been femd in violate of the Fed-safety regulatione governing nu. . Q. s4M 1 **

. ; ,,j .

public scruttny of outh clear plant constraction amt reluires ,. g e andard wort, structural defects and thorn to repeat many qualky test . .,em ;[y'. q t'en routine circumvention of Federal "The real einla that mcet of the le in the ground." Mr. Keppler said m' as~' gg .4 esterthy procedures.

' Tlse third Nuclear R Cons- thursday night at a hem held by the M gotimalen investigattaa the h==== Cindnnatt City t'=et's .

g4 h two pare wee undertaban thee tal Adoteory Cormni a volunteer + _ < ,

.1here have been m allege. cttteen grege that is into the '.e 4 g ; , , ; J .,; g- ,

1. 3 A i '

tiene shaut the plant's commeructlen and plant's safety. .  %  %

acessed keeping, esse of wldch, accord- He said that the tf the plant . 9" .

Arg en 1 - crnciale, tervolve was "Indeteretnote." addedInst It .s

• 1 ,;47..,?;4.. w y'd getters of safety. might be necromary to conduct some , .ii.:@p{h,q i As investigetien last year famed " destructive temung." or W y' Wl ;%. 947 t+i y4, y ettberate falsencation of documente, partsof the todetermee whether .

• ) , V-ML===* .J $ C"""*

3if t 4rtimidation of quaHty centrol tuspec- It meets F 1standarde, e tres and a lack et asseremos to Federal UdNeyn an to @

• *'7 %,,Te,,g'" ' '",;",,$ The Clactemte one ena Electric g , ?' [ '

k ttiGas and Company. Company has dec!Inad to appear at the , y . ; y , %Q

• ' James G. Keppler, head of the regula. odvlsory comnituee's Imartags. Its WH. ;4 pf :p g .

4eey commiselon*e regional office that ciale etend tant tle evidace h 's rseas the plant, sold at the times of the Zimmer plant's ownne m- $

tractors rests on their acknowledged ter that the Zinuner plant's qualtty  ?

to what tlwrg maae l gractices were "totany out of gHure

? 'At tt'o emme time. Mr. Rappler ao that include i

Ibr.sech weld ,

thatle made each weldlagrod used. 4 W that the Nuclear R rey Cornmloeien had been An acemtion from the phmt's oppo-

.ei ressoal by the sugma" of havtag al, nests that the plant le unmefa, the com- ,

piest E# I" hat t its t have been out there in the plant and we f,a dr W

.7 r m wererguthisly vioasungthe e stragtimmed ou my asw- m m= we mofo.as am t t unisolon's rules. The House Interter '

f ommittee, headed try Reprenantative ance ,, Dick _ad we ,thatis doing tge ggggner ph amme Power Stetten em the Ohio Rfear near CluelemsetL Tom '

Jterrte K. UdaH of Artsons, is holding the -

m t.aspoke> Carpemeer above, et the Cimelematl Ammace for itempenehle Emergy, sold latoum canatows T yi,6 "ded,"lasoldof the that, with se much erttleal erlemece availehle to the puhele, he didat think

{ " gg,g strict rechecking steps regtdral by the the Nuclear Regulatory Commissise would ever allow the plant to spam. a Ja the niennume t'he buudere of the Nuclear Reguletary Commissica.

'[ mat and the W Gee and Eles. "Here will be no mas probleem at de and the use of the wrong and Disclosures about the Zimmer plant eventua!!Itook to the atory com- clear power plant sttII under mentreew t $c Company thvetema directed by the misoton. um first F ervestigation unn.

t overnment to retraceemany of tInscr plant." grades of steel, the groups se first came toiteht because a te in-The plara's armenismi appennte, the won as what has been caDed the chaotic vestigator named Thomas te, which followed resulted only in a crts- The petWon to have Zirmner's Benem>

,e metruction esepe undes' what to known Edlemi Valley Power Project and Cin- tion by the commisalon for minor ing . roepened so thelustitsamere condidon of qual entrol paperwork while working on a divorce case at the cirmati Alliance for Respondble Ener. that has been the of prwyloue in- plant ette in January 19e0. began exam. paperwork violations. d prement what t*wy sein wee new i gy, hm tulo munerne charges vestigations. Intng time cards at the Zimmer t. When Mr, Applegiate persisted with evidence was rejected, in a 3J vote, ty ageinet the plant's safety in a 121-page "The N.R.C. ten't going to tipre a Many had been falsined, he f ,and his allegatirie, and was joined by oppo- the commission this summer.

paetton te reopen Zimmer's Incenetng plant with thle umch critical evidence he took his reeutta to the ut!Hty, which nents or nuricer energy and lawyers However Mr. Keppler, who had available to the bHc agalnet it." Tom engaged him to investigate eudi per. frun the Govemment Accountabattry the enrnmigatan to reopen the I have been muthirtmed and Carpenter. . of Ctnctnnett A! Hance connet abuons. Project a public-truerest group beged twerings, held out hope Thusday that undocumented daign chages, im' fbr Respraelble Energy said. "Politi- Mr. Applegate*p invest!gattnn also in Washington, the rommisslori started auch a step maattt yet be taken, wtuma preaer weldtna and wektng sapatre, in- cally, they can't do it. I chan't thinit 18 tegna ymdudstesteeneg er arennejag that leset to the the eersent _ ',^

3 I , , .

Unidentified Welders Assail Zimmer ~

city hall, wearing cowboy hats 1981.Cincinnatl Oas & Electric Co. and other workers occasionalty ML g b,ac ga P '

• und)r e 'cond SY gw,STE,VE11ROSEN

,,g, while shielded from others by a Zimmer's princtpal owner, was " ground down (weldst to the baw tions." the ' would talk.

white sheet. Tom Carpenter.t,f the fined $200.000 by the Nuclear metal and feweided the whole City Counctiman Guy Duckens Two men Identitled only,as anu-Ztmmer Cinctonatt Alliance ReguWry Commission for oper- thing."

welders at Zimmer nuclear power For Respponsible Energy, said the ating an "out-of-control qualtty And at times, they said, weld- bertu an oberwr at the hear-Ing essentially was completely re-W slation 4 ranted uniformed police two recently had been harassed at progro'n." ingsl"said's*u"hile

• 1. g, "Iinit's interesting this fashio"'Ito protection and voice distorters be- the ptant's Moscow stte" A proper quality-contro'l prequality-controlinspectors placed, sometimes without fore t'tey went before the city's dont know what to do with it.

present.

Environmental Advisory Council The men gave short answers to gram ts required by the NRC to And, they said, plant records do mm un ened. unwn aM (E ACI on Thursday to allege goestions prepared Some in advance byan-guarantee a plant'sthat safety. CO&E cant be cross-examtned. I believe E AC members. of thett has maintained it now has not,*show that work I dont know W anyom W shoddy construction work at gg swers were inaudible, and it was control of that program. But the I.t means the we.lds arent will.

I , they said that difficult at times to discern which two welders challenged that" fh g n t a w Iki ow To that. E AC Chattman D.

throughout the summer they were man was speaking. The men answered " absolute- f at they reweided and that's a Dad man aa2 % alms not property trained to do their The first man, Q. said f*e never ly" when asked if there was con- major repair. They called it # "** *

• welding work and were pressured received training as a welder. And, tinued pressure to rush construc- cosmetic? I"o"k "in"to mis. .

lo to rush construction. Also, they he said, he was promoted to e tion. COLE has declinet to partict-said, they witnessed a lack of supervisory position. They said quality. control pa e in m pubHe padngt TIIE TWO men said the NRC *" * * " " ~

agreement among quality-control "It wasa fluke I made the post- inspectors of ten disagreed at had not contacted them about

• Inspectors who found,at best,only tion I did." he said. "I did the bestI Etmmer, whIeh Ied to "masa their allegations. They said they ** " #8" d could?

I"ReHer. a"M spo"ke W"May nW ,

half the plant's problems. confusion and a lot of extra work? and otNer workers had documents of their concerns with safety at The two men answered ques- They also said they were not MR. 9. and Mr. It sat in a room _ tions about the quality-control in- told they would do"msjor repairs" titre E AC. the nuclear powar plant Yates to the side of council chambers in spection program at Ztrnmer. In at Zimmer. But, they said, they beek of this settloal said Zimmer ras"very sloppy and

- ~

disorganised" compared with

+--- another nuclear plant in Michl-PW98 gan, where he worked,

^

s Zimmer ,Tlarsder,Spenneer75,1Mruling appealed /

four% = m" " = e was Donald Milan, Ohio's chief r # * "

• g I Ommal I y we o ect, Wednesday flied papers sup- group challenging licensing of **hI ev A d f p's porting a public interest group's the Zimmer project, purpose as helping "whistleblow-request for hearings on allega* Cincinnatt Oas & Electric Co. ers" get their message to the pute ilsn3 of quality assurance is one of the owners of the

• lie.

treakdowns at the William H. power plant and is the lead himmer Nuclear Power fitation. applicant fer an operating 11-

. The commission already 'tas cense for the $1.5 billion factilty.

Tefused to order the Atomic Dave Attemuchte COsrE hafety and Ilcensing Board to agrector of community services,

. hold n;w hearings on the con- safd the company was not sus'.

hrstal reactor near Moscow, prised by the NRC statf position.

Dhlo. He said the first time O A P IMt the Oevernment Ac- asked for the hearings, the staff yountability Project has asked supported that move.

the commission to recon > ss A!temuchle said the NRC is

'Jily lIU decleton. expected to rule on the appealIn O A P. which is hpsed in 30 days. 3

l F

MET R: JAMES P. DELANEY, 369-1003 THE CINCINNATI ENOUIRER DE ATHS . . . . . . 8-7 POLITICS . . . . . . B-2 OHIO NEWS . . . B-7 WEIKEL. . . . . . . B-3 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 3.1982 I

3 i

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_ _ _ _ E_ _ . . _ _ _ _ _Zimmer issue Focuses On The Plant,

..,s.. ._

~

, , Not On Nuclear Energy, Official Says BY STEVEN ROSEN clear Regulatory Commission. the debate on Zimmer into a de- mony from the NRC's top regions!

l Empur espartw "We talked not about whether bate on nuclear energy." offactal. James G. Keppler. lie nnart After a series of hearings on all nuclear plants were put togeth- As tong as the debate about an "out-of-control

• quality-a=aur-s er unsately, but whether this one Zimmer was perceived to be part ance program at Zimmer has ren-

p. , Zimmer nuclear power station, was.** Altman said. "That gets of that national debate, it had dered the plant's safety "Indeter-

,(4 . 8 -

Cincinnattans now reatire that away from whether nuclear ener- trouble arousing the pubtle in minable" at this time.

one need not be against nuclear

-74 energy to be concerned about gy i.s good of bad. Cincinnau. Altam said.That's be.

I think the question of whettu cause of the way anu-nuclear AT THE time of the NRC's IGfit 4.~

,g Q. {*%

g.

Zimmer's safety, asys D. David er there cotild be a good plant acurtsts are viewed here Altman, chairman of the city a built has nothing to do with fine against CO&E. the utility atm Env nmental del was ordered to launch a new Q *b.. ncil , Zimmer. *lT'S A matter of sociological quality-confirmauon program -th g d. ,. / , ur my o that group's

• lf you're the biggest advocate fact that the New Left went to this make sure the plant now almoe Zimmer.fourAll public hearings of nuclear power in the world and issue (nuclear energy) af ter the completc.was built safely.

• * * %. 3- Into four received you came to our hearings, you Vietnam War ended

• he said. The uultty and its contractor.

wide coverage in the media and would think Zimmer has the "Therefore, everybody was afraid IIenryl Kaiser Co say past proh-were broadcast on radio nnd cable possibility of becoming the they'd get branded as being with tems hsve been corrected.

l t kesman for Cinctn. Achtites heel of the Industry." Alt- this group if tfay expressed the But at the recent pubite hear i

natl Gas & lectric Co Zimmer's man sud. teast bit of concern." ings. Keppler revealed ne planned principal owner, said the hearings to order a third-party review of

! *n SEE It as a pro- versus anu. At the advisory council's sec~ '

, were more of the same old pro- debate. centered on Zimmer." said end hearing. NRC Commtssioner CG&E'.s work, due to fears of the

,ggggy s trustworthiness-3 and anti-nuclear energy argu. David Attemuchle of CG&E. "The James K. Assetsune came to Cin- '

i ments* two are kind of in lock-step. f find cinnatt to explain the importance "I think CO&E got into the y' 6 a

-[

14 difficult to separate the generic of a " quality-assurance

• program business at a time when it was YET. THE principal Zaramer lasue from the separate. (O&E. for a nucIcar plant's safe opers- very fashionable." Keppler said critic, the Government A' "They thought all they had to da obviously,ls a supporter of nuclear tion.

ablitty Project. ssId CG&F g energy'- The pmgram, mandated by the was order a plant, get a contrarter that argument to dismis, . _..e NRC la meant to assure a con ' to build it and on engineer to de-concern about Zimmer's safety as But to 0 AP's legal director, structed plant in butit solidly sten tt and they could expect io nee part of a national anu-nuclear Thnmas Devine. CO&E is trying enough to prevent radtation- a finished product at the end.

radicalism- hard to avoid the issues. "My releastng accidents. CO&E was "They did not reatt9ttrally face l

,, CO&E refused to participale in theory is CG&E is trying the ' par- fined $200.000 in 19fil for keeping up to what it took to get into the the hearings. G A P did participate- rot approach

• to pubile relations." Iatse. quality-eLssurance recoIds nuclear DuSinesS."

+

To Altman, the counct!'s suc- he said. " Repeat a phrase over and and allowing harassment and in- CO&E cited fear of con' tins cess was due to the reepestability over again untti people begin to timidation ol inapar ters. with pending Ittigntlun f or ret 1 F nsamet r8 ente RY MMnt Mf nF L of lLs witnesses-and full ce* believe tt. But to Altman, the hearing's i D. DAVID ALTMaN tocks ever papers in nis offica operauon from the federal Nu* "C0&E has attempted to turn highilaht was some candid testa- (See glatttRR, Page t gl l

_l

iH1Hler .ugues.of

.vm sa!*s.tatu.s.

It sf quo.".in.su.tuuona.

n . 1n the .br.oadcast t lon An . it and te o.n. ra.dio.ntu.,c,able,II 1960s by two government officials lease a set of recomme,ndations.

. .. ,le-TINUED FROM PAGE C-1 disaffected with the Vietnam War. based on the hearings.

participating in the advisory The Nixon administauon once at.

council's neanngs tacked it for its alleged radical ac. Altman said the vote to pro-urtues. ceed with heanngs was 16-2, with ALTEMt'EHLE SAID he was one abstenuon. Carpentu left the di

' stressed with the council's third hat gon with the immy mMung eady, so as not to vote on bearing, ahen two men laenufted * " IO" only as Zimmer welders alleged insu'tutions,.crHlque Devine said. status 1uo a possible connitteinterest Altman said. Three others did not that quality-assurance problems "The pros and cons of nuclear " *"""E conunued. They spoke through a power are moot in Cincinnatt." he The counct! Invited both CO&E e016e-distorter and were shleijed said. "It's a very dangerous tech- and its crtues to appear-and to from the audience by a while nology and !'m war 7 Df lL But that submit questions to be asked of sheet The men tiarassment, and said signedthey feared doesn't mean I'd work to impede each other.In addluon.OAP's Dr.

affidavits it. vine helped Altmar. arrange for

.attesung willingness to meet with the NRC. *I'm working on the Zimmer the appearance of the two uniden-case because c "I think it's just pure raw way it was built," he said. I"m scared of the tifled welders, which occurred at heatrics," Altemuchte said. "What the hearing resarved fcr Zimmer W1at's supposed to do, rather than critics.

Altman's advisory council has ylve some theatrical fuir, I don't Z5 members, appointed by city Because of Carpenter and De-anow. It's been a PR (pub!!c rela- counc1L They include Tom Car- vine, Altemuchle said he believes taons) tool for the antis. penter, head of the anu-nuclear the hearings had an e.riu-Zimmer

• Of course, we chose not to be Cincinnau A!!!ance for Responst- bias from the start "There seems in it and so we lost some PR ble Energy, as well as represente- to have been some influence ground. But that (decision) was tives of the Greater Cmctnnau applied to get it going-to charge made more on legal grounds than Chamber of Commerce, Procter & forward with the idea with or imything else? Otmble and the Sierra Club. Alg. without a city council appoint-CO&E's principal critic, both at man himself is an attorney. ment,"he said.

these heanngs and before the NRC. has been the Washington- CITY COUNCIL refused to en. "THE IDEA of Tom Carpenter based O AP. It is an arm of the dorse the hearings. fearing it or Tom Devine feeding anything non-profit. Institute for Policy would violate an agreement made to our group is a little silly," Alt-Studies and does legal work. Its with CO&E. In exchange for a ml. man replied. "But whot if they speciality. Devine said. is in aiding crowave monitoring system con- dad'Sc uhtt?

• whistleblowers" wishing to reveal necting the city with Zimmer, "Isn't the important quesuon alleged governmental errors and council agreed not to intervene in stether it gets ansmered and do corrupuon. official licensing proceedings for we knou more about the safety Zimmer, and rehability of the plant? Isn't THE INSTITt'TE has no But Altman's group proceeded there a tad of McCarthyism in '

pollucal-party affillauon Dut crt- on its een-and the hearings were asking whereit came from?"

Utility to respond t9_._NR_C request

'. Dr Jerry Condo that they planned to respond by Am N*wma s== the Dec. 31 deadline.

WASHINGTON - Cincinnati "IT'S NOT a bolt out of the Oss & Electric Co. officials sa7 blue," said David Altemuehle.

ithey were not surprised by a Nu- chief spokesman for CO&E. "At

,elear Regulatory Commission first glance,I would say the alle-

' order that the utility respond by rations do not seem to present

.Dec. 31 to allegations about the anything new. But we will re-quality of construccon at the view them and respond in sufft-

ztmmer Nuclear Power Station. cient detail."

The NRC asked CO&E to re- On Aug. 20, Miami Valle) epond by that date to concerns filed a petition with the NRC Wought up by the Miami Valley seeking suspension of construc-

' Power Project about the power tion at Elmmer, estauon near Moscow, Ohio.

THE DEM AND FOR informa. A week ago, the staff of the anon was made in a letter dated NRC called on the commission Sept. 34 to Earl A. Borgmann, to reverse itself and order addt-QME senior vice president uonal hearings on the Zimmer licensing. The NRC had on July a James O. Keppler, NRC re- 30 denied added hearings.

stonal administrator, informed Borgmt*m that the utility's re- The staff said its preliminary sponse "will be used in deter- review of the Miami Valley

. mining whether (the construc- material showed that the "docu-

'tton permit) should be modified, ments do contain new informa-puspended,or revoked." Mon of significance relating to e CO&E officials said the NRC certain of the contenuons pro-Isrder was not a surprise and posed by Miam1 VaIIey... "

EWEffdO I E CINCINNATIENOUlltER Wednesday,0ctober 27.19E2 _

--w,-

EAC Advises City To Request Zimmer License Hearings been strangely silent on the matter the recommendauons of the EAC, EI 35-drafted expressly to allow council a way recalled. "Being for Iteensing hearings CY KAREN OARLOCH doesn't mean you're opposing the licens- Ouckenberger said the informat6m member adelsory group appointed by the ensdry meeerser to get involved wtthout vlotaung its provided through EAC's heartnes should city manager.

agraement with CO&E. Ingof theplant" Following four recent hearings into "There is a provtalon under federal As a result of the EAC's four recent force council to " mate a conscious dect- IN ADDITION to asking council te re.

the safety and rettability of the Zimmer law that says you can intervene in a public hearings. Republican counctiman ston" on whether to conunue to follow quest a reopening of the licensing hear-.

suelear power plant, the Enytronmental Our C. Ouckenberger and Chartertte the agreement hearing without taking a stand for or However, Mayor David 8. Mann and ings.the EAc algo recommended: ,

Advisory Counctl ( EAC) has recommend- against the project

• Altman said. "You Thomas B. Brush have urged counct! to

• ed that Cincinnau City Council request can simply be there to protect the health, reconsider the agreement because of Democrat Charles J. Luken warned the reopening of Zimmer licensing hear- concern over Etmmer safety. against jeopardising the city's access to .e That (sty representauves begin ht -

safety and welfare of the people, valuable Informauon era air and water tending the public meetings between' Ings. The EAC recommended that council "It seems that we hs's ?nough addf-tional Informauon now that raise the quality through the monitoring equtp- CO&E and the NRC on tha safety of-*

Council members agree that such a ask the Nuclear Regulatory Commisston ment- Zimmer.

as;te would violate the city's year-old (NRC) to reopen hearings to " increase question as to whether that plant should ' +

ever be completed," sam Brush. "Are the Charterfte Arnold L. Borts said coun-

• poet with Cincinnatt Oss & Electrte Co. pubile confidence" that NRC and CO&E defects so beste that they can Dever be cil should observe the agreement while at e That the city should ask COtt to (CO&E) to withdraw the city's objections are "doing all that la necessary to assure corrected? The only way weTe evar gotng the same ume bontinutng to brtng atten- attend formal public nicetings with

• to a federal operaung license for the the correcuon of pubtle safety problems uon to the issue of Elmmer safety. "If I council members to respond to state-Zimmer stauon in return for CO&E's at the planL" to get answers is to seek a reopening of Ilcensing hearings. thought our role was essential in reopen- ments by the NRC and others crtucal of agreement to provide air and water ing the hearings,it might be different," the plant safety and to explain which of monnoring equipment at the site. ALTIEAN SAID the RAC has not asked Borts said. these al;egauon were known by CD&E at sounsli teh Itcensing. the time R negotiated the agreenednt "TIIe agreement says the sIl er,'TM WN ATthe apparenuy INe NRCmt mass to gath-and Sengress NOWEVER, RAC shmirusen D. Darte TUESDAY, cattisasunters received with the etty.

Altman said the recommendations were de nothing to oppose licensing,f should wonder why the City of Cinctnnau has Altman

• et

• • we're net asping stop CITY CoWeCtt dropidd o4g uneens pe,,M,,, ,, g NeMnCl rO e uT9O Simmer or stop construction," of licensing hearings in test that Attorney for the Soumen Dis-Altman said. "This group le say- after it signed an agreemeng Ing,'Do your job.'We tried not to with CO&E not to Interfere with tflCS 0 A Operalin the no Ousman Post weewsday, oc, sher yf, tong push councilinto a political cor- Ilconsingof theplant. N t me plant, g g w- ner. The consensus of the group The agreement calls for --

O is that these recommendauons coag i. ps,,lde air and water are mild." monitoring equipment in uturn anUCE NLIN,a N In Z'# m m e r ICenSin9 IF LICENstNG hearings into Simmer are resumed. Altman said the city can even particl*

IO' Ih' PI'd8' "'I 88 I"I*'I'" I" licensing.

That pledge was ktterpmted

rised p

h' Itb ad Be crtucalof Zimmer, CO&E refused to partictate

% p888 W W by a ma)M1ty of emacu mem* 18 the hearings, etting legal and g ,*As a result M M[ 6(3 ese I e y's lack of InMIM- should n sanc E disa-eas' na Ile leves Qt t e g in !

t ,

Inentthatmostwwrtes Altman. hearings in Septembw. groes with the finding that safe-I A* cit'Isen adttsory group is Murray. It foDows four hearings strenst responsibility to take di- "Right now the city Is simply ctlling on Cincinnati City the advisory council held on met steps to protect the health, . The advisory council lammed tr at the plant is tndeteretnate.

safety and welfare of its citg. Imintnited in this lasue, he le recomenendatione deallag , I certalnly have p heard Councl! to meet its " strong re- Zimmerin 8eptember. I" "" anyone hem say mat? he. sam.

sponsibility" to get involved in Advisory council metntierg 8'"8' places,inewne y, hat the etty of Ohlo bonar inspection and the licensing of the WlHlam H- concluded that the safety of the Altman sold city participa * "lin sure we feel that we can Zimmer Nuclear Power Blauon. Zimmer plant, under construe. Itse can lie as elsumentary as at-le not intensted in W safety of emwgmey plannmg. prove it is up to NRC stN" The ClacInnatt Environmen- tion at Moscow. Ohio, is "in- tending pubtle meetings - the planL" included are requests that StoeckIln also enM CO&E eu-tal Advisory Counc9 says in Its determinate"and that deficien, between the Nuclear ":., ^_ , , ' Altman said the Interests of etty council support immeWase poets the city to live up te its report on Zimmer safety that , eles in assuring the stauon was Commission and the Clactanatt the clusens ! Cincinnau can- appointment of a third pis% agreement not to interfere 3.1 the etty sammet delegate the re- built correctly present a mreat Oss & Electric Co~, flmar

• 8 " I" *

• limnsing.

sponsibility of ensuring safety to puhuc safety. " " I* "*"

, butiders of Zimmer- Ken'"tucky or the NRC. '"r Zimmer as one of three planta' e

to othtra. In his introdnetton to the re-port, advisory council chairman *8afety of W people of Cin-David Altman wrote: clnnett belonge in the hands of -

city council," he said.

EriiIc~5N5EdoGIMake Years .

zimme-

. = _ _ .

.t .. .. r. n .t To Identif Zimmer s Problems G G a recerttftcauon program, all t>ut CONTINUED FitOM PAGE A 1 tour of the 100 did qualify.he sakt.

i

_ ..r.,..t _

nate." Keppler said.

.f = =

more than 2.000 welders. and it SV geseustest STAyy mission that new problems turned But NRC Chairman Nunzio J. tSetailed accounts from the staff. He said he came away from a may be imprmsible for CO&E to med EseGUstet WetES up at Zimmer have set back the Palladino saftl he was " distressed" James Keppler. NRC regional six-hour meeung with CO&E offl. show that all their work is op to timetable for completing a rettew about defielencies that continue administrator, said he would etals Oct.19 with new dochts nuclear standards.

about the quality of work at Zlm. Keppler said weld quality re.

• T*A5HINGTON-A member of of the quellty of construction at to show up at the planL Pa!!adlno present recommendations at the mer.

ths Nuclear Regulatory Commts- the plant said the problems are cropping uD closed session. " Allegations een- mains amon g the biggest on-slon saki Thursday that it could

• faster than the utility can handle t!nue to come in at a rate faster TM AT NEETING concerned resolved problems at the plant, years s igh u th night. IN CINCINNATI Thursday theno" than we. can resolve them," he the halting of improper work along with traceability of matert.

Cincinnatt Oas & Electric The Zimmer plant is scheduled said.

being done by Catalyuc Inc., a als and cable separsuon wora.

construction of the Zimmer nu. Co. spokesman Bruce StoMkHn to begin operation In February, subcontractor reworking some of He said the cable separauen a

clict power plant at Mostow said he was not nmnaed to,hm 1984, at a total cost of 31/f bt!! ion Last year, following a staff the questionable construcuan at inspecuens have expanded so that coming from (Ot!!nsky). investigation at the Elmmer Zimmer, Keppler said. much that the work w'll not be CW

• shared by CO&E, Dayton Power & project, the NRC fined CO&E Keppler and other NRC staff completed before next June-ftve

• it looks like it could take years "That's just his personal opin. Light and Columbus & leouthern J!st to completely identify the lon" Storck!!n said. "He was one Ohio Electric Co. CO&E la the prl. 8300.000. members said perhaps as much as mont'is after the enure quality Keppler told the commission A of the welding work done at confirmat'on program was sup-problems." Opsesshaloner Victor of two NRC commissioners to vote mary bulider. . he and his staff still don't know Dmmer over the past decade was to ve n plated lie to re w U th pan whe e R notarN FOLLOWING A public session he welI Zunmu ts being buuL open.dlit1BItardly sunrisind that at which Elmanet's problems were "g"R C spectors determined be esumated for the weld review on the Ohio River "That is the real sin of the last summer that too of the 4SO and traceabl11ty probe Ne made that Ulloa after he has negative esements About discussed in general terms. Pal- 19ee ElstelER, NRC staff meestses told the com. Zimmer " Indino cloned the mdetIng to hear boek of this seatical c

lNRC ' highly distressed' by Z'mmer The Chchnese post Friday, ocester 19t1983,

,,,,,,,% (FRUNT,r/.C ) ' 'AM INFFTER tridtested the lititC JAN STRASSA, an NRC Ep0tesman la THE REGIONAL a8 elnistrgter said WASHINGTON - Nuclear Regulatory staff n w has questions about Cincinnati Chicago, said today Keppler discussed the quality confirmation efforts at Zimmer Commission Chaltman Nunzio J. Palladino Oas & Nrk Na conW om its con. Tem enhment actMnf against npnsented sulous difncum Meaun aald Thursday he is "hlghly distressed with tractors and subcontrators at the project CO&E in the closed session. Strasma n- "we're trying to determine the quality of site. fused to detall what those actions may be. the plant after the fact" the situation" at the William IL Zimmer Nuclear Power Station under construction .

• Clearly we have some concerns" said Any commission dectstons will be made Palladino told Keppler the quality con-near Moscow Ohio. Keppler. pubtle only after CO&E ts noufled- firmation program sounded mueh Ilke a Palladino's co'nments came after the CO&E is one of three Ohlo uttiltles During the briefing, the Chicago re- " patchwork" operation to htm.

Chicaso restonal administrator for the trhich own Zimmer. The other two are glonal administrator showed the commis. Keppler concedad that the Idrogram "Is commlaslon spent 90 minutes giving the Columbus & Southern Ohlo Electric and stoners a chart Indicating that the quality not proceeding as orderly as we think 11 NRC commissioners an update on the Dayton Power and Light CO&E la charged confirmation program, launched in April ought" quality confirmauon program urider way with the responsibility of building the nu. 1981 by CO&E, has fallen behind schedule The regional administrator said that Lt Elmmer. clear plant in some work areas. the NRC staff, which felt that CO&E re-Pallsdtno said information received shortly after the briefing, the commte. For Instance, a checit of the quality of garded the situation at Zimmer early on as "has not lent itself to the assumption that stoners went behind closed doors with welds was expected last April to be com- m "paperwors" problem, was now giving the we're on top of the job." Keppler to hear the staff's recommenda. pleted by Oct 31. It is not known now when NRC " signals" that it regards the situation llegional AdministratorJames Keppler uons concerning possible actions to shore those checks will be finished. Keppler said as more serious.

told Palladino and the other commission. up the quality confirmation program. the work is "so broad in scope that it is not Keppler said one signal to the NRC ere the Zimmer project als bogged down" at p setble to scope it out" staff wastherecentlayorfsof 300construc-the present Ume. tNm workers at Zimmer.

~ .

m

.e. _ ,7 .

y metro

s-The Cincinnati Post r Fridoy evening, November A 1982 N** *

! Quality aud't may shut Zimmer

, By Ron Webeu congreestonal statf membere stoners and NRC staff last week construction halt, today. Olltnksy alde.

esse swr ses,=, that the recommendation would in Washington- Keppler has in the past been IT IS KNOWN that comnils- *All I can say is we would like

- Bientbers of the Nuclear be that an independent man- IF AN ALIDITwereordered,lt willing to give the Cincinnati stoners last week discussed the to see it happen," said the alde, hogulatory Cbmmission today asement audit be ordered to re- could mean a halt to construe- Das & Electric Co, bulicer of the possiblitty of shutting down Ed Abbott, fecetved a confidenual recom. view construction activities at tion, idling some or all of the plant, more time to straighten construction at the plant. Otlinsky has been the com-Inindauon on continued con. the St.'T billion power plant in 1500 craft workers at the site. out its quality assurance pro- NRC Commissioner Victor missioner most openly crtucat structlen of the William H. Moscow.Ohlo. . NRCItagional Administrator gram. . Otttnsky urged his colleagues to of Zimmer's troubled quality Elemer Neelear Power 8tation. The recommendation-Its James Keppler last week told A senior CO&E offletal said immediately shut down the assurance program and has The commission's unusually contents strictly guarded- the commissioners he la constd. Thursday he did not know what plant and order CD&E to select taken the most extreme post.

taght secrecy has fueled specula- stems from a lengthy, cinged- ertng an Independent audit at the NRC's recommendation was an Independent, third-party pon among Zimmer crtucs and door meeting between commis- Zimmer. Keppler has opposed a or even that It was being made auditing team, according to a $** MMEE. E898 0A

. .R M at lan 6 meeIng At the twa leertite MitI hu. Derasma refused ta detall the Other commissioners appar- that NRC Chairman Munslo '1 M rer stauona in Madtson, NRC recommendation, other u lc s vice Indiana than to say it reflects " strong dntly have not ye& decided Palladino, in his strongest lan. Dj Norghann st.M that no Zimmer's fate, guage to date on Zimmer, said , on its own in 1979 tn and decisive scuon.= gggggy ggggggggggg, ggg, advance of an NRC order and contracts have been signed with representative for the Rechtet "THE C041 MISSION is con- he was " highly distressed" with . As much as he personally opa any management company and Power Corp, a San Francisco stditing what to do about the construcuon management hired new top managers. Work poses an audit CO&E Bentor Zimmer," said Guy H. Cunning- and NRC monttorIng at the yg1e 8 sus nded for 18 months VIce President Earl A. Borg- would.under no citenstances, company which has conducted h Lm, NRC executive legal direc. project. a q$ality assurance inves. be signed without the consent of Ligation was conducted. mann ackn wiedged Thursday CGaE's partners. other independent audits, said tor. "The commission hasn't ONE LINE OF eonjecture ad. t may be necessary to sausty the company would not confirm made up its mind yet." etnced by some sources wtthin RECENTLY. at the Midland federal regulators that the plant CO&E la building the plant er deny that discussions had Cunningham said commis- and outanda the NRC this week nuclear powM P being built safely. with Dayton Power and 1.1ght been conducted elth CO&E eloreers directed the staff inst is that the NRC will require gan, Consumera Power brought Co. and Columbus and Southern about comtrig to Elmmer.

" g t Ing con- Ohio Electric Co. CO&E ts re-wMk to drafL a recommenda. CO&E to halt construction ac. U to re I w the qual. "MY PERSONAL posluon la sponsiblefor construction.

thm on Zimmer. that we as a company have it in HJ said the recommendation ,II'Itt'88 tile mef.f8m098 tr 888 'P I Kaiser spokesman lla! Lauth our best Interests to do every-will be forwarded to commis- Henry 7. Kaiser Co. as prime "One of the standard things thing as best as we can, and in said Thursday from corporate headquarters in Oakland that stoners today but may not be contractor and hire an outside that we have seen regulred or that regard we don't need a management team to review all these have been no converse-cincuened until a commission suggasted at sites where con' third-party audit " said BorR*

meeting Wednesday. Cunning- construction records, struction management is called mann. Lions with CO&E about remov-ham declined to discuss wheth. There has been slmtlar me. s that twer o g Ing Kaiser from the project and tion at other nuclear power into in somequesuongonal addl talent" iiowe,er, sorgmann said the b,Inging in a chl,d-part, audi-er there will be a halt to con. Jan Strasma, NRC pubile affatrs perststent concerns of the NRC tor.

struction, plants under construction.

offleer. may not 30 away until there is an audit.

THE UDNNATs s N3ulRiG Frncay. tsovernber 12, l982

\

CG&E Hires Own Zimmer Auditor.

SY HOWARD WLKN50N today. NRC statf recommenda-anos, nese-Cincinnau Gas & Electric Co.

On The inside uona pas ee on to co==t>5 on r>

. last week sparked speculau'on may have beaten the Nuclear e Grandjurytoprobe among Zimmer crtues that the Regulatory Commission (NRCI to enforcement aeuon would include the punch Thursday by hiring a Zimmer, Page C-1. shutting down construction at

consultant to assess problems at Zimmer and ordering a third-

! the William H. Elmmer nuclear party audit of quattty control power plant and suggest a plan for *IT'S BECOME pretty evident problems.

compleuon or the plant' from the remarks from the NRC Stoecklin said the uulty has re-CO&E spokesman Bruce staff, that the only way to get the ceived no assurances from the Stoecklin said the hiring of Bech. plant operating ts by conducung NRC that CO&E's hiring of Bech-tel Power Corp., a California- this kind of independent assess- tel would have any impact on the {

based firm which has done a m,,ent.of the quality control prob- expected enforcement scuon. I number of qualitywcontrol audits 3 , Rtoecklin said. "THE NRC has been Informed at nuclear power plants, was in spokesmart Earlier this week, an agency part a ramp- to ladicauons that said that NRC com or what we are doing by hiring the NRC might order a third-party missioners would announce an (See EIMMER, aud1L enforcement acuon against CO&E boek of this settlea) ,

2immer COP (TpdUED FROM PAGE A-1 ~

3Bechtel," Stoccklin said. "As to

~ iRIDAY[ NOVEMBER 12,1982 what the NRC will do, nobody knows." s Stoecklin said Dlans are for g g )

construction to continue dur,ing 7 the three-week " assessment by inschtel and that the hiring of the A Q#ornia firm will not affect the status of Kalser Engineering. #

C &E a prime contractor for #

. *(Kaiser)is still on the job. and we expect they will remain on the .

rob," Stoecklin said. "They are sti:!

the firm hired for construcuon The functions of Kaiser and Y Bechtel are two different things .E.

M n M A

altogether."

A press release from COLE on the Bechtel hiring said Bechtel ,

personnel will

• analyze Zimmer SY HOWARD WLKNSON ~ inspectors, along with falstftca-peeblems and will design an ap* Enesseesowtw uon of documents.

penach and staffing plan f or re- A federal grand jury in Cincin* As a result of the NRC invesu-auptng the problems and complet- nati is investigating possible gation. Cincinnau Gas and Elec.

tng the project. criminal violauons at the William trle Co, the builder of the plant.

.

• BASED ON this assessment," H. Zimmer nuclear power plant, paid a 3200.000 civil penalty.

4.he release stad, "the detalls of a according to a group whose legal THE NRC referred its findings F- yormal contract will be worked out director was subpoenaed Thurs- to the U.S. Attorney's office in day. May.

to determine Bechtel's role in as- Thomas Devine, legal director sisttng CO&E to complete the CO&E spokesman Bruce Zimmer project," for the Government Accountabil- Stoeckhn said he was not aware of Stoecklin said the Bechtel as- Ity Project (OAP), said Thursday any CO&E officials being served he has tectived a subpoena from with subpoenas in the criminal sessment would take t.hree weeks the grand jury to appear Dec. 'l investigauon.

and would include all phases of and produce documents and give '

the construction. "The U.S. attorney's offlee is James Keppler, NRC regional testimony on alleged criminal the one which would have to tell administrator, told the NRC com-violauona at the Zimmer plant. you that." Stoecklin said. "I don't missioners in a recent closed-door "I AM thrtiled about the sub- know of any grand jury Investiga.

ineceung of NRC commissioners poena." Dettne said."1 hafwe been uon,but we have said all along we be was considering calling in a would welcome t.ny kind ofin es-third-party auditor to evaluate cooperating with the FBI and the 11gauon and co-operate with it US. Attorney's office all along." fully?

he eual1ty control _ program at

.ko mt. Devine said he haa ahown Devine said his understanding federal investigators most of the Wh5e an alde to NRC Commis- doucumentauon subpoenaed by is that the grand jury investiga.

emner Victor 0111nsky said last the grand jury. uon will not be confined to the al-eset Otlinsky would recommend It is not known how many leged harassmentoroffalsified qualitydocu-con-m assett and a contrucuon shut. trolinspectors Iown,Otlinsky would not com- Others have tesufted or will be ments.

called to appear in the grand jury "I have been asked to produce ment this week on what the NRC

-j rnforcementacuon mightbe. investtgatton. U.S. Attorney documents on all deliberate viola-Christopher Barnes would not say whether his offlee was involved uons Devineof the Atomic said. Energy Act."

"It ts apparent the A CONSTRUCTION ahutdown

-.- s, , idle about 1,500 craft work- with a grand into Zimmer.

jury investigauon FBI has given the fact-finders the green light to produce material?

b" ?t the Zimmerwere site.recenuy Abou: 30t, Barnes' office began a probe NRC Regional administrator employees laid into possible criminal violauons at offindefinitely by CO&E. Etamer in June. At that time, James Keppler told a congression- ,

CO&E la sharing the costs of Barnes said his office would check al federal committee in June that he had Zimmer contrucuon, estimated bilefed lawyers on the now at about 31.'l billion, with intoNuclear the evidence already gathered Regulatory Commis-by NRC's timmer findings in May.

Columbus & Southern Ohio Elec. "Early in our invesugauon it trne Co. andDayton Power & Light ston (NRCI. The NRC's invesuga- was recognised that anme of our Co. .

tion found harassment and in- Andings might involve criminal-

- L11BISation of quality control Ity,"Keppler stad.

e DG CMWtEM POSI, FFW7, NsTGFF%sF SI. Ivel CG&E br'ngs in Sy Ron Liebeu a watchdog for Zimmer p ant Thursday in a telephone interview from his Vir. Bechtel is building for a New Jersey uttitty, will Internal review of different companies. He

. Pese sesa awmsr ginia home that he learnad of the Bechtel ap. arrive at the Zimmer site Monday to begin their promised that Bechtel's work would be independ.

' Cincinnati Oas & Electric Co.'s decielon to pointment in a letter from CO&E President Wil. Work. ent

$' ting in a company to assess the William H. Itam Dickhoner Wednesday. CO&E's David Altemuchle said the purpose of Zimmer Nuclear Power Stauon sent members of Devine said he disclosed the subpoena to alert The letter contained a " lot of ambiguities. the Bethtel review will be to " convince the NRC commtssioners to the Jusuce department investi.

the Nuclear Regulatory Comt ission behind about Bechtel's role and its effects on construe, that the plant can be lleensed. " gauon.

(bood doors again today.

tion that Asselrune wants resolved before decid. Allemuchle stressed the review is not a third- U.S. ATTORNEY Christopher Barnes declined CO&E announced Thursday it had hired the Ing if CO&I!"s plans will satisfy his conc +rns about party audit flechtel Power Corporsuon of San Francisco to the direction ot the project to discuss the subpoena or grand jury procedings assess problems at the Zimmer stauon In Moscow. It has become apparent to CO&E that an in June. Barnes announced his office would "My view is that it is worth a meeting to d!s. operating license is dependent on such a review, conduct a criminal Investigation into Zimmer fol.

Uhlo, and recommend what should be done to cuesit,"said Assetsune.

emplete the project said Attemuchte. The NRC staff has promoted a lowing the November NRC report that quality Shortly akr COWS announement, Thomas by CO&E,saidBuch a meeting could include partletpattlon third-party aud1L CO&E has reststed it control Inspectors were harassed at Zimmer and Devine, legal director of the Oovernment Ac. the commissioner. IT IS NOT known what effect the Bechtel re. that some construction documents were falsified.

countability Project, revealed he had been sub. Bechtel Power, a division of the S!!.btillon. view wlil have on construcuon. There are 1500 CO&E has denied it tolergted harassment of poenwd by the UA Attorney's Office to appear plus Bechtel Oroup of Compantes, will take three construction workers at the planL CO&E calls the inspectors and said some records may have been

" "" weeks to " analyse Zimmer problems, and will de. PMjeC%1FIpercent complete. Incorrect but were not falsified.

W In"any nd a state en an sign an approach and staffing plan for resolving Although he supports an independent review the problems and completing the project," ac. In addition to intervfers with the FBI. Devine fecordspertainingto. .(Zimmer) of Zimmer construcuon. Devine said he is encour. said he referred Zimmer workers to the author.

cording to CO&E.

... Dettne said he has been cooperaung with an aging NRC comcitssioners to follow through with lues and turned over documents conceaning har.

RECOlgMENDATIONS from Bechtel w111 lead enforcement action. assment of quality control inspectors and falst.

O and the FBI orse tal mon to a formal contract with CO&E to complete the "I feel that CO&E is attempting to escape fleauon of construcuon documents.

Attention focused again on Washington today project legal enforcement by making Kaiser the scape- CO&E's Altemuchte repeated the utility's where NRC commissioners have been debating CO&E and Bechtel offletals Instst there are no goat for the second year in a row by replacing position on the UA attorney's investigation.

since Oct. N whether to halt construction ag plans for Bechtel to replace the Henry J. Kaiser them with Bechtel, said Devine. "WE TOOK a postuon (In Junel of welcoming Zimmer because of conunuing NRC concerns over Co. as principal Zimmer contractor. Last November, CO&E crttletzed Kaiser for the investigauon and we are cooperating any way the St.7 billion power station. Bechtel has bullt 76 huclear power plants not implementing an efffective qualtty assurance we can "said Attemuchte.

A CO&E spokesman sakt Thursday the hiring worldwide, including the Davis-Besse nuclear pmgram that led to a 3200.000 fine against the Joining the FBI In Investigating possible 6f Bechtel was not planned to coincide with the power station in northern Ohio. Bechtel also is utility. wrongdoing at the plant is the NRC Office of NRC's pending dectston. building the Midland nuclear power station in "Bechtel mmy well be an outstanding selee- Investigauon, said NRC spokesman Jan Strasma.

HOWEVER the action has convinced one Michigan, a project beset by construcuon difft- uon, but it all should be done in the open with NRC commissioner to seek more informauon be. culties public comments and with full disclosure of the ' Strasma said the Office of Investigauon is fore he joins in any enforcement action. screening some 300 a!!ctauons about proble ns at Elght Bechtel engineers, led by the project criteria used in the process,"said Devine. Zimmer that may involve intenuonal retsconduct Commtssioner James K. Asselstine said late manager at the Hope Creek nuclear power plant Altemuchte said Bechtel we.s selected after an as opposed to technical violations of NRC codes.

s J0 A vi.omemt 5.veo* *. is iter.

metro

~

C.ty i council,s role" at Zimmer unclear Oakland-based contractor 1f ii, l

/

M71sory Council, said the city Zimm'r,said Friday the plant la ,

By Ron Liebou should break the agreement andbeing built safely. .;

Pew sis

• a. car

• take the lead in selecting a *Of course,we're disappoint-  !.

The Nuclear Regulatory third-party auditor. ed that the commlaston ordered  ;!

Commission's decision Friday to "IT CANNOT be alleged by our tilent to disconunue work."

order a ternporary halt to con- C0&E that they (city council) said Hallauth, Kaiser corporate *-.;

struction at the William H. are interfering with licensing," relsuons director.

• We feel substantial progress . ;;:

Zimmer Nuclear Power Stationsaid Altman.

will alter how the city of Cincin- For those staunchly critical had been made in the quality *;

nati views its role in the contro- of CO&E's role in managing the control program." he said.

versy. sti billion construction project, IN COLUMBUS, the Office of .:

But that new role remains the shutdown decision was ap- Consumers Counsel will study !*

unclear. plauded. the NRC decision to see how it ;;

Cincinnati City Councti "The NRC commissioners can be used in CO&E's pending .;

Member Peter Strauss said he have is begun to take the necess- 3110 million electric rate re-inclined to urge the council to sary steps to protect our health quest, half of whlch is;.f or *;

parucipate in suspended licens- and safety by suspending con- Zimmer construction.

strucuon at Zimmer," said Tom ing hearings. Chief Counsel John Parks -

HOW EVER, Mayor-elect Carpenter, staff director of the Hopktna said his office has in l$

Thomas Brush said the NRC's Miamt Valley Power Project. the past opposed charging cus-  ;

order of a third party audit Andrew Dennt:on, attorney tomers before the plant is in * -

avoids the need for direct city for Zimmer Area Clu2 ens, said operation.

involvement. the NRC order has clartfled the The nuclear power industry .;

The councilhas been sp!!t on Elmmer aiebate. also is monitoring th e shut- I; whether to renege on an Octo- "OUR CONCERN for safety is down. **

ber 1981 agreement in which no longer open to debate," he aCertainly,it is a warning to

• Cincinnatt Oss & Electric Co. said.*For too long, the issue has the industry to keepits house in  !*

promised to furnish radlauon been whether you are pro- or order"said a spokesman for the ll*

monitoring equipment in ex- anu-nuclear power. This dect- Atomic Industrial Foruro, the

• change for the city's pledge not ston speaks to the realissue-ts auclear industry's trade assoct- !;

to interfere inlicensing. this projectpro- or anti-safety." atton.

David Altman, chairman of The Henry J. Kaiser Co.,  !..:

the Cincinnau Environmental Hn Zimmer workers wait  !!-:

for details on closing By Mary Carmen Cupito The most upsetting thing h.

Another corrected him. about this shutdown, Weed said, "They said come back Monday was that he had turned down a *-

/

Post stea a. cons- orlistentothe news? job at a nuclear plant in Micht. ;!*

Confusion was as thick as the There were some who said gan justlast week. .,

smoke at the Point Inn, a small they believed the shutdown was DESPITETHE Nuclear Regu- ;.

bar a half-mile or so east of the ordered to grant an upset public Zimmer Nuclear Power Station, ume to cooloff. o

'"oncerns,\eed I ot where some of the plant's con- It would be just "three wesks c

• struction workers met Friday to quiet the outcry" against the strucuon workers, defended the .

evening over a few beers to dis-cuss their unexpected layoff.

plant, said one construction plant.

worker, heading home. l'

• When the night crew report- *IT CAME AS a big surprise" Ctn n 11who this power plant"rehessaid, te o"I

• ed for work, they found the said Glenn Weed, an electrical gates locked, said Robert Su111- and welding forit?

inspector for the don't think there '

van, business manager ' or Pipe- Kaiser Co. He's been on the job as a

• fitterstocal302 Weed h6ard about the stop quality confirmation inspector !* **

They retired to the bar to work order at 5:50 p.m., about to a person who checks to see how trade informauon about what minutes before he was supposed well the plant is butit, for about

• was happening- to get off,he said. nine and one-half months, he **

Aboutt 8:30 pJn. Friday,Sulti- Some carpenters he was said. And the quality confirma- *:

van said, Kaiser Co. representa. overseeing told him he wouldn't tion program is working De D Uves were *meeung on the job be working until 8 p.m, as plan- said. *;

right now and tomorrow (Satur* ned, but that everybody in the When asked whether the day) are supposed to release plant was supposed toleave by 6 plant could stand up to other =  ;*

Information." long p.m. nuclear plants in the country, 7 N He left.not knowing when he Weed replied,"It will when it l-l they,0 dbe ON outofE ENEW how work- would return. goes int.o opertuon-1f it goes l*

"They told us to come back He said,"It's probably the old into opertuon" h Monday." said one construcuon don't call us. . "

worker, I

~~ ~ ~ - - ~ _ _ . _ _ _ _ _ _

m i

e R

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THE CINCIXNATIENQEIRER FINAL EDITIDN/ NEWSSTAND PRICE 25t SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13,19ft2 A GANNETT NEWSPAPER Agency Orders Halt To Work At Zimmer amowaao """ NRC spokesman Jan ritrasma The Zimmer Shutdown Order easeer essener =ia the r=iine was the - -

and M N months of " problems ptline u., at the plant without resntution.

WHAT IT DOES: Ceases safety 5eented APPEAL: CG&E con appeed the order *

• Second-shift workers were con,$ructeen et the Wusem et Zimmer Nu- within 25 days of Frldey's ruNng, tut no 'd "FIRST OF all. they were trytng sont home and the gates to the clear Power Stetton ;._ _ _'_ ,, penceng a safety <stemd construeflon wiu be asowed N,,

• to complete construction. and at William H.Zimmer Nuclear Power the same Mme conduct a quality Station were locked Friday to cm,,girchenshpe review by en Independent during en appeal. An appeal would lengmen control program, and, on top of snapter acceptabte to the NItC. the shutdowrL .

• ' , , , I, that, they were trying to take cor.

WNY: The NRC order says me docialan a NRC ordered hat con- JOSS:C0&E proeident Weem Dickhonor ,,h k."( 8tr sa 5'YAEdfe.'I" FE2 a break wn

$ *~" E E Y "[ d*,o,[ed$o~,

AlfvtEWMt An independent fkm must '"" '8"'

- Yh' 'd di?E5,""Y$',36 in the plant's safety pecgram in its esswo CG&E and the PetC that construcflon 'phta, h &E s not ha PERECEDEIFFt it's the first tkvie the NRC '

unusual order. An NRC official con be compteled wMNn MitC regt d efinns and het ordered a shutdown for a nudeer facmY

'% They simply couldn't mannae it' e ma e ha on ruct the eFlsHng ConstrVCflon penr#, as fat Elong blCOnstryctign og y]mmer" EIL It was out of control."

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• the NRC action put 1J00 cen-sta monthe. '

, NIORE STORIES,PAGE C 1 ' ' '

",0",,*$f'ork t e! t ' w"L ty IT W AS the first time in the CO&E spokesman Bruce h a On a 3-to-2 vote.NRC commis- ly.'the NRC ordered an Independ- utility's quallty 80sofarice pro- Elmmer plantle deing constructed strucuan shutdown over safety sicutors in Washington ruled that ent rettew of the management of gram. I"g'g'a'es#

t a th lant t the leeues in a nuclear plant oeer 90% hit "amfety-related* construction the Elmaner project by ctncinnati In conformance with the tartas of complete.

"The M RC pr9seatly lacks its construcuon permtt? the NRC (SeeZiW88RR.

st the plant be Dalted immediate. Use and Electric (CO&E) and the reasonable tasurances that the order sald. beek of thle eretlee

A.12 THE CWCtMNATI ENOUIRER Saturday. November 13,1963

. cility unien is currently of in-  !

g g g* determinate quality."

The NRC fined CO&E 3300A00 a l

ctmisaKD FROAA PAGE A 1 year ago after shaking findinas of j harassment of quality controlin. 1 S pm shift change Friday,*tn an- spectors, falsificauon of docu- 1 tactpauon of the NRC ruling." ments, and a general breakGown 1 About 350 second-shift workers in construcuon quality controls.

were sent home Friday, Stoeklin Fridays NRC order came one said day af ter CO&E offletals an-nounced they had hired Bechtel STOECELIN 5 AID the compa- Power Corp., a California-based my does not yet know how many,1f firm, to assess the problems at any, of the construcuan workers Elmmer and recommend solu-win be allowed to conunue work- Mons. j "We understand all safety-td "J t wh tm is THE NRC ordered that the firm somet.hing else we have to deter must hired bybe CO&E approvedto dobythe review restonal mine Ralph Sylvia, CO&E's vIce administra2r Kepplu.

Keppler said rTiday Se wants president for nuclear power, said top management of the company to "look into Bechtel's independ-would meet today to plan a re, ence"before deciding thatcompa-sponse to the NRC's action. ny would be acceptable.

"When we see the ru11ng and "I undustand Wre have hn independence problems at other ht the detans, we will respond,- plants where Bechtel had con-visuto'ltng The ru w as quickly ap- tracta"Keppler anas, Stoecklin said it has not yet plauded by foes Thomas of timmer' Devine, legal director been determined whether Bechtet af the Oovernment Accountability wiu be proposed as W copy Project, which has been invesu to do the third-party audit gaung the Zimmer plant for two "* I years, amid the NRC scuon was a quallfle'd,.nl Stoecklin said. they are cutainly major victory for the "whisue- Under the NRC order, the firm blowers" who had brought conducting the independent re-Elmmerirregulartues tolight- vtew w111 make recommendatbna to (CO&E) regarding necessary "I LEARNED two years ago steps to insure that the construe-that Zimmer was dangerous be- uon of the fac111ty be completed in cause CO&E violated the NRC conformance with the Commis-rules and the atomic safety laws." ston's regulauons and the con.

Devine said. *Today we alllearned strucuon permit."

that the facts make a difference." Once the review la complete, D. David Altman, chairman of C0&E will be required to report to Cincinnau's Environmental Advi- Keppler on what co' arse of acuon sory Council, which has urged a gg ggig tage, reopening of Zimmer licensing hearings, said the maximum ac- CC&E WILL be required to re-tion the NRC could have taken view its quality confirmauon pro-

• wou'd have been a recommenda- gram to determine whether it Uon that this company should be should he expanded in light of the taken out entirely from running problems idenufaed by the NRC, this plant and somebody else the ruling smid.

should take over."

Altman said he had confirma. All findings and recommended Lion from a " commission-level" acuons must be reported to Kep-person at the NRC that the com. pler for his approval, the ruling missioners actually considered said.

esmoving CO&E altogether, In a letter to NRC commlamon-ers earlier this week, CO&E Prest.

NRC Regtonal Administrator dent William Dickhoner asked the James O. Keppler said the order commissioners to hold off on a has the immediate effect of bring- construction shutdown until, kig construcuon to a virtual halt. Bechtel could complete its review ;

of plant construcuon.

KEPPLER,WH0 recommended "A forced shutdown of the the shutdown and third-party p*oject would result in the loss of audit to the NRC commissioners, some IJ00 jobs," Dickboner amid.

sold safety problems at Zimmer *We do not believe the impostuon este being found at a rate faster of this hardship on these Individ-than they can be addressed. We usts and their families provides want to bring this process to some any counterbalancing benefit to klad of orderly approach." the public."

The official NRC ruling said One of the d1ssenting NRC the Elmmer facility is being con- members, John F. Ahearn, sakt he structed without an adequate agreed with the NRC decision but quality assurance program,"re- would not have made the shut-eulting in the construcuon of a fa- down lamediately effective.

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. CLA551FIED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C.5- 12

, - DE ATH S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2 METRO DIGEST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-4 OHIO NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-3 EDITOR: JAMES P. DELANEY,369-1003 THE CINCINNATI ENOUIRER SATURDAY, NOVEMBER I3,1982 t

Shutdown Leaves Zimmer Foes Jubilant i BY AAARE YN DE.I.dN group that has investigated Zimmer for AdelightedThomas Apptegate.cf the Mon ef the ptant's tteense. fast" said Brush, who added that h and HOWARD WILKINSON two years. Government Accountabittty Project Guy Ouckenberger, '.;tnelnnati etty doubts the ptant will ever to on Itne The gas

• er Reporters (OAP), said "I'm popping a cork on a counctlman, noted P'.sday that he be* future mayor explained that fro het s THE NRC dectston " restores our faith botue of champagne. Iteves the NRC orde'. la "probably appro- he k" f ' *'

• Opponents of the Zimmer nuclear in government" Devine said. "This ac- "They're down now. I don't think priate. I thtnk public concern is such bi "

power plant Friday cheered ths Nuclear uon is the necessary first step if the they'll ever get up" he said. "They're that the pubite has to be reassured at ou Regulatory Commission's dectston to plant is to be completed safely. In the down for the count but we have to keep this point, and the only way they can be be E'ra '""-I*'

halt safety-related construction at the long run, today's order will mean more our vigilance going. I think the consum- reassured la by strong measures?

controverstal plent in Moscow, Ohio. era are finally realtzing what a ripoff Ouckenberger, who had favored the Jobs for Cinctnnau construction work-But a spokesman for the plant's prl- ers? this ta. As I said three years ago, this is re-opening of Zimmer Itcensing hear- AND ALTHOUCR Brush said N mary contractor expressed grave disap-

' ** I"" #'"*880" D" The NRC ordered the halt to all nothing more than a critatnal ripoff? Ings. added that he was very surprised by " '"*

potntment in the latest. blow to the safety-related construction at Zimmer Applegate noted that he had been ac- the N RC action, because " based on "e h much-crittctaed nuclear facility, pending an independent review et the tively " lobbying for this for the last two what's been done before, I would not sider "This is a victory for those three management of the project by C.ncin- weeks since I got an Indication thtt en. have expected them to take this strong a BRUSH CREDITED the C'incinnau dosen whtaue-blowers who risked their natt Oas as Electric Co, (CO&E). Condt- forcsment scuon was being considered " stand? g * "

carrers over the last two years by work

• Mons of the order require the utility to Councilman Thoms.s Brush, who will bet ing etth me," said Thomas Devine, legal secure an independent review.to make NE ADDED that his work does not become mayor of Cincinnatt next #RC bli"I'nstrumen director of the Government Account

• certain the plant is being constructed stop with the order for a third-party month.also' expressed surprise.

ability Project, a Washington-based safely. audit and he plans to seek the revora. **I didn't thtnk it would move that (See REACTION.Page C-2)

A *e Domineen, attorney fb, RUT R AL Lauth, director of eadm* n

- mer Area Citisens iEACI. had any siiernative whatsoever? e-P-=te afrairs for Raymond that the only surprise to ZAC members, some of whom SKniser Engineers Inc., believes CONTINUED FROM PAGE C t f]. Friday was that "it had not Ilve in the shadow of the plant's that the plant can be a safe and eff tclent provider of nuclear ll e to this along time ngo? giant cooling tower. have vtgously

. e. The NRC's decision, Dennison battled against construction of PON.

t *,, David Altman, chairman of C"* 6l* theIplant,and think itDennison believes it t committee, said that the

', I C's order "Is a first step where. hess welld, wasout thought " appropriate.

I think the is now time for CO&E to abandon

..We,re confident that the Zimmer plant is soundly cen-the use of nuclear power at the fa- structed, and we're totally com-things are handled carefully, '.; RCsty.They proceeded very, would very come not have cau- cility along the Ohio Rtver, Il tell us if the plant can be **

' this particular resultif they had mitted to the integrity" of the fa-s@de safe and at what cost. I still #,g, CO&E, Dennison said, should efitty, said Lauth, whose firm is

. Detleve we'll all need public par- -

begin considering converting the the plant's primary contractor.

."t$tpauon along the way and still

• plant to another form of fuel and

. D,t:W ltttt [ Mensing heartnes? abandon the idea of nuclear pou er at Zimmer.

l h' Putung the ruling Uve, Altman into per.

said. "Remem-

• tibr,it's an audit, It's nnt redoing

.' things?

THE CINCIXNATIENQURER FINAL EDITION /MSTAND PRICE S1 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 14,1982 A GANNETT NEW5 PAPER 5unday Special =piq(A A & -C 4n Flaws Cited -

i. ,.

~

In Shutdown =.

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s ..e...e,...

~7 .-

n, OfZu.nmer -

8Y HOWARD Wg KINSON ,- ',-

FneAror sepaHer l The Nuclear Regulatory Cocimtssion (N*W) rul- j

'^* -ll 7 I

ra e w flam H er cJea we Sta iE ^R E ' ," $_1

.. 9 details a two-year history of major construction and h -g,e . . , ,s y- f ,.

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,f*, * , i management problems at the plant, _

7

• w' ,

,1a 'p w~m,, ,, y,

. The gates of the plant in Moscow were padlock. ,

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brou h t a at to at sa ety ret ted Enandrer phohn by GORDON MORION A and ordered a third-party invesugation into quality T).g! GATES ARE CLOSED at the Zimmer nudeer power plant near Moscow, Ohio, as a securtty guard strides post sayos warning that hard hets are required control problems at Elmmer. e end vehldes are subject to seerdt With safetyesteted construction hefted only a minimet staff remains et the plant.

Bruce Stoccklin,a esman for the Cincinnatt eier ployees and the Government Ac.

urday bout 2 2 o he ,900 ct! n k contret prograh which one NRC spokesman, Jan hetng conAructed in conformance with the terms of armer at Zimmer would remain on the job. performing Strasma, described as betns outof epntroL- .tte n et permit nd N the

. O&E paid a $300M ctvu penely feele's by me non-safety-related work and maintenance chores. CO&E*s fatture to construct ZtnImer wIth an not proved it has adequate management control over NRC last year, after an NRC Invest 1gstion foe *. a the Zimmer project " '"

ABOUT We of the ' ISO administrative and quattty h*4" [c"[3 n I a it y h en y f me met WN s'"t *t

" U"8 indeterminate qualfty? W NitC ruitng smad. THE NRC inesougation which resulted in C0&E bad ratted to carry out an acceptablo quality-etruction i alt, in ' " " " " ""

reaunai e a'sfu',"a', Win'at thi Eff*e"r,'iaTie' o,,eA'"l',",s,Wie,a rne 7,at of me NRC ruiing deisiiod a .eaiity- t ns**ar we e ',%n:',,'g',i, t = noe page A41 1

" **a"""*

This le a flottag of some of quellitamaamme piping, electrical th3 most signiftent fladtage cable trays, cable seperauon, NRC Report Rakes Management he N nosdatory osa planta h de I CONTWdUED PItOM PAGE A-t e Electrical cable-ray insta!!a- resolved througit addluonal tral- canals (ent with past and prewnt smiselon (M AC) rulleg Frtday cloneles eeuld have been pre- tion and inspecuon deficiencies, ning. N RC findings.*

whleh ebut doues contruellen eented er identified earlier ME agreed to take actions to at the WINlasa H. Elemer Nu- cormt the quellty-assurance fall

• e Hangars for the control-rod IN AN NRC inspection in The ruling sal 1 CO&E has been "had there been a properly- drive system of " Indeterminate March and June. Inspectors found attempting to redo work in areas clear Power Statten. manage une and pumnt thelt mcurance.

quality." that correcuve action was not where there have been quality program.d quellty amourance A quantmMnamn pga o"The Elminef feeElly has An NRCinspectionin August ( P) s undertaken b h e Inadequate design control b telns taken. problems, parucularly in the area IF E

• O the architect for electrical separa In June and July. NRC inspec- of structural welds. The " rework" been constructed quellty without an and Septeenbar round a num.- pneented us finding's tolhe NRC. tion- tors found "potenual items of acuvities, the NRC emad, may be ad!quate assurenee Der of "styttfitant ceneerns

• Reactor control, reactor noncompliance"In the lnade- pumature because quality reviews progress asgeworn eenstruction with the control red drtue eye- THE NRC emid the uulity's QCP protecuon, and neutron-monitor- quate documentauon of welder have not been done.

and smenitor Ste quadly, result- ten wert being done by Cala-ing in the eenstruction of a fa- lylle Inc, a Elemmer contracter. addressed problems idenufted by ing panels which in some cases, quallflestions and unauthortsed cility which is currenuy of in- The Inspoetten found inade- the NRC inveetagauen in Il areas: do not conform to design draw- alteration of quality records. The " Tills AFFROACH to rework determinate quality" uste centrol of welder quell-structural steel, weld quellty, Inga. NRC findings concerning welder activiues indicates a lack of a traceability of heat numbers on e e e alone, and the faHum to e "Quesuonable" analysis by qualificauons resulted in the re- comprehensive management pro-take correettve actsens. It also piping, eacket welds, redlographs. the architect / engineer of the qualificauon of about 100 welders gram to address rework activites 0 As of Sept. 33, the quality found unautherleed aMeratten eletirleal cable separauon, non* dynamic stress of stmall-bore rp- and the need for CO&E to evaluate and the safety impact of those ac-conformance reporte, design con- Ing. -

the work of welders whose quall- uvities on the facility," the ruling confirmallen program of Cin- of gue:lty records and a falhus trol and vertflesuon,0csign docu- ficauons were notdocumented. maid.

clanatt One and Electric to follow ^

control- asent changes, subcontractor AS OF Sepl 30,ttu QCP reviews (CZ&E), the bullder of the lang weld fb metal About ISO quality amourance,and audite- How C0&E officiale respond to i

plint,had identitled approal- **1ders had to be reWifled. had idenufted about 4.200 noncon. An NkC Inveaugation was con

• the NRC's acuon Friday remains m; tely 4.29f "noncen forun- BEE sd on the findings, all work The NRC ruung said the QCP formances. C0&E has determined ducted in August and Septembu to be seen.The company can ap-Uces

• will: NRC standards, by Catalytic was stepped Oct. revealed II ** major construcuon to resolve about 800 of them, the after the control-rod drive system peal the decision within 25 days.

deficiencies" which could have ruling said work o e subcontractor,Catalyuc but n? construction would be al-CO&E has inada a "deteretna- 11. bem pmveted by C0&E and no tien as to resolutac*t" In about

, ,, NewInspectionsof theZimmer Inc. v s stopped by the NRC. loved duttng an appent contractors "had there been a Othn "stop-work orans" wwe ts-i the N said large en inade P 4 U h ru I s a - le te ance ung sal C0&E managemen n:neber of nonconforamico quate MQ N in the The "snaJor construction deft-

" '" n of e trle

""*""E* cable installation "due to inade- Itaturday with Kalser af%h t

mpone and the signineanes of CIMCl88"InCIUM '" lse m m t c a cable a a ng f cu ty mp nt!n sa 's- quate quality assurancey g

E "etal 1 I tions. A step work order on P '"E factory quality assurance / quality *'

spec w ee procedume" un we"Mi um TWO WEEKA later, CO&Ea'n 'them of layoffs. Ralph Sylela, flIO Ing of significant break- e 8tructural weld and weider " I E""#***' noimced the layoff of 500 con. 00&E vice pmsident IM nuckar

• • • I" I*

down in the Heensse's quality qualification deflelencies An NRC inspection in late 1981 struction workers, bu& Stoecklin opendons,said company oHietals assurance prograsm." eee e Approximately 2.400 feet of and early 19112 found that CO&E said Saturday he didn't think the were rettewing the NRC dectslon

• • • e The ruling smid CO&E le ag - small bore-piping with question- and Kaiser had failed to assure layoff was related to the stop- Saturday.

tempting to sede wert in areas able heat treatment the qualificauons of its quality- work order. Stoceklin said C0&E offsetels e The NItC listed M "unaler where there have been prob- e Welder qualtftcauons with "a assurance personnel and that plan to meet with the NRC in the ev truction detteleneles" loans,partleularly In the area of number of documentauon dis. Inadequately quallfled personnel The NRC ruttng onld the Na- near future to discuss and clartry idenufted in CO&E*e quellty struegeral seeds, prontaturely, crepancies.' were reviewing and approving uonal Board of Boller and Pres- the NRC decision. Storrklin onld confirsaation report,Inchsding before quality reelews have e Carbon-steel weld rede being procedures which were deficienL griblems in welds, welder been dene. used where stainlem steel was Unquallfled weld Inspectors were sure vessel the atte Reactors since has been March and on, C0&E mad honer mightPresident make a William Dick-public state-

, , _ _ called for. fourwl and the problem was to be findings of deficiencies " generally meton the shutdown Wnday i

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The -Cinemnati Post -

m- - - - Monday evening, November 15,1982 RewilioMd price 25e CG&E ponders Z'mmer future Sy Ron Lielse, wj!! contest the order, the work ks Installing # pipe hangers why he had been selected to harshest ever by the NRC for a and minor construcUon clean- conunue working.

ing" he said. "A lot of us here are talking atmrt making a ble peu sun n =- Oleio ogency to sed omdit of "" ' I" Zmmmer costs. Cincinneti City plant as close to completion as up. ..WE WERE ON strike f Cincinnatt Oas & Electric Co. Zimmer. The Moscow. Ohio. One worker, Lanny Kellum eight weeks this year and this

%fficials and the Nuclear Regu- Council nioy re-evoluote The commission's order on litory Commission will meet decision to stay out of power station is Ff percent com- of Nicholsville, a carpenter, said was a bad Ume for us to 30 out %fety-related construcuan p!*te. today, "I'm just going to go of work asaln with the hondays apfilles to all work that involvn this week to begin the detailed centroversy. Moscow, Oliio, THE SHt,7DOWN has idled home and count my blessings coming up.-

process of reopening the Wil- residents ponder effect of systems necessary to safely shut sleutdown. Pege 65. 1300 of 1500 construction work- and come back here tomorrow, Less fortunate was Jack down the reactor in case of an llam H. Zimmer Nuclear Power ers and 2500f 750 administrative My wife'a pregnant.and we were Station. personnel, including quality really wortled about this. I came Waechter of Edgewood, Ky. a work accident.

The NRC, in a 3-2 vote here expecung to be laid off and pipefitter- that Itinvolves also means any systems Prtiley, said it was unconvinced pending a review of construc- assurance CO8sElnspectors.

officials said Bunday just plek up my tools." . g hey sure picked a bad time which,if they fall, could cauw the plant was being built safely tion management and audit of about 210 workers would report Mlke Oruber of Bethel, an for thla. I heard about it Friday, and ordered a temporary halt to work already performed. See ZIMMER, Page SA all safety-related construction CO&E has not decided if it to wort today to continue such ironworker, said he didrt't know and I knew something was com-

SA necmen.wa peii meadsv.novw. ear is,iss:

clarification this week from the conunuauon of construction. CO&E's mariagement of the tion deficiencles that should NRC. Including reworking of previ- Zimmer project as evidenced by have been detected sooner.

Z*l@@@ ' ontinued C from Poge 1 A The NRC order sets three ously identitled construruon what the commission said were deftelencies.

The commission said the fol-numerous examples of non- lowing acent inspections show conditions for resumpt!on og 22 construction deficiencies, constructk,n: Keppler must approve each compilance with 9 of 18 qualtty the problems persist:

an accident e Independent review of the component of the order before assurance criteria.

ISOST Of THE remaining C0&E officists insisted Sunday CG&E paid a $200.000 fine in e March and April Iset two Work at Zimmer is safety-relas. the plantis being built safely. managementof theprojectThe construction resumes.

Tile COMRilSS10N'S order November 1981 for falling to items of noncompilance In ed, said B. Ralph Sylvia, CO&E "ITS A MATTER of showing Cechtel Power Corp., based in vice president f or nuclear them on paper it's safe." C0&E San irr ancisco, will perform this was prepared in tight secrecy implement an effecuve quality implementing and making operauone. spokesman Bruce Stoecklin function, Stoceklin sW. CO&E af ter an Oct. 28 meeting in assurance program, false quality Umely lems.

correcuons of past prob-

. No one is esumating how said. "They are still basteally expects the NRC to approve Washington in whlen Keppler assurance Bechtel's selectlen, although briefed the commissioners on umidation and harassment of documents and in.

long the reviews wlll take. paperwork problems." April, May and June leIgt Noting 4200 ldentitled con. Top executives of the uullty Regional NRC Administrator conunuing problems atZImtr.er, quality The controlinspectors.

utility agreed in March f gmd to enstmus wm fames Keppler has said Dechtel The saca of enforcement ac. y nquallfled clerks; faU.

struction deficiencies, the NRC met Saturday with the Henry J. had Its own construction man- tions against Zimmer began 1981 to a 10-point plan to correct ,

said it lacks " reasonable assur. Kaiser Co., principal contractor, asement problems at the Mid- with the January 1981 tnvestiga. the problems. ment ance that the ZAmmer plant is lo study the 21-page NRC order, land, Mich, nuclear planL tion into allegations by present CG4E ALSO agreed in Au-  ?

being constructed in conform- According to terms of the e Updated comprehensive and former Zimmer site em- gust 1981 to a comprehensive e June and July 1982 Inadel ance with the terms of its con- order, CO&E has 25 days to ac-struction permit and that there cept the decision or appeal to plan Ity for the qual. anployees verification ofincluding of construction, and by the Govetament program to determine the qual- quate contrel of weldei Accountability. Project, a Ity of past work in 11 areas. quellfications, fallure to corfect is adequate management con- the commissioners. audit by an a sie company. n@n-based pubne Inter

• The commission said this the problem, unauthortsed cor-trol over the Zimmer project to Stoecklin said there is much This is not likely to be putorm. es gru p, program, now said by CO&E to rection of some records; as14 ensure that NRC requirement 4 the company still does not know M by Mhtd,8toeckHn said. The investigation revealed a be more than two-thirds com- f allure to follow welding tw are being met." about the order. He said compa-The commmission identlfled ny esecutives would seek some e cmprehensive plan for ,, widespread breakdown" In piete, has identitled construc- trelas procedurent _-

ti

. m .,r m ,.,,..,_. _ -- --

G 6B metro neom.wo,moe.r.%=og _

Offic gr Ron Liebou rw s** %-w a s . seeking from past PUCO pracuce. The ~

commission had routinely l

Ratepayers should not be granted ut111ttes 50 percent of #

charged for mistakes at the their requests for Elmmer.

William H. Elmmer Nuclear related construcuon.

Power 8tauon, according to the

'Offlee of Consumers' Counsel, SPRATLEY NOTED that the an Ohio governmental agency commission said It would con- ]

designed to represent utility sider a cost accounting of ,

customert Z&mmer if there was no Im-William A. Spratley, head of provement made in getung It '

the agency, promised Sunday to completed.

explore all legal avenues to CO&E's pending $110 million keep ratepayers from being as- electric rate request, which in- '

sessed costs at Zimmer that can cludes $56 million for Zimmer be attributed to mismanage

• construcuon work in progrees, # '

ment wul get careful attenuon from To determine how much of attorneys for the consumer Zimmer's problems stems from agency. The case may be heard mismanagement. Sprauey will as early as January 1981 ask the Pub!!c Uu!!ues Com* Cincinnati City Council mission of Ohio to order a com- Member Charles Luken said plete cost accounting at today the city should get in-Zimmer. volved in challenging CO&E's "WE ARE NOT anti-nuclear, attempts to pass through its and we have never challenged Zimmer costs to customers.

the plant on safety reasons." Sprauey said he is studying Spratley said. "We want to how to keep customers from make sure the costs could be paying for any of the costs avolded and are not passed incurred during the temporary through to the consumers. Un-

'less there is an audit, those shutdown and for hiring the Bechtel Power Corp. to assess costs cannot be quantified." the project.

Sprauey said PUCO has three times resisted pleas for a cost accounting of the $1.7 billion CGAE SPOKESMAN Bruce prokct, but may be more in- Stoecklin conceded that it will c11ned to do so now that the be more difficult for the utility Nuclear Regulatory Commis- to getits fullrate request with a halt to construcuan.

g g a ar gag,5, 7, The con,umer agenc,, estab-construcuon C1fficulties. Hshed by the state legislature in "It appears to us that NRC 1977 to represent residential acuons, first with the 9200 000 customers, has long opposed

-fine last November and now the inclusion of construcuon this, are related to mismanage- work in progress at power ment. The question is, 'Does a plants in customers' bills.

" # Under Ohio law, a utility can It i begin to charge customers ratepayerar. ta '

when a power plant is at seast 15 percent completed. CO&E l

SPRATLEY SAID be is taking says Zimmer is p percent com-

. rate-blocking scuon against all plete.

three cosopanies with shares in SPratley said utt11ty custom-the Esmmer stauon. Cincinnau era from C0&E, CASOE and ,

Oss & Electric Co. Owns 40 per. DP&L already have spent $136.7 eent Dayton Pcwer & Light Co. m1111on in the pest three years 31.5 percent and Columbus & for construction at Zimmer.

Southern Ohio Electric Co. 38.5 CO&E collected M7.1 million for percent Elmmer expenses. C&80E has Sprauey said Sunday be will raised $492 million and DP&L try to block PUCO's planned has earned $40J mlH1on.

decision to grant C&BOE Sit' mCllon for construcuon costs CG&E EXECUTIVE 8 say elec-at timmer. tric rates will increase by as t The commission tentauvely much as 375 million a year once approved a $41.6 million rate re- Elmmer goes into opertuon.

quest last week for the Colum* Although Spratley said elec-bus uultty. Of that amount, Sie tracity rates may eventually million was for Elmmer. C&8OE have to be lacreased to cover had asked for $64 million to costs over operation of the cover costs of Elmmer,Sprauey plant, customers could hate said. spent the $135.7 million them.

The commission, scheduled selveserinvestedIL to issue final approval for thcee Spratley said allowing atlll-rates today in Columbus, has ues to increase rates before a delayed action until Wednes- project is completed to a dist9-eay. cenure for holdmg down the The lesser allowance for costs of the protect or,in some Elmmer marks a departure cases. canceling IL

I I

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21xhaanainemmh6NuclearPlantifas Given UtilitiesManyHeadachesi>

THE NEW YORK TIMBS, WEDNBSDA NOVEMBER Iy, J903 ' ' _

- Sy fTER FETERSON fm Ms,any tunes kun the Okso ~

's==* a m a= *an== from here.cuy ofnesah pnk'N Kapphur, hand of tri====amia=*e CM.

are=a i

p , a, m. .

tener riW. Oldo, Nov.14 & De euk and the ash are tsare and . verw estr earuw i-i%ff pecy thaar souclear notshhor and are corvHd.

lca soomeo.

, ering a new round of indepmdent chas. East Thursday, the day tefore the does the Oldh River frem anyw in larges tommpletton ot the ptant. cornmission actson, the Cincirmati stil.

W73 7f g

• Monterer is tdetted try the cooiing tower The ammission's order to shut den Ity antletpeted the stogkwork artier. It g y;;(. < .. ,,

w;F 4

me the WlHlam R. Zimmer nuclear wort on areas tnvolving nuclear enfet7. annnunced the hirtng of Bechtet INrwer 3 Gent. The tower rises like an accounting for almost all the work still i lCorporerwas to become a " Joint eien.

- ^

ena<up the sim geheg on at the ptant.

• appears to be ager" for a plant review.

i af a Instban fleid fror.s 6ehind an old precapitous, punitive and does nothing q p,gg,; pay,ris @ mdla m I embummouse.

• to rusatve the problems." Wtutam H. . clear power and has serwd as an audi-

"It's liki a sore thumb: It's dnsus- Deckhoner, prearksect of Cincinnati ces ' tarW usequahtyW work hi mher cases.

W you get tened tow" Pauline Shnete. put the announcement of its participe-Go Tinsge tax ceGetter, satd. "When and Electree. sand today.

flest saw it golag up they seM.

"It wiu only increase the Cost and tkut had the effect of further chargtag

@Benvens, we don't want to looktimme as thatrequfred to complete the plant " piger,, en already highty emotkanal atmon-

[

y *T eD day.* But when they saw the beenfits he said. "It would appear that the order

.GQ.4 fle'en ske pyrou tax. they thaupt pan

' anapha tt wasn't sohad after an."

resefted frern outside pressure on the afintervenors."

pechtelis part of the Bechtel Group.

one of the country's largest corpora.

^A- B the last to years, three Ohio hts- the ,m.,, The utittt y has asserted throughout tkms wtth construction contracts

,e m, Ilum. led try the Cincinnett One and Eler- . that F mner's proh* around the globe and, more particular.

Issus ers somen, dally tt se of record. 17, wnh several W Rs former omcers g trte Cosipany, have put $1.3 billion into serving in high places in the Reagan Ad.

the Zlmuer plant, and espect ke11W and s

e d, ,

s ,

.# 1. Ahg 3  %.p i.- to $1.y hs11tems betereit is ceans'ut- ster F ancismr safety rules. mwntration.

Among the long4tme foes of the ZIm.

,J . . g ed. Su far, the only people wm how ensherttical weed h the faculty unset ha naar plant the pronunce of such a petiti.

1

' JIN 1 terorgled and Inspected, every peers af rany wettomaincted campany at as

,..S

'W. about 800 ) equipunant hutsped must be treemable one resses quattom. i to its ortsh and each evider taunt tup 1

1 > j- theetorso residents of ninecow. u ne vales he paved as roads, sur- '"'"4 as quanfied ser his partir*r theimas "Dettitel is poHttca ty wassm=8h=88m y 4 ?Q # ' teased aew polks cars andis running a luk Applagets, the prtvete breastle i

• m,J- gq pior who uncowred evtders of fmW; But officials of the Nuclear Rettuta-

, Esurwew for et Gas and tory Comrnisolon. which in its ' top * . _ W. at the - *. ernmein-

g' .s .W 4* hase tc aEd its pam Zimmer has wert order called the plant's safety "tr> ed. "So anyth who r a Bechtei on ste W For the Me- dueerminate" have asserted that the sedehassuredof pre . ton."

clear R FlamCE prvblems alsoin@ squedeu i

i beamanacuer ' Canunission D.ofhas enfaty. Devtd h ^m of die Cin-. I channel Environraental Advisory Coin-

~

Over the last tipohrs the pinet, al- "The evidence does potut to, certain-feedy far beNad schedule and $1 htlMme man hangwam N" Jan cit taak a snore rooderste vtew: "The opw inddal met Wh he been . a spokesman at the matenle- 3M quedom is how indepedet h tam sean's Chicago omce, said today. "C.G.- _.  : t!drdparty auditor gotng to V one Asms unmefs. of peragen lects adurnate che%thatceserchit hSE. le in the process of reworkirt 70 te? They are all in the nuclear industry and they are mR likely to have warhed ased hivvirves we ont pertunt of the structural steel welds, together in the past or tssey wG3 in the summe say are cihnhin tksu W " 8 'h re have been some weeds th"at ho'w been found tou." be future. Sechtet has dome some wry t gned work, but therve also had some Federal last Frtday nuclear safety laws'agalndthe the charges Attuution at the plant is focused run on=

pentdems at Midlesul."

imetson of the independent reviewer of mission 3 2 to en wert. the W. the uu%, Me! ts b down safety-related work at the wWeh h F7 percent 6e. urit out.

nt, whh Rs panners.tlw Deyton Pown and IJet Company and the CohnnDes and' same retnforting be Mich, Wr p% b MM enew stadam, m sede arprirts amines meirert Soutfears Ohio Electric c-' . _, . wtti to to defective in 1., , and wre found where im> (

ti.a emwn Meanwhile.a Federal grand jury WEB am, start taking testimony nest month en estut de aumw. De choice wHl k w pH 6 b b e'

@ to me a@roval of Jamm 0 cated try unenpectedly raw wMg (

i So WNHame ff. Elmmmmer moulumr phet em te (Nde Rfour h Musesw. h pumusnes deuberuse tahtacauen or amm *"neWtN husidines.

struction records, a criminst violetfrei

,of the Atomic F.nergy Act.

4 1 q

• owe teht and the peone we and eur own way" Edhor Nhsm R. BurtNgh J}

1_Q e o e u.n.,ng e o, CIDCIDHatl Tnomas E.ounnino Edmort.iP.go EdNor POST u.n.nn.o a n s00 ercedway. Canannati. ON. 45202 (513452-2000 Wedwsday,Nov. C17,1982 editorials Frogging CG&E In the wake of the construc- have CO&E do-announce it is tion shutdown at the Zimmer giving up on Zimmer and then file for bankruptcy? This is not Nuclear Power Station comes a so far-fetched when you con-harbinger of Cincinnatt's sider thas right now a $1.7 bil-counctimanic election,now less than a year away. Ilon investment hangs in After the Nuclear Regulato. limbo.

ry Commission ordered safety- . So far 1300 craft workers related work to stop at Zimmer, have been laid 0ff from their the Cincinnatt Oas & Electric jobs.

Co. announced that "despite o CQ&E's stock is down the shutdown the plant will he e Moody's Investor's Se rv.

completed, an operating 11- ice lowered its ratings on CO&E cense will be issued, and the first mortgage bond issues.

plant will produce power for This means the company will this communmity for years to have to pay higher interest come " ** " D ***'

To some, this may have o Zimmer-related rate in-sounded like a plerige or enases and requests an being promise. But not to Council challenged.

Member Guy Ouckenberger, Republican, who commented: Meantime CO&E tries to continue with the day-to-day "It's almost a threat to this business of providing energy community."

for this ana.

And Council Member Aw It is stating the obvious to Borte, Charterite, said he was disappointed with the tone of say that everybody wants to see the statement and *1t's time a safe plant built and operated CO&E is held accountable for safely. But it becomes increas-safety." ingly apparent that, for some people, safety is not the goal.

Both comments seem to They do not want Zimmer

t. ave political overtones, with completed-ever.

an assumption that a sizable group of Cincinnati voters are They oppose nuclear power.

sufficiently alarmed about They are both victims and Zimmer to be in agreement perpetrators of hysteria with-with its critics. out rational basis.

As for making a " threat" to Safety standards must be as-complete the plant and put it sured, the plant must be com-into operation,CO&E should be pleted, and it must go into applauded rather than criti- operation.

cized. That's the whole idea: to Now is no time for self-serv-produce electricity at Zimmer. Ing and obfuscating state-What would Ouchenberger ments by politicians.

1 l

1

- . _ _ . _ s CG&E hears plan P

By Ron Liebou to run seen neaw #

Cincinnatt Oss & Electric Co.

received its first official briefing Wednesday on the shutdown of its William H. Zimmer Nuclear Power Station.

And the uulity was told how Program. This will include a Program has been woraing.~

to get plant construction crank- third party to perform an audit. Strasma said. "What we have Pd up again. e Tell the NRC exactly how it been dissausfied with is the control of on-going construe.

James G. Reppler, restonal plans to proceed with resump. Mon and the fact that rework

-administrator for the Nuclear uon of construcuon and any re. was going on when tDere was llegulatory Commission, met for pair work. still m quesuon as to the adequa-Ttve hours with CO&E President William H.Dickboner.The men A federal grand jury here is cy of construction."

. laid the ground rules for re- preparing to hear evidence that As for the presence of *out-

. opening the plant. The shut- there may have been criminal side pressure," Strasma said 410wn idled 1300 construcuon misconduct at Zimmer, two that has become a typical re-

-workers and 250 administrauve consumer advocacy groups are sponse f rom beleaguered utill-personnel. criuctzing the utility's rate polt- gjeg AT THE MEETING, CO&E cles and one disgruntled share- "The facts that the order is proposed hiring the Bechtel holder has filed a suit in 335. based on are not unproved alle-Power Corp. to perform a man. District Court alleging comparq tions by those outaide the agement review of the Zimmer mismanagement has devaksed pRC,".he said."The basis for the project. Such a revlew is a her stock. _

order are continuing violations condluon of resue11ng work- THE Sulf revealed the of quality assurance at the Bechtel engineers arrived at the company's board of directors plant, coupled with the lasue of s ue Monday. has formed a special htigauon doing rework on systems that Wednesday's meeting came committee to investisce are not determined to be up to five days after the NRC ordered charges by the shareholder, Belle Efros of New York City. standards?

the shutdown. It was the first STRASMA SAID Keppler op-time the NRC had ever shut An eight-member team of

.down a nuclear power plant NRCinspectors ts examining 300 posed the shutdown order and wanted commissioners to give

under cot.strucuon. allegations of construction CGL E the opportunity to imple-

- Perhaps overlooked in the problems and another NRC arut,

!ahutdown order is that every- the Of flee of Investigation, is ment its own soluuons and t'len tasue an order confirming it,

'4hing being done now by CG&E screening allegations of inten-pad the NRC la aimed at com- Monal wrongdoing that might Dickhoner said there would be no rework of any Quality ting t lead to criminalcharges pamenw.he St.'l billion plant in Ohio. CO & E's only detailed te- Confirmauon Program matters

• 'Ibe commission sumps .* sponse to the order came Mor - entti after Bechtel has evaluat-tonstrutuon but in suspending day afternoon in the form of a ed the course of acuon.

construcuon gave CO&E a road

,haap to starung' it again," said pur-page statement from Dick-

'Jan Strasma, NRC pubite affatra sotte*

-effacer. "The order..sppears to be Strasma a aid Keppler ex. ,,recipitous, punitive and does .

A ,. l ,. A ,.

$1ained to Diethoner Wednes- nothing to resolve the problems. -

day that CO&E will have to: It will only increase the cost and { lll{l e Retain a third party to re.

re an== "a =

time requind to comp =lete the

=pna= sun on the part of , plan intm ads gram, which is examining past venors," said Dickhoner, who inmen m.mn.e work. Out of this review will said Keppler was declaring as . WASHINGTON - Utility come specific recommendauons late as Oct. 2B that the Quality wrecutives said Wednesday the Heppler must approve. Confirmation Program was nuclear power industry will pay e Submit a comprehensive working granter attention to quality con-pan for verifying the quality of "!T IS TRUE that Keppler t. ,l in reactor construcuon, say-construction, including an up-says the Quality Confirmauon eng construction problems-and graded Quality Confirmauon attendant publicity-are hurt-ing them.

Industry officials and nu.

elear experts made the pledge at ihts week's annual conference of the AtomicIndustrialForum, admitting that continued public controversy over " quality assur-ance" problems at sites such as the Zimmer plant and the Dia-blo Canyon plant on the Califor-nia coast are hurting them.

The industry is launching a

$30 million advertising cam-paign to prnmote commercial nuclear power.

"We don't think that prob-lems can be solved just with public education," forum chair-man Wallace Behnke said. "It starts with quality performance and safe opertuon."

He said formation of the industry-backed Institute for Nuclear Power Operauons is an effort to establish quality con-trol standards and reviews.

THUO5DAE 20VEMSER 18.1982 CG&E Wants BechtelFor Zimmer o

Zimmer Audit Still Part Company W'as Hired Of Rate i Before.NRCShutdown Columbus utmey Charges Customen BY HOW ARD WuwdON BY JACKIE JADRNAK anoser asparsur - - -

cmue=s serwe Ctnetnkau O' ss' & Electric Co. (CO*El will pro- *' cot,UMBUS-Even though pose Bechtgl Power Corp. as the company to make construcuon has been parually the independent reviewof probletr( at the Elmmer stopped at the Elmmer nuclear nu(lear power plant, according to cocipany offlctala power plant Columbus & South.

The tentes was ordered last week by the Nuclear ern Ohio Electric Co. got the okay Regu: story Commissign (NRC) .

On Wednesday to charge its cus-James O. Keppler, NRC regional administrator, tgoers for the plant and N RC staff members met with CO&E manage. .-But there was a string attached tdibe approval from the Pub!!c On The inside 4. """

Chlum" bus utulty would have to re-c*==taiaafon* w

• A look at Bechtet Page B-2. fRYid that money-st would annount to about stoo on an aver-a$d monthly bill-to consumers if ment Wedn'oeday'st tfte eompany's corperate head. the PUCO deeldes in a special quarters in Cinctstatt h&aling that the Elmmer con-

.s. gg S$petion work should be taken tur. omett.s tr.sicated sechtet would be

- the comparlf g emot uw rate ban d to do the prettmtpar3 assess. .The commissioners set that I mentof Elm the permissio@of nieppler,ae. hearing for Dec. 20 while about 15 f eerdmg to a* tement released by the company, censumers, many carrying signs COLE hired Berhtel t to do an independent ma. { wnh slogana such as *No Elmmer sessment opprobnetna at Elmmer last Teek, one day - la My BAH" and No $ for a Dead before the WRC tasued an order shutung dos t. Q 3NSeflocked on.

patety-related construcuan at the plant and order. '~

Rng a third $mrty madtt;- 2 E FEEL this la a poslure The meeting with CO&E offletals was "a very 2

- ' f rat step? said Busan Butler, a straight-forward, candid discussion" of the NRC U apokeswoman for the Of fice of iorder. secording to NRC spokesman Jan Strasma. [ Consumers' Counsel. "There may i OGLE of fncials said the five-hour meeung estab. U . be some light at the end of the fished ground rules for proceeding under the NRC's w ' tunnel."

'E 9show causf order.

• That office had fued acuons CO&E president W111 am it. Dickhoner told Kep- Monday to remove Elmmer from ew

,pler the utility intends to comply with provtalons of the rate base of Columbus &

.the order. In its order last Friday, the NRC gave $ (Bouthern Ohio Electric Co

'C0&E 2S days to "show cause" why the order should -

C&SOE) and Cincinnau Gas &

not stand and ask for an NRC hearing. Electric Co. after the Nuclear 3 Regulatory Commission ruled tant s week that safety-related c on.

THE COMP ANY announced Monday it chose not 40 ask for a hearing, thich it said would further 'j strbcuon stop unt.L) an independ.

ant aud!& could esplore possible delay the cor)tinusuon of construcuan at the planL b problet9s.

I,ast week's NRC order idled about 1.300 con. f .Since that filing came in be-struction workers at the Elmmer planL About 30 z n the PUCO 4 approval of s e aln on tha job, performing non-natety I* A crew from Bechtel arrived on the atte Monday'

,,.the ual ff co stan decided to let the rates go g effect with the tofund provl.

ts!

to bogtn the asaceament of conditions at Elmmer. "This is an unusual action?

Keppler has indicated he is concerned about stEI Chairman Jon Kelly.

hiel's operation of a nuclear plant in Midland. Meanwhile, the Office of Con-

, saying there have been serious quality assur. euaners' Counsel also fued Tues.

day to take Elmmer out of the rate gye problems at that plant.. But Keppler said eerster this week basethat he would of Dayton j & EJaht Co.

Power not rule 001 Bechtel as the third rty auditor at AE three uultues own a chan of 54mmer.Under the NRC order las Friday, Keppler tgplant ,

f snust approve the company doing the review. THERE IS some disagreement THE PURPOSE of the review, the NRC order h5s much C&SOE will be coueet.

said. will be to ensure that the plant can be com-Ing for Zimmer under the new rates Buuer said her office flg.

pleted accordlag to the terms of KNRC regulauons ured the amount to be 817 mHHon, and the construcuon permit As the fkm to doing its work, all correspondence almost the same amount the between it and CO&E win be Metewed by KePpler. company has been coDecting each year since IF79 for Elmauer con.

struction. The PUCO and the l

! company taave figured snat new I amount to be closer to 814 mt!!:on.

1 JAlthough the PUCO allowed l

Ged60E to conunue charging for j

Elinmer. the company was not pleased with the overall decision.

1 which had allowed only $45 mil.

l Ilon of $100 million requested.

"This doesn't help our overap financial condluon that much" sand Marshall O. Julien, ananager of public affairs. "We thought the ortstnal order was somewhat hor-re_ndous*

A 13 THE CINCINNATI ENOUIRER Friday. November 19,1982 g

c THE ENQUIRER k I bra.gg .

WILLIAMj KEATING

- h3

}6U S

r g N.

e pum( j #=gj ,!a )

G._mRGE R BL4KE H._ARRY H BROWNING

, e _ .

THOMASS GEPHARDT J AME3 E. JEROW

- , ,.  %[#E3"E E e

sit 4 p ps eu y KCLEAR ENERGY NRC must work swiftly to resolve @ (gg y the questions surrounding Zimmer b En 'gg51s du er y.ch2 3 EEEu THE ZIMMER power station is ging by the NRC. No enterprise E.,j h 6"E gigs .t fast becoming the Edsel of the nu. should be so insulated from financial 33 oitEO

• M aE 5gj$*g a g'30 clearindustry.' risk.Giving customers a fair break in the final allocation of Zimmer costs is 8k Eg But if it does, there ought to be a also a must for the public support ptsce in the front seat for the Nuclear further power expansions will require fungus,q h"E $gac 8.gd[j!

• sc c($g E.,f"f i'

Regulatory Commission (NRC). The to meet the area's job-creation needs 35 $F I f C EE*ghe.g*get

. order shutting down safety- the rest of the 20th century. o 3:5 figes ? .E3:$8E e a _Wtion for new quality checks is only the latest hint of man- Some questions ought to be asked. M

<.$"j3"E S co b E 2 IX:"

agement failures at the plant But Why, for example,did Cincinnat10as E just as surely, the shutdown indicts & Electric Co. (CO&E) and the two A the federal agency for having dragged other utilities in the projeet pick V yy6e cjU* j6.

its feet so long, for having let allega- Kaiser Engineers, Inc., of Oakland,

• P"4 yEEI8 09 EE uons of qua!!ty breeches plie up with- Calif., to build Zimmer? Granted M **g3" HEN N out resolving them. Kaiser had long experience in big Q g EE8 e

• { h construction projects. And it built the pg E EEo 8 E

W PM n j 3583 5 jAch .E *SE E Federal agencies are hardly noted plutonium reactors for the federal for speedy action. Even so, the NRC government's Hanford, Wash., facill-must be the tortoise of the bunch - ties in the 1960s and 1980s. Moreover. Q g gs" j]4$JB$f$ '

one that'll never outpace the hare. Kaiser won the contract to manage 7 -. k - '

8 For many montbs, Zimmer oppo- (as opposed to building) construcuon nents, namely the Washington based of a n# lear plant for Cleveland Elec-E g f:Ef j

EE N$[E~E C

E

' Oovernment Accountability Project tric Illuminating Co. But the firm, g (OAP), pestered the NRC to shut unlite others,has not been noted as a E 83h , E m down the plant. But in May,1981, the nuclear-power plant contractor. This agency flatly rejected GAD's request isn't to suggest the NRC won't,in M !Pg!$N gS6 h[* ]$jEE 25eE

$ 3E 4 to suspend the project. Under relent- final analysis, find Kaiser faultless - M less pressure frem GAP and other of determine that a major protect n 25.4 siE] dij'y "public interest" groups, the NRC weakness was CO&E's failure to au-

• 958 2 5 finally caved in, however, on a 3-2 thorize the additional quality-control 5SE 5 3 P '.gg .. ti vote jeopardizing 1,500 jobs at the inspectors Kaiser wanted in the mid- 0 Eg c Moscow, Ohio, site. 11n0s. 4- 'co!

385 E3 Sl6 Ee'3l L$

. j sW e hr S

, p* i E d I'g E 3 The project, in any case, is in a g Meanwh"e, G AP's legal director, mess that ought to be cleared up as 7 35

, Thomas Devine, said he has been swiftly as possible. The air has been Z 4 g.,j**,fjg gg = ,, 7 ordered to appar, with documents, 1111ed too long with allegations which *2*E C g 2 g:

y* gg go g.ws e gE Dec.1 before a federal grand jury

- remember- are no more than that g g2 invesugating Zimmer. So that means , o Etmmer faces two f-deralinvestiga- until proved. Mistakes have been - g ggy o z made on all sides, granted. But =

tacos - 30 years atter the project among the biggest has been the g ,,g 32Em;;g , pe, began,when ttis 98% complete.lf the allegations from GAP, and now the which,if carried out properly, could 5 NRC's neglect of its duty - a duty O

st5 illi.p3,2 f5s NRC, of a safety breakdown at the have had Zimmer operating long ago. w g i2 plant are true, they must be cleared Instead, what it has just done is ;:

up, obviously. The public couldn't throw hundreds of people out of wolk j

{ggES g g,,,

tolerate a nuclear plant under a dark y j E E t

cloud of suspicion.

In the pre-Christmas season, hammer 2 the economy anti tax coffers of Mos- O h

A 3

E,f,y.

S t Q 2

y cow and Clermont County and leave 2 W 3ygW~Q i;;

Yet every interruption, delay or the Tristate wondering whether it U l ggn *g"[d a modificatnon increases costs of the will get the power to grow Nobody y g gg j project consumers are almost certain wants another Edsel, but neither &- Eg.yg 8 JE g to share one way or another.But even should the area be denied the power g h f 2=

8E.E agj e 6 E tf it requires new law, the Public essential to economic growth. Com- ymmm4 g a8Eg g Ut111tles Commission of Ohio (PUCO) pleting Zimmer - safely - should h EEN, must free customers from having to top the NRC's action agenda, espe- as pay for mistakes attributable to man- cially with the national spotlight on 7 g <j*fj$$"1* ]C asement of the project or f;ot-drag- the plant. U d dh d

ua

~

THE CINCINTATIENQUIRER FR DAY, DECEMBER 10,1982 A GANNETT NEWSPAPER FhMAL EDmON/ NEWSSTAND PRICE 25c Udall Accuses NRC Of Zimmer Cover-Lp I SY DAYD SHAPMO ther charged that OfA ordered m- the Dmmer project"UdaII sam. The CIA investigation was 3atton of ineptness by MRC em- '

Ge*w' **** S*Nt* spectors to purge the deleled NRC spo kesm an Joseph orderad af ter the NRC eas ac- picyees, when the scope had actu-matertal from thett fues, so that rouchard decttned comment cel cused of glossing over charges of atty been broader

• WASHINOTUN--The Nuehar W Intwmauon wouM not have to the charges. except to say that the construcuon deficiencies made by Oamble aim complained that Itegulatory ComeIsston (NRC) be turned over to Z2mme crfues commission "will lock into the Thomas Applegate, a Ioems private 01A meestigators were forced by p ansted the puNac on the extent of under the Freedom of Laforma- matters raised by Congressman Invesugator. their supervisors to restew the ,.

construetaan We at Z2rnmer taan Act, Udall and respond as soon as in his letter to Udall. Osmble draf t report with NRC officials , r' Nuclear Power Stataars near Cin, Udal1 ~who has spearheaded an possible

• sam OIA invesugators found sert- ehe were subjects of the Of A J*.

clonau by imm aquelchmt Interior Committee probe of cus deficienenes in the NRC"s over- invesugatan. He said the report * * * ,L M.

NRC docussents critical of Z2mmer. sam the NRC4 attempt to T H E NRC Inst month shut . all Invesugative program, as well was later changed to accommo- .

Deuter.smys Rm Manu Uda!L withhold the matertsJ from the down ia -Gun of the plant, as specific protnems at Zammer. date the concerns of those of f t- / ,. -

Uda!!. chairman of the House pubile "ralses quesuoris about the after the NRC staff reported sert- ctala A. l Interter Committee, charged in a 307 NE said the drsft report Gamble sam he was ordered by i t y' integitty" of the agency's muesu- cas deficiencies In qua!!ty control

• l letter *.o NRC chairman Nunz3o gataan on,mm. Dmm W being Duut by Cmet:2- subented by the stan was cut and Of A management to Menon M-Panad* vie that key information on **The withholding of such nau Oss & Dectric Co. and two rewritten by OIA management so ments from his fUes fra late 1981 a Demer quattty breakdontts and documents had h ennt of ptac- other Ohio util2ttes. that it no longer desertbed the af ter the Govern:nent Account-NRC Inspecuan defL-tencies was Udall based hIs charges on a eeope of the OIA*s abtitty Project (0 A P l. a lending deleted frsus a Iget report try the Ing iBe 21maer attumuon m a

• V NRC's Offlee of Inspector and.st more fa6 H, su than acts . . . was m,d, leter tc hts acommittee Osame. famer Om from David invesugauon insputw .uma,,0! . . . The ihe fmai fewetten

- madsDmm in crtue.

m auonf!1ed a, Free, Actree eo dom or aH of

- ,the REP. MOIHtS tDAli.

oud centstbuted to the delsy in public who played a 24)w TWe in the 1981 the reader to believe that 01 A had recognttaen of the true status of Investtent>n. only performed a timited invasu- (See titstf FR.pnge 4 81 . .crmestof fatC THE 4RTZOMA Desnocrat f ar.

.- 1 immer i .

He tod -bie -re wse -

1Riemble said he has teft the as,'MaPh?,W'***,

M. mosA Pa(A A-1 M..4 matertal that had been de-gggg,rtal f e removed from his fu6s. and recency provided ec99es 96 the NRr"s genersi counset.

IfE SAID CO&E had "tttue ap-prectauon for the resources need-ed for the plant.' and that the not of ' tough guys wortmg at the plant and the situatton got worse when they,were drtnting. . . .One gg, ha y,.,,f, I ' "E the ut!!!ty barety met mmtmum staff- amtstant manager said be was for direettng OsmWe to rest yh.,d from the ftnal @ . *.UdatI and Oamble expremed tng requtrementa

, pheticular concern about the Harpster said that *many plant afraid to tour the plant because of hla fDes trom the otnce~

. sgy sUpEnvison asked me if Ows decision to detete enterety the const:ted felona wortmg out

@ any records subtect to the fism its !!nal report a 1983 Inter- personnes rett a nuclear plant was there.' Udall also requested an pgee,t. Ommble said. -wtran I samtlar to the operauen of a fuest! enumerauon et steps taken try the view with Terry Harpster. who was fuel plant." accordtng to Oamble* ' Harpster sharply crtuctsed~the comentasson to ensure against fur-semd that the file esbtpet in my anWRC Inspector at Zimmer front NRCs inspectamt system, sartng it ee!)ce contained a number of gy?g te lf?B. secountof theInterview. ther acts of improcer wtthholdtng jgiotts and materta2 that had been Harpster sam he tiled.to draw left inspectors too dependent ces of documenta-p from the fmal report. I . -In the deleted Interview. which attenuon to the qualtty control the attuues for Informauon and bbe been obtarped independently peoNems at Zimmer. But was con

• under heavy pretsure to move swas directed se remove these Dr.Omanett News Service. Harp-deemients from OI A offices- *ter told Oseble that qualtty sistency resisted by CU&E and the construction along to keep costs (ytA's response to GAFs Freedom a8 Rt". ***

of 3nformatten fTeuest mad,e set" sasurance when he arrived was "out of controt* l at Dmmer.

TIE WALL STREEI a~*---*

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 15.195i2 M W E N EfEl881**F J0NAL.

vRk phystest 3Rym DF EWWPtefinn werters.

As a result, the NRC nned Houstnn urhting

,,,,,,,,,n,,,,m,,,,,

that its tnut was ahmed Frnm a quattty.

assurance staprtpntnt, this is the unrst pf ant m Du uw detecaw was sonn to tie esa, PnM N NRC Mgstion msulted in e one. mtanwty mlw. dtanon. "Thry jet Mfactly tnoted my alkpdans." he j" Troubled Protect

• IIIM88-Ch history. AM Gm 'en lie a&h Gat W N gine.mo. aM mstr-acin was stoggert fw I. M M Ms w GUhdy. m of s a mmh wMs. "Tw W mee Mme bokhr fw a W W Un Met. Nunzio Palladino.

Ittely eterne is that the plant will ewnfually aeveral months (but has since. resumedi. . nau as & EW he Then, ia amor **nds = c--i - ~ ,piaty W commissi

=  % cume.t schairmaa.

iu ,ro o,agMs ,,. that Construction Halt msa;i,ntowed to operate, nssible to ove aheomgoes esomon to,e ,y:sa , ,,,, ,,te last,,

,,,o,year,,the NRC, a,c,tualty y,, , o,, ,,,c do,* =,";;;'t,=c,f,lpaa== == a* uhr= *

• hm - >n - m.

corneeinn uma -n nu hm *=*d Co. . m.n ,rann, . Diamo Coyon nu. '" pMWWMJ AtNuclearPlantRa.ises =

• pre *=c

+- pi.. .H .Avh ad Reuh. Caf.-m, en y M inn tr' "dsNl

&.a&terietes",In,, die rcinstru.d. ,,, ,,, ,,,,.c= i. me m.

u me rtran when PGAE t sn,nr ,e a , a,e nn

• * ^>*r- -n'a * - M Unsettim.g Quest. ions = rn**= --*= = a aae w others, are mantfold: Opastruction records

• -~d a" * -*r="r a a=" a"-

try to withstand an earthquake, the attitty m -a.-i= r ~ e= - r-a-is sak and snuM."' tOnetnnad Gas & Elec-manard k gmnsk a kw smrks, anchat-had mistakenly used ennstructinn data from tMc owns M M Dmmer a unn W O> Ing a lengthy piece in the Citrago Sun-are mhsing or have been doctored; Unnip

• '"" panton Nut bemg bunt at W WW. lundnis. OMWsed Ame&u EkrMe One Is How Facility in Ohio an* * -Id=

• Wam == ***d a Pending resolution of that proNem, tae Pnwar Co. has a 2R.5% interest in the fern Tinws. And Gowrtunent in MayProlert, Accountability Unf. ahuontac9d be defirient; the quality of steel and other "mr= oce=8 prmw gwup th=

=* ta '""d-Got So Near Comp letion ,,,,,a*',,,

• g,a,,'P,,",cif,,d,**

• • ',r,*-

• *" in,,st e, h,t,, ,e

"'"'There

""'"'so'the is ai possibiiity that some or ",r,

, t3"d Sr'on Pow, & ughi co. ns o,e warns to proicci whistie uovers, m,wtry n. .

and haras=ed trying to do their jobs. erating plants may have undetected defwts Whatever the merits of the respective ar. Ove8"" was""a 'M Nud private cittaen. W pHvate GAP took &9e.

the With So ManY Problems In November 1981. the NRC levicc' a 33st., because federal safety regulators iled ahnut inspnung them. (Se strey on Page 22.1 guments, the fact is that the NRC was get-f*"

see nne ogsinst Oncinnatl Gas & Electric, ttng warntng signals since the mid-tWes

• "r"'""* ' ' ' " '"d'"' 'h""t pn%kms W Dnwr. Howewr Om EWM Nmu DMtw. GAFs lep! erw.

=p-d a ra "**

DN & Alcol I O" the Job? *e wtth '"e=t 'm"co"s'trucuan a nuclear- n project.'*A year tense pubtletty followin"g the Im "a"ertdent at signais-rang?g from complaints by plant ter. In the 31-year $1d Mr. Devine. Mr. Ap the Three Mlle Island cuclear fartisty in workers 2 m d me commhsba's own Wgsk had encone wgung and able to later came the balt to all safety related can. Probe into matters at Dmmer. (la eleinstag strurtlort. And a federal grud jury is prtgy Prnnsylvanta. Nugh me wst arctdent in routtne inspection reports-went largety un.

By Jner's R. Eimnrttira the history of commnetal nuclear pnwr heeded untti one Thomas Applegate ap a caN. W. DMtw says. "I had to decide sierrnesww.f 7== wau pv==rv Javaaat Ing posefble crtminal violattnns by some of whether to be a lawyer or an investigatfre those involved in building the plant. was caused by equipment fallures and oper- peared on the scew.

CINCINNAT1-By its onwr's reckonfng, ator mistates rather than construction deft MportM. k I becam am tmstigauw lae De wt! Ham H. Dmmer smetcar plant k> But the full story nf Dmmer (named af. The 31-yearcid Mr. Applegate is sa un-etenetes, it was also due in large part to the Mkely Mture hir the role k t'as been playmg Fer. I Mr. Devine and his colleagues at ested about 28 miles from Ott efty, is m ter a fbrmer president of Oncinnati Gast talkM to mry source suggested by failure of officials in the government and nu- in the ammer affair. A private detective enmpleted. The late of the rematntng 3% ts gnes Seynnd the tale of one troubled project Mr Applegate and followed every ked pn>

ard raises broad, unsettilng questions abnut clear industry to identify and effectively with no nucks' background. M Mrst came unclear. deal wtth similar proNems that had oc- vidMI by W private deteedve and then de-lxt month, based on a variety of struc- t)e nation's nuclear power program. One to Dmmer in November IM in the course

' quest'on is how offletals fnr the uttitty and curred eartter at outer nurtear fartittles. og gg,estigating a domestte squabble; the 56 see seus and leads of their tural and paperwork Irngularttles at the project. the federal Nortear Regulatory the MRC could have allowed a plant with so Inspection Tearns husband of the couple inentved happened W **"'When the G AP inwstigators felt they had many problems to get so near complenon. In the wake of Three Mlle Island, and work at the piant.

Commtssinn ordered a haR to construction ennugh evidence of an inadequate investtra-Another is wheQer the Dmmer expertence spuned panly by W espertence at Dm. Durtng the domestic prebe. Mr. Apple of thnse parts of the plant deemed necessary gute uncovered evidence of timecard cheet. Don by W E thy went to th special for safe operation and shutdown. Onrinnati is being dopiteated at the 80 other nurlear mer, the NRC has started an ofnce of inves. counsel of the Mertt Systems Protection Gas & Elertric Co., whsrh is heading a plants botne buttt amund the (f.S. "It makes tirations to probe allegations of safety rule Ing by Dmmer workers. He brougftt that to the attention of utiltty offletals, who were Baant, a M agney empowend to help gmup of uttittles butiding the 11.7 btliinn. one wondn how many other Dmmers mtght violations at nurlear plants and has set up rNrnrnet empWws. De be lurking out there." says Democratic Rep. teams of Inspectors to make periodic vtstts suffleknuy impressed to hire him as an hp 848.0ssk!!awatt facility, had been predleting to sites. The agency has also begun hnkling vestigator at the construenon site in Deve

• ISP""I '"# ** "'dPnre, l the plant would be ready to annd fuelin the Mortis K. I'dall of Artsona. who has held third quarter of 19R3. Now the utility is rens- hearings on Dmmer, seminars for top uttitty officials to impress ber 1979. A month later, he was let go. De pushed the NRC for a respense to GAP"3 upOn them the need to Dulld plants prop UUN y a ys h a worI was flatshed. Mr. AP charges.

sessing that prediction. although a Spnkes- ll ppg lg) ,[gyggtig3tjgg pegate insWs k was And bMaw he was man says: "We are shootutely certam the Semitar. If less severe. cases are known, erty. De MRCs rgupunse was to start new he plant wut be buln and ornated e Bot nuclear crttles aren't imN ar. exposing construenos problems at the v la late Im. folk > wing months of pressun plant. ,,estt.s internal auditors reviewed the NRCs,, ranons of D James Keppler, the head of the NRCs re- fan heal cms' groups and me media, gutng that the public safety remains danger.

glanal insperHon of&e near Chicago, ausly at the mercy of the compo!ites buthg. Being dinpped didn't daunt Mr. Ap# lainal probe of Mr. Applegate's charges. An-the NRC condurted a special Investigatinn of gate. In etHy Ime, on his own, he called the dresn't have that atunlu!r certainty, Mr. the South Texas nuclear-power plant being ing tt'e plants. And up to a point. NRC offl. other lanked at the quality of Dmmer's con-Keppin. whnse omre owes me Dnunn clats agree with that argument. They enn. E in Waenington wtth his charges whern struction.

butte by Hauston IJahting & Power Co. and included theft of materials and defirettre plant. says there is a sil'n pnesttWitty the others; the commisstnn found prnNems cede that the commtssion has the resources De latter probe psded in 2e mm welding at Dmmer. He talked arwral unws fhie and a twittacMhlek report that kund I'lant has em many defleteneles ever to he rentter frnen inadequate ennstrurtinn prac. to sample nnly a small part of the actual wert done at a nuclear site. "We rely nn the to staff emetals. k says. but edn't thent violations of 33 of 18 beste safety crtterta for tires to safety insparters balnr threstened uttitty and the enntrartnrs to do the Jah Wy wMe showing ennugh hetemst. He then building a nuclear plant The repnrt also in-right." says the NRCs Mr. Keppler placed anothn raft to the agency. demanded ehnted affidavtts frorn unrters who testified

sp a- a.d g .e . w ., - t e

mer. Two plant guards treefhe to c4mpretag

' . para of the wports had twee w Wwe

, p, THE WALI, STREET JOURNAt, Wedneede7. Decealner 15. 1982 a hankmaking oppretaan and gm raff>s 'w- and est other necessas had twee deteted en-Ng run et the site. tIrg$

,8 .a a., ,,.w ar.* ~ ~ ~ Documenes CreateDoubes A boue Veracity-

, , , _ , , .e_,,, Gas .

gire,,, se . u s., , tc -

- .stGA e. _ s .re .d. ,tu s.,

e ef a r< repret m

,eare en.- rm- ~

.st brea.or . agreed w.h . .a. d

~u-y~. mater = ~ = =gh perhap. == OfSafet7 R ePoresonSomeNuclearPlants4 technicaBy corMet, wasm1 reaty true. As -C -

He s.ays g au.fur.ther

.d. - that .aSeged o~hmaid.g laddrats->=C-.---

up ,, e ._ s, ,_ ,, r.

Mpuis hohg writtre ist here-wouse he is vloisuse of our fuers." told Queveusmas UdaB. he had had draft A ownher W andrar power plaats eM thus never made. thes hepretur claimed castre of the report in his office Sie tsat was eths 2 - R rnay han undhcowml & that vahd tumprettom nyorts had bree al-De pnhe by IIKs hesmal amAure ordend to remove these aner GAP filed its frets breaar of faJstf>d federal safey+ tered by senior 187N'WDdals wNh me p agswd sph her. Apptrgele that the Islipal tw GAP recrudy med sun agWmst the ImC towstlemen of he chargue su myse IsHC la a Washington federal court asettag npnrts'tahrd ts eh ader me % ble result of hkhet construenos defletraeles.

The hupprier also assPrted that conregues Areal N esasgle. me detredw had med a of wheert 18BIC employees of lefbrmation Act from the federa! 70erlear were tempnrarHy supruded free that drf!ctrut weeds had been accuperd See acted Dirgaffy im handtag the p Regulatory Cbmmesman Indicate that ta the plaats W they tned "' 'i8"'"'F "" *'"

ame; he west en to etar three such weeds. earty tras federal trapect*an reports were p The IntC Inevangang tress seed thag nr pumpnmar te GAP's lufsrmeessa re quets commed braled debate wMblR the artterB for IR$pretkas tut wereg1 egr IE retrestag the darumpet " II8' "

charge cashint he suessantemesd. But Ihr IENC suurtes any. Sarne fiftC offldats ar' made en neelearpower plaats under com g,*g, g g '"**

isFtCs laternal austers based that me emme insemina's tsvestiseenrs had adened the Imrt gust that wWie me syney couW fight pub '

he aselseure of certata enemnruts, it was strurtlos. Such reports are as tutegral part of the genress for drterminmig wtrther a ""O'"." h at m charps test one of the estre evids had hose re piant is halft safety enough to operate. g,,,

phared after Mr. Applagete snede his skues- shgesed andre the law. at the wry trest. to , enrunmit. aim show Sat Wupne ev- etth tutervtres ste psytC sources hulicate 18'R- IdumWy aN the escensets N had. "What Mports. E eincials the charges levolved federal hepretine me.

Ttungh ekolausly pleased wIlh parts af happened was a coweep." asurrts car PrftC g # ## I ' **Perf at ttvities in me _ _ ., t11 Se 18ItC reports. GAP Aretely eineswd oNtetal mk plants had kwu an"we"d o to aprem- The PfRC tuspresor refuse to stve OIA wem sarne major cemetudsma. GAP argued Jannes Omusabup, the hood of the IGN's sinre Im. the fritC has had am laternal watchdng known as the Offlee of lupreter Ms cheeps. He seed he had etwa such eW that are tupleng M 23sanner shmuden't 30 hIpuaFaust ofRee, says that breasse of abred estN as the proberess ha the entsang and Auditor. Among other tasks.Ge OIA l* cines to Atomic Barrgy Cunmensten wert hgd tres IdrutMtsd. And the group er p'"Als llgelsen a he cast feNy respond 's wserates charps of mtseenduct ce the part clans four years earner and frk Ms e the charps of a meeNo. But he does say:

arewd met steen me WIury's peat fnNues to "If you knew a8 the facts, N les't fair to of IfRC offletals. But emetals tsalde the had suffered for ger h pines castrurttua russe at 2hewner. mb NR ethn Emmnent othetals coated Doruturets allow the 014 hvoenegaturs pekt u as butt less man herst."

• preernt engterers shouM be besaght la to '*c"5 ~ ~ aadmaltask tamed a etnclais kr.,r,ee = me im h,,ee.

pip as tw poners pr Mans.

l pp et.su. ort.of h.e pre.ttles r CAP.t

- Augut f 3'""'

br t

on-ai .igattaa.

g < m 71maargre h.cinrta.ls

.r.l us nrt an am of Omensa, sakt prompt the trasaper of a seentre er ABC cann.rmed se h 8 the he, C . MEularty atsmMs dran pynrta a ernptcyws. But the OLA towstigators Bummus Itsus about prehlegas at 2RRuner and SmP

,' UI8"d a"d 8'8" pumps that allthe records of the AgCinwstigenom parted these esmesettens with anscher group af dersparate puutettug assue 3.95 pegse. "P"' "84R I ' HF had tres estroyed.

whars more. by IMs mee, sehrt agenetse meists " " ' *"'*E**"-

The and hueviduess esse lasket tuas meners at Zhimmer. The JmIIre Departusset. Sur eman> .

,,,,,,,,G40 also cratemird thr OfA has p'*Strichter castleded that aveNatte evtdrBee

, y,,g nad N d sa on -- - tra.ded ro .wt.g to s.upport the haupreter's.

.t rep.e. howeves e ,,tC char,ges.

. -per. atteges he.nungsangt. A.d I pamA.l,e

.e. Cthedual am M's ance for . senpped na prete. Sander IEltC staff oNietals IMaB brld Ms first brattag en the setempen e agMW unuksg a wput m Oe mat-at Zhnmer* In respesuhng to the GAO the NRC dhputent many of its thulisigs sak! tr grosed erre wasa CIMErsteing M the GAO failed to make a "teavinetas case" g,. gg hs parsvuest the See IEltC essuuksdam. W Ge amed for an hupretor perral James Cammen'es the bred of the OEA ers, by a 12 esar. erdred caustructism at The GAO report dktn't touch on the inet' share If*5 and therefore set tevetud be eb 2huumer halted husasemesty, pseeng efDsyts tre of fatmned suprole mports, which ther the Im er Im pechrs. says he hemm1 to supiere hlly the gremut But of prehemes wem the sut>)ert of an OtA Inwstigattaa to pg,negl the hvestW pardy hecuer he et the plast. *g2 Frwdom W thsi A

• t dnenn't

.n <t turfleve

-r anyare

.rwr falstftranon. readyt. . oe.-

B

.r er9er th.e ye.ar.

b G.AP.M.ed Aa seerequsEW u.s> le,. Psprema .p.rts.-

-.rres .e. mis s.a

. .r. . m **nos--

g

,, pot,ec,a,,.d ,, , ;=e,c,,s4,,,,,r,,,,

f.,,e,s se.e,a, - rr w h nm* m:, hey e toys. Plut he adds that if anytsufy did leenr4 to the IlltCs lawstigallmus of 2BNF- nr t ter* e surk a wouW tur a "very.

ener. G4p's Mr. Devtur says t>p reeps,,esi

i THE CIXCIXNATI ENQURER FINAL EDITION / NEWSSTAND PRICE 25C FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31,1982 A GANNETT NEWS 1 KRFFLft BAfD be stated ATM ee S more Information from C0&E and Bechtel on "whether Bechtet) ac-trettles at the site prior to the

]g COhmMUED FROM PAGE A-1 F30 0R en e ad 17 s Midland, please desertbe in great-r dets>> =r aadern i= s raie = -

Bschiers obleet,svity in , err.orm- connecuan with Midiand an<

math, ,ana,,

CG&E officials have also said

,os ,,,tew.

indicate whether there were any HearmDa Jan. a will heln r determme

-Bechtel = = = = = ==m'=""

statmer plant once the N RC hts ares of responstbutty.

when power station is completed

-It A PUBLIC HEARING to be con- the cholce, and these challenges

[THESOb[f"CI[Fff[A L

• eppler to explam how this contmutng wou 'une th w ducted in Cincinnati nut Wednesday presumably will be alred fully at next ment restew team to include N h f5If0Nfd. role would not adversely affect interviews with NRC personnet in. by the Nuclear Regulatory Commis- week's hearing.

BY HOWAftD WLKDtSON Att mo e Nov.12 NRC uon e o site h s.

the future of the Zimmt nuclMr meh ow-w order. Kep9ler expressed concern ueblowers." representatives of the Bechtet may or may not be 15e The Nuclear Regulatory Com. about Bechteti quainy seurance National Board of Boller and power statlon.The specific purpose of best available agency to do the si performsDCe at a nuclear Plant in Pressure Vessel Inspectors, and the hearing 13 to determine the sult. What is important is that the joD get mission (NRC) eants to know g t han

$"r et tp IIh Cinc$t nau Gas and Electric (CO&E) be.

nM.

tor at h te a eg a n 8Eh-The review plan submitted by ability of the Bechtel Corp. to serve as done - as safely and as expeditiously an independent, third-party agency as possible.

fore Bechtel may do a manage. BBCNTEL AND the owher of Bechtel said only that the team I to review the Cincinnatt Oas & Elec-tric Cols plans for managing the final

"$'[,',*n,aNhe Zimmu m t 'e" e y tals"o te 'c o phases of Zimmer's construction.

Most C!ncinnauans are sickene$

NRC Region III Administintor and qualtU assurance problems tractork the resident NRC inspec- by the endlessness of the red 140e James G. Keppler s3ade the state- that Zimther has, according to tor, the resident project engineer' that has obstructed Zimmer's com-ment th a letter this ween to CD&E NRCinvesugauonst an insurance inspector, and a CO&E proposed Bechtel as a third-President Wmlam IMckhoner. About ISO construction em. representauve of the OMo Boue" party reviewer beca'tse of its exten- pleuon and Inauguration.The plant The managessent review was ordered by the NRC Nov.12 when 7I g

88

• M3dl*"d P'""I '"

p ,,$

"N' ""'" "I U"""8 Keppler also said he wants stre expertence in discharging pre-cisely th!s responsibility in connec-la now roughly 98% finished, and every day's delay adds staggeringly to the commission shut down safety. :CO&E officials to provide a!! docu- ts ost. Snee mlMmm-related construcuan at the plant ,,ewtng welders certificates. tion with other nuclear plants and In his letter to Dickhoner this .ments rHating to CG&E*s plan to ber, every day's delay has also meant

"#*I htre Berhtel, including a chronos, because Bechtel has a team of experts audit are complete."Most unfin* woes. Keppler askeo about the a day of unemployment for 1.500 con-role Becnurs Richard w.soder. egy or meetings between CO&E ready to begin work tmmediately,

" and Bechtel officials and site strucuon wodm TCIe '8 holm would play at z;mmer. Bechtel, moreover, has constructed cN,f,,,$,,gg

, '"'" C'" "IF Boderholm spent two years at vissta by Bechtelemployees.

gg i 6 as tec ical e The hope must be that Wednes-C0&E ofncials proposed Bech- BECHTEL W ILL also be re- power plants. i day's hearings will solve probtMna, o'f m' en BecYte:S "'tr"*"*"zald Keppler "8' *5 "a*"8-in"his letter "In teme$tsWrom aYmem'bers its Zimmer team on whether th,f - Others have seen fit to challenge rather than crea's them.

quanticationa But two days prtor to the Nov. Ww M the NRCs longstandtng Bechtel employees have had any concerns for construction and previous business destings with 12 NRCorder.CO&E ht ed Bechte quaHty asmance publems at to do a "peettelnary assessment.l Zimmer or have any financial of the Etmmer project That as- InterestIn C0&E and its two part- Friday. December 3I.1982 THE CINCINNATI ENOUIRER seisment was conducted arter the ners in the Ztmmer project.

l n.,

-~~- . . . . . N . e. _ r Z.,immer partner seeks ,,

L.lmmer Zimmer; DP&L,31.5 percent; and

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ -

. ===*""""~

According to the basic agree- Orb itrailOn On ISSUES'  :

t StrOin ment among the three uuttues, questions and issues concerning Zimmer are to be resolved By Ron I.lebeu

""" I,m,ma l

ne cham pest.pnser, w n, nas Of BeChtel Tole diSDuted through arbitrauon rather than The nuclear family building a r the William H. Zimmer Nuclear Cincinnat! Oas & Electric Co. Zimmer, said Thursday it[

UrfOCeS court proceedings.

Fraser said DP&L la caliing for arbitration to ensure the

" timely completion of Elmmer Power Stauon is showing some strain for the first time in near.

ty 14 years.

made false statements to the records terify that Bechtel em-Nuclear Regulatory Commis- ployees did not arrive until ston abcat when Bechtel Power mid-November.

,EF I'" U*b'" consistent with the high stand- Increasingly concerned Corp. employees first arrived at Bruce Stoecklin, a CO & E" The nuclear family building l ards established by the Nuclear' about delays and cost escala- the Zimmer Nuclear Power Sta- spokesman, said some workers Regulatory Commission and to tions at Zimmer, the Dayton ,tton, the Government Account- may have Deen wearing Bechtel the_Willlacs H. Zimmer Nuclear Power & Light Co. Thursday ability Project has charged. hardhats before mid-Novem,;

Power 8tauc.n la showing some assure.that the best and ppag s customers Interests of share- noufled the Cincinnatt Oas & O A P, a Washington-tmed ber, but und e r no circum-strain for the first ume in near- holders are considered." Electric Co. that it wants to pubtle Interest group, said in a stances was CO&E doing bust-ly H years. DP&L has no Intenuon of arbitrate "certain issues" reist. letter to NRC Regional Admin- ness with Bechtel earfler.

increasingly concerned backing out of the Zimmer ed to the construction of the stlf Istrator James O. Keppler it hms The timing of Bechtel's about delays and cost escala- project, nor has the company ~ billion plant at Moscow, Ohio, evidence showing a Bechtel involvement at Zimmer is cru-tions at Zimmer, the Dayton lost f aith in CO&E*s manage. -. TIIOSE ISSUES stem from team has been at Zimmer since clal to estabitshing Bechtel's Power & Light Co. Thursday ment ability, Koster said. ' the Nov.12 order by the Nuclear Aug. l. Independence from CO&E, ones nottfled the Cincinnau Gas & A CO&E spokesman sal,3 Regulatory Commission sus- CO&E, which wants Bechtel, of the primary factors in deter-Electric Co. that It wants to Thursday the company is not pendingill safety-related con- A San Frknciso-based construe. mining if the NRC will accept arbitrate "certain issues" relat* sure what DP&L is concerned' 'struction at Zimmer because of ' tien firm, to conduct an inde- Bechtel as an independent re ,

, ed to the construction of the $1.1 about. -q4ality assurance deficiencies, pendent management review of viewer.

billion plant at Moscow, Ohio. "IT IS NOT entirely clear to ' according to DP&L Chairman TROSE ISSUES stem from us what they want to arbitrate," Robert Fraser, the Nov.12 ceder by the Nuclear said Bruce Stoecklin. " Obvious- , DP&L attorney Stephen Zimmer are to be resolved ment ability,'Koster stid.

Regulatory Commission sus ' ty, there are a lot of loose ends 'Moster aaid in an Interview through arbitrauon rather than ,

pending all safety-related con- on this right now." court proceedings. A CO8sE spokesman said l struction at Zimmer because of (4hursday the the company is con- Thursday the company is not .

Stoecklin eaid CO&E and serned about enure array of The process provides that the sure what DP&L ta concerned i quality assurance deficiencies. DP&L have enjoyed a " friendly"- , geoblems surrounding Zimmer.

according to DP&L Chairman relationship during the course Issues in dispute to before an about. j Robert Fraser. "This includes costs, time of arbitrator approved by all par. g of the Zimmer construction. f. mpletion, cost estimates, ucipating companies. If they "IT ly NOT entirely clear te .

DP&L attorney Stephen The thtrd butiding partner. compilance with NRC regula- fall to reach unanimous appro,- us what they want to arbitrate " ;

Koster said in an Interview C&SOE, said it will review tions and licensing proceed- al an arbitrator would be ap- Bruce Stoecklin said. "Obelous- e

" thursday the company is con. DP&L's call for arbitration be- Ings "he said. pointed by the chief judge of the ly, there are a lot of loose ends l cerned about the enure array of fore deciding If it will partici.

CO&E. DP&L and Colum' bus federal sixth circuit court of ap. on tnis right now." .

problems surrounding Zimmer. pate. peals.

& Southern Ohlo tlectric Co. be Stoecklin said CO&E and .

"This includes costs, time of came partners in the construe. Traser said DP&L la calling DP&L have enjoyed a " friendly" l completion, cost estlmstes, Lion of Zimmer in 1900. At that for arbitrauon to ensure the relationship during the course '

compilance with NRC regula- time, Zimmer was to be com- " timely compleuon of Zimmer of the Zimmer construcuon. A tions and licensing proceed- pleted in IFIS at a cost of SMO consistent with the high stand. CO&E statement issued late Ings," he said. million. ards established by the Nuclear Thursday said the arbitration CO&E, DP&L and Columbus CG&E OWNS 40 percent of Regulatory Commission and to will not be detrimental to

& Southers Ohlo Electric Co. be. Zimmer! DP&L,31.5 percent; and assure that the best interests of Zimmer's completion or opera-came partners in the construe. C&BOE.M.5 percent.CO&E is re- DP&L's customers and share- UOR-tion of Zimmer in 1989. At that sponsible for building and oper. holders as,e considered." . The third building partner, time. Elmmer was to be com- mung tfae plant, - DP&L has no Intenuon of C&8OE. said it will rettew pleted in IFIS at a cost of SMO According to the basic agree. backing out of the Zimmer T7P&L's call for arbitrauen Im

. million.~~~~

ment among the three uttitues, project, nor has the company fore deciding if it will partlet-oueeuons and issues concerning lost faith in CO&E's manage- pate.

, _ e.w..m _ _ vf _

Audit of cost estimates 1)AYTON 1)AIIX NEWS F1tIDAY. JANUARY 21.1983 sdA ~

for Morble' Hill ordered as e m= **"" of the Marble Hill cost esti. averaged out to provide for step-p!3ric a,,,,,,, it, imii soy by-step tncreases.

INDIANAPOLIS -h Pub " mates" the commission said. The commission also granted The Nucleet Regulatory Agency tes found __ The NoClear Regafstory Ag-lie servlee Commisstan Thurs- "This audtt should try to ascer. a way to end aD the bassilsg ont nuclear day ordered an todependent tain whether the current Mar- the ut111ty an Sal mt!!!on rate 1.s- w sof5 to l'P gjc.e,,,

audft of Public Servlee Indiana's ble H11I cost estimate is a realts- crease. The 12 percent overall power plant Beenses Ctn the pub 5c JDgfewer cecy[De dew p 8Df3 bf 88?

Marble Hill nuclear power plant ue forecast of the ufumate cost increase granted was $43 mimon opportunides for essent.

project near Madison. of the project - gess than requested by the null- Up tlD now. Beemta3 has been a two step the Public / ewer 9pportunstres THE CONNISSION ordered 7-The audit was deemed essen- procedure which has a!)oind emeeWn to f0 pe5fson of Og%.

tlal to find out if Marble HUI the drafung of a rate schedule TH E R ATE HEE E waa re- cross examine witnessess and latroduce new should be finited. that would gradually phase-in pay the I cendence. NRC la pleaning to ask Coogress to l to put se new assety equipeast pe'2 thmgh The plant's esumated price the cost of Martde Hill, staould O tag has inen. sed atmost five the audit show the prosces re-mains economitatty feastble, m g , kd ,m adopt a e opersoon which win aDow gve had se protsema.

Ecense constructice and operstless at the ,,,,,,,,,,7,,,,,,,7g3,, ,

umes ainee June im when the

""u$t y$$ plantthenear Princeton.

increase goes to payPart the of same time. There is a cleese proelding for a power plaats se noe faster, but it also pc'ets 5tNn*EThe estIm noN ly Nid the ** es en nnane ne f r reheartagif monaten can er n then was a out ety the puhuc is wary of seclear power.

ss.: btmon. customers for uncompacted cen- 's,"3,, n'u't safety problem which hadn't ben reind b statepsyers west to know that everythist THE F5C CITED a rec, - t strucuon work. something that fore constracdos begas. possible is betag done to protect their fand-consultant report that said, previously has never been aJ* The Cttfaens Action Coalition using current cost estimates, it loved, a11 hough not forbidden critic! sed the PSC dectston, say- ggc's package has a couple of other pro- nee Uutty ofttelais, however, lesist that posala to stop the M W M they M b the M MM d W8 pa to nl Ma b The than to scrap the project, even Isgtstature's fallure to enact mission, noting the nec cet energy mand,as is Marble HtIt gennag too much lefe 2 M M M at wants to forbid edsnamespative pdges easl pigerlag out wep to shortes the BeeA though the plant is not neces- specifle legislauon atlowEng 'NRC's Atonde Safety and IJcesslag Boards peceeste is act gohg to Wid pubec coan-sary to meet the reston's energy construcuon Wort in Progress "Olbson s is a plant in search teambers from poslag their own questloos desce la seclear pwer.!! electr;c m=.p a.m needs. In the rate base, called f or of customers." sand CAC apotes-The report also said if cost -trending rates. man David Culp. with Olbson s :andet potential safety problems derlag expct the pebec to plek 9 the tab for toetr esumates were to rise by more THE RATES WOUt.D not be on line. PSI has og percent more beenslag beer ass. And NRC thlaks that ap- bulleeg pr$tts,they should omt h pe&

than to percent, it t'alght be directly tied to the value of con- genermung capacity than need- *proWas lots e potW buMas sfus before ac a fun say te whet te betes bettt.

cheaper to cancel the poject- struction = ort. but rather ed for its Indtana customers, :they're onded. plea standaredag designs "we tatnt it essential that would be based on the estimated Ps! ts searching for out-of-state _ for reactors and plant compomats parta, w1B the Public Servlee Commtsalon final cost of the plant to con. ::ustomers power."

to buy its excess

cat off repeated pubuc debates over design conenct an independent audit samen. That cost would be  : safety and feasibinty. Unfortenstely,it also I would escnerage new technology mad in-prtweents.

- If the Energy Department could add its ded cents worth, the NRC also would so

• )seger force stintles to tack on new safety I tseaserts after a reactor design has bwe ap-UpN 1 hat's a slass at post-ThrwMlle ts-lese sects that forced aD et!Bty co*yanies

I l

$1%D4Y FEBRl'ARY 14,19El J

THE WALL STREET J0lRfAL. C 1983 Dns Jwm & Compeurs, ler. AU R@ts Rewrud Partners in an Ohio Nuclear-Plant Project Start Fighting Publicly AmongThemselves By Dansarv Daauw changes in governrnent construction star ciude Lmmer in its rate base now, but has a.c a,emre er T= w.u ame, Jague d. ids for the turrease in the plant's ea- asked that g2415 milhon of it. or annual rev Oncinnau Gas & Electne Ca has had to preted cost to 31.7 btillon frorn 3240 milhon enue of I'$ milhon, be mcluded Columbus &

Istrugge for years with anu nortear protes in 1969. Southern Oluo has only shout $15 milhon re tors and regulatory agencies in its effort to For years. Dayton Power, wluch owns lated to Zimmer in its rate baar, or revenue Inuld the Lmrner nuclear gewer plant on 31.5% of Lmmer, and AEP, whose Or of about $15 milhon a year. But that amount the Ohio fuver just east of Oncinnatt. tumbus & Southern Otuo Electric unit owns is betng reevaluated by the commisslon Now ti faces other, unengerted adversar. 28.5%, kept the project at arm's length. Af Regulatory almate Is Gianglng les Its two partners in the project are sur ter they became partam in 1969, they say- If the ut1 hues commission excludes Dm gesung It's to blame for the pro)ert's spiral. they assumed the NRC would keep tahs on mer from me partners' rate bases, the utth eng costs. In fact. Dayton Power & IJght Co Oncanau Cas. vluch owns 40% of the ties will be forted to get some of the plant s and American Electne Power Co. have pub. plant. "He were relying on the NRC to see if finaartng from such costly sources as banks hcfy demanded artstration pmreedings to Dere were any problems," says Mr. Dowd. and mves: cts. "Or at would have to come force Oncenatt Gas to return to them some "The NRC didn't turn up anything, so the e out of profit." says David E. Jones. an en-of the Inno million they have spent on the ergy expert at Battelle hiemortal Insutute, a plant. It's an unprecedented fa!!mg out Cincinnati Gas's Estimates research concern. "That would put the ameg nuclear plant partners, which typs doubic whammy on Oncmau Gas" cally present a united front to outside enues Of Costs la Build Zimmer Plant Already the commission's staff has rec-and try to settle their differences without at. (In telhons of dollm) ommended that Z4mmer be eacluded from tracung attention. I 75 - the unlities' rate bases. It argues that the Oncmnau Gas gave its partners Ge of" plant won't be producmg electncity wlule tion of tahmg disputes to arthranon when 1.5F -

money is bemg collected from customers the Lmmer contract was saged in 1969. But In addition. the Otuo regulatory chmate nuclear experts say the company probably is changing Newly elected Gov. luchard Ce 1 25 7 meter dreamed the clause would be invoked- leste made the com;waluon of the utihties het it could cost Oncmnau Gas as much as M- commission a major campaign issue, and he lh milha 1 00 -

g wiu get to change its makeup.

Rish to Arbitration '.- The Ohio Consurners' Counsel, a state The artstrauon prorcedmrs carry great 3 75  %  :

suppmed agency, also says it will fight the inclusmn of constmuun work in progress m risks for Dayton Power and AEP as well. In.

formation that emerges could convince a 0 50 raw am It wants m uw infonnaue newl) appointed Pubhc Utilities Onmmission brought out tn the arbitration hearing to of Ohw to after the rate structures for all prove that Zaminer has been mismanaged three Zimmer partners, thus reducmg their 025 a id that as a resu the cost overruns Sat revenue An Ohio consumer group na sumg increase the rate bases are unfair to corb to have duruments released from the pri 0 ) sumers "Under nonnal circumstances a wate arbitrauon hearings so that it can use 7s 72 7e To 7e 'ee 's utthty that overran would be remarM!."

the data to fight rate mereases. says Mr. Jones "Its rate t.se is larger and The dtsagreement also raises the ques- wasn't any reason to beheve there was a it would te given more profti" The Consumers Counsel argues nat pay tion of shether Zimmer utli ever oprn All problem." Only after the NRC started crite three nulstra mstst they want to brmg De enzing Zimmer in late 1983 did the partners ing for constution work m progress is sim plant into operauon. sven though they won't begm meeung on a regular basts. liar to foretng a renter to pay to construct need its 800.ono kilomatts of electricity until Dayton hwer and AEP won't say how an spanment befm he mom m. It has the early 19'as. "we've invested 5400 milhon much they want frorii Cnctnnau Gas. To de turned customers into unwilung inmto s,;If ao far, and we want to most ahead." says temune the amount, coat overruns, added says Gretchen Hummet, a staff attorney.

> A Joseph liowd, general counsel of AEP. costa caused by the work halt and any adds invesmrs are unsm about Ge nsk in this Almost every U.S. auclear plant under tumal work ordered by the NRC will have to project and want out, cust,omers ought to be construruun has pmblems txat Zimmer's be tallied gtven that same chmce.

a'e among the worst. In 1961 De Nurlear The NRC says the project's work records hegulatory Comrmssion kvted a gNo.coe are sloppy. That could comphcate the task fine, the largest ever, agamst the ptant bF and make it parucularfy difficult te deter cause of alleged safety violanons. Last N* mine what construction must te done ovtt-tvembrr the agency halted construcuan, "jt may evefitually come down to sending in a guy with a hammer to pound on the walls even causethough of morethe plant is el allegatwns 97% complete, faulty welds andtr',say,

• yup, that sounds hke it will hold ertored safety records and other problems- up/" says a governrnent Invesugator.

Thr company disagrees with the NRC about %1 tat may not hold rp are the three utlh the estent of the problems. It says It's meet- ties' rate bases. Utthti*s are generally al-Ing with the agene) in an attempt to get can' lowed to conect revenue from customers on strurtaan started again. a rate tasse t at includes unftntshed factit The central issue in the arbitration pre ties Oat aren't producing electricity. In the centings will te whether Oncmnatt Gas past.Oluo has usually let a utthty mclude in entsmanaged the project. Investigators with its base a portion of nonproducing facthues the Government Accountabthty Project, the that are M completed.

pnvate watchdog gtoup Dat first revealed A utthtnes commission spokesman ac.id the estensive prob! cms at Zimmer. has Oncmnau Gas has about $164.5 million in its claimed nusmanagement all skeg "The ar- rate bue related to the Zimmer plant. That entration lends signahcant credibthty to the translates to revenue of stuult SM A million.

chatler.ges we have raised." says Thomas The ccmpacy's latest request tecludes $26'.

[sestm, the grvup's legsl dir*ctor. mtlhon of Lmmer Investineret in its retr Onemnati Gas won I comment on the ar- base, whirli would produce revenue of about tetration. But it has blamed aftation and SGI mtthon a yea Js)1on Power doesn't in

RIETWO THE CINCINNATI ENOUlltER Sunday, February 20,1983 NRC OKs Role For Bechtel h Zimmer Project BY MOWARD WLKBtSond Ut!!!ty offletals were nourted Saturday morning would be the perceptkn that they would not do an role as co-manager of the Zimmer project. Alte.

muchae said.

emeeermeoume that the NRC. In a 3-to-2 vote, was gtving them a objecuve job-cholee-etther hire Bechtel as co-manager ce as the NRC Regional Administrator Jaraes O. Keppler and hts staff recommended to the commission that TRE NRC order Nov.12 shut down a!! safety-The Nuclear Refutatory Commission (NRC) told indepenuent review team.

Cine 9mnett Oss and Electric (CO&E) Saturday that CO&E spokesman David Attemuehle sam CO&E Bechtel be allowed to do the management review on ment related construction at Zimmer unut the manage.

review and construeuon audit are complete.

Bechtel Power Corp. could either manage the work offletals are " disappointed Bechtel couldn't do both the condition that CO&E be required to htre an addt-of Mvtes tM wort at Z1mmer nuclear power plant Jobe, but we are pleased that the NRC ts approving a tionalindependent management consultant firm to About ordar.1.100 construcuon Saturday's workers order does were idled not change thatby that situs-butIt could not do both. role foe bachtelin the Zimmer project? helpin the audit

• tion.Strasma sam.

CD&E officials quietty chose to let Bechtel do Attemuchte said Bechtel would have a " major The process for approving CO&E's new choice the former.as co-manager of the Ztemer prelect- role" in completion of the plant, but sam the co- THE NOV.12 NRC order gave Keppler the au-h cultty will be mqutMd to find another firm manager exact role has not been defined. thortty to approve or re)*ct Bechtel but Strasma said for the Zimmer review hae not been determined, to do the u+ ment management review and Keppler and his staff decided to pass their recom. Strasma said_ The process In the Bechtel dectston In-NE SAID he does not expect Bechters becoming mer.dauons on to the commissioners "for their re- cluded a pubtle hearing in Ctnetanati last montfL at third-party construcuon aadtt ordered Nov.12 by the N RC. co-manager to change the role of Katser Engineer- view Attemuchte and consMertuort" which Keppler heard testimony from groups and tr.g.the primary construcuon cor, tractor at Zimmer. sam CO&E would nominate another Individuals critical of the proposed dual-role for IT TOOK thru ananths for an NRC deelston on -There has never been any intenuon to remove firm to do the independent review as soon as posst. Bechtet.

CO'6E's proposal that ?'*chtel, a San Francisco- Katser.* Attemoehle sakt. . bie." One of those who tesufted. D. DarM Altman based nuclear Industry giant, do the review. The NRC spokesman Jan Strasma sand the NRC dect- "There are a number of firms ava!!able which chairman of Cincinnstra Enttronmental Adetsory sultty also said at the un.e it wanted Bechtel to have sion showed that the commissioners vere concern- couM do tha job." Attemuchle sam. It's not like we Council (EAC), sam Saturday he was pleased etth a role in the future many* ment of the St.7 billion ed that tf Bechtel were performing both roles- are trying to locate a rare species - the NRC BechteldectstorL managing the project and doing the review-there It is not yet Imown when Bachtet will assume its (s,e giststER, Peg C4 P'*"L Zimmer proposes,.*provided pe-1 .

they are tnde.

• My quesuon ts. If CO&E h tw hC8HNUED FROmA PAGE C-2 there were other firms who co.:6 "WE H AD always favered do the job, why did they not pro-bechtel as being co-manager of pose one of them earlier, and the project; we had no objecuan to avoid the long :lelayv." Altman that." Altman sakL "We objected said.

to the same company who was a . Just before the Noe.12 ,RC stanager of the project doing a re- order.CO&E hired Bechte' to per-flew that ts supposed to be inde- form a "prettmtnary assessment" peadent* of management problems at

, Ztmmer. That assessment was

! Altman sam be does not antact- performed in November and pate any objections from the December. but the results ha ve Ummer crtues to next firm CO&E not been relatead.

l I

The CMmati Post AAandey,Fetrusry Mpesse l

NRC limits

!Bechtel role i.in Zimmer Pl ont By Ron Liebeu The Government Account-ability Project, a Washington-eos, s n n co,w based Zimmer critic, said it had 1 l The Cincinnat! Das & Elec. ev'.Sence that Bechtel personnel l

• tric Co. has lost its battle to have wen at the Zimmer site as early

.*the Bechtel Power Corp. review as August. GAP also questioned hhe W1111am E Zimmer Nuclear the financial relationship be-

" Tower Station, but has won tween the Bechtel family-con-

.sssurances Bechtel will be al- trolled investment !trm of Dil-24 owed to help finish the project.

• lon Read and CO&E.

In a 3-to-2 vote, the Nuclear NRC spokesman Jan

Regulatory Commission told

-CO&E Saturday that Bechtel Strasma said Sunday an agency was acceptable to perform el. Investigauon found no evidence that Bechtel employees were at "Ther the independent manage. Zimmer before early November,

-ment review of Zimmer or to when CO&E said they first ar-

• ' function as project manager.

Bechtes, however, could not rived.

I In addition, the commission 7 do both. determined that the financial

• FACED WITH the prospect of relationship-limited to some llosing the nuclear industry's securttles underwriting-did not Unost experienced engineer and consutute a conniet of intenst

• bullder, CO&E decided w1 thin a few hours Saturday that it THE NRC'S 3-to-2 vote was

. would rather have Bechtel help contrary to a recommendation

. complete construcuon of the by James O. Keppler, NRC re-

$1.'l billion power stauon at stonal administrator, and senior

- Moscow, Ohio. agency officials. Keppler prl-CO&E had proposed Bechtel vately recommended a week ago l . as project manager on Nov.10, that Bechtel be accepted as the

• two days before the NRC tempo- independent teviewer on the

-rarily suspended all safety- condluon that another outside

Jelated work at Zimmer because consultant be ret.ained to per-

of quality assurance concerns. form an overview of Bechtel's Selecuon of an independent 'Ofk- I

. management reviewer-subject For its part, Bechtel manage-

to NRC approval-was the first ment was pleased with the dect- J

step toward reopening the plant. sion.

-Bechtel was nominated for the Having such a role as con- l

review Nov.26. strucuon manager is one we are pleased to accept," said Mario I ALTHOUGH A project man. Cotruvo,public relations man-

ager was not explicity subject to ager at Bechtel's Ann Arbor,

, NRC approval, the NRC had re- Mich., Power Division.

served the right to decide how THE FIRST order of bustness

,CO&E would complete the will be for Bechtel to release to I

• Pf03'CI- CO&E the results of a prelimi-

• We're happy that Bechtel nary assessment Bechtel under- l

has been approved, at least to took of the Zimmer project.The o

I J

the extent that it has been,"said assessment was completed in

• CO&E spokesman David Alte- January.said Cotruvo. l

muchte. **We're disappointed For David Altman, chairman

. they have not been permitted to of the Cincinnau Environmen- I do both jobs, parucularly in tal Advisory Council, a group view of the Mme that has been crlucal of Bechtel, the NRC's I lost." decision was a victory for pub!!c l

. Attemuchle said CO&E would paruelpation.

""$mmediately contact other *1t is the same as saying they compantes for the manage nent can't use Bechtel for the inde-

. review. He could not say how pendent management review.

, long that process would take. Even though they gave them a THE BECHTEL cholee was chotee, it really wasn't their

= tiulckly critletsed by those who choice. Nobody was opposed to

• felt the San Francisco firm was having Bechtel come in and not going to be independent in help CO&E complete the job, a light of its future role as project and that is the bigger task of the

, manager. two," Altman said Sunday.

l l

l i

.g .

.e THE CINCIXNATIENQUIRER THURSDAY, MARCH 17,1983 A GANNETT NEWSP APER FINkL EDITION / NEWSSTAND PRICE 25c CG&E Users May Be Sayed Zimmer Costs o's other issues, reduced that amount by a lamp and rub it and a tente comes out, KEA(TING TO the decision, CO&E that would tw passed on to consumers."

SY JAOaE JADRNAK and if that gente happans to be a nuclear spokesman firuce Stoecklin said,"If this Stoecklin said.

emmemems Ser*e 532 mitMon The commission dId not argue that e'ngineer who can put everything togeth- is a sign of something to come in our case,

, COLUMBUS-Customers of Cincin* IN A dectaton Wednesday, the PUCO er in two weeks,then CO&E may get some I guess it's a discouragtng sign. In the construction work in progress" (CWir) .

Data Oas & Electric Co. soon could stop ordered Columtms & Southern Ohto Elec. of Zimmer in its rate base,"said Oretchen long run, all it would mean is higher costs should not be allowed in all cases, saying paying for the Zimmer nuclear power trlc Co. (C&SOE), One of three co-owners Hummel, an attorney for the Office of to consumers over the life of the plant." instead that Zimmer was a special ettua-If CO&E is allowed to continue col- tion because of the number of deisyg and plant if the Pubite Utttttles Commission of Zimmer, to stop charging its customers Consumers' Counsel. tecting for Zimmer costs in its pending uncertainty surroundtv the plant CWIP of Ohio repeats a decision handed down for the nuclear plant's construction. The Mnf5tay. company had been allowed to collect $13.5 "This is a clear signal to companies of rate case. consumers wouid pay about 53 stiii hkeiy wiii be siiow,d in otner cases.

In a rate case expected to be decided miitton over ttM year for Zimmer costs. the economic adage that the rest of us per month for it, according to Stoecklin. commlastoners said, pointing out that n" ear the end of the montfL CO&E ts ask- In its order, the commission stressed knew all along' There is no free funch," If the utility can't collect until the plant they are allowing utilities to collert for she continued. "As well as rights. you've starts producing electricity, then con- the construction of the Perry nurfest Ing for an 384 million rate htke, with 550 that CO&E, the company which is super-statinn of that amount due m construe. vising Zimmer tonstruction, has been got to have responsthtittles. There's a sumers would end up paying 55 4t month

• plant in northern Ohio.

Men costs at Ztmmer. The company had ble to predtet an in-service date for clear record that Zimmer is the single ly over the life of the plant, he said. dee IIM'IIR-moet trout 11ed generating facil!!y . . In "We would have to borrow more ortsinally applied f or a Sil6 million in- t tant money to pay for the congtructior, and back af thisereffant crease, but. In all agreements with partleg '!! the people butiding the plant find the enuntry."

e litet majot tenstruction Wort Zlmmer As of tne end of January, the still hae not resumed. three co-owners of Zimmer-Day.

• Based on that change, the Of- ton Power & Light Co. Is the third CONTNUED FROM PAGE A 1 flee of Consumers' Counsel called -have collected St10 million from for a reheartng and the PUCO al- their customers for the plant, ac-

"THIS CASE is so etcar-cut. I lowed the utstity to start co!!ceting cording to Hitmmel.

don't see how there could have the rates pending the outcome of been any other deetston," said that new heartng.

Wh sh uld the nsume MM IT cut Zimmer from paying for sospathing when they d when the plant t7n to cid wit e I will w a er order a refund of the money for Last November, the commis- Zimmer collected between Nov.17 sten ruled that C&SOE ene:Id ratge and March 21 If it does order a re-Its rates, including $ t 3.5 million fund. It would amount to about for Zimmer construction. Two M.5 million, according to Hummel.

weeks later, the Nuclear Herulato- Cutting Zimmer from the rates ry Commission ordered a shut- would show up as a savings of down of all safety-related con. about $1.0S on the aversee ruunm-struction at the ptar*t and ralled er*S monthly bill, she ssid.

for a management audtt of con-struction supervigion there.

The Cin-smati Post, Friday, aprs s.19s3 ZimmeiS2.5 million coiPliypoth~etIcal' Sy Ron Liebeu "Another estimate is at least amsueaw-w several months of f."

CG&E asks construct. ion delay at East Bend C m innatiO . & Eieet,icco. Whe,, Zimmer .as n,,t an.

offletals Thursday dismissed as nounced in 1999. CO&E persed

• • hypothetical" remarks by its cost at S240 million. CO&E the protect arter deciding it did not need the elee.

CO&E President William H. has periodically revised that Cinctnnatt Oas & Electric Co. unsure It gg tricity the 000-megawatt plant would generate.

Dickhoner that it could cost as estimate upward as new con. wants to go it alony or find another partner, has DP&L, which had a 25 percent share in the much as 52.5 billion to complet? struction reqd.ements were asi ed for an 18-month suspension of its construe. second unit, contributed 31 percent of the East t the Willism H. Zimmer Nuclear imposed and deadlines were tian permit to build a second unit of the East Benti unit that has been operating since March Power Station. passed. Bend coal-fired power station near Rabbit Hash, 1981.The first unit cost 3400 million. The expected Ky.

Dickhoner,in a private meet- STOECKLIN 5Af D no new 'e at of the second unit was $625 million and was ing Tuesday with Ohlo Gov. estimates are likely until a pro. The Kentucky Natural Resources and Energy supposed to be completed by the end of the dec.

Richard F'. Celeste, said that at posed management review of Protection Cabinet has determined that the per. . * ' '

32 billion or even $2.5 billion the Zimmer is completed and a con. mit suspension is justified, but is inviting pub!!c 4 Work at the second unit had not proceeded Zimmer station would be more struction plan is submitted. comment.

economleal than a comparable Torrey Ptnes Technology, the Late last year Dayton Power & Light Co., ;beyond thepouringot some foundations.

coal.ftred plant- company CO&E has nominated CO&E's partner in the construction, pulled out of * -Ron 1.iebau CO&E's current estimate, for the review, has not yet been l a

fixed for about the past six given approval by the Nuclear months,is that Zimmer will cost Regulatory Commission. A dect. .

Wkh I s 40 pe

" " pe N ' wee"k To y,ete,d p ne ex

' $52 million for Zimmer financ. NRC reviews of dhe work already controller who calculates ft.

nt e Ing costs from an S82 million completed at the plant.The out- nancing expenses.

ahare CO&E's cost would be 38R0 take three months for the re. CO&E rate request, come of those reviews, continu* Th( new engineering esti.

million. view Ing during the shutdown, could mates w11t not be made until the Soon af ter the shutdown,

• ASKED ABOUT Dickhoner's Okl&E has had trouble com. ' '* ' '

statements to Celeste, a utittty Ing up with a new cost estimate CO&E officials said it would cost cordin the NRC- to complete the project, said -

spokesman said Dickhoner was and completion schedule be. Zimmer the three ullittles buildine "# II"'

$15 million a month as STOECKLIN S AID the utill- Although CO&E maintains usingto" illustrate ures hypothetical" dollar flg-that Zimmer cause of NRC is rounding the uncertatntles sur. long as the plant is idle. Italf of gy.s cost estimates are based on Zimmer is 97 percent complete.

order on Nov.12, still going to be economical. Ige 2, halting att work at Zimmer. the $15 million is to meet inter. e.ngineering studies that place an NRC exetutive believes that est payments on financing . hard dollars'* on the cost of "We have not made any new THAT INARILITY prompted " Ion'- labor and materials. Those percentage may be closer to it5 estimate since the Stlf httilon," the Pubite Utttttles Commisston Dut CO&E also fares strict numbers are fed to the compar.

percent said Druce fitoeckiln of CO&E. of Ohlo in March to eitminate

e N N PDsMechtsdev, acr* 11 N Coal plant rated cheaper than Zimmer Dr Roe Uebow .

w sw w with coal plants had the pleted. CO&E sald last week thag owner with 40 percent.

Zimmer project at Moscow, esumate will be rettsed upward HF.NRY W. ECKHART, attor, spokesman, said today the Costs of owntng and operat- Ohlo, been held to SI bt!Ilon. later this year. In preparing its rate case, ney for the Montgomery County company had not seen Koman.

Ing the Wir. tam H. Zimmer Nu- DP&L estimated Z!mmer would (Daytoni Board of Commission. off's analysts, but retterated the "If they could have capped clear 40 percent Powerhigher Stauon willIts over be30- Komanoff 35 to off Elmmer at $1 billion and in a pending made hisbyesumate applicauon coston319 the s*Jvice bt!!!on and be ready for ers and a coalttlon of small uullty's postuon that Zimmer Jan.1,1985.

have It off and running by New Dayton Power & Light Co. before Dayton-area cities and villages, will be about 10 percent cheaper.

year ttfe than had the uulttles Year's Day in 1985, ratepayers the Public Utilities Commission However.the PUCO staff said hiredestimate.

iKomanof f to 1tudy Komanoff said CO&E s con.

.nvolved bu11t comparable coal would not have notJced the dif. of Ohio for a $154 million elec. "the history of Zimmer ought to DP&l/s p127ts, a nationally known ference." he said from the.New trte rate Ir. crease, including ap. tenuon that Zimmer will be 10 economist said Tuesday. make any projected date of Komanoff examined the percent less costly than sfmtlar Ch rles Komanoff, whose Energy YorkAssociates.

offlee of his Kdmanoff prorttnately $50 m!!Ilon for f1- compteuon dublous coal plants ts erroneous.

nancing Zimmer. costs of owntng and operaung nuclear cost studies often con- TH E MOST RECENT cost The PUCO staff recommend. Zimmer over its projected 30 "The utilities have been real.

DP&L owns 315 percent of ed the commission not permit year 11fe compared with coal ly misleading the public for 10 years o tr^

Industry. dict said those of the Zimmer's nuclear Isrettme estimate is Electric Co. Is by thatthe Cincinnatt Zimmer Ohio Electric Oas Co.Zimmer. Columbus owns 28 5 pet. & Southerg DP&L to collect any allowance plantshethat for construction work in same power.

would generate the saE "The only &

costs would have been on a par will coat 31.1 billion when com. cent. CO&E ts the majority progre n pk Bruce Stoeck!!n, a CO&E themselves? are m e M g m .

i h

I 1

j l

i l

1 -

CLA%51FIED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C 16 l DE A T H. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C- 2 M ETRO DIGE 5T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2 O HIO N EW5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C- 3 EDfTOR: JAMES P. DELANEY, 369-1003 THE CINCINNATI ENOUIRER SATURDAY. APRIL 16.1983 NRC Okays TorreyPines As Zimmer Reviewer .

CY HOW ARD WLKNSON nau International Atrport, where proved Torrey Ptnes because the co .nanahr of the 31.1 billion "I was a little concerned it toot know of any plans to ast CO&E or e, ,e e Torrey Pines and NRC offkials firm's record in the nuc4 ear ener. Ztmmer project, but also said so long to approw Torrey Ptnes Bechter offletals to paructpate in willdtscuss the Zimmer plart gy business is "conststent with the Bechtet would act as a ' consul- with Dechtel at the site doing the April 25 meeung torrey Pines Technology, a After Cinctnnau Gas anJ Elee- Independence and competence tant,-

• consulting

• work which amounta "I'm sure they11 be there, but Californta-based nuclear trouble- trte (CO&E). Zimmer's butider. criterta lato down by the NRC. to implemenung a management this is intended as a meeting tw.

. shooting firm. has been approved nominated Torrey Ptnes for the The management review was ZI44ER CRITICS have object- plan. Altmar. said. "The bnger tw een us a nd Torrey Pines."

te do the management rettew at rewtew, the San Diego firm sub- ordered by the NRC last Novem- ed to Bechtel's " consultant

• rr,le, the NRC allowed it to eo on. the Marabito sam.

I Ztamer nuclear power plant- matted an ouutne for the Ilmmer bet,in an order which shut down which was approved by Keppler. less Itkely it would be that Torrey with one catch. Marabato said Torrey Pines will

project, nearly all construcuon at the The ertues says they fear CO&E Pine be expected to submit its detalled James O. Keppler, regbnal plant until the review and an and Bechtel are attempung to view ,s could do an accurate re* plans to the NRC prior to the e.dministrator of the Nuclear NRC SPOKESM AN Russ audit of safety-related construc-

• clean up* management problems CO&E spokesman David Alte- meeung. "so our people know Regulatory Commisston (NRC) Marabito said the NRC wants ten are complete. at Zimmer before Torrey Pinet muchte sand the uultty is " pleased what quesuons to ast?

said Friday Torrey Ptnes could do more informauon on the " details Keppler rejected CO&rs ortgt. enn perform its review. the NMC has decidad to approve 1

the NRC-ordered review, but only and scope of what (Torrey Ptnes) nal choice for the review. Bechtel One of the ertues.D. David Alt. our chotee? IJtt!1ty offktals see no Torrey Ptnes is a div1ston of G A s.fter la provides the NRC wtth a Intends to 60 at Zimmer. The plan Power Corp, tetitng CO&E of fl- man. chairman of the etty of Cin. problems with Keppler's request Technologies and recenuy com.

detalled 22mmer pla1 Torrey Ptnes submitted was fatrty clats Bechtel could be the man- cinnata's Er'vtronmental Advisory for more details on Torrey Ptnes- pleted a five-month review of con.

Keppler set a pubtle meeting general and now we want it spell- agement reviewer or CG&E's co- Council (EACn. said he is pleased Zimmer plan. Altemuchle said. strucuon safety at the troubled for I p m. Monday. A pril 25. st the odout? manager.but not both. the NRC has approved Torrey Shoreham nuclear power plant on Amerteans Inn at Orester Cinctn- Marabito aaid Keppler ap- CU&E chose to hire Bechtel as Pinet 4 4R 4RITO S 4TD be doce not IAmt Island.

THE CINCINNATIENQUIRER FINAL EDITION / NEWSSTAND PRICE 25e WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20,1983 A GANNETT NEWSPAPER TRON L:

• l QQQ[

'a= it a== **+a t aa ra Pr etie-within the agency to remnve l drafts and notes from files once a

.B 7 .- ,RC EONTNJED FROM PAGE A-1 finai report is tssued.

Commissioners Victor Otitnsky i

Don Act request flied by the Gov- and James Asselstine. however. '

ernment Accountablitty Project, a filed a joint dissent, arguing that Washington-based group that OI A Dtrector James Cummings t

i ChGA Q 30 Dd U ,

W l

represents local interverars op- should be officially repriman6ed posed to the Ztmmer plant, he war for not fully identifying docu.

ordered to remove from the office ments covered under Freedom of a

f,- 'y all investigative matertal that had informauon Act requests.

UdallSays Zimmer *""" 'o'^

t'Pn't " ~ a 'rc= t"*c'" "

" = 6' ad udaii espressed ner,THESE of OiAFAILURES mana,ementbyiomem-id,n.

Files Suf 'l'mssed .

$ articular' concern about O! A*s ufy the documents needlessly cast BY DAVID SHAPIRO ag . ,; >, dectaton to delete from the final suspicion on the integrity of the w%w seport-and withhold from the N RC's f'reedom of Information WASlf!NOTON-Rep. Morris Oovernment Accountability Pro- Act process." Ott.nsky and Assel-lect-a 19R1 Interview with Terry stlne said.

Udall. D.Artz,is charging that an flarpster, who had been an NRC Another comment, filed by office of the Nuclear Regulatory inspector at Zimmer.

Commission tmproperty purged its Commissioner J)hn Ahearne.said

- IN THE deleted interview, the NRC"s prondures for dealing files of damaging background material from a l981 investigation A40RR15 UD ALL Rarpater said quality assurance at with Freedom e f information Act Zimmer was "out of control." and requests have long been in disar-of the Zimmer Nuclear Power Sta- . char 9'S rnade ln ietter thst h:s efforts to draw attention ray."This will not be the first ume

""- to the problem were consistenuy agency credtbtitty has been called Udall says suppression of docu- Zimmer, OIA improperly purged rebuked by both the NRC and Cin- into question due to inept han-ments by the NRC's Offlee of in- Its flies of drafts. Interviews. notes dling of a Freedom of Informauon cinnau Gas and Electric Co.

spector and Auditor (CIA) placed and background matertal relating Zimmer "in a more favorable Itght N RC Chairman Nunsio Pal- Act request." Ahearne said. "I can to its 1981 Zimmer investigattorL ladino acknowledged Tuesday understand how a skeptical out-than waslustlftN1 by the facts . . .

Udall based his charges on a that even the commission was sider might conclude there was a (andt contrthuted to the delay in letter from David Gamble. a for- unaware of some of the purged conspiracy to conceal informa-pubile recognition of the,true mer OIA inspector who played a documents, and never had a tion."

status of the Zimmer project. major rele in the 1981 investica- OT A Director Cummings issued Zimmer was shut down by the chance to decide whether the Lion. matertal should have been reless- a sharply worded memo accusing NRC last November because of Gamble claimed that after OT A ed under the federal Freedom of Udall of seeking to make a " media settous construction problems.

received a Freedom of Informa- Informauon Act, splash" with his letter to the com-ArrORDING TO Udall who . But Palladtno took a generally mission on t he Zimmer docu-has spearheaded a Hou,e Intertor (SeeZIMMElt, benign view of OIA's actions, say. ments,

(

i Committee investigation of boek el this eertient

l 1

1 y,wm m.,,,s,.~ .v.-r - v,w - .. ~ . v. m vt. -

Zimmer e E5EE Cincinnatt Oss & Electric Co.

That agreement provides that Council supports advisory CO&E will supply the city with gy Ron Uebou radiation monitoring equip- em swea=

ment for Zimmer. In return, the Cincinnatt City Council has thrown city agrees not to Interfere in its support twhtnd a citizen's council to the steensing of the nuclear advise Gov. Richard F. Celeste on the bGCked plant.

CO&E spokesman Richard Hammersmith said Wednesday problems at the William II. Zimmer Nu-clear P9wer Station.

Celeste has yet to decide on the e

i the utility is reviewing the formation of an advisory council.which Sy

% R,o,n IJeho" council's dectslon to determine tras proposed in January by several whether it does vlotate th' Cincinnatt groups, including the city's Cincinnati City Council has agreement. Environmental Advisory Council. funds allded through the council with-thrown its support behind a SUPPORT OF the ban on "You need a group of fairly rational t cittsen's council to advise Gov. CWIP funds glided through the Eq"g3ap t en b O&E of I tal ~

etttzens advising the governor, al-Richard F. Celeste on the prob. council without discussion and though it may include some extre- '

tems at the William H. Zimmer was met with " disappointment" Council Member Peter Strauss said mists," said Council Member Guy permitting utilities to charge customers

. dear Power Station. by CO&E officials. Ouckenberger, who introduced a reso-Celeste has yet to decide on for plants before they go into service is Council Member Peter lution Wednesday, w hich council unfatt.

the formation of an advisory fttrauss said permitting utilities adopted 5 "Let us put the pressure where it be-council, which was proposed in to charge customers for plants THE COUNCll, unantmously passed January by several Cincinnati before they go into servtce is un* longs: on the company and sharehold-a resolution supporttng a state Senat* era and not the general public."

groups, including the city's fair. bill that would outlaw granting utility Environmentti Advisory Coun. "Let us put the pressure compantes payment for construction CWIP funds have been the key item til.

where it belongs: on the compa- work in progress, called CWIP funds, in recent utility rate cases involving "You need a group of fairly ny and shareholders and not the for uncompleted projects such s, th e mpa uI n m n rational citizens advising the general public. Zimmer.

, n governor, although it mmy in- CWIP funds have been the of Ohio knocked $5! million for CWIP elude some extremists," said Duckenberger's resolution urges Ce- funds on Zimmer out of CO&E4 request Council Member Ouy Ducken-key item in recent uttitty rate leste to appoint an advisory council to for higher rates.

cases involving three compantes oversee the role of the Nuclear Regula-berger, wholntroduced a resolu- hunding Zimmer. In March, the "We stHI ful mat by allowin5 CWIP tion Wednesday adopted 5-4. tory Commtssion's restew of the con-Public Utilities Commission of struction and management of Zimmer. In the rate base we are saving custom-Tile COUNCll, unanimously Ohio knocked $51 million for ""*"'I'"""**" "

passed a resolution supporting a CWIP funds on Zimmer out of "I think the concern is that the NRC msy not be doing its job completely , lie said dental of CWIP funds means state Senate bill that would out- CO&E's request for htsher rates. Ouckenberger said* me utlHty must hw mm mW M law granting utility companies "We stlit feel that by allowing meet finance charan on comucen i payment for construction work lie said he does not believe the coun-CWIP in the rate base we ate projects.

In progress, called CWIP funds, saving customers money," Itam. ell's support for the advisory body vlo-I for uncompleted projects such  !

as Zimmer, mersmith said. lates an agreement between the city j

lie said dental of CWIP funds and the Cincinnatt Oas & Electric Co.

Ouckenberger's resolution means the utility must borrow T urges Celeste to appoint an mere money to rneet finance wI a pp y e el y w th rad atto adelsory council to oversee the ehatses on construction monitoring equipment for Zimmer. In role of the Nuclear Regulatory projects. return, the city agrees not to interfere Come Ission's rev1ew of the con- In the Itcensing of the nuclear plant.

struction and management of y.im mer. CO&E spokesman Richard IInm-mersmith said Wednesday the uttllty is "I think the concern is that reviewing the council's decision to the NRC may not be doing its determine whether it does vinInte the job completely," Ouckenberger j agreement.

said. I SUPPORT OF the han on CWIP

mei The Onckwnati Post, Friday, Ace pe-g Group requests new Zimmer hearings kr Ron Liebeu ley Power Project say in a 64 strong signal they will be held. , g Miamt Valley. l{e said the NRC, P"" se n=en* page petition that "a hearing is The Cincinnatt-based Miami Maintaining that only a pub- necessary to prevent Zimmer Valley Power Project, which is aa ear M sa l$

UJ nc J gn#

c h bV ma sssIs!. g n yg BsVIB despite repeatedly citing CO&E for management problems, has lit string will silence years of from operating without every represented by the Government refused to remove CO&E from controversy, opponents of the possible effort first being taken Accountability Project in Wash. A class-action suit, filed Thursday in llamilton County controlof theconstruction.

William H. Zimmer Nuclear to neutralize the threat to pub- ington, retterates in its current Common Pleas Court. demands that the $400 million the Dayton PJwer Stauen are asking for lac health and safety that this petition eight broad concerns Power & Light Co. Invested in the William it. Zimmer Nuclear Devine said CO&E cannot be further federal Itcensing hear- plant represents" trusted to implement manage-ings. about the construction of Power Station in Moscow.Ohlo. be returned to the shareholders ment reforms that would add to The petition was formally Zimmer. by the Cincinnatl Gas & Electric Co.

the eventual cost of Zimmer, The request was immediately filed today with the U.S. Atomic Thostconcerns include alle. The suit was filed on behalf of Slyvla Froug of Dsyton and labeled by the Cincinnatt Oas & Safety and Licensing Board, the gations that CG&E and its con. actally in light of action by 76.000 shareholders across the country. Ms. Froug names CO&E L.yton Power & Light Co. and Electric Co. as another attempt judicial arm of the NRC. tractors failed to ensure the as a defendant in the action and lists DP&L and Columbus &

to delay operation of the $1.7 bil- Columbus and Southern Ohlo lion plant at Moscow, Ohio. On July 15, IW12, the licensing plant is bullt as destgned, Southern Ohio Electric Co. as nominal defendants. Electric Co. to recover costs of board agreed to hear Miami Val. materials used in construction The suit contends that the Dayton power company contin. mismanagement.

Although CO&E says con. ley's charges that CG&E and its cannot be traced, vendor pur- ues to pay its s!'are of building Zimmer, despite continual BRt!CE STOECKLIN, CO&E struction of Elmmer is 97 per- principal contractor, Itenry J. chases were not controlled. con- delays and rapidly escalating costs "thereby dissipating and director of media services, said cent complete, it may be years Kaiser Co., failed to adequately struction deficiencies were not wasting corporate funds." Ms. Froug asks that the court nutilfF Thursday he expects company before tt ever operates. control the constructlan of identified and corrected and the ortgtnal agreement between DP&L and CG&E; that CO&E that CO&E and Katser tilegally lawyers to oppose further THE Nt! CLEAR Regulatory Zimmer, The Itcensing board's refund the 5400 million. and that DP&L be released from any licensing heartngs.

Cimmission indefinitely sus. decision was overruled on July retallated asialnst dissenters. liability-present or future-that may erise from Zimr" .r.

pended all safety related worg 30,1982, by the NRC commts- CO&E denied those allega- Stoecklin said the issues rats-on Nov.12,1952, concluding the stoners. tions in a lengthy response to Valley asks the licensing board tence to run a nuclear plant. ed by Miami Valley are already quilty of construction is "in. ON FEB.18,1983, the com- the NRC on March 1. The utility to consider two fundamental being reviewed by the NRC staff.

determinate." Reelews and in- mission clattfled its position said Miamt Valley Power Project issues: that there was a system- Issue The corporate competence Furthermore, Torrey Pines is at the spections leading to a resump- and inelted the group to file its did not raise any issues not al- atic breakdown of quality assur- Miami Valley petition. heatt of the Technology has begun a man-tion of construction are under charges. Although that invita- ready covered by NRC-Imposed ance with unknown repercus- asement rettew and the Bechtel way. h's the .asic weakness in Power Corp. is studying the Lion is not tantamount to order. orders. slons and that CO&E lacks the NRC reform program." said problems as a consultant to Attorneys for the Mlamt Vat. Ing hearings, it is seen as a IN ITS PETITION, Miamt corporate character and compe* Thomas Devine, attorney for CO&E.

ne a a post. n-d.r. " '"'

Readers' Views Construction billing targeted . _

COLUMBUS - Claiming they want better tmatment fit consumers, Democrata In the Ohio Senate have ap-proved a bill that would abolish a state law allowing utility counpantes to charge customers for power planta while they V. c O

g b By conducting our own Internal re.

,lew and analysis, we will be in a post-tion when the Torrey Ptnes recort be-C r3 still being butit, The so-caned Construction Work in *

• comes available to rapidly consider their Progress statute has been under attack from consumer groups since It was approved in 1776. They claim customers M

H

]

A D )*

UA

)*

A

] ail AVRR recommendations. synthestae those with which we concur with our own conclu.

lose by paying for the planta before the factittles actually slons, and present our proposals to the begin providing power. However, the utility companies THE CINCINNATI ENOUIRER Thurstfay. June 9,1993 NRC fw its considnauon. We may nn.

argue that CWIP allow costa to be spread out, thus saving .fD THE EDITOR: It has been five brace everything Torrey Pines recom-pcustomers money by keeping the industry's debt low and by weeks since I assumed the responsibility mends, but it is not required, and it Is

, helping plan fce future use. within the Cinctnnau Gas and Electric secret management actions betng taken I ## """ I " ' ' ' " I"**"'

p"lete agreement What is required is for Co for completing and operating the at Zimmer. Olven the public Interest, Wm. II. Elmmer Nuclear Power Stauon. anyone who thinks anything having to N&E, wnh assistance M Tomy Mnes The mussWest,M. M 3, Ng3 During that period I have managed, and an manbauon HH Mel, to 6 do with Zimmer can be done in secrecy is naive indeed. I have proceeded from my ctde on, and present to the NRC for its OgO IOhN with (de help of some very professional people within and without the CO&E first day under the assumpuon that any- consideration, the most effective man-organtsation, Including personnel of the thing we do or say will rapidly become ""*" ""3""""" "

IO NRC reiec$ed Nucicar neguiaiory Commission (NACL public. and under the etrcumstances ""'**"'""*""d"""""'*

WA8HINOTON - A report t n " ' " E I "* I

, t nt of e tate f ew rk r[d on m Is tio to the Nuclear Regulatory to arrtve at a respectable understanding in passing. I might add that none of d"" ""d * ****P"'

Commission warns that key of the problems we face and wf.at must the Intervenors bothered to call un con. F " D'nd n'nish tM co"nstru"cWn." "'

nwwka creas o! nuclear power be done te achieve our objecuve; t e fin. cerning issues of secrecy. and such tack planta may have been the Ish construcuon of Ztmmer in a manner of Inquiries seems rather unprofessional After an organisation and methodol-targets of 11 deliberate acts assurtna its Integrity, and operate and and lacking in objecurity. ogy are agreed upon, CO&E wHI provide Cf sabotage by workers dur- maintain it with highly tralned person- whatever resources are required, manage Ing the last three years. The nel such that the safety of operators and Let me tell you a litue of what we are the construcuon to compleuon and then Feb. 28 study was releened populace ts guaranteed and the econom. doing. First, we are not situng on our operate the plant.

Tuesday by Rep. Edeatd le benefits to consumers maximtred. hands walung for someone to tell us how Markey, D-Mass. to discharge our responsibutues to the The lasues we must resolve and the public. As responstble managers we have Zimmer is a needed source of safe economical energy and it has been made problems we must solve enroute to our been analyzing our organisauon, per- apparent to me, through their support-objective are not impossible or over- sonnel requirements and operating Ing actions, that the three owners, whelming. The types of technical, engl- methodolfwy to identify needed man- CO&E, Dayton Power and Light Co. and neering and mar.agement issues involg. asement actions. We are also developfng ed have been encountered before and our concepts of what will be required to ' Columbus and Southern Ohlo Electric Co., are determined to do whatever is re-successfully resolved by a sufficiency of mattsfy the shoss-cause order and achieve talented people working within the the objeruve stated abnve as to be in a qutred to properly construct and operate framework of an efficientorganizauon. Immitlnn to move without cosuy delay the plant.

That is not to say that accomplishing -

Along the way, we wlit accept con-the task will be easy. On the contrary,it va ab e f o ce siderat n!

he notmi that the Torrey Ptnes effort witt strucuve and professional crluctsm 9nd will be difficult and tedious, made the provide an assessment of CO&E s man- will sit down ant' talk with thoac sha more so because our every move will be agement of Zimmer and recommend have concerns.

'llfuminated, analysed and commented upon by organismuons that are express

• management concepts and actions that can l'e taken to provide for more effec- The Zimmer project deserves your Ing a varlety of concerns regarding tfve management. It is not an effort to supp rt End unemotional consideration Zimmer. We hope that such involvement determine the quality of the e Hting of the views of those who oppose it.

will be objective and professionat, so that construction - that asgessment will be JOE WILT,l AMS, JR.

Unnecessary and frivolous delays with mildresged in the second phase of clear.

their attendant costs will not be fotsted ing the show-cauge order by an organ. Senior Vice President Nuclear Operations on the consumers, laation such as Dechtet, under the man-Cincinnau Gas and Electric Co.

I can assure all Intervetsd organtsa-asement direction of CU&E in accordance with a plan approved by the Hons that, contrary to the asseruons in N RC.

the paper lhtmy 26 ("Z1mmer Critle Re-ports CGaK 'Becret Plans'"k there are no

m O.-s m.ar.-w , to Nuclear plants will remain apen WiliTE PLAINS, N.Y. - Anti-nuclear groups and local officials are angry r1th the federal dertston to allow the Indian Point nuclear plants to stay open. By a 3-2 vote, .

Thursday, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said the twin Etomic reactors 24 miles north of New York City shaF remain open for two months. After that time, it said an emergency evnenauon plan to protect 293.000 area residenta must be designed and practiced The NRC cited a report that said substantial progrets had been made in solving problems with emergency evacumuon plans at the Hudson River site.

Friday. June 10,1983 THE CINCINNATI ENOUfRER C.E e '

't ne NRC created the panel in study of NRC Investigative proce. novel restrictions sugg*sted (byl Onien S <, ' February in an apparent attempg dures.

DePte Of JHSt1Ce to quiet growing industry unrest "I was astonished not only to about NRC promises to step up tts learn about a co:nmittee in this Mr. Charnoff.-

itE ADDED that no other e "

e enforcement actions against nu. fashion, but more importanuy, federal enforcement agency COZylH8 P 0 ,, " U 0 e a Y 1 1leS clear plant operators. the fact, purpose and nature of allows attorneys for those under It was suggested by Gerald the committee 8tmelf." Oreenspun invesugauon to set ground rules Charnoff, a Washington lawyer said in his letter to the NRC. for the invesurationa .

SY DAVO SHAPRO and is partly made up of other He also rapped the NRC for f r several nuclear clients, who He said Jusuce wt!I not only re. Oreenspun, who laced his let.

samen sem sen,em attorneys with clone ties to the falling to pubitclse the commit- complalud to the NRC that the fuse to consult with the advisory ter with snide references to the WA8HINGTON-Justice De.

Industry, according to the letters tee's work so that public interest agency n has become too antagonts- committee, but may also cut the NRC's "underwhelming enforce.

obtained by Dannett News Servi- groups could parucipate in the aung the industry. NRC out of its own crtmtnal and ment efforts" of the past, ques-partment offletals haw launcimj ee. One of Charnoff's clients, civil invesugauons of nuclear uoned the sincerity of the agen-an t:ttack against the Nuclear discussions of NRC investigauve procedures. Kaiser Engineertng, is a potstble plants by relying instead on the cy's recent promises to Congregs Regulatory Commission's (NRCI A EEY goal of Industry attor, target of a Justlee Department FBI and outside nuclear experts and the pubile to improve its enforement poinctes, accusing the neys is to limit the abittty of NRC GREEN 5 FUN RECEIVED investigation into charges of *who would not be subject to the record.

NRC of cosytng up to the nuclear investigators to Interview nuclear backing trorr, his boss, Assistant wrongdoing in the construcuon of -

uttattles It ts %pposed to potice. plant employees without the pre,. Attorney General D. towell Jen- the Ilmmer nuclear plant near At tenue is the NRC's apootnt- ence of either uttitty managers or sen, who sent a separate letter Cincinnau.

mewl of an advisory committee lawyers representing manage. May 2 to NRC Chairman Nunzio Charnoff was particularly with Industry ues to help develop ment Palladtno protesting the advisory upset by an NRC policy of exclud-E'IMtines for NRC probes of Greenspun said such a rule is committee. Ing uullty managers and attor-possible safety violauons at nu- designed to inumidate the em. The NRC declined comment on neys from interviews with plant clear power plants. ployees, and would make it virtu. the dispute. A spokesman said mplofwa He suggested that the la sharply potnted letters to ally impossible fr 'w his tle. James Cummings, director of the NRC should conunue to cort $uct tne NRC,two top Justice attorney 1 blowers" to talk freely no the NRC NRC Office of Inspector and Audg. Its investigauons in partnership charged that the move could com- about safety problems without tot, has reponded to the Justice with local plant management, as promise the Integrity of future risktnf theltjobs. Department chargeb. Out has the ngency has done in the past NRC criminal and elvtl Investiga- "The prtmary-tf not only ordered that has letter not be tions. nource of witnesses as to violationg made public. CH ARNOFF.WHO could not be of laws and regulations in bulld. The spokesman refused to reached for comment, is not a JULIAN GREENSPUN deputy Ing and operaung a power plant charactartze Cummings* response, member of the adetsory commit-Iltaration chief in Justice's crtml. are the operauonal employees- saytng only that the advisory com. tee.The panelis chaired by Wash.

nel divtston, said his agency may Greenspun said in his March 25 mittee was appointed to provide ington attorney Earl Stibert, be forced to exetude the NRC from letter to the NRC. the NRC '" expert advice on the whose firm has represented Hous-its own nuc%ar invesugauons be. He accused the industry of rights of (nuclear planti employ. ton Power and t.tsht ir r se of the tatnt lef t by the seeking to " Impair this flow of ees whose employers are under The Justice Department did NRC's advisory committee. Informauon . . . by preventing the investigattorL" not learn about the advisory com-ne committee was songested NRC from getung to the witnesses mittee unul Oreenspun and Jen-to th> NRC by an attorney who before their bosses and their THE JUSTICE Department also sen received requests from Silbert represents several nuclear clients. bo=ses' attorneys do." declined further ccmment asking Justice to consult" in the

- s.es e tI,- i New charges critical of Zimmer work g pg %

Oas and t1ectric Co, the lead partner in Zimmer*s ances . . . at the Zimmer Nuclear site." Ms. Nolder ernment Accountabt!!ty Project.

construction. said the company will comment said in her affidattt. dated July 6.1981 MS. NOLDER'S charges were among 50 new I"I# I" #'* E I ' ""I ""#I '"

l Buttressed by a new set of affidartta,includ- Hal Lauth, a Kaiser representauve. said the She also alleged that data were falsifted and Project since June 3. when the group reviewed its l Ing one from a former employee of the contractor that notauons on,, some in,spection,, documents request foi public Incensing heartngs on the qual-building the W1111am H. Zim'ner Nuclear Power , company "couldnt comment on th3 affidavit gg g g tty sasurance problems at Zimmer.

l 8tauon. a etusens* group has asked the Nuclear until wew had a chance to study it."* Ms. Nolder said her conclusions were rewrit.

Regulatory Commission to reopen fleensing hear. whoSherrlil Nolder, a quality e.ngineer for Katser The Miamt Valley Power Project filed three l ings. was a member of a team that rettewed opera. ten and that she was " subjected to harassment. separate legal briefs Tuesday with the NRC its tions at Zimmer in 1961. said in an affidavit the was branded a

• spy

• and termtnated in February Atomic Safety and Licenstng Board and its Atom-Included in the aff1 davits are allegations by a . company ignored her ftnding that welding proce. (1963L" according to a statement issued by the le Safety and Licensing Appeals Board. said former auditor for the contractor, the Henry J. dures used in snore than 95 percent of the Zimmer Government Accountablitty Pro}ect- Lynne Bernabet, staff attorney forOAP.

Kaiser Cb. of Oakland.Caltf that an audtt repert plant were not property checked to ensure their As a result of the dismissal. Ms. Nolder has The groups, which have led opposttton to the that erfuctaed certain key welding procedures was quality. filed a complaint with the Department of labor gammer project, are attempting to conttnce the suppressed and altered by her superiors. "I REFEATEDt.Y tried to warn Katser*s top and has sued her former company for damages. NRC to reopen hearings on the nuclear power Bruce Stoecklin, a spokesmen for Cincinnat management that there were gross noncompII. said Thomas Devine.a staff attorney for the oo'- plant.

New Zimmer Charges Filed fAgal briefs including 50 new allegations i concerning the Zimmer Nuclear Power Stauon construction were filed Tuesday by the Miamt l i

Valley Power Project ( MVPP) with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

MVPP's legal counset, the Governmental AccountaNInty Project.also filed brlefs with the Atomic Safety and IJeensing Board and its appeals board.

Wednesday. July 13. I 983 THE CINCINNATI ENOUfRER I Among the new allegauons contained in four new affidavits gathered since June 3 was a conclusion from Shertil Nolder, a former corporate audtter for the Kaiser Corp, that

" welding procedures used to butid over 95% of the Zimmer plant were not qualtfled."

Kaiser is building the nuclear power station for the Cincinnatt Oss is Electric Co. Ms. Nolder was part of a team sent to investigate welding defielencies atIlmmerin 1981. j i Bhe attested her findings have been i suppressed for nearly two years.although she personally warned Kaiser's last two corporate presidents that problems such as falstfled records and unquallned welding proceedings were tving l Ignored.a O AP release stated.

l I

THE CINCIXNATIENQURER FINAL EDITION / NEWSSTAND PRICE 254 TUESDAY, AUGUST 23,1983 A GANNETT NEWSPAPER Report Blames CG&E For Zimmer Woes m o se,o const,-oon ,su,. man iaie en.

A company hired by the Cin. Zimmer Report At A Giance '"E'#"Se'd

1. oi'8Efo a etnnau Gas & IDectric Co. (C0&E) ) ~

f alse sense of satisfactory pet.

to evaluate safety procedures at o The plant,fy% Corrq30eted. Con be firilshedit some formance untu the late IF: tin and the troubled Zimmer nuclear l ,

es.-ty 19ma." It was not unul the I

qg e+-  ;, ._ . - ,; Changel are made, power station faulted the utility Monday for allowing a total man.

A*/'y 8 gM,y a , ,

o CG&E esecuttves put Colt Contshiment Wised of guesty near snettdown at Three Mlle Is.

land that the NRC became in.

y , ,.

ageetent breakdown in the . esturance over the years. Records were Confused, MCorrelate creastngty more active and con.

, r,g ; s,. ,

• and often not ready retrievable, eerned aboat potential an Diego. , o CG&E Presiderit Weem K Dicithonor " appeared to be :hortcomIngs on the Ztmmer b2std Torrey Pines T=chnology, said in a 3DI-page. two-volume re.

=

N,*.W*[D' pk

1. i4 -

,Y N '. , ;g. besulated erom en eCCurate picture of the status and heelemsectos of the Zkrvner quefty assurance prograrrL  % le several subcontractws i part reicued by Co&E that war = 3 q@* ,g

. The seneres pesc now estumes the Correeny'is susty-m ay have b,es con,tributed,,,to,,th downin uala, a e Et the Moscow power plant can probably be completed to conform

,w / '

unft preven Dmocent most of the blame must rest with ne,,

' with Nuclear itegulatory Cdmmis- s An oversl@t - ..;e, should be formed to report 90 CO&E. the report found. "There Sion (NRCI r=gulations if a num* CG&E's Doerd of arectors and chief executtve officers on enesty. are many instances of inadequate Der of mutagement changes are Control aCftvffies. control over design documenta.

e Zlrfuner prClect trW 89 the vice presidentled ieveg dest n document changes, weld.

mong the possible changes should have 8tnown and acted on problems wHh the power plant 0 D'C recommended are the formauon Over the years, g en uo of an adutwy body and staff to accompitshed, conformance to work procedures and quality Excerpts, Page A.10; ether stories Page C 1.

u it crttle f y: a ran e procedures. Torrer

(' by an independent engineer /

archtteet and formauost of a qual-Ity wificauon team. TWE REPORT was particularly crttical of senior management at Rift THE four-month invests. needs "a comprehensive verifica. mated eennnn determined that "In comparison with other nu. November 12.1983.the cometisolon the uu11ty. "C0&E had a corporate smuon tal revlew didornot include uty evaluation technl.

of the trueuon program quality of the .design

. . to determtne and con. the records for the plant were con. clear uttlity compantes, staffing of halted all safety related construe. fiscal poIIcy that mIntmlsed

, fumed. Inadequate, not readtly re. both CO&E and the subcontractor taon at Zimmer and called for the expenditures" Torrey Ptnes said.

curt?nt safety of Zimmer nor dkg structiorL" After esamining 3JD0 trtevable and possibly invalid. organtutions eas inadequate outa6de audit of quality assurtnee "1tte emphasis completely demi-it include a physical trtspection of documenta and interviewing 10o Dollars and cents apparently throughout the IF10s." the repert managment at Zimmer.

j nated other Important priorttaes the pihnt And it stopped short of people. Torrey Pmes fmand that meant more to CO&E than qua!!ty found- The NRC was also faulted for such sa quaJtty and quality sLwur-determining If Zimmer is well CO&E was in complete disarray assurance, accceding to Torrey problems at Zimmer. The com. ance.** As a consequence, con.

hut!L regarding quality assurance at PinesL CO&E did not hire enough IN NOVEllBER,1981. the NRC mission failed to aggreestrely pur.

The $1.7 bittica plant, whic% is Zimmer. employees to control and check on fined the company 3300f00 for sue quallty assurance concerne approstmatery FT% complete, now The rettew, which cost an eeu. work performed by contractors. quality assurance brenadowns. On and allowed the uttatty to conunge (See 11 tetter,Page Alel

THE CINCINNATI ENOUIRER Tuesdef August 23,1983 from an accurate picture of the plants as there are who favor con. adversartal relauonshtp.

lm mer status and inadequacles of the struction.

come from.the entsung board of e Retatning yet anotner inde-Trust Dutit up by a 15-year-old directors. Torrey Pines said and pendent erwiew organtsauon-dif-N MOM PACE M Zimmer quality assurance pro. Constructor Henry J. Katser assoctauon with Barrent and should have business and techul- f erent f rom the architect. -

gram

• the report said. was woefully inerpertenced in Lundy Engineers, which worked cal expertise direcuy related to engineer-constructor-to audit struction crews worked only to butiding nuclear plants. the report on 22 coal fired plants for the the nuclear Industry. Implementauon of quality vert-(.omply with estalmum N RC YET, THE report said Zimmer said. While many utallues across uttitty, led to Iax monitoring of e Hiring an architect- fication and teview overall standards and regulations, the re. project management-at least the United States during the IF% theIr work. Estenstve denign engineer-constructor to replace Zimmer destgTL port said. throusti the vlee presidenual level had never built nuclear power changes for the reactor contain- the current CO&E construcuon "It ts in the best interest of

" Top sannagement seamed to -should have been sufficienuy plants before. Kaiser was unique, ment vessel also hurt employee manas

• ment group. manage con. managemen?, the stockholders lack an adequate degree of in- involved in qualtty assurance to the report said, because it did not morale during construction of the strucuon and provide an overs)ew and the ratepayers that every-volvement in and commitment to- have had an awareness of *short- have nor did it later obtain addl. plant.Torrey Pines found. cf the quality verificauon pro- thing reasonably possible be done

&:r d guality assurance at comings and problems at Z1mmer tional prime construction con- Ultimately, Dickhoner must gram. An engineering group to assure sausfactory compleuon Ziesmer the group found. CO&E throughout the years" tracts for a nuclear plant. accept full responsibtitty f or should direct and manage all of the project" Torrey Ptnes said.

brass did not highinght the quattty The end result of the breat- Zimmer. Torrey Pines said. In the engineering acuvtues at Zimmer "A secondary incenuve is the in-assurance program as a key ele- down in qualtty assurance is that IMESTIGATORS SAID CO&E' future he should be involved in all and a quality assurance group creased credibtitty that will be spent in construction of a nuclear pubite conftdence in the utility was more accustomed to butiding polley dectstons including the would audtt work from subcon- schteved with Congress, the NRC power plant, the report saki, and may nas be at an aII-ume low, coal-fired plants and did not real- priority of quality, quality assur- tractors. The quality assurance and the general public."

the quality assurance team gener. " Societal stutudes (nave) deterlo. Ise unul far along in the Zimmer ance, cost, scheduling and the group would also bear prime re- CO&E said in a press release ally was too small and inexpert- rated to the point where CO&I' ts project that a more formalised, organisational response to sponstblitty for external relation. Monday that it would not be in a enced to be effecuve. now presumed guilty unut it can rigorous approach was needed to whtsue-blowers, the report said. ships wtth federal. state and other position to c o m m e n t on t h e The CO&E executive reports on prove ats innocence," the report document the quality of a nuclear regulatory atencies. recommendauons untti lt was Elman ,r generally addressed de- sakt plant- RECOsitIENDED CHANCES e Centralisauon of admints- futty able to ceatuate the report tatis of the work and put out That conclussort is bolstered by "This was probatdy the single include: trative acttttues at Elmmer for Durtng the course of the invesu-

• brush fires"instead of providing a recent openlon poll from the most signiftcant factor contribut- e Formauon of a Zimmer Pro- program planning. scheduling and gauon, the uultty hired Joerph an c%rati management perspec. Insutate for Polley Studies at the Ing to the present situnuon at the jer

• Oversiaht Committee to re- document control and the cres- W1111ams Jr. senior wtre president

,usw to chief Esecuuve Officer and University of Cincinnatt that Zimmer plant," the report said. To port to the uu11ty4 board of direc- tion of an operations group for of nuclear operations to manage Prestdent WUllam H. Dickhoner. shows that there are telee as make matters worse, communica- nors and chler executive officer on start-up tesung. plant mainte. the Etmmer project. That selec-

"Up unut 1981. the president of many people w ho oppose con- tions between CO&E and Kaiser Zimmer quauty control acurftlet nance and tratning of plant tion was cornmended by Torrey CGil appeared to be Insulated struruon of more nt -lear power eventualty detertorats into an Members of the board should operators. . Ptnet

i e

I d

! iingEsireireFUFzimmer Nuclear Plant For example, C0&E quality assurance directed Henry J. Katser, plant constructor, to "not en ever i

board on training activities, but instead to went bar days."

Now,it is C0&E that finds itself in th* eye of ,

'/J fM **

T the Torrey storm.

hh 1,' g-

.* y *8a6 , .an. Jf,y *. From the beginning. CO&E ran afoul of the re-

, . e *!utrements of qualitiy assurance. It wasn't until ,

'*". . ~e , , * " m T t--M*"

. g g g h ~' .',, '

, - , after the mesor construction at Zimmer was rom.

p ," ' # 3 1 . 1"

,m pleted that the formal qualificauon of some CU&E U - -

" i j , tg.< -

-~ . personnel tu nuclear quality assurance standards

[ d .. --

g, g actually took place.

o y M*IYg3 k _ '

Even at the time of the report's pubHcation 4*

et c. 5ft.7:s* i "Ittue evidence was found to indicate that i rieri-

) *"8" g . ned, systemaue approach to define trainine re.

quirements is being pursued."

kY. **[/ 6 Ns.s. , c .**. Ir , 'ad y@ Blamed is a restricuve hiring policy im nsed by y#9

.* -e P -

C0&E that led to the pracuce of extenslve reliance

• / -

on contractor inapection personnel for whom Kals-i g * ",5y' . ,,( A' , (.;c a* .

% . er had no previous history or confidence. In fact.

. g during one period of construcuon, this policy led to

py. ,,y'*]kg ,

'"*

• O the use of co-op students to assure quality states

. . the report.

.. a. Throughout most of the construcuon perind.

• • . . .., ' Me.6 -s .s 4* ~

, ,,,, C0&E upper management was apparently "not A.". Es(4 % .j'4

'"' A3 A

• aware of the lack of sattsfactory records on welding procedure and welder performance qualifications ~

.> , #, There was no mystery to that lack of awareness.

. 64 i There was a " notable lack of C0&E staff having expertise in weld!ng engineering," states the report.

, g g.- Not until the Nuclear Regulatory Co*nmluton

' Issued letters and orders in 1981 and 1982 did CO&E more aggressively address the baste need for ex- ,

pertenced,qualtfled and certitled personnel. '

81nce that ume, CO&E receives higher grades from Torrey.

The qualtftcauons of quality assurance engl-neers and auditors has improved and the quality assurance manager la considerably more Pmpert-

, e.,,,..,,,p. enced in nuclear quality assuranca than his pre.

QUALITY A$$URANCE took a backseat to cost controls and desdines during cording to Torrey Pines, the Independent investiontor charged with reve r wi n decesor,rs, states the report.

gemstruction in the 1970s at the troubled Zimmer Nucteer Power %f ation, ac- the power station by ** 4*ar Regulatory Commission. Torrey said CO&E was slow to react, investigate and correct quality deficiencies cited by whistle-BY EfeQUIREW STAFF tenurance was vtewed by CO&E as a " requirement blowers, but did not take any leprisals arminst to he met at the minimum penntulble lewl."

The bottom Itne of the 301-page report by Tor- The reporf blaSf3 C68E[Or caring t"'"hhe subsecuons used in the following etary are rey Fine Technology, hired by Cincinnatl Gas & By taking that attitude CG&E failed to even Electric Co. (CG&E) to evaluate quality assurance attain that minimum level. That point was vividly 800 MUCb abOUf S8 Fi88 monP7 ant l the cited by Torreyin thetr report.

di'rtston at the Zimmer nuclear power plant,is that brought home in exam le after example etted by Following are the highlights of Torrev** two-the plint can be completed. Torrey Pines, which sal a root of the problem was ggg7f gg og gphpygfe, and faring fon volume report:

But the butt for allowtng a total of management the report criticises breakdown the utility tg "has a quality assurance team so thinly-staffed that la fj(gfe ghpUI qtfilIIlf AS5ffr8 Hee.

proven to be inadequate through most of the CG&E Project Management occur and says the plant probno,7 can be completed project's lifeume." ff8I/If 89Nffr8nce tras v,.eweri by only if a number of management changes ses So Ilttle did CO&E care for quality assurance. C0&E did not estabilah an internal organisa-made. states Torrey, it chose not only to ignore the re.

The report blasts CO&E for es.rtng too much qulrements of federal law for training perennn-t h.Nb 88 8 .kP938INMP8IIoftionthis b IO solely I'P dedicatedMPI to the design and construcuon plant . . . . All of the key CO&E managers about saving money and staying on schedule, and eartrte inn Hf fle ahnHE f]uality A991rRr f**. QtIAllte but encouraged contractors to adopt that name af th minimum Permieible Ielff ** had significant responsibiiities other than the A f fittatte Zlmmer project.

, . .-=+-- _ . - . __ .- - - - - ~ - -

l CD&E's Inillet eempany policy for the con. Prom 1913, to Ifl5. CO&E Interacted with flat.

strettion of the Zimmer project was to eenple, S nelnber ciuding) Of pfelllems seneric Henry J.throughout Kalger quelltytheassurance years (In; gg f repnt1ble contractors; delegate full responettnitty gunHty control and construcuon problems inr - gent & Lundy Engineers. General Electric and c tru n to ret on w 11 ar us Henry J. Kaiser Co. through the General Enstneer. implemented because detatis of that prneest hwe

• notyet been finallaed.

on ta f furn t e tact of procedures ensuring thatInstallation r . Kaiser Co..-CO&E apparenuy viewed '

ing an acceptable faellity. 's nas method . . . ts con. and tions were complete in accordance with sistent with the way snost uultues have tpunt nu. design ments. its ability to controt Kalser. plant constructor, a*

clear plants. However. in the case of C0&E. e lack of adequate scheduling of inspecuons Inadequate during Ifl0 tolate 1f75. Evaluation Through Studies they not have en tely eNperienced staff The relationship became strained af ter the Inveaugatora found that persons who made nor an adequately comare g No vertftcation thatinspection records at the contract with Katser was modtfled in June 1f16 to ve. Integrated man

• time of turnover are to the latest design document . allow CO&E to assume a more direct role in con- statements to the Nuclear Regulatory Commtation serment system to monasor and control the work of e Missing inspecuon requirements or erwie re. struction. claisned they were subsequently harassed. Intimt.

i the contractors. These deficiencies severely limlied quirements . .eesulting in numerous Noncon. . . . CO&E construction engineers were disset. dated or discriminated against in one way or the visibility of the Zimuler project to the president formance Reports. Isned wMh CO&E managemnt tw denyng LMm another. Investigators found that without er~ri.

af CO&E * *

• e Lack of response to audtts. the authority to direct Kaiser personnel. "They re- uen fee cases with direct uuttty involvement,

'l - C0&E had the authority to appme all staff . Socket weld problems. ' .

. sponded by using a task master style of manage. actions and stutudes of CO&E management were additions proposed by HJK (Kaiser Engineering. * *

• cong., major prior;ty was to complete the ment . . . . This tough guy management style ap- appropriate wnh respect to the pet sonal treatment

. the prime subcontractor) . . . . In many instances. Zimmr projec wa to pears to be condoned by C06E." of the whistle blowers.

i Kaiser requests for additlanal staff were either re. schedule as posstble . . Quallty assurance was Kaiser personnel responded defensively to The company was however slow to react.

fused or . . , rettsed downward. This impacted the viewed as a requ wen et the minimum CO&E tacues by insisung Kaiser people take direc. Investigate and correct quality deficiencies etted by abellty of the subcontractor to perform his worII. fn permissible lere . Conseguenuy. the atse of the tion only from Kaiser line managers. and respond the whistle blowers.

Ilmited Instances. CO&E also directed Kaiser to re. CO&E quality assurance sta was maantained at a formally in writing to verbal direction.

ducs the number of craft labor personnet on site. my w - to be inade. The report made the following evaluauen and Departements tended to function autonomously Mse t of thepro t slifeume. recommendauons for the organtsational structure

• A formal vehicle for leformtng CO&E's prest. that wouki cornplete Zimmer-at nne the thesite.

viceThis altestion President was nacerbated ed Engineefing by h"nft Rervicat e dent of the quanty program status. problems and e Bargent & Lundy and General Electric,in ET8IESI80R d Malla$entent Electrical Production located at CO&E's matn of- trends on a pertodle t asts does not esist . . . It ap. som cases. " lack adequate dlmuon fran CO&E. .A number of problems were identifled regard.

flesr,nd the department managers, who repot'ed to pears that significant deficiencies identitled in Nu- , slowing down progress." One of those cases is the Ing structural steel. They are in three major categn.

clear Regulatnry Comml" tan in*pections meh as design freese effort- The utility should make a 73,,.1) upgrading of structural steel from non.

hint. located at the constructlert site about 30 mtfas pe sponses to an Hs essenual to essenpal aplicauon 2) material trace.

avty. failure to follow procedures and identify and cor. . su ability and welding of structural steet.Some of the rect infractions, were generany not communicated to the president before 19at. e CO&E management needs an

• Increased ap*

l preclauon" for mut,ual agreements

$ the n CGgS Managensent P Hes.es between CO&E and Kaiser and theon the direction agreements hangers M the control room."

The cO&t quanty assurance staff in ico I shouid be documented to prewns futuruonfusion.

appeared to have had litue previous empertence is$ ' QuaHty Assurance. Catasyuc Managesnent Inc. performed weis in the punch. invesusatore determuned that n became fou.

From the beginning of construction to 1973 list or systems-oriented phase of construction.even time to, the nenry J. Kaiser quality assurance man-developing and implementing a nuclear quaHty hough the defintuon an control of its work eser to sign an issue allp as "OK for use In essenual t.asurance program. The staffing . . . remalnad at thea ts Ilttleassurance evidence precuves that formal trainingcontrary in nu- .somtim appear quest na . structures

• even through the amaternal had been four engineers and a manager from 1910 unut tor ci,ar quality occurred to the requirements of Crtterton 11 of 10 Code of procured to non-essential procedures from imp.

when two contract personnel joined the organiza- Federal Regulations 50. Appendia B . . . CO&E in. proved suppliers /ananufacturers. The fact was uen for about one year. A subcontractor also pro. volvement did not alwmys encourage training Evaluation Of Transition ,, clearly indicated on the issue slip . . . . CO&E was vided some vendor auditing for CU&E along with CO&E quality assurance alrected Henry J. Katser = rat the upstading precuee by sne Kaiser quai.

assistance in performing --- - .. ..nt audits and. Ity asmance control manager since he had et.

in IME. began providi nondestruelive examina* quality assurance riot to go overboard on treintng After reviewing an eshausuve four-year evalu. pressed his concern to them oli several occasions Slin services. 'llata acuvities, but instead to save such training exer. allon effort for pre-operauonal testing, inve=Uga. .

1 E 4ttality assurance sin remained approntmately constant unul the sistf clses for inclement weather days. The emphasis nnrs determined in April,1983. that essentini *ye.

here is clearly to mtnemise cost and enhance tems were not ready for start-up. One of the majnr ,Apparently CO&E condoned this activity as a Ital Immediate Action Letter after which the prodocuvtty *~ remenns fnt the *H=nppntnting performance. Tom, cost-se method . .CO&E exhsbited an appar.

number . . grew to more than 300 by November, Ligue e,ldence was found to indicate that a 1942. found, was because of repeated design change

• nn '"o"g, sena of mponsMHty and Innlaw in H twever . . . the quality assurance staffing planned.systemaue approach to define training te- drywell steel and a suppression pool piping suptinrt. nt uns emetive ecuan.

. level from the beginning of the project unut 1981 qutrements la being pursued even teday . . . . Changes effected essent and a suppression pont was not suffielent to carry oJL a fully adequate jnb. It was apparenus not until the NRC April,1931, piping support Changes effected essenual nuclear The investigators found that problems with This lack of espertenced and quattfled nuclear Immediate Acuon 1stler and November. ISAI.Show steam supply systems. Welding procedure and welder performance quaH.

guality assurance personnel on the CO4R seaf f also Cause Order, that the beste need for expertenced* fication were numerous during the perted prior to appear to be a factor in their failure to reccentse qualtfled/cerufted personnel was more aggressively Required documentation of construction com* mid-1982. "They had considerable significance be.

tne seriousness and magnitude of problems. .and addressed. *Ihe quaHficauons of the quaHLy asmur- pletion tests wat not available in many cases The cause doubt then was cast upon assurance that eo ranive them in a timely manner- ance engineers and auditors appears to have also welding done on safety-related systems . . . was i 1?nproved since the Ims.ediate Action Letter, problem was reported Internally in September IFFS. actuanyof therequisitequanty~

'a ne Aloente Energy Commission poented out . Today's CO&E quality serutance manager is con- but no acuan was taken at the Ume.

= quality assurance staffing inadequactes to C04 E as siderably more espertenced in nuclear quellty

• Audit logs rettewed by Torrey Pines Technol.

essly as 1981. However etfertive steps . . . were not . . . A quality confirmation program starteel in assurance than were his predecessors. June IMI generated a significant number of rmn. egy show that no audits were performed by the tamen by CO&E management and only one a rmE CO&E quality assurance audit group prior to ime quality assurance reptementauve was on site uneet conformance reports. By August there were 121 re.

, turn reports. In Septeminer.191l1. the list had grown which addressed the adequacy of Henry J. Kaleer's 1 late IMO. Inter seen Wit lt Centreelep5 to lyt. As of May. HNG. the Hst in the residual hest welding procedure and welder performance quell.

l The in&E quahty assurance staff was aware of remnest evntem was etwmt 41s itemt ficauons e eae.e e.* m In.ve.sugalors Wd in a tase history con.

m -e.n we e Eat.r

, h@ William R. Burleigh

• *

• 1.n.ging Editoe CIDCIDDati Thomas E. ouan.no m m .,i. m .g. a m .,

POST u nn. o R n soc . roadway. Caiannets. Oho. 4H02 (sf 33362-2000 wednesday, August 2419ss editorials The Zimmer report The report of To'.Jy Pines af ter the accident at Three Technology, the San Diego. Mlle Island in Pennsylvania based engineering firm hired did the federal agency, charged four months ago to analyze with the licensing of nuclear safety procedures at the belea- power plants, become aggres-guered William H. Zimmer Nu. sively concerned about e

clear Power Station at Moscow, Zimmer's shortcomings. In O., offered no startling revela. November 1961, the NRC fined i

tions but its recommendations CG&E $200,000 for quality assur-to Cincinnati Gas & Electric Co. ance breakdowns;the following management and the Nuclear November it suspended all Regulatory Commission- safety related work and called which appeared in Cincinnatt for the independent study.

newspapers this week-should While the report presents a be studied by every member of bleak picture, it is not a hope-this corrmunity. less one.The remedies wculd go far to rebuild public confidence That is because no issue has in Zimmer and, finally, get it been more central tolife here- operating safely. The Torrey nor more divisive-than the Pines stddy recommends the cons'ruction of Zilumer. Its hiring of an engineering firm multitude of problems since to take over the daily manage-the mid-1970s has been the ment at the station, suggests subject of exhaustive public de* the election of a new board bale and study. IAt it be said member with expertise in the that it was not always easy to nuclear industry, and urges the separate the safety-concerned establishment of a new com-crities frcm those who opposed mittee of the board to monitor all nuclear-generated power on Zimmer indeperdently,with its philosophleal or political, or owne staff of advisers. The less solid, grounaa. But CO&E board, concludes the recom-management, says the Torrey mendation, should include "a Pines report, did not even at- respecte'lleader from the Cin-tempt to make such distine- cinnati community."

tions, reacting negatively to all criticism. These recommendations will not be cheap to implement-The study levels most of the the ctudy alone is estimated to blame for construction prob- cost 3500,000, and CG&E and its lems and delays at the plant on Zimmer co-owners, the utility CO&E management painting a companies of Dayton and picttare of a project virtually Columbus, already have 81.7 out of control. The bottom tir.e billion invested in the plant, for the company, it says, was Safety, however, knows no not quality and safety assur- price. Most costly ultimately ance but cost and completion would be to allow the long schedule. Even today, the re- shadow of doubt that Zimmer port adds, construction records has cast to continue to darken are neltner complete nor easily this community. CG&E's own retrievable, report to the NRC. due shortly, The Nuclear fttgulatory will also make compulsary Commission also comes in fer reading for all who now 11ve in its share of lumps. Not until that shadow.

A 14 THE CINCINNATIENOUIRER Thursdn, August 25, t983

% THE ENQUIRER g

9, a,,.

Wil.LI AM l KLATING tws t..nrand AAher p GEORGE R Bl.AKE unar racPnsnscar

,. TilOMASS GEPilARDT hacuu.e

.S l'HED L FOS 1ER Umr Pnw&nt Admvang as --* ww. l.AR RY G. I.lNDQUIST var %=sent cminia l'R ANCIS M PRICE ver h=J,ns.N1.n..,

~ZIMMER Torrey Pines study lays the blame for failures on CG&E's management TORREY PINES Technology pre- workable system of on-site inspec.

pared an almost 400.page critical tions and specifications checks.

evaluation of Zimmer Nuclear Power -

Plant and found a great deal wrong Torrey Pines, while allowing thr.t with COLE's management. nelther COLE nor general contractor Henry J. Kaiser had experience Torrey Pines found that CO&E building nuclear plants. also levels its executives put cost considerations most damning indictment - that ahead of quality assurance, that the profits / costs meant more than qual-general contractor had no prict or ityassurance.

concurrent experience 'n building nuclear power stations, that C0&E CG&E's management has no ex.

President William H. Dickhoner did cuse for Dmmer's problems. Torrey not have an accurate picture of the Pines charges that poject manage-project's problems and inadequacies, ment should have been aware of Emmer's problems and shortcom.

But the conclusions contained in ings. So, too, should the company's the Torrey Pines report corroborate highest managemen'.

many of the charges leveled by COLE's critics over the years. That,in Consider that the Dmmer plant turn only serves to reinforce another began as a multimillien-dollar of the report's findings - that the expansion that soon exceeded a bil-general public now assumes the lion. Consider, too, that nuclear compar.y is guilty until proved inno- power is a relatively new technology cent. that tends to make the public nerv-ous. Is it likely that upper manage-If that was once an unfair burden ment would remain aloof in such a for the firm, now it is a stigma of high-stakes game? Is it reasonable COLE's own making. There just is no now to plead ignorance?

other way to put it. COLE manage-ment knew, and should have recog- (XI&E behaved in this a; fair very nized from the outset, that a con- much like a government agency. As struction project of this type would more and more problems were dis-require extraordinary attention to covered, they were discounted or the records and quality control. The blame placed elsewhere.

company had to expect that it would be called into account by anu-nu- g I

cleat interests, the federal govern- were passed on to consumers through ment and, eventually,the public. work-in-progress rate hikes. For all its problems, CG&E did not endure But COLE proceeded with what,in e ind M corporate disrupuon that hindsight, can be regarded as a kina Dmmer would have brought down on of institutional arrogance. When the any other private industry.

first signs of trouble surfaced, COLE Torrey P1nes recommended a embarrassed itself by its 1 ability to "holesale replacement of construe.

answer accusations with hard evi- tion and operations management

=

dence. The deeper the investigations groups. That's a reasonable first step.

went, the greater CG&E's troubles. But the responsibility for Zimmer Now Torrey Pines has found that does not stop at that level Questions records for the plant were confused, need to be asked s!! the way to upper incomplete, difficult to retrieve and management. That is surely the only possibly inva!!d. way popular confidence in the company will be restored. It may be Management also f ailed duttng the only way the plant will be com.

thc early years to ensure that con- pleted without more costly delays and struction was co-ordinated with a overturn

THE CINCINNATI ENOUIRER Thursday, Septernber I,1983 Managers Of Zimmer Hold Talks zimmer CONTraKD FarOM PACA C-1 l EAC representatives " productive for both Cn* tics Outh*ne h/*ews s, des -

" Hopefully, they understand our problems On CCA%E9s I)roj*ect a litue bett,er thei, conce ns " heand said *and too weunde them lis,tened to advue-SY HOW ARD WLKINSON eaom e' Ree*"*' tman said EAC members had one matn )

message for CO&E officials. that a "truly inde-Crittes of the management of the Zimmer pendent" committee, reporung not just to the nuclear plant accepted Wednesday night an ut!!!ty but to the pubtle as well, be set up to 1 Oas Efet leCo ofc a ovencecompletlonof the11mmprM Earlier this week. CO&E had tnytted The Torrey Pines report recommended an overstght' committee that could be formed out Elmmer ertues to come in and discuss their of the COLE Board of Dirteters.

concerns about the Moscow power plant Members of the Environmental Advisory ALTM AN 5 AID the overstsht committee should include government officials, Dmmer Council of Cincinnata (EAC) met with cV&E criucs and representauves of all three uuttues involved in the Dmmer venture. (The other On The inside two vultues are: Columbus & Southern Ohio Eiectric Co. and Daymn Power & i.ight Co l Also. Altman said he suggested that CO&E

• Group claims to have new evidence iri drop sta oppostuon to reopening of Zimmer ZIrnmM Case, Page C-3. 33 censing hearings, but said he agot the im-press on they are not any more enthusiasuc about addluonalItcensing hearings than they President William Dickhoner. CO&E general ever were." .

counsel William Moran and Jo;;eph Williams In adotuon. EAC snembers told the CO&E Jr., the senior saccuuve esce president in offletals that the uulity should disclose the I eharge of the Zimmer project, at (X)&E corpo- total costs involved so f at in the Zimmer

{ rate offices project, including the quality assurance pro-1 gram and the costs of the construcuon shut-EAC ADVISES Cincinnau City CouncU on down that the NRC ordered last November l

i environmental issues. Last fall. It held a series He said he told CO&E offtelats at the s of pubtlc hearings on the Zimmer project of the meeting that he would not discuss pu -

Representauves from the Coaltuon for Incly what they said to him,only what he sand Affordable. Safe Energy (CASE), the umbrella them. But Altman did say be came away organizauon for grcups crtucal of Etmmer, m the meeung with the impression that the stil meet with the CO&E officials Friday. mayment plan CO&E would submit to the CO&E President William Dickhoner would NRC wtu be pretty much along the lines of not comment on his discussions with EAC the Tmy NW members Mike Fremont, Tim Fisher s'id Chaltman D. David Altman, but said the meet-ings were scheduled as a result of the recent hrtey Pines management revles of Zimmer.

. Torrey PLees, a San Diego-based fir'n hired to assess the management of the Baanmer project, concluded that CO&E had al-tuned a total management breakdown in the quality assurance program at the uncom-led nuclear plant We Nuclear Regulatory mission (NRCi tequires that CO&E fenow up the Torrey Pines report with its own plan for management changes at Elmmer.

"TitESE MEETINGS are part of our put-ung together our plan of acuon." Dickhoner saad *% e asked them to come in. We wanted to hear their comments

• Diethoner called the meeung with the

, (SeeIlWWER Page C.26

i r

IM

. IROtrO tri-count CG&E, Zimmer plant critics talking The Cinelnnatt Oss & Electric Co, tion for Affordable. Safe Energy, an al- preetdent William Dickhoner was very asement rettew of Elmmer, suggested. eThe group wants CO&E to with-has invited some of the ertues of the 11ance c'several groups critical of open. To ensure pubtle confidence, Altman draw its oppoetllon te the reopening of Otlliam H. Zimmer Nuclear Power 8ta- Zimmer. ALTMAN'S Grot'P told Dickhoner, said, the oversteht committee should licensing hearings for Elmmer, tion to its downtown headtguarters for "There might be other groups we wtgitam Moran, C0&E senerti counset, include representatives of the utstity. ALTM AN gAID a pubtle meeting talk s. might want to meet with as well," said and Joe Williams, senior vice precident its critics and members of govern

• Will be held after COaE files its re.

Wednesday evening,CO&E execu- CO&E spokesman Bruce Stocckitn. In charge of Zimmer, that it had three ments in the Zimmer tree- sponse to the Torrey Ptnes report Tor-tives met with D. David Altman, Tim "but we cant really say for sure." major criticisms about zimmer: eThe group betteves C0&E should rey Ptnee,of San DiepCaltf tesued ite Fisher and Mike Fremont of the Envt- Altman, chairman of the advisory eThe group disagrees with the no. reveal a final cost for Z1maner, now report on the St.1 btulon Zimmer plant anmental Adttsory CounctL counctL agreed not to disclose what tion of forming an in-l'ousa overstent more than 95 percent complete. If last week.

7ME CCAE officials today were to Coat said at the meeting. committee for Zimmer, as Torrey Pines CO&E doesnt know whatit will cost,it The Nuclear Itegulatory Commis-meet with reprewntattres of the Coall- lie note 6, however, that CO&E Technology, wh'ch conductri a man- should say so, Altman belteves- slon ordered the management rettew.

i

i

, , , who were persua&d to stand in for other H WALLS Re IJ0,,R,,

wek$rrs dortng testsu "No nuairy charged ,

hands." she says in an Interview. "They tant the tests tircause the other wehlers enukin1 pass them otherwtse, tircasar they g were all friends and liccause the job paid so weit.

, O IMJ Deer Jamer & f%P if,'ac. E A po Rewsed

,,,',* ,,,,j,7,,,$9,,Y, y,*,,,$

)atia. By placlng their members In steady.

New-r r- WEDNESDAY. SEPTEMBER 7.195G n'gh paymg Jrtis. they can rount an substan-tial revenue frorn work durs paid by each k@h hah [ Mr. Weem had been simparty esturbed At the Washington Pubite Power Surtdy PheMetion N member. flut typically the inrals lart the requiregi numtiers of sttiled craftsmen, par-sfrw weeks eartler at Zimmer. Tlva, on a* System s reactee No.1 to southeastern After the .Drst Senate labor Committee W ttrutarfy welders. "It puts you la the pnsi-hearing last year, Otairman Orrta Hatch, a Nuclear-Plant Welders **r r~me -=a =

• m ~

struction projnt. W tesdned = Ms afSda-

,rashingt.on,

. y -pmims for example. NRC Insprter.s.

fmruiuamye,ar viaae,**=.a~d* NaCi - tio.nn,,ofttyacce.ptmr or . ys a a lot of. guys 0,,r.r -t,Prynu.- wnuidal Inspetors. found faulty welds til a main re-TR. he e e tw

• a photeldenuticatkin program to confirm tite kwal that sr.pphed the WPPSS plants ten Aren1QuaMed th,rds e,the ntered defective

_._.... . . _ . of weids a cr m,ttra!. .e.

fnot Mgte radiation shleid around the reac-diation shield,,stmalar to thn,er,at Zimrner. If

,,d,,,,,,d. e vem, ,ou d a,, j,,,,,d_ th,e N Cident,ity of t!,ie

,,, , ,, ,ons testm.._._

d,,,,, tmoth welder.

. . oeThe wtt,h,,pepen,tters,.

12rd a safe shutdmrn of the reactor, For theJob,Cn.t.icsSay -

"Other finmy mm ioune. *neme i d

• m- i===

change. MeanutJr. the agency has t!crun a mo*= sy - of so chnung. 50 f .

• s uncedmembns an in the early If?Os. fe,wer ,. athan e s wm tems up. wh,nged to urai o,e II.*. Mr. Weaver reca!!s. He and cans Sutrommittee on Oversight and lavesura- NetCs her. Taylor says, the agency has in- Ungled Assnrtation of Journeymen and Apr tions that the NRC had discounted =**bmr formauon from three of its five regional of-They Contend Test Results sad d dac* prenners of the Plurntilng and Pipefttting thents*suppnrting 8"da'"5De **'quahnca

• • d"n*on's of we wy ==ngemg-urs= or men ~ - nen; m= m= numa tut meir ware- Induary. genmny co.wred one a iw -

Ing at the San Onofre nuclear plant in ull-Were Rout,nely i Falsdied. n' *2nadr '"" ** *e id*"' **

• tors witness lie to 138 welders undergoing tiest trained ptpentitng halts in the mattnn.

Ing and that other documents appeared to fornia and in, Midland aad Paltsades piants tests in an a erage year. tast year. weiders erartiessly ari were enjoying iteady wort.

Many Union Cards Sold in Michigan. And the Senate Labor Commit- took an estimated 20.0se to 25.008 tests at ne largely ticcause of the proliferation of gov-t* m = as riurd y- d ==ttreme me

• ==*~n'a'*"*d'="."*"=*='a="d-mg a NaC ==ngators ie= w= c*=,,e e is. a used to quanfy semal wMns.

ap,s try was, read == of . ton enri 0 =NaC ins,,ctor worrin as the a,,, - mem geo, , ,a,ren nemurs N,vnt hte t,,,tto,y. -d me,mcoe

,,t,ss.

Troubles at Facility in Ohio *'"a""""""r**"""*"'d memberships to unquahfled welders who agenry depends too much on utilitics and the union hall was able to supply le times as tnts, stand ins"k equaMned wMns and om weieng ad ~n e n=mg w*n c=incim to ponce memseim. wws ==y pipennen. many of mem wewes. by debrtlw w!ds m safMy symems Wpd at doerns of industrial sites, including sev- no res! safeguard against dishonesty." he using nrunadic weklers who journey frera By J. Earrarr Daastav perosade the NRC, four mne'hs later, to halt eral awlear plants. says. ll the ut!! sty is less than honest w" sNe en gite in scarth of work. Supplying anly sierra,e-war tw em s*=cer Jovem construction Indefinitefy of the $17 btInon* Repnris of document falstftcation at Zim- us,It can actually set as up. It can era' half that nomber sneld have pneant a ines of A little o*er a year ago, Churk We aver. B 97Homplete plant, which is owned by Cte- rner were ignored by the NRC, Ibp. Mntris out to look at jusf the work it wants us to several mimon dollars in wort dure to the quantyontrol Inspector for HJ. Kaiser En- cinnatt Gas & Electric Co.. an Amertras UdaD. En Art 2nna Demetrat, charged last are?

Inral~

gtneers. walked in uncuprtesy on a genup Electric Power OL subsidary and Dayton year. A federal grand jury is said to be still Thnee sceting jobs at nuclear plant enn-of weiders taking quahnrattna tests at the Power & Liste Os. Invesugating criminal charges concerntag strurtton sites have a powerful motive for Zimmer nurtear plant near Onrinnatt. It is unclear preetsely what retationship forged documents at Zimmer, and NRC offt- cheating: money. A pepetetter welder at a Qualityantrol insperters complain that what Mr. Weam saw alarmed him. Ac- ettets between shoddy welding on a radte- cials nnw say 70's of the structuralsteel nuclear plant commands a premium wage. ' they often lack the autommy to Instst on cerdmg to an a!!) davit submitted by him to non shleid, for instance, and the cheating welds alone there don't meet code require as much as $26 an hour in a year's time. strtrter supervision of wnding tests or coe.

the Nortear Regulatnry Om rnisstrut. one Bat may precede it in the test bnotfa wfiere M amnets le Mes04 melueg over. rection of bad welds. Some say they even welder who was undergoing certification for craftsmen are suppnerd to meet detailed Masty Crucial ye g3 em harassed for doing their Joha.

the mnst efficult safety related wort at the government and industry standards before tim.e.When a guy can to from making $4Aner en Mr. Weaver reported wteng prol>

More than 100.000wids to into the W pf ant was takmg the wrong test-a much they are hired. But concern is growing over cal nuclear plant, the NRC estimates, and of hour to 820 an hour. he's gmng to cheat to tems to the NRC, for esample, Katser raised simpler one that, Mr. Weaver joked later, both me meldence of faulty wids and the these some 15.086 am cwtal pipe welds fM get the jot every way he can. asserts a @prettslis about bs liandhg of eIpenSe aC-hastrally enuld be done by a cfilmp afier a quality <ontrol programs designed to detect the reactor conimg system. Cracks in Om welding engineer for a large Philadelphia. counts and the accurary of his resume.

few weets of training? Other welders were them. pipes could threaten the cnoting system and, based construction company who estimates Then. it suspended him with pay. But a suf*

entnmutmg a vartety of infractions areord- Other Zirventiers In the event of an accident. could impede a that he has seen standins take tests ice sequent lavestigation by the NRC and the leg te Mr. Weaver's affkfavtt and many oth- gar,a,ar, interviews with dozens of safe shutonwn. FaJlty welds in other arenS. welders on more than 7e jntis. Inclumng as p'encrat puream of Investigatsmi found "no ers. widers, weiding engineers, nuclear <luality. such as the reartor radiation shield pre nurlear plants. major problems'* with Mr. Weaver's infor-Mr. Weaver's affidavit says the test sit lems alleged at Zimmer and WPPSS 2. cnufd ping y manon or his bachground, accortbng to Mr.

control mspectors and N}tC inspectors sur. s pervtsor told him that Kaiser's construrttna 4tvistna had apprtred the departure from gest that, in varying degrees, there are in. weaken the nest itne of defense for warters A fnrmer quatttyfantml inspretor a Weaver Weaver and NRC staffers. And after Mr.

nted a complaint citargtng barnas-deed other Zhnmers. la fart though Zim. armst raeauna 1*akan WN. now in a semila pnslunn at a Mk enent with the IJbor Drpartment, Kaiser regulattnns "for people wht can't pass the mer may he a particularfy bad case Mr. westem nurlear plant, rwaps two frknd test erherwtse." Three an site Katser msper. agreed to a settlement with him that, amnng Weam SMR ethers say weldtng tmpenprie- other things, granted his request to be laid tars had never before insperted welent Nes-rangtw from stand ms durter testing testa and tog NRC Mstwrters stanet'*e off wtth full retoration, vacattan and erver-ance pay and a 3> day exprese account amnunting to more than $28.8ss.

i

,.pr - m- e - -I6 - - THE WALL STRFIT JOURNAL, Wederedey 1spwebee 7. IW met 2 me

=:-=""' r-r.l. -""l:

. .- WeakLinks?CriticsSayManyNuclear PlantWelders

,he Isem e, appre_, p ham, gnt

==o-= ,

= a., ::r.s*":::".9 Aren't Qualified and Test Results Are Often Falsified

. tr,c ,.t ,e s c _ ,m en _ n - re

, s estwr head the (sepMy cWNdst gr ytm .u.,sf_ p ,nn:,=.2,a , ,

i gassunsas ahng me securery OmOguedhun FWsf Pufr i the prusf is la the performance."

tussedsseusmeuse 88sW888; ,,,,g , leasesgmeses wrened per. sevewr's regnet jerwrtsweras, dueras of wteren wetem Key to IRrt. Drapete the Senate Peartnes. the NRC

,g,., esed per caruniNwe am huenre

! 8mm th' 8848'"8 "" Y 8 '*"** = . g nurse, daruni mys N has tree tradicapped to its etenets en I Flertda PWM # M " hered haun as '""as "Th p"oma"no"'n'a"nu'p'p"'o"f e whatti"'Wsty sold membersedes at enarbetant prtme guarantre a welder a nortrarplant yet Isshe up on the cormNtWs InangsHnn.

gg, go isus were quelty amurance twebe down g, ,,tdPrs lacking the s.ese hours or four NRC reculations stHI avgidre remftratten at j

a guellEyf8' ens y at Ductal witaremps at first refuerd to permM nurwar plant. es a meanw seser, says Dnrum lenwr. years of appreenre espPrtence fenrraNy te the construrtlam site. In practice. though. It thr$r namrs to be handed ever to tk MRC 8h' NRCs Wmpt pejret manasw as am- quered inukt entne rules for referral am virtualty ensums juk referrals, and wit- bremuer they frered jets retaMattna. tammi r g@esyve Am.shre emp wasm t as ~jgrgoghe 2 mw. jnerneymen. la enme cases, uneen hans sned nPases teartfied that sure egulppse wtth a inwrveres eth one commettw inhirmaer Andag ansehrr jet. Oswed James, a EsERIr membrrships nermally costter MOI for as untna card, a orterr had a high harphand af ytreded little spretnc and arene contraer.

Rresument to the NIK"s In=mys. Masspf rnurn as 52.det, accarent to testimony. setting wert, depreding on the amount et tory Infnemanen. NRC mwnnestnes say ggggyggsgresse seslyst. Says that 8AN be egyg g is "pundret of the quality of aH the At tier same time, unenn ofnrtals er an. test supervisten. At TMI. Mr. Powers trett- And the agenry found methlug alarame m was suWect8d W FEp88eng gnhissus at h smarty-feinerd and structuretstwt wWds at ganhfied welders paid or pressured stand. IWd. supervisten was spotty at best, and Its reverw of the percentage of welders whm

,pr a ee:sRC.he was mesed fnm his SE.- me plant." It aise rNes the camelusens ins to take weteng tests accoreng to won. chretag was compun. "5nme W threr guya posed truts at thwe piutt .

4

' se year penguen to the ducausset 8W'l8e drawn by Tturvey Pmps TPrhastasy in a se ennny at the Senaw hrering hecayg,ggs gg manegyd to get threugh the tests esthout "As far as I'm centerned. we've etnard reuna. Where he says his dusses erwebud to stre esaderted Ier Onetmaatt G6E; the een- entra cards imetudrd a usedfar satrusnan knowing how to hank a torch up." he the huwstteettru." says W4 Nam Ward, a e  ;

a etert s. On May 3, IE two mehe hedue auNmg firm said any management shnrt- who "kare en httle about what he was eneng charged. visten erector la the NRCs Office nf Invet per. Jaars tesmasd becure a lesume ashNan' cemends at the seent "how bres or can be that he antwd where the butirr was na the Mr. Powers also testifled that untum fure- tIgettmas.

i masse abeas the plant, he neceW a juh correrp(* hy the uttNty. ftret jnb he verted," said car witares, who mre had pressured him to take It tests Int i ,,essagen est pruned nas poveurneere and A Natere spelipunan adds "We tr#rer "'""** 8'hond an spegue stess artwg out gggy,gg,g 4- ather welders at fossil furted plants, las sun' egygmaned that me trumster would "tsee888 h h eme of the most snandey con- "*'el a entre scramherr to pnWert les em onmeser er NRC's R$r. Tayhr Me heregrume" and v he added had knuent tWs own un6na mree h8f strerted portrergewer plants in the enen- knsInp from a rirsta. C enralunk Ids breach has rewrittre its preredur's

' 9gggg,g g to preytdr for larreesed lusprettna of wHe-sesAAmt gmaaty groups" of d'.F*0'I acOHOWtry.WOthrr proper in the suelearpnwer in- Another witares was Ratch Penrere. utte hnurs."'

'F U neonofflotals there drwy the gg w,,en afist his tesen88y. 3kt. J'ese % Jut skete erfr breds 2 w'ilulennpin now runs his own sweeng shup in Sesten. tus, Ir,els, aM,,h,o,

,,,,g,,, ughg, 7 ,,,,, the,,, number inspected

,,,,, gna, d uns plant? charge.

was Imd off. IAW muutt he Sud ler entum e er Pa.. but he 1972 was wedlag asnnguede empr Committee investigators also turned up  % of the tatat "We we Isid our insparenrs tory hashrgpary. A Nauer sysheeman can The NRC says its Inspprtisus, whira th- hellermakers on the storage synerm for poes that aer. Janse's tresserr wasn't *

• ctedr sample X rays of crurtal artes and m spent rsenectM fort at Tem Bene Isind 5'0 part things gup,gin,,, thegtrat b,esth." Mr Ta the caer et as ityrsteld West Virgenten maless. had himmed gesasd me campesy's (1*es of wehirrferttHratten darumruts, are Unit I arar Harrisburg. Pa. Thrw. Se named flerhy Allen Fartry wies says n' ' ten en er pnsphMuy W fraedulent brhat-d"W'" # 8"" Mm "where we Wes8'd hun as thorough as passibir, gtwa its stafRug wrids were se peer that workes www in- sweght untan credrettats freen the some i kr""

at the thur. construents. "teer syntesa is built to the Irwt structed to use hise torches te mehe the Readlas and seire W unten insmber-Comunes m te tphde pf,ggygn g af maapnwer er NftC ces dresse to it." surfere of the weeds isnt "nece and cepen"- Smth CarnNea inraf as Mr. Powers's sm- ships apparently even't a pfebirm Enly at caprur#m en rstr'says Jemps Tayinr. the assistent ererter W et treet to the eye. Mr. Powns 1851198d. Ewe thnugh he had en more than treenpr's Hows m surwar e

constructium seers. A former quellty-essur-status at the time. Mr. Fartry twearnr th' esce engterer for Sterhiel Ostp. Fera#s tusp* cur says: empl M g that if the N9K's Offire et insprettna and Referre. MRC affirlais, though, play down the US-tereman af a crew cl trilermakers instalileg ggg,gggg gg gg,pfttfled weh$rt at GBP Sf the quelay4WElr40 gg, g,,,,,,

,e ,,3,vanne

, g gag y nwet.

PrWeerty, though, neferance of the wetes herause the storade same NItC inapseture system isn't cructal to the plant's safety.

a cendreert et Grorina Powers Vogtte no- g,ggg,,s suppleres fnr the Pale Verde me riper plant.

fai . des t med out shout asse." 8",",',,a,,

twer h W ' cirer phed. The greeder, arte reywwdy "I wasal reeny surpeted so be sened hadn1 two enHRrd W Id Fren drupNe

= a irt.w iert i.e .one -O cm. @ w ,p e a, pre,eepea.

. h.t .re .aep mere .en i.e . .se.nal'r,mehr, pr. we.est a-e l - i - ~ -'y - w- ~ - ~~~

FImsarr's snagetty owner, the IIRC estelmed has ene me,h . . un

,eneren tasppctor says.

same wetens proberes that it sagd N had empatelwd to the plant bought unius cards "Y,.khut of hunt famm niemberstdpt at meAB. was eh Susne early indtranens of the peublem tound. Among the apogettuns: that gufNy casar hs 19B8, wtwo the Sensee Iaher Oun- for prires remgIng up to 882 fram e 80* ** "U "I""""*- "' I I'N E I " ,g mek amuseene, nearby loral in Titusville. Pa. Mr. Pesws diet surprtsp ewrynne ehr tyrause I was en fine.""tBe Newt weEW caugllt ggg guy mpos.wrcrecords had been wahs= s,-vm- =d =="altend enrge v. and sneense a tw appard ans,,in.vestigattna n mr womeerin= into what il seedm e m,,nt,,sm,s hed a m .: rf d'a"'

W a.fortner

• *anlocal san ofnetet he mnalleged toNW hasaM,**g*;,,,,, how%*WW NW weedres quellArd for ese type of wW srty'er tavalvtag East Dest and Canastan you'w gut the bread, we've got the hut- OseISEgy's ReyW , ,,ar,,,,,,,,,,,,,, u,t,1,,

were certtferd for aesther. NIIC terwellse tutels el the : . ' " Hrnthrrtunid af g,,,- ,,g p g,,, g,,,,n.

tore else charge that soms quellerate" EssIrrInnhers, irsa SMyhalldprs. IIIert- 5ttrhard Omwey. Geerste Power's arni"

[pe 3tresengyr, the latefs cWFreet BRs0- etre president inr enghgrrring aAd egnetrur* seen of qualtferattna tests often is tas. Tat rwards had ten whemy norttwo and that geneutis. Forures sad Helpers. Twmeng the dent, says the ._ . fmplOyed Iry the r9mtractor rhrw wasn't any evtdence that 40% to #"  ? unlan im tene. achnnekdges that Mr. Fartry was sponrnmes trave er test herths unstwnded of the 2.4s3 weedres who tied warhed estremetens at h" Ch&rtra "vagur and unsupported?

jnkrs, geerd aimsler the usten's pynteret. WWF aNegattens abset the lural lit hived as a jnurarymaa opna a untna hatt s

._; ton. Itul Mr. Osaway ranshtrrs for tsurs M a Ume and prrmit poun forr-mw ewe the years had geNArd. And m* emly deners any wmngdsing, and en fe8tCthing the was lylts.goeng "Theon, Internettamel thought same s but as far as we ces tell. W untum wrid '

Pfrase Dire to Peerit Cnham f inwettgesten tute e sman partian of the Mr. Fartry's Iraath of apprentirrship errew " to seurk,$sr gg te ganz g ,,, .

toi,,,

as - ar n.w s.,s.was no weergdming at the time " ter. vant hrtaur*, Mr. Osaway says, the ymrt' "eng pa,g ,

e

~,s ;e.-

,, epp.r.atl, - a .cht., t.,t wet

.,hr, we,,enrer ithers just huit the

_ ______ _ _ - -^ __ _, __ _ _ _ - - - - -

THE CINCINNATI ENOUIRER Thursday,ieptember 8, f E t tilities' Disputes Over Zimmer Will Go To Arbitration CY GEORGDE K ALI'DIA any controversy among them. IAst Janu- of Oorman's ruttr's- "It's really what we possibility of appeattng Oorman's dect. "lF THIS situation did result as they g w e ,, , ary, DP&L rnvoked arbitration on four were anucipaung. Our general questions sion. allege." the judge wrote. "the treue of Two of the gutttles involved in the main questions relating to the agreement have been how much is the plant retng to Gorman ruled that DP&t/s percentsee ownership and the right to control a and project cost and when it la going to be finished. In the plant and its share of the riectrici- licensed factitty, presents an inevitable rembatued William H. Elmmer Nuclear CO&E must te!I us that At least weW ty was not within the scope of arbitrauon question for determinauon by the Nu.

Ewer Stauon claimed parual vleto les THREE DraL's ortstnal questions for made some progress. E m pleased with the and would amount to the arbitrator re- clear Regulatory Commission.

s Wednesday when a judge ruled some of arbitrauon which Oorman agreed must dectston." writing the baste agreement

- thett disputes must be arbitrated.

30 to arbitrauon were: Robert Stachter, CO&E's attorney, said DP&L also wanted an arbitrator to de. In W manume, W pubnc~ which l'. Hamtiton County Common Pleas e whether DP&L must continue to he considered it a victory for the elde whether the utility's right and obil. has no choice or guarantee of quality Judge Robert Oorman ruled that three pay all costs of completion of Zimmer Cincinnau-based utility. C0" "I 'I I ' E"N' " **""

e tenues in dispute between Cinctonatt Oas that CO&E bt!!s to it in view of the history gauons under the agreement should be voice if e ctricity an'd aH dependent "I think this certainly makes It clear modified.

• O Flectric Co. (CO&E) and Dayton Power and current status of the project which issues we must go to arbitratlon The judge, however, said "an arbitra- nmices are curtaHed becauw of CO&rs e O lJeht Co. (DP&t.3 muet tw decided by an e Whether CO&E had sufficient on."Stachter said. adding CO&E has not tor should logically not have the power to Unanc alina H y w tnency," W-

• artMtrator chosen by the uullties. ' knowledge that actions against'suppiters been assinst arbitration. "DP&L won't be modify or rewrite the agreement? * *" '"IE t'* Ul&E le the major owner of the nu* for failure to comply with contractual ote able to ask the arbitrator to re-write the DP&L also wanted to withhold pay- Stachler sald he felt Oorman's rultng elser power plant with m e0% share. DP&L Ilgauons should have been taluated or ba.=le genermung agreemenL" ments to CU&E unut completion of the on the withholding of payments "was

, fins 3:3% share and Columbia & South, t ther remedies pursued. Stachter had maintained that the arbitration proceedings. Oorman ruled very appropriate. I'm pleased he's clart.

, er: Ohio Electric Co tC&MOElowns 2a 5%. e Whether DP&L should be awarded three issues which now must go to arbl-The Zimmer plant is about eight years damages resulting f rom CO&E perform- tration were not laid out spectrically that Hon.

tsmue is outskte the scope of arbitra- fled these points?

.behind schedule and is costing seven ance under the baste agreement signed enough. "Dut I think we can live with According to the opinion. CO&E and Kortar said if those issues are not

, hmes original esumates. As part of a 1969 by the uullties. that? Stachler said. C&SOE maintained such an order would proper for arbitrauon. the uttttty can re.

, basic agreement on the Zimmer stauon, be the " death knelt" for the entire turn to the court for a ruttng on those the three agreed to submit to arbitrauon NTEVE K0Zl4R, DP&I/s attorney,said Rtf7 NE did say they would study the Zimmer project. matters.

JHE CINCINNATI ENOUIRER Tuesday,5eptember 20,1983 r --

Tader Group Calls Zimmer i

' Worst' Plant -

SY A5500ATEDPRE53 Licenace Performance" conducted WASHINGTON-Zimmer nu- for each plant by the NRC's re-clear power stauon in Moscow, 31onal offices.

Ohio, is the worst managed nu.

clear plant under construcuon in Those *8AW reporta Muste the country, Ralph Nader's Crtu how planta am managed tra semal cal Mass Energy Project charged. categodes, including operauons, But, they noted that a Peuclear radiologICalcontrols naalnte.

Regulatory Commission (N RCalist nance, security, fire protecuon it had obtained omitted Zimmer and mergency planning.

where the NRC halted anfety- Although the NRC last year dtd related work last year because of away with official over-all ratings broad quality control breakdowns. "or each plant. Crlucal Mass said Cincinnau Gas & Electric Co. the emmission staff suH calcu-(CG&E)is building the 31.7 billion lates them forinternal use.

facility for Itaelf, Dayton Power & The smup said the numbers Light Co. and Columbus & South- cwmponding to an amage of LM ern Ohio Electric h evaluauons in each category ior Among plants still under con- each of the plants had been erased strueuon NRC rated toutstana from the W notebook It obtain.

Power & : teht Cois wnierford fa- ed but stul fainur can be seen."

ellity. as the worst managed, fol* It said it used those averages to loved by TVA's Watta Bar plat. compue sta list of the worst- and and Commonwealth Edison Co.'s - best-managed plants.

Also obylous by its omission "THE VERY worst plant under from the group's list of worst-constructaon is almost certainly managed nuclear facilities was the Elmmer plant," the Crtucal the Three Mlle Island plant in Maas report said, even though the Pennsylvania, which one NRC NRC assessment rated the per. -n'***r says should not be formance of the plant's manage. allowed to mopen until its top ment aa normal. three company emuum are Bruce Stoecklin, a CO&E fired.

spokesman, said procedures ordered by the NRC when it stop. N CLNETT,autor of the ped safety-related construcuon ag Crtucal Mass report, said the Zimmer *will solve the problems r?mtaslons of TMI and Zimmer that have been aDeged.= from the 1:sts of the worst-man-aged reflects verlauons among the Stace that NRC move, a con. NRC's regional offlees on hoy sultant hired by CU&E produced a plants am rated and their insbu-shopping list of foulups in man, sty to agree on standards for over-asement of construction at au evalumuons.

'Eammer. However, Scott Petera, st1he Nader's group malo found that industry *a Atomic Industrial reaetora in Nortb Carofina. Forum, aald reports that utilfues Arkansas and Alabama top a list fue with the NRC point to nuclear of the worst saanaged operattng power's " incredible safety record.

l l

atomic power pianta in the coun- unparaneled in any other indus-try in leal try, e note k tCnu al saad - *what other business can you obtained through a Freedon of t to where there has never Informatton Act request, the n an Wury w farellty.

NRC's Office of Inspectaon and Bob Newlin a spokeenda for l Enforcement rated Carolina the NRC. .td the government Power & Light Cn's Brunswtek agency does not rank plants plant.Southport,NC as the worst against one another. Numbers managed comunercial operating Crtucal Maas used to compue its atomic plant rankings "had been averaged by a

, lower-aevel employee on her own" CRITICAL MASS amad the NRC and were met setshted property to Leoteboot at ahanhmA was based on accurately reflect the safety par-

"'8pstematic Assessmenta of formaruw ef etch plant

F.2 RAETRO THE CINCINNATI ENOUIRER Wednesday Septernber 21.1983 Time Element Cited In Zimmer License-Hearing Denial CY HOWARD WsENSON manner? MVPP is an intervenor port its argument. TH E LICENSINC beatd. In the Incensing board's dectston "all not be pubtle hearings into quality sasoer eesar+er in the Zimmer licensing proceed- The licensing board, which is refusing to reopen Zimmer licens- the way to the Supreme Court if assurance and safety lasues, there ings. the judicial arm of the Nuclear Ing hearings,did say it agrees with necessary. Zimmer is going to be a may sti!I be Incensing hearings in The Atomic Safety and Licens- gypp.s legal counsel. Thomas Regulatory Commission (NRC). MVPP that the evidence submit- test case." regard to emerg?ncy evacumuon ins Board 4 decistoa not to reopen Devine of the Government Ac- said that under NRC rules the ted this ycar

• refines, erpands and plans for the area around the licensing heartngs on safety issues countability Project (OAP), said contendons raised by MVPP could strengthens" the contenuons at MVPP DID not file its conten- Zimmer plant it the Zimmer nuclear power the public is beIng dented new have been raised "at least as early made against CU&E in 1961 ttons regarding CO&E's Zimmer "We feel (the dectston) sup-plant was apparently a matter of Zimmer hearings because of a as the end of 1981,if not eartner." management eartner because "In ports what we have been saying a!I umIng legal technica!!ty. ' MVPP could have made its case .MVPP certamly has demon- Nov.1983. we didnt know the NRC along-that their contenuons The board, in a unaminous after the NRC levied a 3300J100 fine strated its abtitty to amass large wa e lying to us. We f eet (the werent filed in a Umely unannee order lasued last week, said the IN M4Y.1902, MVPP filed eight against CG&E in November,1981, quanuues of documents which licensing board's) analysts is un- and involved matters which ha .

grcup weking reopening of the contentions with the licensing instend of walung untti May 1981 an Mlevant to WHy assurance already been discussed."Stocekttr.

lirsnstng hearings, Miami Valley board regarding Elmmer quality problems, the order sand. "The ,fgair g ,and gg s r.epresents a double not fair for them to saE Power l'roject (MVPP) dkl not flie assurance and Cincinnau Gas & "MVPP's justificatton f or documents are, however, largely exDt us to be cleI""t" The $1.7 bt!! ion Elmn.et plant is its contentions about Cincinnau Electric's

• character and com pe- agalnst advancing these conten- undigested and consequently dir-Ons & Itlectric's contrucuan man- tence" to operate a nuclear power uons in 1983 stmply do not pass fleult to review in a systemaue Stoeckttn CO&E spokesman Brnee FT% complete.according to CO&E, seement and the Zimmer quality stauon. Eartier this year. MVPP muster," the licenntng board order fashion." said that while the but safety-related work was halt-assurance program "In a timely submitted more evidence to sup- said. Devine said MVPP will appeal board's dectston means there will ed by a NRC order last November.

l l

l l

THE CINCIMATIENQURER FRIDAY,5EPTEMBER 30.1983 {ggg ,,g M y1'"f,*,' D I",T, public,Ottinsky said. He would not

, , comment on whether the com-

, ,R usts nyestigations Chief CONTINUEO FROM PAGE A t Ins,.uon and en,onement shortcomings, he was stopped by an=n ar,tane- m Who Had Guided Zimmer Probe 75ESH.+2 @$Es'n"E being nassignd "Except for the general rubric Applegate f ald he felt"vindt-CYHOWARDWg Kre50N called it " disturbing" that Cum.

dated" b.y Cummings Cummtngsofrice removal.

Ensaw assenw On The inside =w ornee operat,d in a man- .iaa* r'caan*act taer aidat in i con-ner designed to thwart the release detted an inquiry into an eartner ed ASSOOATEOpWESS of responsive material ~ to unis-t'n pl a -

mwsugnuon by the NRC ngton

• No prke tag on repairs, ueblowers who accused the NRC L3 ,uu gn,dongI

• M,,,n gn gn, """'I III staff into Elmmer allegauons James Cummings, a top of fl- 8 IAI "II ID P"D~

elli in the Nuclear Hegulatory DN of trying to cover up the problems *

,h"gfg that Applegate had made. Cum-mtngs' cffice concluded that that Commission (MRC), has been re- at Zimmer.

"These procedures appeared to . MMM N Ms umwat, trnesugauon was inadequale. A l moved from his job as director of said the diselssal of Cummtngs include the removal of documents .

second probe led to the NRC's i

the agency's Ornce of Invesusator was the result of an Internal from agency files, taking docu- tmn was W muht a M levytng of a g300,000 ftne against and Auditor (OtAt CDaseings was vote in which he was supported by Ctnelnnatt Oss 8: Electric Co., the involwd in investigmuone of the inmtagnuon by an administrauw ments home and the use of care-

• adino and Cmmissionn Fnd Zimmer nwelear power plant law judge within the NE. Cum- fully worded oralInquiries design. ** Caml n rs builder and princtpal owner of Inings had held the job for f1M ed to avold identification of y Hunmoval M c W p " 8d b Although three House subcom- fud and Thomas Roberts wanted him I 932. O AP. on Applegate's er pr a into he as d passigned. tahalf, filed Fot A requests for mmse chalmen have uluctaed Among the documents that handling of safety violauons at Cummings"ornce for He inmuga- Cummings allegedly failed to turn Thomas Dnine of the Omm* materials from Cummings* Inves-at!mle power plants, including tons in a wide ve&ty of NRC over to the whistleblowers was a ment Accountability ProJMt useuen. Including the summary Zimmer, and into compantes cases, the soume, who asked not report to senfor NRC offletals (0 A P), a Washinston-based of an enterview with Tero Harp-licensed tosay.

handle nuclear matert. to be idenufled, said the internal f# " the agency a residentinspec. watchdeq grmp that has provided als.offletals legal .aounsel to Zimmer crtues, ster, an NRC etrployee who wort-M uon that brought mW g g COEBMt3slONER VICTOR ot- hf,g,,",

i plan n ar M w, D 8 I fi s at OA a ee r w s erttical of 8 linsky said Cumm e ngs would be g work betng done at the time as charging for nearly twa years.1he Zimmer management, O AP and

_ -. to another NRC Job. * ' "I'# Office of Inspecuon and Auditor Apelegate accused Cummings of In an nted action * " ' has funcuened to cover up or en- suppresetng the Harpster Inter-the come last year aSIYn aN aYatsI all safety-related construcuon at subcommittee. ontmd fen e ac forp s d(,rse agency miscondt.ct, rather view.

Cummm And other wit- than to expm and comet C

• I'm not inclined to say any- Immw halted becauw of wide

• nesses testifled that on some thing about it at this time," Ol- ' , " , ",g ",I ,Igb

• occasions when Cummings tried min mo w he reau t o linsky said."ft wouldn't be helpful inspection documents on the o pmue inmugauons inW NE "one-two punch"iletters from his plant hed been forged. (See 21sttIER.

client, private investigator l But al sou ces and s P '8 "8 other offletals close to the agency LAST SI AY. a fedeem! Judge been page,tMg sectlant f hh 0,","g n g^s as n 'ob'e

" coverup" of the results of NRC investigations into Zimmer safety.

and an invesugauon by Helen Hoyt,a federal administrative law judge, which was intttated by the NRC.

THE CINCINNATI ENOUIRER FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30,1983 No Price Tag Put On Zimmer Repair SY JOHN ECKBERG cosuy. Execuuves would "do what snesrw asperser you always do when economies (of Repairs needed at the Zimmer 8P

,,3d~

} '*' '

nuclear power stauon still have no prtee tag, according to Joe Wil*

llams Jr., Cincinnau Gas and He characterised Intervenors Electric Co. senior vice president who first brought problems at in charge of construcuon at the Zimmer to light as *ahrill" and plant. aand they were not interested in Tutung the plant on line."

Williams, speaking to members of the Mercandle Library at a luncheon there Thursday, said it WILLIAllS ALSO said he has not been determined how wouM vehemenup oppose any much ume it will take to correct move f or a public buy-out of or o u hit cs a by orre Pines T e ol ogy for allowing a quality assur-ance an d managtment break.

WILLIAMS SAID he was not down to occur at the p* ant durtng troubled by a fecent Nuclear construcuon tn the llrlos.

Regulatory Commission order that closed five nuclear plants David Altman, head of the Cin-manufactured by General Electric cinnall Environmental Advisory for inspecuens of cooling systems. Council, said Williams' responses The Zimmer stauon is a OE-ballt to quesuons about future costs at boiling-vater reactor. the plant were unsausfactory.

Commission inspecuons have shown flaws in targer pipes in "When will the issue of costs be reactors manufactured by GE and addressed? After the money is designed to cool fuel rods with spent?" Altman asked following bo111ng wster. But W1111ams said Williams' speech. "I think CO&E CO&E will use a heat process to re- has an idea of what it a11. cost to lleve stress at any potenual trou* make repairs and they should te.s ble spots in the Zimmer resttor, us. That is the key public policy question."

His job at CO&E he said, was to assemble a manage, ment team to The regulatory eommasIon fined the utility $200.000 in oversee Elmmer and any necessary repairs at November,1961, for a breakdown complete construc-laon in a timely fashion. in the quality-assurance program.

Safety related construction on the plant was halted a year later when Williams stopped short of sug- IDe commission decided that the gesung what would happen t! the quality of the work could not be repair bill turned out to be too determined.

l l

=

THE CINCIXNATIENQUIRER FINAL EDITION / NEWSSTAND PRICE 25e SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1,1983 A GANNETT NEWSPAPElt Zimmer Cost May Hit 83. 5 Billion CY HOWAllO WILKNSON the offletal in charge of the Zimmer constructionof theplant would have on customers' bt!!s, but we project should be eretuded from the rate c enw esseroer project In addition to the 83.5 blillon estimate, would seek to regain the full amount in base. We are gos eg to take this new cost The alumste cost of the Zimmer nu* Steve Kostar, an attorney for Dayton Bechtel said it would Lake two to three ths rate base." esumate to the PUCO and asa again that clear power plant may be as high as W Power & Lignt (DP&L1, one of CO&E4 years to put the planton line. they order a complete cost audit of the billion, twief the utility's current esti-partners in the Zirriner project said CO&E spokesman Dick llammersmith ANY RATE htte sought by CO&E will Zimmer project. It's time sometwwty mate, Cincinnau Oss k Electric (CO&E) DP&L off tetals were " shocked" when said CO&E officials believe the Bechtet be fought by the Ohio Office of Consum* found outjust what 1s toing en here."

Ef ficials announced Friday. presented with the flgvres at a trieeung of estimates are accurate, provided the Nu- ers' Counsel. the agency which represents W1111ams said he could not ys t prowth Bechtel Power Corp, CO&E consult- Zimmer owners at the plant site FTtday, clear Regulatory Commission (NRC)11fts ratepayers before the Pt!CO.

a ban on safety-related construcuon it a detailed breakdown on the increavd ant on the Zimmer project, eeumated ,the "CG&T MA5 told us that the project is imposed in November,1982. Wtiltam Spratley of Consumers'Coun- cost esumate,saytng it would be part of a cost at completion to be "In the range of 98% complete." Kostar said. "It was set said he twlleves the PUCO woutJ find " course of acuon* plan CO&E will submit Hammersmith said the company further rate increases for Zimmer con- to the NRC next week i ua 8 b tort. The pt " " " " '" " '

$uch to c i te th !n 2% It to a of ho U pe m ss to i K0ZIAR SAID Chl&E has prom!w couto end up cosung 14 times the ortginal finish the first 98%."

enumate of 6240 mtlinnrt. crease rates to cover costs of completing "Last week. (CO&E) was making fun DP&L tt will provide the Dayton utility "There's no question in gay raind we DP&L owns 31.$% of the Zirimer Zimmer. of me f or asking for a cost audit of with documentation for the costs of eom-nrnject and Columbus & Southern Ohio "We would seek to go for the entire Zimmer for the fifth time."Sprauey said. pletion within M days.

eta complete the project," said CO&E Mtric (C&BOE) owns 2115% The rest amount in the rate base," Hammersmith "Our posttlon is that the amounts for (See 2144 M.

Senior Vice President Joe Williams Jr* belongs to CO&E, which is responsible for said. "I couldn't estimate what etfeet it imprudent management of the Zimmer been polteJW serHeal

4 A-8 THE CINCINNATI ENOUIRER Saturdly. October 1,1983 Zimmer U$mHUED FROAA PAGE a 1 IThere is some point at which a project can't be conunued. but we can't make a decialon on whether or not we are at that point yet until we sit down and *

{

look at CO&E's documentauon for ' wwder October 1. Ma3 M" the costs."Koziar said w '

Kostar said DP&L offtetals did

! not expect to get a cost estimate i Friday's meeting. "We were as sur-prised as everybody else ~ he said.

DP&L has asked that its dis-putes with CO&E over Elmmer ,

construction go to arbitrauon. l Three weeks ago, Hamilton Coun ' '

, ty Common Pleas Judge Robert l Oorman ruled that some of the 9 disputes, including whether or not DP&L must continue to pay costs of Elmmer construcuon. must go to arbitration. Koziar said the two sides have not yet agTeed on an arbitrator. '

"I don't think these new fig-ures are going to have any impact I on the arbitrauon." Koziar said.

"We have been seeking this infor-mation from CO&E and not we are getting it."

S0E FFI could not NRC removes top investigator.

be uh Bechtel Power Corp. officials Poge 10A.

Cincinnau City Counctiman Guy Ouckenberger, a persistant now say the final cost of the critic of CO&E's management of William H. Zimmer Nuclear latory Commission because of Elmmer, called the new cost esu- Power Stauon will probably be concerns that previous work mate " unbelievable " between $23 billion and $33 bil- was tnadequate.

• ft indicates that a lot of mis- tion. That's up from the prert- Bruce Stoecklin, CO&E takes have been made." Oucken- ous esumate of $1.'I b1111on. representative, aaid Friday berger said. "We hope that CO&E I In a report Friday to the night a breakdown of the costs ett mis te as ey have en plant's owners, Cincinnatt Oas of the plant is not available, al-

& Electric Co., Dayton Power & though he expects one eventual-about the cost of the total Light Co. and Columbus and ly. Asked what a!!ect such a project.-

Ouckenberger said he would Southern Electric Co, the con- final cost would have on con-conunue to urge counell to fight sulting firm also said the plant sumers, Stoccklin said it was too CO&E'a rate-increase regaesto will probably take two to three early to say.

It is not known yet what effect, more years to complete. "FILESUM ABLY, AT some

!! any, the new cost esumate will ALSO,EACH of the estimates point in the future, we will have have on a CO&E 6hareholder's suit are contingent on an " orderly to ask for a rate caAe to cover the against the lity, w hic h as k s and tlinely" resumption of costs," he said. "I don't knos safety-related work at the plant. when that would be."

e Ide ath dIffere e be{ Cor.strucuan was stopped last tween the 8240 million ortstna! Ncvember by the Nuclear Regu- See ZIMMER, Pope 4A esumate and the curr+nt SI'I bH.

laon esumate.

S E N Continued from Page 1 A David Altman, chairman of up and up since Day One. We the Cincinnati Environmental just hope this cost will noi x Advisory Cot.ncli, sa!41 the esti- passed on to the consuners."

mate was not surprising. CINCINNATI CITY Council When W.H. Dickhoner, CO&E Member Guy Oucienberger aald president.ubed the figure of 32.5 the estimate "ralses serious billion when talking with Gov. questions about whether Richard Celeste last spring,"we (Zimmer)should ever have been knew there was something to started la the first place. It's

- it," Altman said. "I wouldn't be unfor*.unate, but that ts directly surprised to see the final num- attributable to CO&E's handling ber 30 higher. It's a 11tue fright of the matter."

ening to see $33 billion now." When the plant was first an-Steve Ostrander of Ohio Con- nounced in 1960 CO&E said it sumers Counsel said. "Tm not would be completed in IFIS at a surprised at all. The cost of cost of 8240 million. Construc-Zimmer has been going up and , tion beganin October 1972.

i THE CINCIXNATIENQURER

_TUE5 DAY, OCTOBER 41993 Uouncilman 5eeks Public Answers On Zimmer CY KAREN GARt.OCH has made no public statement They're the

/

p 2

Deew neowter "If it costa lees than a billion to convert pubtle affairs at Amettean Electric Power, ..

only body to which we can turn. I know the plant to coal, why should we spend SI S which owns C&SOE, said of the price in-

• Cinctnnati Councilman Osy C. Oucken-members these Individuala They're responstble billbn to ecmplete the nuclear fact' sty?" crease,"I'd say maybe it's dampened our of our communtty,"he said. i Ouckenberger asked. Personally,1f I were enthusiasm. But at this point, we've got to of C nns a & c tic o.' IN TIIR last year, Ouckenberger has I '

' *hant work and see

, e,g'[* *r ases (CO&E) to stre a puDtic accounung of what emerged as counett's most outspoken advo- hat It peans to do with the troubled Elmmer nu. cate for acuon in Zimmer-related tasues. In his three-page letter to each of the 15 Peter Forester, president of DP&t. emid clear power plant He recently sponsored measures, passed directors of COaE, Ouckenberger also rais- the ut!!!ty will need up to two months to Duckenberger asked for the public by council, to oppose any CO&E rate in- ed the question of what will happen if the assess its cost commitments to Zimmer be- WU f' t statement in light of the disclosure last crease that would include the cost of mts* plant proceeds to compleuon and Zimmer's fore meeting with the two partner utitttles. f weekend that the ultimate cost of the plant takesat Zimmer and to work co-operettvely co-owners-Dayton Power & Light (DP&Lk Also in his letter,Ouckenberger suggest<

could be 83.5 biliton con

• pared to the ortgt. with ofwicials from Dayton and Cotumbus which owns 33.3% of the Zimmer project, ed that the company "re-estabitsh the fine nal gr30 mtllion price tag. tooppose rate-f the requestaL and Columbus & Routhern Ohio Electric reputauon it enjoyed in this community for Onckenberger said the board should de- Oucsenberger enld his personal chotee (C&HOEk which owns 28. Share relieved over 100 years?

from parucipating thereby forcing CO&E To do that, he said, would require a or w Id we to ince I has timated a a" and its ratepayers to absorb the entire cost " change of attitude by CO&E management h coal-fleed clant Finally, he asked, how fired plant could be butit for under 31 bil- OFFICIAIJ OF the Dayton and Colum- ' " " '" "' '

tnoch of the plant should be paid for by lion. bus ut!!!tles maid Monday they are re-exam- pu econ" s e"de ra yers. 6-That coritpares to the $1 A bt!!!on requir- ining their commitments to the plant in think it's leportmut Ifust the teged of ed to fintah cemetructson of the ge%-com- lightof thenewcostestimate. (See ZIMER, GtfY C.N directors speak now Up to now, the board

• peste nectent plant John Brennan, senior vice president for boek page,this sectical , . wrote to drectors ,

ZMM@

40NTINUED FROM PAGE A 1 gTIO mt!!!on project which would teard would assure the pubtle . . .

bertn genermung cheap power in thatit will only be asked to pay for .

1911" a fair portion of the total test" The new cost estimate comes CO&E spokesman Bruce

• after a report last August by Ti;e- St9ecklin said the company would FOR ONE, he said, the CG&E rey Pines Technology, a San have no comment on the letter, board shmand disclose all Zimmer- Diego-based nuclear trouble- and attempts to reach the compa-related fmancial facts and alter- shooung firm which blamed the ny's board members were unsuc-matIves to the community and troubles at Ilmmer on the uultty's cessful.

"ask fbe their advice. own management Ouckenberger Board members include former "This unprecedented candor said a large part of the ultimate astronaut Net! Armstrong. Oliver -

and directness is long overdue cost of Zimmer will be due to mis- W. Btrekhead of Central Trust Co.,

from CO&E and could set a na- management, and he said the William Dickhoner and William uonal standerd for allowing the consumer should not be required htoran of CO&E Wil!!am N. Lig-community to partletpate in dect- to pay for thal gett et Fftst Nauonal Bank of Cin-atons which perhaps should have "If it is decided to complete the cinnatt. Donald IAvry of Procter been the rommuntty'a back in 1990 plant,CO&E's crediblitty would be & Gamble Co., and John t.

when the plant was concetved as a enhanced dramatically tf the Strubbe of Kroger Co.

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THE ONONNATI ENOUIRER THE ONONNATI ENOUIRER SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8.198f MONDAY, OCTOBER 10,1983 -

Consumers' Counsel Predicts Zimmer 'CGMPartner Seeks Could Cost Homeowner 8300 A Year RoleIn ZimmerWork after CO&E offlctals for the first which he asked for an Inquiry completed." he said. "But now we COLUM U Ohlo A P -- and ask customers to pay part of SY JACXIE JAD8fNAK c, see se,.s serwe time admitted Thursday they idenufying how much of the con- have to consider whether, eco-were considering scrapping the struction cost can be blamed on nomically. it's cheaper to quit. ( AEPJ objects to belns shut out of *I can't sa,y we've known etcut COLUMBUS-Average yearly plant. which ortgtnally was ex- poor management dectstons. **I tiectric bt!!s could increase 5185- pected to cost $235 million and to . . . believe that the state govern

• tonCUSTOMERS OF CO&E Day-Power & Light Co.and Colum*

"n uc'lepo n sa P re't e NRC for S300 for customers of uulttles co- on line by 1915. After extensive ment has the solemn responsibti- bus & Southern Ohio Electric Co The utility holding cesPpany's information and the recent Tor-owntng the troubled Zimmer nu* Nuclear Regulatory Commission Ity to protect Ohio consumers- already have sunk 81852 mtition Columbus & Southern Ohlo Elec- rey Ptnes Technology report on clear power plant if its costs rise as crtuctsm of l'.s quality control pro- both !amtlies and businesses- Into the plant, he said. If it's com- trle Co. (CESOE) is one of three CO&E construction management much as predleted, according to gram. the plant now ts espected to from the utanic costs of utility pleted at the contemplated comte. tems on umers Counsel William cost about til billion and go on mismanagement." Celeste wrote. La Cincinnat! Oss & we w at e nZimmer'h t to t e monthly p ey. line no sooner than 1986. CO&E residential customers can Electric Co. (CO&E) proposed a towners") meetings, but we never Neither he nor Spratley took a expect to pay between $207 and reorganisation plan for Zimmer, got a lot of information through Spraucy served notice Friday posttson on whether the plant 3259 extra per year, while DP&L that he will itsht to keep the PUCO CH AIRsf AN Michael should be abandoned now or com- customers can anticipate between but C6 HOE and Dayton Power & CO&E about various problems at Light Co. (DP&LL the third part- the site."Shtunock said.

greatest share of those costs off DetBana told his staff Thursday to pleted and put into use. *That is a $250 and $3L3 extra on their bills- per. were eacluded from the A CO&E spokesman aald there the customers' bacas and on the put together a propoMI to solicit dectston that the stockholders and he said. C&SOE residertlat con- "Zimmer Oversight Committet "

shareholders' backs. Meanwhile. consultants

• bids on a review of manage vientof the three partners sumers can look for $183 to $228 are no plans to change the pro-the Public UUllties Commission of mlumanagement costs at the are wrestling with." Celeste said. added to their annual costs, ac- Instead. C&8OE and DFAL poned oversight committee. Chler Ohio ts trymg to f1gure out a way plant. As it stands now, the com- Spratley said he webts to see a cording to Spratley. were placed on a separate *10wners executive officers of the three to determine how much of the mission is unsure how certain cost review of how much Ohio needs Review Committee /* utkilues wtil continue to meet The added cost for commerclat John B. Shinnock, senior AEP monthly only as the owners' com.

skyrockeung price tag can Pe increases can be blamed on mis- the extra generaung power and users would range between 3t353 blamed on mismanagement by management instead of other fac- what other options =ould cost and 53.448 per year while Industrl. attorney,said AEP want) a seat on Cincinnatl Oas & Electric Co., the tors.said spokesman Stu Vosler. compared to the cost of complet- al customers would have to fl. t%e oversight committee because OE m pd by the vtility superitsing the construc- This action was a direct re- Ing Zimmer. "Up until now, the nance an additional $103.902 to pserious owners

• meeungs did not Cblumbus Dispatch as saying his tson. sponse to Gov. Richard Celeste's consumers had invested so much yleid much Information on con- company wants more information Friday's developments came letter to DelBane Thursday, in that I wanted to see the piang (See Z14MICR.Pase C h strue on but not more responsibl! sty for

~ on f des led to a Nu. Zimmer.

clear Regulatory Commission (NRC) stop-work orser unul safe- "THEY (CG4El keep sartng *the ty problems could be corrected. . owners tM*

.re working to keep the TH AT PAUSE led to estimates responalbility down there in Cin-that it could cost 33.5 tdllion to etnnatt, the ezecuun man complete Zimmer. CO&E said AEP, through C&SOE. owns Zimmer would cost $240 mtation 283% of Zimmer. AEP stock drnp-and be completed in 1975 when gg ped 25 cents a share Friday to was proposed in 1980. 83N CO&E was responsible for CO&E shares dropped $1375 butiding the facility at Moscow, each to Sig. Moody's. a New York about 25 miles frera Cinctnnatt. So investment rating service. drop-far, it has cost the three utilities ped its ratings of SI billion of about $16 bittlon CO&E first mortgage bonds to latent rost estimates prompted Baa-3. the lowest rating for CO&E Pres. dent William Dict. Investment-grade secertiles.

honer to suggest Thursday the Tho9e bonds are the main smarce utility mtsht abandon Zimmer of Zimmer financing

d 1T%, -_n.oos, Oversight committoo l

n. nu for Z=mmer i urged l Public hearing ee If ratepsyers are asked to help ball out the Cincinnatt Oas l

l tO Offer IOOk & Electric Co. because of the William H. Zimmer Nuclear Power Station, Cincinnati City Council member O uy Oucken-berger has a few strings he'd at Z*immer plan = - . - . a. ,

subtly orchestrated " hysteria over the possible f ailure of COLE and the other two uulttles

[ Sy Rondy Ludlow vice president for nuclear that are building Zimmer, ens =*aww operauons, said Thursday the Ouckenberger asserted on Mon.

A Nuclear Regulatory Com- uulity expects a NRC dectaton day that the stage is being set mission hearing on how Cincin- within seven weeks. The NRC for ratepayers to help pay for natl Oas & Electric Co plans to could deny, delay or approve the sull-unftntshed plant.

guarantee the safety of the Wil. CO&srs plan to proceed with IF TH AT happens, he said, 11am H. Zimmer Nuclear Power Zimmer construcuon. ratepayers should be given the Stauon will be conducted Nov.1 Meanwblie, of fieiais of power to elect up to one-third or at the Cincinnati Convenuon CO&E's nuclear power plant more of the members of CO&E's Center. partners say they are displeased board of directors or perhaps re-The scheduling of the hear. with their exclusion from "more celse shares from a special stock ing comes only days after CO&E input" into the future of Issue that would not pay divt-unwelled a NRC-ordered " course Zimmer, dends, but would permit rate-of aruon." in which the uultty Steve Kostar. an attorney payers to vote on company dect-spelled out in detall how it will with Dayton Icaer & Light Co slons.

manage and build the plant to and John B Shinnock,6entor meet federal safety standards. attorney with American Electric On Monday, counct!'s public THE SOV. t hearing comes at Power Cor k., w hic h owns works and intergovernmental a Ume t hen CO&E and its part- Columtus Southern Ohio affairs committees voted 3 to 1 ners in the Moscow Ohio, plant Electric Co.. said CO&E disre- to recommend full council a admit they are studying, among garded their requests for a more proval of a plan that wou -

create a public oversight c many possible options, the active role in overseeing abandonment of the factitty. Zimmer. m stop to a fut e ec ston The primary reason for the INSTEAD, CO&E's " course of making involving the Zimmer abandonment talk is the price action" limited the roles of plant.

tag of the plant. Bechtel Power DP&L and C&SOE to their cur.

Corp , COLE's consultant on the rent ones-membership on the Ct'CKENBERGER said the Zimmer project, believes it will owners committee Instead of a commission is necessary to as-(ost $31 billion to complete the proposed independent oversight sure the public and ratepayers plant, an increase of 51.4 billion committee,the attorneys said. that the approved " course of ac-over the preytous eost estimate. tion" plan for Zimmer, now Shinnock said it was possible being prepared by CO&E,is fol-The " course of action" report his uttitty may ask the NRC to submitted Thursday to the NRC allow the partners a more mettve lowed said CO&E, the butider and prl* rola in Zimmer's management. The oversight commission, mary owner of Zimmer, would but said it remains uncertain recommended by counctl's envi-conduct exhaustive, multi-level what, t! any, requests would be ronmental advisory committee.

reviews of existing construction submitted to federal regulators would be a five-member board tn ensure its safety, and, where charged with monitoring and necessary, rebuild poruons of "One of our concerns has reporting to the public all the plant that do not meet safe. been that we should have more Z1mmer decisions.

ty standards direct input into the direcuon of "I can see this hysteria devel-the planL We do not agree with oping. with people saying that T H E N RC II A LT ED aiI the postuon COLE set out in its you ean't let the uullties go safety related construcuon at course of acuon." Koziar said, under,"Ouckenberger said.

Iht plant in November 1982 "We need more direct input and when it found the quality of knowledge. We have been sug-construcuon, which CO&E said gesung f or more than a year was 98 percent complete, was that we have some form of

" indeterminate " input, but CO&E dec!tnes."

CO&E spokesman Bruce CG&E'S STOECKLIN said the 8toecklin said the NRC has utility " felt the best way to scheduled the Nov. I hearing in structure (the partners' roles) two different segments. was to have it separate" from the overstght committee, which At the first poruon at I p.m., will consist of utility boatd NRC officers will discuss the members and a community utility's plans with CO&E offl* representauve.

etals and with representatives of Torrey Pines Technology, the "The interest of all parues San Diego-based firm that com. are not the same," he noted.

pleted a NRC-ordered study of

1. "*" "*""I'"'"' Dayton Power & Light Co.

owns 31.5 percent of Zimmer The i p.m. hearing will be and Columbus & Southern Ohio open to the public, but no pub!!c Electric Co. Owns 29.5 percent.

comments wtil be recetved.

ANTIIIMMER facuons and study their opuons, including other groups and individuals abandonment, but spokesmen may submit testimony to the say they sti!I are awatung a de-NRC at a second hearing ses- talled cost breakdotr. of ment scheduled f cr 7 p.m , Zimmer's future costs, which Stoecklin sato CO&E expects to recetve late Joe Williams Jr.CO&E senior this month from Bechtel

~

Pressure Mounte On CG&E For Public Say On Zimmer THE CINCINNATJ FNOUIRER Tuesday. October 11,1983 SY JOHN ECXBERG ennew mesarse Pressure is mounting on Cincinnau Gas and Electric Co. to include public appctntments on an overstght committee that wt11 look into safety con-

-o,,, y m , % % .

cerns at the troubled Itmmer nuclear power stauon

'Y . One councu committee Monday called for com-plete pubite representauon on the overstght board.

Th0 e Estor Paul F. Knue and Counctiman Ouy Oucker.berger called for par-ual pubne ownership of the uultty if it decides to abandon Zimmer or charge customers for mistates CIHClnHa+O1 Thomas E.Dunrung "** """"aa If CO&E**"e'rs ratepayare called upon to bail out CD&E.Ouckenberger said, then they should receive a St EstortelPage Emeer Mananne OBegan gecial stock and be able to vote for the uulttys board of directors.

"I have a concern that the ratepayer is going to be asked to pay tcr something and never get any-soo Broeomey.Cemab o% 45202 6 13)s52 2000 weewussv.ooaher n wa3 thing in retuin." Wckenberger said after a meeung of council's intergovernmental affairs committee IN COLT'MBUS Monday, Associate Consumers

• Counsel Oretchen Hummel called for a pubtle adtt-EdItOrlalS sory committee to oversee a state audit that vul try to vinpoint nnancial mismanagement at zimmer.

saying consumers have a right to know what the; are y buying.

e Hummel said Ohio Consumers' Counsel William O COST O Immer Sprauey has requested such an audtt five umes since

= The mmt muea wm made s o in a mo.

Mon to the Public Uultues Commission of Ohio.

In Cincinnati. Ouctenberger said he would take The goal of the nation's atruetion there until Iaat his measure before the Ohio legislature and the Pub-energy po!!cy, as defined by the November. itc t ultues Commission of Ohio. CO&E esecutiven U.S. Department of Energy, is Zimmer's future now goes nfused w comment on the Ouctubugu proposal to maintain an adequate sup- beyond the deliberations in $y"$Nin * "*

a sN fo'r t tu"y ply of energy at a reasonable CO&E's boardroom. It is being cost The senior Republican counctiman emphastzed.

monitored in Columbus in the however, that his proposal would only take effect The problem, of course,is in governor's office. In the legisla. after an extensive rettew of Zimmer b) a pubhcly ap-defining " reasonable cost."It is ture and in the Public Utilities P ""$d , *N,'[n'vt on ov'Isory Counell the question now at the heart Commission. It is the topic that Monday . commended that any oversight commit-of the fierce local debate on has brought Cincinnati City tee have complete publie representation.

energy: wha t is to be d one Council back to life from its about the trouble-plagued pre-election quiet. And the GOVERNORS FROM Ohio and Kentucky would p "

Zimmer Nuclear Power Station estimates that completion of " e h'CbYmon ou Co is ners."Cincannat at Moscow, O., now that its Zimmer would raise the aver- City Councu and the Miamt Valley Power Project final cost, once calculated at age residential utility bills any- intervenors in Zimmer Nuclear Regulatory Commis-

$270 million, has escalated to at where from $185 to $300 a year ston heartngs.

least $3.1 billion. surely has CG&E customers, etncinnau Gas an'd Electric flas the price tag on nuclear some of whom already have should provide funding for the power, once hailed a.s the had to make the choice be, operauon of the oversteht board.

premier energy source of the tween esting and heating, talk- salm Darm Alunan. chairman or g m88 8- the city a Environmental Advisory future, quite simply gone be- Councu.

yond our means in the 1980s? By Nov.1,when the NRC will The oversight board would hold public meetings in con- have a staff of independent spe-The options, which Zimmer's vention center, CO&E will have

• Nd ng onstYuebn sih [f parent, Cincinnat! Oas & Elec- made its decision on Zimmer's materials, nuclear engineering, tric Co., and its partners, the future and will be asked to spell design. quality assurance, me-utility companies of Dayton out how it intends to meet c ha nical engineering.thermohy-and Columbus, are now explor- federal safety standards. In draunes, economics and account-ing are limited: conweri fairness to the ratepayers, who 8 Zimmer to a coal-fired facility, have never had any voice in the The commisaton would advise local sneernments and call pert-complete it as a nuclear plant Zimmer decision-making we odic pubtle hearings. Altman said and get it operating safely and do not believe the costs for mis- It would review safety and quality e!!!clently,orabandon it. management or bad planning h

$*o[a'tMa't"o$'ptan7 '

Safety and cost have been should be passed on, although central to Zimmer's p oblems we are not naive enough to CGaE BAS resisted formauon from the beginning. But there sp t the public will geg apubne e gr u as have been others-a manage.

• representauve from the pubite on l

~

rnent who became paranoid at We agree with Council Mem- a committee, which would la turn any criticism of the facility and ber Ouy Ouckenberger that if adetse another review committee considered those who raised the public is going to have to Q y d of embers of the questions about nuclear power help ball out CO&E, then the

" anti-nuke erssles" and the pub!!c needs to be represented That was not good enouth for Councuman Arn Bortt *Au the Nuclear Regulatory Agency it. In the decision-making by an enuues involved at Elmmer sacrt-self which did not become ag. oversight commission to repre- No', Bona sata.f8C d th'1r CT*dtbutty a long I gressively concerned about sent the public tnterest.

Zimmer's shortcomings until A safe and efficient source pf ter the Three Mlle Island of energy should be our goal as accident in lin9 and did not it is the nation's, but the t.Lme suspend safety-related con- has come lo aak-at what cost?

DETR I

EDITOR: JAMES P. DELANEY, 369 1003 THE CINCINNATI ENOUIRER .

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13,1983 l 1

1 1

' Council Backs zimmer CONTINUED FROM PAGE B-l g debate is that this community mill Idea Of ZlmmeT pay for Elmmer. Whether et is through investors or ratepayers.

the pubite la going to pay the bl!!?

Ouckenberger said g "I think at La essential that the overs 1g t Panel public have some parucipauon (in management) !! that plant is completed so that it will neser happen again?

Under questioning by Mayor

. 1 BY JOHN ECKBERG nomic feasiblitty and the logic of a )

s neasr eepww' Thomas Brush. David Altman. I pubhc Lakeover " h*ad of the city's Environmental i Cincinnau Council Wednesday If th&t is a hmt counc!! wants to Advisory Council, said funding of '

supported recommendauons from accomplish. Blac k well said, then lg the oversight committee and staff its i nvironmental Adstsory Coun- should increase the number of could come from the utility and til for a five-member public over- representauves c,n the committee Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

alght committee to monitor safety because the cornmittee could Brush said he felt that leaving a nd economic quesuons concern- eventually usurp the authority of funding up to the uultty would ing the troubled Zimmer Nuclear the utihty's board of directors and doom the oversight committee.;

Power station should have adequate representa- "They could give it 810.000 and let sty on r rec m"e dati o If you're going to advocate the le e ti ted cost of the com.

a recent Torrey Pines Technology pubhc takeover." Blackwell said, mittee at 8500.000 annually.

report that faulted Cincinnatt Oas *make the quantum leap-say at." Alttnan suggested that an

& Electric for a complete quality But Charterite Borts took am. Internal oversight committee.,

assurance breakdown at the plant mediate exception to Blackmell's shach wul report to the utthty's and mismanagement during a remarks. br,ard of directors,is unnecessary decade of construction. "Unlike tertain members of and could be scuttled if the uuhty The committee is necessary, counct!. I do say t hat I mean And finds itself in a cash crunch.

according to Counctiman Arnold that the resolution says and CO&E has cenststently resisted

BortL because CG&E and others means is that this body will be a a pubhc oversight board.

Involved in the project have lost purely advisc?v body." he said The company's alternattie, credibutty in the eyes of ratepay- *No one is suggesting in any Altman asid. would be to place one ers wa) th,at this body has a legal re. pubhcly appointed member on an Esperts mould be on the panel, sponsibthty for rur.ntng a corpo- advisory committee that would in he said "We're not talking about rauon or making any corporate turn report to an oversight com-five people pulled off the streets decistcn em somewhere-wild eyed ants. "And it comes 10 years after the mitteeofcomposed bers entiretag . rec-the C(l&t buArd nukes? Borts said fact.1200% over the budget " he tors said. 4

" Tills IS a very modest gesture.

These people would have no M HILE BORTZ sidestepped the financial stake, no direct connec. lasue of a public buyout Counct!-

tion to the past or reputation at man Ou) Ouckenberger said that state a he would support a parttaJ take-Governors from Ohio and Ken. over of CO&E-but only if Zimmer luc k) would make one appoint. is abandoned and ratepayers are ment to that ceramittee, as sould buted for mismanagement.

the Clermont County Commis- Uuhty ofhetals acknomledged stoners. Cincinnau City Counct! at a press conference Oct 6 that 11 and the Miamt Valley Poser Pro- wth cost another $13 bilhon to re-Ject, intervenors in the Zimmer pair the plant-only $100 mtthon Nuclear Regulatory Commission ahort of t hat it has cost to date.

'#3"8' They also indicated that they But Republican Counctiman J.

Kenneth Blackwell, who was the Intended to pursue a number of only counctiman to oppose the alterna tives to const"ucuon. in-measure, said the proposal cluding abandonmerit and con-version to a coal-fired plant The ste n &E uyou utthly hat spent some M milhon pu licLak e I k e sa d. t a clear throughout this "And I would quesuon the eco- (See ElWMFR, Page B 3

~

THE CINCIXNATIENQURER fimmer Plans Prompt Skepticism From NRC - ,

NRC Jam d,es

,.cto, -,espons ,bt. ,o,l

.t a

, u_Td ,,e - s,.,s!!,,h. ,,

~

Zimmer, also questioned the role deta, o e.,-

BY INCHAED WMTMNT [he Elmmer site because of im- "j of Donald Iseltn. a group vtce course of scuon plan.* rewrving cm ,w., % proper proredures, inadequat more detailed discumstons for later president for Henry J. Kaiser, the W A 5 ff!NOTON-Itesponding darumentauon, and insufficien't *.

contractor at Zimmer. Iselin has meetings.

to a plan to revive the troubled supervistort. 1 , .

been in charge of Kaiser's role at Af ter the meeting, however, During most of the NRCinves* Zimmer, and under the propowd Keppler said he was concerned Zimmer nuclear plant outside tigauon into Zimther, pickhonef about CO&E's proposal for a Cinctnnatt. the Nuclear Regulato- reorganization, would remain in Ilmmer Oversight Committee.

ry Commission (HRC) on Thurs* has maintalned that the nuclear charte.

dzy ralsed quesuons atnut the top plant suffers only from paperwork -

Said Keppler to CO&E: Iselin which W1111ams seld would consist problems. testified at a Udall hearing, and of three utility board members mastgement at the project. .-

who aren't company officers and awe want to make sure that we weren't pleased with his The NRC shot down constrec* character 12ation of problems at two ctusens.

tion at the Z?mmer plant Iast from the very top they're setting In its plan, CO&E asks for per.

November, prompting Cincinnau the dght tone? said DG Elwn. the Zimmer. He did not leave a mtaslon to work on correcting past Gas & Electric to rethuffle its hut, director of licensing for the .y good impress 1on on the NRC peo*

pte." problems at the same time it con.

mtnagement at the site The utilt* NRC. Eisenhut said the N RC unues new construcuon. Asked if

)

ty brought in retired A1miral Joe wanted to make sure its confi- Keppler didn't elaborate fut* I nc ( ther, but on Sept, 14. 1982, Iseltn that might be a problem, Keppler Wtittams Jr. who Thursday de.g e in any on rework program was- repHed."It mtght be."

presented a plan to rest. art wora n rtdtng one Individual -a testified before an Interior Com*

reference to Wtillams. mittee hearing on Zimmer. chair- Thomas Devine from the Gov.

• ed by Morris Udad. D-Atla- ernment Accountabutty Project, Williams appeared to win the The forthir admiradn'the which erposed many of the proh-confidence of the NRC staff. But ickover nuclear dittston of the ASKitD AROUT welding docu. Ws at "

• after his presentauo% NRC ofn- vy sala he would quit if the -

ments that showed idenucal test s w'ou d 'in rfere w h clats pntnted out that the pro- cultty wanted to undercut the _ eacho er.

posed management < hart for new plan. "And if I drop dead nuert>ers for different tests. Iselin starting up work egatn has CO&E tomorrow,there is a group et pro- sale, "We prompuy investigated President William IMckhoner at le who would accept no less than each of the allegmunns of false the top, supervising Wit!!ams. would accept," said Wilname, documents, and while we found who has brought in ether former Navy of flens for his staff. some Instances of error in record DICKHONER, WHO cid not at- keeping, and some difficulty of

. tenil 'I'hurwtay's meeting, was in AF7Elt THE meeting, when = record retrieval, we fotmd no basis tharge of the uuHty in the years asked about the NR0"s quesuons for those a legations.

when construction went awry at about Dickhoper. Williams said.

• Referring to the welding docu-

"The guy's my boss. lie's support- ments, Udall responded. It seems ed the hell out nr m,. ,, %, tn me that is obviously phony.

RETIRED ADM8RAl Joe Waams Jr.now a CGAE official, shows These are phony documents that plans for renewed zimmer construction to members of the Nuc*ar have either heen falsified or some-Regufstory Commission twy has made a big mistake - l

I 6

METRO .'

EDITOR: JAMES P. DELANEY,369-1003 THE CINCINNATI ENOUIRER THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20,1983

, Mann Calls For Public Pressure y .?

l To Force Shutdown At Zimmer SY JOF#4 ECK8 ERG c ow. w able that it's going to spend $13 btllion for re. community than anything else " Ouckeaberg-paira "The utility will then turn to the PUCO, as er saw.

The financial Incentive to complete 3L

.A '-

g '.

.k i

Cfncinnati Democraue Counctiman David gg s entitled to under extsting law, and say we Zimmer is so great, he .ald, that uttilty execu-

• t 8 Mann called the abandonment of the trou- want every last cent restored to us through our uves wi1I do all they can to continue construe. .

5, 4

i bled Zimmer nuclear power stauon the re- rate base and uultty increases. Uon. The company had $17 blition in assets in

31on's

• Blue Chip" alternative Wednesday, and "That is not senstble, that is not logtral 1982.Ouckenberger said and a dtreet SUO mil- "

implored uttitty executle*s to convert Ztmmer and there's notP!ng complicated abnut this at llon investment in Zimmer.

to s coal-fired plant all What we have is simple economic reality. He said that a SMO million write-off at ,

Using hundreds of poker chtpe to illus- The essenual realtty is that this decuton can- Zimmer would be disastrous for the company.

trate his point-calling each one worth $10 not be left to CO&Er "I think it's clear that abandonment ta next to million-Mann said that the community has imponsible if we think Ilke CO&E thinka," he no real chotee but to force Cincinnau Gas and REPUBLICAN 00'INCILDIAN Ouy Ouck- said. t

, Dertric, lead pasiner in Ilmm ir, to drop plans enberger said that the final Elmmer e tag to complete the Sl f btlllon plant may prove to be one of the most anu- tness, "UNLES5 50tlEBODY tells CO&E now, anu-consumer enterprises ever undertaken in 'You're only going to be allowed so much in IN 4 related matter, Mann also orsed Southwestern Ohio. the rate bane,' CO&E is going to complete that emmet 8 to send a resolution to the Public According to the Ohlo Consumers' Coun- factitty and try to suck as much of it with the y Uulltbs Commteston of Ohio (PUCO) to timtt set. Ouckenberger said. Ztmmer will end up ratepayer as possible. p rateps yet obilgation at the stalled plant to 340 boosting commeretal electrical bt!!s by $3,500 a "The bottom Inne is that CO&E is in big -

mt!Ite n-the cost of s coal-ftred plant year. Residents will pay $250 more a year, he trouble financially whstever they do. I think

f CO&E to permitted to decide the fate of said, and Industries can expect a $1 million in- we must take a strong stand now and let them Zim net, Mann said, the utflity's board of crease. know what the pubHe ottitude ls?

directors and administrators elli assuredly Products produced in Cincinnatt will re- Bu'. Democratic Councilmen Peter g ,w. syn.,,4 m anear, geva the so-ahead to nuclear construcuon, as flect those rate hikes and be less competitive Strauss and Charles Luken said they were not

' prepared to approve the resolutions. Straung M DM M men Mer N 90 MWe the j C la is i to ma ts det slon $ts, 'he k ds"o f re" wt d by itself," Manta said, "It is perfectly predlet* a fa aM" C$ ' P

• more to affect the economic health of our said py not support a council statement say-I"8

• potnted earlier this year by Demo- nurtear operations. should come Luken said he was wilHng to cratic Governor Richard F. Ce- before counctl prepared to discuss put his f aith in the new PUCO. ap- leste. Republican J. Kenneth financtng at Zimmer and not just Blackwett desertbed council as nuclear operauons or safety at the "sprtnung" towsed a "pubtle take- planL over"of CO&E. Wi!!!ams wts Instted by council The measures were referred to last week to address the body the intergovernmental affairs about the future of Ztmmer. Wtl-committee. In conclualon Ouck- Ilams salJ Wedneedsy night he enherger nald that Joe wilitams, had not recetved council's enetta-Jr., mentor CO&E vice president of uon.

j 1

Thursday, October 27,1983 THE CINCINNATI ENOUIRElt

• CouncilWants Lid On Zimmer Cost THE CINCINNAT1 ENOUIRER CY PALA.FtRIGA The councu resolution urges (ut311tyl tatepayer.= make this a very complicated manow pasenw the Pubtle Uulltles Commission of Zimmer's cost shouId be de. lasue." he said.*but it isn't . . . For WEDESDAY, OCTOBER 26,1983 Cinctansta City Canct! wted Ohio (PUCOp to make consumers elded by the plant's owners- us to stand here and say *Let pay CO&E Dayton Power & Light Co. CG&E dectde (the cest of ,

overwhelmingly Wsdnestmy to gg,,f,o.r 7 so cost n l y tf5 it8 is 00finished millio nas of a (DP&L)and Columbus & Southern Zimmerl/ ls to poorly serve thow #1 In 73 I { {

urge that state ut!!!ty regulators coal-fired plant. or a maximum of Ohio Electric Co.-Blackwett said, who elected us to this body." Q LRf M L 3, g set cost umits on me empletion St.7 bitilon if the ptant is com. because "thett interests are ued to

- ==,== Zimmer Alternatives of the Zimmer nuclear power sta- pleted as a nuclear power stauon. making the rtght deetaton on A mouon directing City Boltel- o

=f====.

plant -

_ .E. . . .... the me pol.ted to . r.c.nt dollar figures were reasonabic nouncement that DP&L offtetals mally approaching the PUCO en Only Counctiman J. Kenneth amounts based on renerally ac- belteve Zimmer should be finished the cost af Zimmer also paswd FROAA ENQUstER STAFit Blackwell voted against the me-cepted cost esumates for complet- as a coal-fired plant as an exam

• council but on a 7-2 vote. with uon, written by Councilman Guy Ourtenberger with nn amend- er ing the power plant Ouckenberg- pie of "an accurate reading of the Counctiman Peter Strauss joining AND WseE frEPOftTs On The inside said he wrote the resolution marketplace ~ by Zimmer owners. Blackwellin opposttlon. DATIUN, Ohio-Dayton Power mat ftom Counctiman Daeid becauw *we should conunue to be But Mann said he didnt see & Light Co. offletals are studying

• CouncBfnuRs71mmef Mann. aggressive with the PUCO" on the how council members could pass "I think what om saying in cost of Zimmer, and to make sure up a chance to tell the uutsty alternauwe uses for the troubled atundonment. Page E'-l*

(the) resoluuon is Kocinichism* Strauss said he could not W111 tam H. Zammer Nuclear Power he said. refmtng to forme Cleve- consumers don't pay for misman- regulators their feelings on the understand what beneftr the ef. Plant, including whether it can be high cost of Zimmer and the fort would have becauw he be- con erted to a coal-fired plant, a land Mayor Dennts Kuctnich and agement - William Dickhoner, president But Blackwell said the resolu- possibility of consumers paytng 11cves the commtssion can act on dectston company President Peter

,hu ulumately successful anu-mo- tion and the 8-1 vote to pass it for any mismanagement the cost of electricity only when a II. Forster says he hopes will pact- of CO&E said earlier ttis montt nopoly lawsutt against the Cleve- *really exceeds the role this coun. uttlhy has approached members fy Wall 8sreet his firm does not think such a step land Electric illuminating Co. til has played in protecung the "M.. . LAC.WELL wants to and asked for an increase in rates. In an interview with the Dgy. la practical or feasible becampe son Daffy News, rerster said the there is not enough races at tf e Moscow site and the com3 and nu-

'Sm. ,t Charges CG&E Gave Fraudulent Data utility may have difficult g

= "e we = . : =ybor- = = r" - - -

community has less confidence in

, &all harehot no u e[I w r Pt projec t' ' * **

u i Two shareholders filed a class endants in the suit are: W11* The suit is asking for compeft. W MtcWs y raus.

" " '"

• udie of a1 al nu at action suit in U 8. Distrtet Court in llam II. Dickhoner, president and satory and punitive damages sus- ft DP Incanp te. that the real-fled Cinctnnatl Tuesday agalnst thf thtef execuuve officer; Earl A. F the Nuc on of t re' C0" D*"I'8 Cincinreau Oss & Electric Co. Borgwann, senior vlee president members tained byorthe the plainuffs class. and other 88% "7 * " I ""

• f*"I

• 80 converston possibtitty to being tCO&E)and three of its execuuves of engineering services and elec, laung 12 basic federal safety rules. delay"a dectsto"n on Zimmer be* carefully studied and that more etalming financial losses due to trle producuon. and B. John Yea- The shareholders are asking It miso cites as fatw g statement in eause it is paying 33 millien a into Informauon needs to be entered those studies.

fraud and negingent misrepresen. ger. chairman of the CO&E board. the court to decide whether CO&E CO&E*s annual report dated Janu- month in Interest on money al-Latten by the rompany. Stanley Chesley* attorney for has violsted the federal securtues ary.1982, that the plant was trf% ready borrowed to finance the DP&L vliforously la pursuing The sult was filed by Ralph the plaintiffs, sand many of the laws, whether company of*letals complete and would be in service planL arbitrauort to try to assure that and Frances Rubtn of New Mtamt CO&E shareholders have lost have bren tnvolved in a conspiracy in early 19ft1 The suit says the Bankruptcy proceedings are DP&L shareholderv and c'sitomers hench. Fla and Pattlete I. Poptl. money because of a reducuon of in pleasing fatw Information to plaintiffs bought stock on the not "within the realm of poselbil- don't pay twice for construction 3%$10utlook Dr, Hyde Park. but it the CG&E stock caused by losws shareholders and whether they bastsof thatstatement Sty" for DP&f. he added. work that wasn1 property done.he said.

FO.STE. SAID DP&L studles show Zimmer could be converted While decitning to reseal what and uwd as a coal-fired plant, al- DP&L plans to do or exacuy when though officials for Cincinnati an announcement will be made.

Das & Electric Co, the managing Forster discussed three baste op-partner on the Zimmer project, tions: completing Zimmer.can-have expregned skeptletsm Ehnut ,ertinf Zlmmer to a coal-fired this option. generating plant or ahendaning it

WE CrNONNAn ENOUfff t Weeptday. October 26.1983 pe cwe ewes, mnne,.oesee, n. ms -

DP&L Thinks Zimmer' o

, "TIflf Tn we c e.

y _.

Stockholders sue -

Should Smtch To. Gas q.n.pWE g._tNGwe_'receetainofID over Z.immer.

make the best of it We han emy 1 8Y HOW Alto wtKDv50s4 DP4L le coutmftted to flatsh* intenuon of complettng Etmmet-se e.www tag Ziminer.Porsterconunued al- In some fashtort what we are may-eW900A6 g though DP&L considefed *serim*

ing is given the large cost esti-ly, with a capital *B* " pulling ouL mates, we think conversinn to gas Terntne Elmmer nuclear Forster said DP&L erpects to and then to coal reprnents a vt-power station Inte a gas fired need additional genermune ca- n Weanernause." and Frances Rubin of North power plant and later converting pacity before the end of the dee- gag.org at ttmmer was halt-Miaml Beac h. Fla, et to real might be spore pract8 cal ade and it would be enore npen- ,4 g ,g yo,,wber by the Nuclear By $,,hocom Maloney The suit claims that the dis-than trytna le cosaplete the trou- tive to start derloping a new site ,g,,,,,, clMure by CGkE on Oct 6 that it Itagulatory Co.nmHsten because bled nuclear project, one of Ctn- CO&E le the operaung partner of problems with quality assur-cinnati Gas & Electric's Zimmer in the Zimmer project DP&L and ance management Three stockholders filed a might cancel the plant because e n nit Wdnnday M a NW in M was 7n 6 partners said Tuewley. Columbus & Southern Ohlo Elec- When tne new Bechtel cost against Cincinnati Oas at Elec. rect contradlet.on to its assur-latc Ca afe ceownert P;ter Forster, presidedt of eettmate was teleased. the Public tric Co contending that compe. ances during the clam pertnd Dayton Powf & Ught WDP&LL 17tilities Commission of Ohio ny officers engaged in a " con. that the plant had minor paper told a Dayton press conference CG4E OFFICIAL 5 said they (Pt100) began an audit in deter- spitacy" to "d ef ra u d" work deficiencies and (fiat the tref e surprised by DP&L*s an* mine how much of the 311 bilfson shareholders by allegedly ml%

that 0 gas-fueled generator could plant was 97 percent complete -

be completed months for snou.ncement cost so f ar is due to mismansee- representing the condition of another m mH , We knew (DP&L) was study- ment. This lisue is how much the William H. Zimmer Nuclear ing the possibility of conversson. should be almrted by electrletty Power Stauon project T H E Sulf alleges the de-Bochgel Power Corp, hired as but we didnt know they were fendants, from Jan. 27.1982, and conseillant by CO&E. estimate t It going to call a press conference enstomert W hen CO&E*s parMers es- The sult, filed in US. Dirtrict c.onunutnr through Oct 4.198:I.

will sik e another SIS Milton to about It

• maid CO&E sposeemen shock at the possible SM M in Oncinnan h th we- engW W Metpated in or complete Zimmer as a nuclear Bruce 8tseckttrL Zimaner prier tag. CO&E ond brought against CO&E by aided and abetted a continuing President William Dickhoner offsetals said Bechtel would pro- shar@Wert emne M cunduct and consptra-plant. lmstting IM total cost at WJ said CO&E Is" studying all pountble vide the partners with a detailed billion. THE St'IT was filed against cy to conceal adverse material opuons with tegard to Elmmer.in' brrakdown of coste of completing the company and William Dieg.

it was Bechtet's cost estimat Information about the financial which prosnyted DP&L to study' cauding its conversion not only to the Rele megawatt plant honer, president and chtef condtuon and future business

$as but to ott er cost as wetL 9then conwresors ta another fuel these studies are "Inished. they erecutive officer

• B. Joiset Yes.

. prnepects of Cincinnatt Uns &

"If the three partswrs agree, um will be incorporated into mar dect- trf0RCELIM S AID tha*t infor. get, former chairmart of th, Hec tric."

'" ' " ided board, and Earl Borgmann, sen-ster A three era s

• h lyet for vice president. engineering CO&E spokesman Brued looksngtsopuans.. a t some ertues of CO&Es man- services and c!cetrical g roduc.

Three weeks ago. Dickhoner.

qlgement of tho Elmmer project Lion, stocettin said the company; CONVERTING ZltitlER to a wre pleased with DP&Us suge"* would not comment on the suit e natural gas " peaking untt" for i th tt e year .I Filed by Cinctnnati attorney In November 1982. a CO& N ubn that W plant be consted to now, and converting it to a coal-nuclear project afght be aban-fossti fuels.

Stanley ht. Chesley, the suit is shareholder from New YorIC firm " base load" plant later, doned. That followed the new

• This announcesnent is in it* se,ktng an undtsclosed amount sued the utility, its offices an<(

se rms to be the most prectical *gewicostestimate. self a breakthrough in the lack o, in pun 2tive and compensatory directors in federal court org a mattm Pbn sa Decahoner said CO&E would damages on behalf of Patrtria 1. charges that the value of hem Mao ennsider the posatM11ty of C

,', """ Popil of Hyde Park and Ralph

. , ld n e all y stock dimtntshed by half be{

" dab'In"'"Oa5 **5s3"o30$E"a"*5 y, t@' "f'j"@

o th; rir conditioning season. A FON'#r said Tuesday W ntst-

"*a **" W "'""'"9

" bass anit* ls in conunuoue use. Ing turWnes, condmor. cochns lesues lnvolved utth completton of Elenser would get five gas, tower and electricity distrfbution Zimmer as a nuclear factitty. It (IrM boilers and those bouers system could be used wtm steam also svolds the complete loss would be converted to coal one, from any fuel. situeuon where Zimmer is aban-by-one. Forster said. Immedtate daned."

conversion to coal la not practical bersuae DP&t/e power needs in the pese future do not warrant it, ha esI<ted.

. 46 0 THE WALL STREET jot *RNAL, Mondey, October J1,1983 Utility Faces Hurdles in Plan to Convert e

Ohio Zimmer Nuclear Unit to Fossil Fuel

. . . . . . e By GenAlama BSE$s ygg ggggg (yyj gygprg[pd g(pgm,

, avran-weef ene u.a smer s***" -Nuclear plant snes need less space when Dayton Power & lacht Cn. pett than coal plants, where there must lie posed convertmg the stalled Zimmn au-clear plant to a fossil Net amt. the nurlear room for coal storage, large antipollution equsganent and waste sheposal.

pown industry gasped.

-Fessti furt plants need ready access If the suggest on that a 37komplete for fuel drhvery.

plant be swttched to natural gas and later

-Natural gas prres are high and hkely to coal had come from an antinurlear to rise with deregulation.

group,it might have met derision. But this tseyton Power says et has answers to time, the propnser is a utthty with a 3We many of those problems. "%e can buy boil-stake in the plant, and the industry might ers of a steam pressure and temperature have to consider it more seriously.

that match the canstmg turbines." says Today in Columbus, Ohio. Inp eaM'*

president Peter li Forster. "They don't tives of the rammer partners-Dayton have to be specially designed because Power. Oncmnau Gas & Electre Co-. they're already 31dely used in the paper which owns en of the project and as re-sponsible for construction, and Amerran and themrals industry." He says kat effs-Electric Power Co.'s Columbus & Southern cienry could be compensated by addmg an Ohio Electric Co unit-are to meet mith additional " totter turtune" that would the pubhc utthties commissaan of Ohio to push Zimmer s power potential above seo -

Geo kilomatts Cost of doing that k.n't in-dtsruss the future of the projets especially cluded in current cost estimates.

the idea of conversion.

"It's the kind of thmg you hear pre g, g,g posed by the pubhc all the time." says Tammer's rural site mearis it doesn1 Mas L Gildner a Nuricar Regulatory fare serious land use constramts. says Cammissinn reactor inspector. "but at isn t Dayton Poen's sermtan. Stephen E h a suggestion that makes much techaral saar. But Zammers site as just god acres, sense." Not much economic sense either, while Oncenati Gas's most recently con-contends Robert 1. Borhrk, a wastungton, structed coal plant. a GM.0N kilowan unit.

D C.-based consultant on auricar energy creepers a vast 8.Macre site, so the com-econremes to utthties and the Federal gov. panws probably would han to buy land to ernment. ' Men convernon has been convert the plant. Because et is on the Obso raised as a possibihty, such as for the Dia. River and has nearby ran access, coal de bio Canyon plant in Cahfornia. M s been hvery wouldn't be a problem. The compa-found to be prohitutively expensive. aus would have to build a gas pipehne.

There's really not a lot that can be saved Conssdering the uncertainty surround escept the site and maybe 30% of the Ing natural gas deregulation by 19h5. Mr.

plant - horhet san. Dom Pown as "crar to h c W Case consider lockmg at into the fuel. "Everyone But both Mr. Glidner and Mr. Sortrk else is trymg to get out of gas.** he says concede Zimmer is an excepuonal case. But Mr. Forster says the utility can sign Alternauves to convertag the plant am contracts now to amure lower prices for as grim. abandonmt it, or sprndmg about an- tor.g as needed. "The phone's been ringmg other $1J bethon to complete it without any off the book here with people trying to sell certamty of recovermt the Investment an us gas." he says.

h6ther electrte rates Scrappmg Zimmer A gas bred plant, could be put into op means the compames would have to swal- ersoon in the time n takes to get regula-Iow substantial writeefts Oniversion may tory approval to start construction of coal.

burntng facilities. The eather Z!mtner tu' be "better than having that turhey sist st-ting there bke a momhnent." Mr. Gudner gtns producmg power the quicker the utik-sayt ties can hope to conclude their investment Dayton Power concedes that it stIl lated in the asset base on wtuch rates are calcu-duesa have details :in conversion costs.

but estimates that a gas plant could be But it's sti!! uncertam how much. U producing 940.50 kilowatts-the same cut- any, Zunmer investment the pubhc uttiti-put as a nuclear Zunmn-to suo milhan. ties commission of 00uo will allom.

esChasive af IRterest on money already wh,ther the piant is nuclear. gas or coal.

spent, compared with 813 buhon to com- The commissaan has Indbrated that the pubhc won 1 pay costs that are the result plete the 3. clear verslam. It says the plant of could be on kne bi about 3 meaths.

A conversion is potentia!!y feasible be , es,st1hty ed a snanagement audit am thefnaamanagement.

pret and R ect.

cause all electricity generating plants have -

three parts: o mechanern for heating steam, a turtune to sperate a generator and the generator timelf. Foust! fuel piants heat steam etth ballers while nuclear plants use reerters. It is passible to sutub-tute a boiler for the reertor. but there are many derncultiPL Some of the problems are: *

-Nurtear plants operate at lower tem-peratures and steam pressures thaa fossil stants and the turtenes already a place at a

hmme,t areal designed to run efaciency

G

/

??_1;.Orteter 31. Ist3 Metro Zimmer foes say records are changed s, acadr L dlew e" Supe visocs directed qual- buried in concrete-which are CG4E SPOKESMAN Bruce sty confir.' nation prostam in. not functional due to corrosion.

e- ** a-- - sto cktsn said the uttiity would Falsificauon of records docu- not comment on the allesauons. gThe more problems spectors = accept vioiaums d-mbiy or vaives -itnout that c und senerate bad publict- formal training or documenta-menung uw quality of work at -st s the same old story on an y M signtncan ramtftcauons um and conenu in W bottmn the William H. Zimmer Nuclear intenstfled level." Devine said

• es e* f ,

with the NRC. but to write non- of the reactor building which Pecet Station has intenstfled Bunda - . more finOnCIOlly contemance reports on petty has crumbied.Devine said since construction was halted '"'

• Q'F (F$ *[

cha W Inst n men *E# desperate they "J0'that !"."s"," ' "s*l J u*f; anause os c=*rns about g4,F-Interviews with three formef Power Project, Accountablitty Project, which represents the Miami valley "w beCOme) eng defects the safety of Zimmer and the r* of CGt.E. Devine said the e..The pressure on quality Miami Va!!cy Power PrWet util Zimmer quality control workers The more problems ll>ey

-Thomas Devine cetrold.insputas has intenst* ask the NRC to reject the uttit-Those w h o protest f M-rewal supervisors have directed (CO&El find the more finan- gy s plan to f1ntsh the plant qu*nuy have been told to follow workers to " create" records that flally despnate they becm orders or *go on down the The NRC should require wsre miesing and incomplete They can't afford to look at the struction at the plant on Nov.12. According to a statement road.* - CG&E to prepare a new plan for er.13 Thi mas Devine. Mtamt Paperwork honestle, because 19R2. prepared for release at a news Devine also said an ongoing reinspection of all equipment, VJtey Power Project attorney. they can't afford to repair what Devine said new a!!egations conference tnday at Cincinnati investigation has revealed 56 both accessible and inaccessi-T h e alle rations-a nd evt- It shows. regarding falstfled records came City !!all. Devine said the three new allegations about shoddy or ble, by an Independent thltd party-free of finanelas confitets dence of newly discovered con. t 11tht rmnuy when three for.

Devine said he had found no mer quality control employees ed.

fannn Dmmn workns chara- unsafe work at Zimmer. of interest" and require the struction faults-esil form the evidence that CO&E officials of flenry J. Katser Co CG&E's e"Kaiset supervtsors directed **THE CH ARCES Indicate crenuon of a public oversteht tasts of a request to the U S Nu- em awan of falWtesuons, primary Zimmer construcuon document restewers to accept that the shortdiest, most defec- committee to monitor Zimmer, clear Cincinnau deny ItegulatoryGas Commleten

& Electric to

• but noted. *1f them on top of contractor. contacted him to es. Incomplete records as complete tive work at Zimoser occurred he said.

t lik Wy e h ' press concerns about how they and obstously falsified records during the early years on ptptng Also. CO & E should be in-Co. permission to tintsh , Ig p g Zimmer. Dertne said. dont want to loo {. nten 'th,'

were instructed to do their jobs, as accurate." and welds that now are buried structed not to submit its new The NRC Mil conduct a two- The three workers said they e" Supervisors directed docu- in concrete or (which are) plan to complete Zimmer until port hearing at the Cincinnata DEVINE*5 PREVIOUS inves- represented 15 other quality ment reviewers to create. otherwise inaccessitde." Devine the antletpated January 19H re.

Convenuon Center Tuesday on tiration of Zimmer revealed control workers,12 who quit in records which were mining or sald- lease of the NRC investlanuon The defective work includes of the plant which could chante CG&f"s plans to complete the problems with record-keeping protest and moved on to jobs at incomplete. A

• fill-in-the-estimated 33.1 htitlan plant at and workmanship which led the other nuclest power plants. De- blankW approach to document improper welding procedures, how work would resume. Desine said.

Matrow. Ohio. NRC to halt safety-related con- vine said. review has become commnn." water-f eeding pip e s - n o w-

CCTOBL R 33 set t u 122 % 19 THE % LE MY NIWSMAGAZINE j

Economy & Business vemter 1981. the NaC &ned the uuht>

l A $1.6 Billion Nuclear Fiasco

e L'!0"'v o=s "

"! * ,'a "

l assurance regulations A year later. the hfi3mQnQgement GMd3G[ClylQP3titRdQHgtf QM Ohiopl0nf commnson halted conurucuan because of Carxinnats Gas' contanued failure to 3.cmung 479 feet over the of Ohio manage the plant's constructen. last meet its quahty guidehnes. the 6rst time R the concrete caobag tower the Rsver,

%m month came up with the latest projecten that the NaC had over taken such a step H Zimmer Nuclear Po.er Staten dwarfs The proper compleuon of the ptset. says wher. construcuan was so far advanced tany Moscow. Ohio (pop 3268.a village 23 Bechtet. would raise the total to a stagger. Some of the steel used at Zammer =as trules east of Cincinnau But the cituens ing 53 I taumn Whde the utthues ponder scrap that was arbitrarily upgraded on of Moscow expect the Zammer plant to whether to continue with Lmmer, Inter-change more than the localskyhne When the site About 70'4 of the welds on the est charges on lomas taken out as long ago plant's structural beams did not meet m-competed, it will not ordy provide 880 as 1971 keep pthng up bch day's delay dustry standards To test the welds nom.

megawatts of power to southere and cen- recans 5500 000 added to the tab. inspectors stu in some cases have to cut tral Ohao but also bring as manos 20 jobs Bechtela estamate stunned Wall out at random one made by each of the to Mww. In addauon. notes Mayor Lu- &reet as weU as the plant's owners Cm- hundreds of welders who have worked on gene Houand, it wiD mean more than cmnau Gas President Wdamm Dickhoner the project. amarrune it and then accept or 5500.000 a year an property 14ses tried to queu the fears of Anancsers, vow- reject the rest of that welder's work on the basm of the esmple 0 ven the difbculties I of these and other tests, the utthues

, may Snd it easser sarnply to Junk the

' plant The constructen problems were de-q covered almost by acendent Pnvate De.

- tecove Thomas Applegate. 32 hired by Cancmnau Gas an 1979. concluded that

. safety-related buddma lapses posed a

,* y yM '

' greater danger to the plant than the doc.

1. ~ tored tunecards he had been directed to f nrivestigate The utdaty ignored Apple-e { W=. .  % . .

.! gate's auegatsons and 6ted lum in 1980

• ,He turned to the NRC, which

,after an irutial investigation

found no problems at Zammer.

a$  ! Applegste then appealed to

the lnst:tute for Pohey Studies.

' a Washmaton thmk tank with a history o' champerung Government whistle blomers Thomas Devine. a lawyer mith J a dmsico of the insutute.

agreed to chauenge the NRC Zhuunee Pywor Statesm buereper reeerds, had welets and 85.000 DEsc stoisteams 6ndmss and to charge the "Ewry witness nasd ther menues no be er least 100 males emey)hwe it ~ agency with violatsns its own grot.nd rules for mventigabons The civic enthustssm may be prema. mg to

• consider very carefully Says Devme *I realued that ture The nuclear plant. under construc-the impbcauons of such a dra tsary stead h this was a very dangerous taan since 1972 and now 9745 ccenpleted, matic increase "The following may not begin operaung for three mere

, power plant when every wn-day, however, Moody's laves- e ness I talked to said that once years. af at ever does Ls long and tas Service downgraded the ;the plant was Snauy done and sometimes tumultuous development has ratmss of the three utibues ?it mas switched on, they want.

beert marked by runaway costs faulty Two other services. Standard construcuan, nusmanagement by the utal- 'ed to be at least 100 miles A Poor's and Duff & Phelse, . away from it "

at:es that own it. and madequate supervi- put the tanhues on a credit Prodded by Devine's saon by the Nuclear Regulatory Commis. watch f earful of bankruptcy, charges, the NRC made a sec-sion INaci firher this month the Columbus A Southern Ohso and invesunation and discos-three owners-Cincinnau Gas & Dec. Doctnc and Dayton Power & ered that Cmctanati Gas did tric. Dayton Power & Light and Colum- Light have asked the Hamil- not keep proper records of the bus A Southern Ohio DectrWhegan to .s ton County Common Pleas

• welds or of the ongin of mate-consider their optons Am ma them was Cout to rule on who would * ,1 rials used at the plant. and dw!

'the soberms possibthey of abr.ndowig the be hable for the SR 6 bilbon protect Such a move would surt Zimmer N" not test welds according to should the project couapee A 2 NRC specifications The agen-anto nuclear Amenca's biggest slute ele. Says Gerald Morgan. an ana- wheetle seewer Devaie cy labeled the quahty of work phant to date. and a woeful af estreine, lyst with Prudenual-Bache Se.

example of the quahiy control geoblems at Zammer "indetermmate "

cunties "You have the thne utihties Meanwhile Devme was able to shom; as a besetting other nuclear projects around 6shima among themselves as to eho es to the country. result of a Ireedom of I'dormation Act blame for all the mismanagement ~ 1awsuit he brought in federal court, that Zammer's costs have ballooned Beyond Zimmers Snancial debacle an NRC ofBcial had ordered his invesuga-elarnungly The initial estimate. in 1969. bes the assue of shoddy constructaan at the tors to withhold and even destroy docu-was 1240 nuthon So far. the three uuhties plant in an effort to contam costa Can. ments disclasmg problems at Zimmer have spent $16 bdbon The Bahtti Pom- cmnau Gas tried to skimp on quahty- James Cummmgs. direewr of the hRc~s er Cap, brought in a year ago to help control snessures and personnel In No- Ofhee of Inspector and Auditor smes le's was trandenad out of his job as the near Chaton.111 At the time ccmstrucNn positioned over a major fault in the earth f controversy grew Cummings claims that began an 1975, this plant was espected to These canpbcanons have helt ed pumr .

the agency last con 6dence in lum after he cost $429 nulbon. The letest estimate up the cost estimate from 1420 milhon to i forgas to turn over key documents Says 12 8 bilbon During its construction, n 14 bilhon and delayed its operung by ten !

Iw *! simply screwed up. and I've been has suffered delays because of safety and years 11 ts espected to begm operations !

soms all around town sayms mes catpas design probierns Says Sirasma "They nestyear ever since " just got so far behind in doms inspectaons Under telated pressure from the NRC.

Despite its uniquely duastrous fea- that they 6naUy had to stop constructen Cmcmnau Gas has begun revampmg its tures. Zammer a far from the only in, oc set caught up "Its completaon has been Zammer program Most of the old mar.ag.

statu of mamanagement among nuclear moved back hem 1984 to 1986 ers have been removed, and Retired Ad-facdetes Ier esample, of the ave plants a South Tesas Nuclear Plant. Bay City, miral Joe Wilhams Jr., a former Atlants beWging to the au-starred Washmston Tesas Houston Power & laghting broke f~ leet submanne commander. has been 1 Pubhc Power Supply System twrrssh ground for th:s ; bat in 1976. mhen it was named Zammer's new top manager He is knomn as Whnoss only one. Project Na espected to ccat 11 balls n and be m oper- awaitmg the results of a Nos I pubtw I

2. stands a chance of tems comsde+ad anon by 1983. Because d quahty<ontrol meetmg m Cmemnati. where Cmemnau soon ~2ammer as clearty the glaring es- ccats, design changes and construction Gas' proposed new program for Zimmer ample of constructwi goof-ugs'says Jan delays that prompted bugation, its pnor mill te discussed before the SRC rules Strasma. a spnAes. nan ke the NRC. but tag has groma to almcs: $$ $ telhon it on at "What I d hke now," says Wdhsms. l there are other plants Ibems budt) may go on hne in nud-198 T "as for geople to staM back and let us ,

around the country where the quably- a Diablo2 DiabloCanven,Cahf Omned complete the plant properly. as cheaply

• control prgram has fallen on its face" by Pact 6c Gas & De:tric and begun an as presible ~ -at assert E arer.en Among them 19% DiaMa has encournered errces an amareed er Jer aramenvisesmaqross and ,

a Chnton Nuclear Power Plant No I, design agg+asated by the fact that at as asters a mmems.1ameesw. sans j

E THE CINCIXNATIENQURER FINAL EDmON/ NEWSSTAND PmCE 25e WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2,1983 A GANNETT NEWSPAPER 9

a' ( Ga E'S tot'RSE of actw The Plan to vertfy the Quality e htnees on whether CO&E and

• of ConstructMn (PVQCl will sden-

,, e W 1mmeY rO ems 0P P Zimmer partners. Dayton Pos. t 1,Isht Co. (DP&L) and Colummug &

ttfy problem areas in the plant.

Williams said.

"There ts no system. compo-bouthern Ohio Electric Co decide e

torompletethepla.nt. n.n nt. or- structure that wi1I not b.e Before OId Ones Can Be^So1ved Es-uu--f a --u. - -e P- team. -

have discussed the possibility of flams said.

ahandaning Zimmer or convertins However, wh!!e all components It to another fuct source in light of of the plant will recette "stght"in-SV WAAD WLK960N a recent I cchtet esumate piartna spections, not all will require eas*w museer ,

the total cost of Zimmer betmeen " physical

• Inspecuens, Wifilams whgle the Nuclear Regulak Comakston h committee of directors, to report to the appointing bnerd BechteI $2 e and $15 blillon. An enumsted said St 7 billion has been spent so far. NRC attorney Stephen 1swis revle-etng hour Cincinnau Ons & Electrte Co. plans Power Corp. project directnr. set- aaked Williams whether the to correct old problems at Elmmer nuclear power ting up a quaJity vertfacauon plan Under questiontng by NRC company would submit its plan to plant,it is recetving reports of new quality assur- and planning iof conunued con. staff. Witilams said the Columbus conunue construcur

• before the ance fanutet uttitty supports CO&E's "courge of MRC Restonal Administrator James O. Kep- struction. Darren Essenhut, the NRC's action" but he described DP&t. as quality verificauor prostam is emph pler and MRC staff metTuesday afternoon in Cin. nMng talon hetor, asked " neutral."

"OH. MY goodness, yes" Wil.

etnnati with CO&E officials to discuss the atutty's Cut,E of ftetals whether. In light of Last week. DP&L President

" course of action" for corrseting past quality Peter Forster suggested it mieht slams said. CO&E has already he new O AP allegations. their identitled quattty verficlauon assurance mistake. and preparing to complete plans for compleuon of Ztmmer be more practical to convert problems in a number of areas.

consu'uctMo of Zsman include a system under which em- Zimmer to a ass-fired plant and The meeting came one day after the Oovern- Williams said, including welder PIOf M Cah H"ake Compimints convert it to coal use later rather certificauon, welding quattty, snent Accountability Project (OAP) presented th, a ut the quattty assurance pro- than complete it as a nuclear NRC with allegauona of Se new quality assurance gram- plant with a S15 blltion prtee tar. welding procedures and traceabti-problems which hase come up since tite NRC CO&E flentor Vice President ttyof materials.

cedered a shutdown of safety-related costructlen THE CG&E plan calls far a Wilitams admitted there had Joe WHitams Jr. chief of the uull- heen a fatture of quality assurance last November. ty g nuclear crerauons, said the Zimmer oversight committee, The new anessunne, according to OAP atter. P*ny has set up a telephone which would protiably congNt of fn the ptantin the past.

not Thomas tweine, came from intervlees wet's "n'"e li for employees to report prob- members of the CO&E boat 4 of "If you'd had mII the quality

• • • • permans famittar wt*h ytmmer or its warte** directors. It would report to t he assurance that was necessary, 8e= these problems would never have and accused quaPeressurance supervisors af

• They cart idenufy themselves full board. It would also inchede an " owners' review committee." come about." Williams said.

ordering worters 14 accept tneomplete records if they want but they don't have which would be advisory and ron. Elsenhut asked whe'.her the and create misstal: records. to." he said. The assistant vice sist of representauves of the three problems had arisen because of a president for nuclear operauona fatture in the phucepphy of the EEPPt.ER SAIB one of the reasons the NRC will fntlow up on the complaints. partners. DP&L officists have ob-Iereed to the plan, saytng they company.from the top down.

staff was t=olding stri pubile hearing in Cinctnnau Winnamssaid.

CU&E principal Zimmer con- want a volee on the overslaht : "I have concentrated on how to Tuesday was to timeuss with them (CO&E) how fix the problems, not on why it they plan to ettmanate this kind of thing en the tracter. Henry J. Katsee Co has ment s letter to all employees may-commttlee.

wgigtams would be project happewd." Wilitams said. But, future." manager of Zimmer under the Wtillams said. the standards for g3&g1"ctpurse of action

• must be approvff Ing that ti employees are not com* " course of acuen." reporting to nuclear plant construcuon have fortable repne*tna problems to try Keppler before it can tur implemented it In- CO&E President Wittlam Dick- changed in the 14 years since the cludes restructuring CO&E management of the their Kaiser supervisors, they can honer and the board of directors. Elmmer project began.

Zimmer project. creating a Zimmer overnstht repart to CO& E offletals. The plan creates four new assist- " People in 1973 didn't under-ant vice presidents to over*** w- stand what quality would mean in clear operations, quality - n r- IsR2 tresume they didnt espect to ance. nuclear projects and ed .**r ettit be here butiding it in talt2."

engineering. All would regwrt to Williams said.

Witstama.

i i

i ,

' THE NEW YORK TIMES,1HURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3,1983 1

I 1 -

l

! Dtility'sPlans toFinish i r -

NuclearPlant Assailed ,

~

WM~

4 ,,

m . .y .

M LJ-Cff*CDelATt Pese. 2 (AP) - The essrinemhed Zimaser 78ectuar Power Sta.

esembas freen aussus the 1.30E people gathered at the Cinciamed C.arvention . -

e I

.4'

' t' and Exposetten Center. J' , , ]

tsen Inne essne imudar scnnley Dy the

(

-2 peurmer a e .m .

i,,,,,,,,g,,g,,,,, -4 .. - u, d Mr. Kappler emured the seemus s -

and --' "L"I.ao..

emit.C,ee - >

3'

. -p r,,,",::l;::=,,,*4" :::::=_=,-m 3, .

,,hil enfaty4eleted constructium et ,,,,,,,,  %,,,M,, etasther

= ; c. :;",,,,*',,..t s,e c 'r.r".p.2: a eYpassitise construcuam pmesses, an.

ac d-arto.iam. ~

8" "87-'Wesed wort a Zamur t' my,

""''# ,Y, M Sponhors hendey seed that the emm.

to ash tant -

e fy speeH a:,m e'"- - ~ lll"t.r.",

Osr plant's .

.r:::::'

cases

. ;".::: p ,

Jensee G. Kap 60er.the a== a a.g /

~, have a . that's SB percent sagtsmal director, and Ide sta# test

1. ' *""""uc'c"ommu'nensin$

hevi sh puh "1""',u Guy Gischie.nberger,a City CatancB gs t*mt used tuning

.f o re .r. e., -i.er. . ,e n. e ),es,ir .e t,,e Nuclear RegtJetory Conurummon this I

f

• " 8""""* " , replaced. thee do ;y f. '

/I ;h, week in Cincmnati.Jann.o.xeppier, ,

above fight, and Darren G. Rieudeut, both [a ee % "",,,4,'ce,,, s,s.y # ",n"se' of Steg C

'l =a'emar a= harins  % .. . ,. j '%.

" ~- -

from W Cost " ""'"""'""" -- -- - - [ '

adDen have M and pies N '

ers new hsNeue the ukhnete price tag' will range freue $1.8 bdulen to $3.5 till. terunt r*mpmassi said the'ut!Hty, wfdch and able te de anytidng the comentesion .cohig their Jehe wtume reporthy pue is e esewumr of the plant, has old k Itam. to the plant's Indkler and saa erected so that the plant could be nn, lereis. aise neste e votes, i ~

D. David Altsame, cheiraume of Chs. oumer, shouhl not be trusted to inhed prnporty Une utiliry plans to set up e enemmar. Prustemet Peter Perster of the Dup.

eksumu Cuy Commedre emetraummental the roject because its mistatonc led to le 'ho afternoon semian. Joe WD. tou. constoung of mesmbers of its tienrJ tem utility has suggested it uneght be counentautun, said a public ": , the r['ederal agency's stepwork order, liases Jr., emeestive vice president in and one pubitc monstner to overnme the cheaper to camvert Zlatraer to a gem.

ohnuhl tus _ to eversas the But Rotpart Accenh e lawyer repre, charge of Zirnener, esid that a com. cornpletion of Zimmer. Dayton Power pNorud plant than cuswinup with can.

project. sneuthig a groegp pusierig for templeuasi plaint telephnne Itne had bar.p are up inr and tJahr, which, with the Columbus struation of a nutlemrgenersthy forttg.

RomanmeQuans of theOldo PubHc fu. of the plant, ensu the utstity was willing workers so thry wouks vint have to frer and Southern Ches Electric Conapany ty.

A 14 THE CINCINNATl ENOUIRER Sunday, November 13,1983 THE ENQUIRER WILLIAM l KE ATING hswestathblasw lp Oc y ..e

• • '%s" CEORGE R. BLAKE unar. L'a basen, THOMASS GEpHARDT Anxweumar FRED L FOSTER vaNew At.emma LAR RY C. LINDQUIST vn Preswear. curulera FRANCIS M. PRICE vu Pressen(Nducten ZIMMER Experience and evidence militate against the nuclear power plant TCINNATI O AS & Electric Co. ls The most recent study, done by There are Iso the matters of still weighing evidence coming in Cambridge Energy Research Assocl- corporate credi.111ty and endurance.

frcm various experts in nuclear tech ates, puts Zimmer's nuclear caracity Lawsuits have ty en filed charging the nology and energy management, and in a more imaginable perspective. ut!!!ty and its executives with mis-still cimging - !or public consurnp- Zimmer's nuclear-generated elec- management and resultant financial tion, at least - to the belief that its tricity would cost 20 cents per kilo- losses to stockholders.On top of that, star-crossed Zimmer power plant can watt hour compared to the current, the Cambridge study speculates that produce nuclear generated electrict- non-nuclear rate of 6 cents. Even the firm could go " belly-up" as a 'e-ty. The basis for such faith, however, allowing that Zimmer would provide sult of Zimmer, eventually selling to grows more questionable every day. only a small percentage of each con- another utility at the " bargain-base-sumet's power, the increase in cost ment price"of 5 cents on the dollar.

elut ity would be significant.

the enter of ao at n on in These possibilitks are predicated energy development since govern- The economics of energy develop on readings of CO&E's ability to con-ment quality-control cheeks,ind e- ment also m21tates against a nuclear tlnue absorbing such incredible cost pendentstudies,lawsuitsand charges Zimmer. The concern that gave overruns and on the row-widespread of mismanagement put completion of impetus to the nuclear movement in perceptior. that CO&E's management the plant in question. Analysts have the oil shortage of the early IMOs has lacked the nuclear know how to em-gone so far as to name Zimmer, just lost its urgancy. Prices and availabil bark on such an ambitious undertak-one of several troubled nuclear ity are no longer seen as imminent ing. Because of allits problems, projects, aa the plant that could be' crises. Without going into such Zimmu wm be fMoer tainted in W the coup de grace for nuclear power esoteric energy sources as geothermal public consciousness. Olven that,lt is development in the United States. and solar,many analysts expect that unlikely that work to complete it The situation is that bad. there is time to develop the technol, p oc o M ac gas usem g n From a technological standpotnt, t Zimmer can c31y be rated somewhere I ' 'C U "III COLE's culpability in the alleged between a question mark and a disas-

• Ih8 mismanagement of the Zimmer ter. Quality control, as far as has been COLE has talked about us course f ac n, f f clearing up the qualhy. project and in will future be hearings decided in andthestudies.

courts has been found badly want-checked"e Ing Th Nuclear Regulatory Com e nti i mistakes 2 e mpleung But it ts incontestable that the mission, guilty itself of acting late nstruc n. ut p ems ex st enn. failed to anticipate resistance to the thue. CO&E's partnus - Daytom projectand toprepare forsuch resist-levied one of the largest fines ever Pown & Light Ca and Columbus &

against CO&E. Copeern persists that ance by keeping a close check on its all Zimmer's problems have not yet expressed reservallons about CG&E's contractors and records. And that

- track record casts a heavy shadow of Thr economics of Zimmer seems clals have publicly supported misgiving over CO&E's assurances conver-proposed oversight boar that Zimmer should go forward as a completely out of control. Projected alon of the plant to a gas-fired facill*

nuclear project, at a cost of $250 million, the plant al- ty that could eventually be converted ready has cost 31.'l billion. The esti- to coal. They estimate the converted' The upshot is this: CO&E has serv-mated cost of completing Zimmer as litant couId be completed in ag' ed this community and arealong and a nuclear facility is $1.4 billion. That months at a cost of g350 million - a' well. taking justi!!able pride in is an optimistle projection based on far cry from the best-case 31.4-billion forward looking management poll-no additional problems or delays. projectionforthenuclearfacility. cles which kept the uulity's custom-There is skepticism, based on expert- ers safe from brown-outs and power ence and evidence, that this would te . shortages that affected other regions.

possible. CG&E's reputation was built upon

. and firmly grounded in prudent r readings of what was best for the company, its stockholders and its customers.

The only way for CO&E to salvage what remains of that image is to ac-cept the oldence and admit that Zimmer can never be the of nuclear power generationin Ohio.

j *:. un, 6 rA . .ew , ,

b b N Continued from Page I A C ,.** ! * . s e*

,4., , , 3, gg dont expect the Invest!gauon to Mr. Keppler is foreshadowing hedy r"'** any unknown probiems. rindings of sianificant vioia.

November 22,1983 Fine 1 Edition w,ii ld,nu'fied -D'*' *' "'" *"a P""r " "* ** **" "a"ne"iieve Kai.' .

most imponible to Zimmer detractors said Mon- er eouId be invoIve6 m day's announcement by the misconduct without CO&F's NRC will produce a delay that knowledge. Katner was just a O will increase the plant's cost drone " Devine said.

BOChteIOln f O Ser OU and push back its completion David Altman. chairman of date. the Cincinnati Environmental Bechtel estimated the plant Advisory Counct',said the Bech-could be finished for $11 billion tel cost estimate showed there by February 19R6 ff CO&E won was little marstr. for unantlet.

NRC approval of the three plans pated delays and the new delay O -beginning with the course of may weH escalate the plant's On ZOImmer pro eC action-by the end of the year cost and if there were few urnfore. Removal of Katwr from its seen problems after that. role may solve some problems, A delay of s!x months co'ald but "would ignore who built the add as much as $310 mit!!on to plant for 10 years." he sand.

Zimmer's cost, the Bechtal re. Cincinnati Clty Counell By Randy Ludlow compteuon of the plant at Moscow, Ohio. port said. Member Ouy Ouckenberger, a e w sese nse res, Sechtel :, 7 i with growth of ecclear Asked if Keppler was Indicating the Safety-related construction Zimmer ertue, called the NRC The president of Cincinnatt Oas & Power. Kciser s problems with Zmener NRC investigauon may be critical of Kats- at the plant was halted by the *CII'" " PPT,opriate a nd a Electric Co., responding rapidly to federal Pege SA. er's work on zimmer, Dickhoner replied."It N RC on Nov. 12,1982, when strong stand.

regulators, said the ut!!!ty plans to replace certainly would look that way, but we don't investigators contluded the There wae no immediate the firm that has been butiding the Wil- know." quality of the plant could not be reaction from CO&E's two part-Ilam H. Zimmer Nuclear Power 11tation for called " course of action" for completing Dickhoner predicted that the NRC, if determined. ners in the project-Columbus &

the last decade. the troubled plant because of Information satisfled with the proposal to phase out Tom Devine, legal director of Southern Ohio Electric, which The Henry J. Kaiser Co., which has about Kaiser arising from an Internal NRC Kaiser, would quickly approve the new the Miamt Valley Power Project owns 283 percent of Zimmer, built Zimmer to a point of 98 percent com. Investigation of alleged wrongdoing at plan. He said Monday's NRC announce- and the Washington D.C.-based aral Dayton Power & Light Co., a pletion, will be replaced by Bechtel Power Zimtrer.The report will not be released for ment would bring a delay of only a week to Government Accountability D P"C'"I D"-

Corp., CO&E President William Dickhoner several months, he said. 10 days in the timetable for completing I'roject, called the NRC action Joseph Dowd, senior vier said Monday night. CO&E will submit before the end of Zimmer. Monday "a step in the right president of American Electric in a meettrag ' earlier Monday at NRC this wwk a new plan phastng out Katser Strasma said today the NRC would act direction.- Power Corp. which owns the affices in Glen Ellyn. Ill., NRC Regional and nominating Bechtel to finish the as quickly as possible on any new CO&E The longtime Zimmer foes Columbus utility, sato the firm Administrator James Keppler Informed plant's construction, Dickhoner said. proposal, but would be thorough in its re- had requested the NRC not to cannot be entain of the MantH.

JIe Williams Jr., CO&E senior vice prest. Kaiser will complete certifying work it view."I can't stay their timetable is unreal- make any dectston on CO&E's cance of the NRC doctsinn until dent for nuclear operations, he could not has performed at Zimmer and then Bech- istic." he noted. course of action plan until the it has an opportunity to reetew rpprove the uttltty's plans to complete tel wili tate over. Bechtel wt!! compl?te any CO&E had hoped, and the NRC had NRC Office of Investigauons Zimmer because of the extent and nature rework required and finish butiding the indicated, that a decision would be made Dayton Power' & Light Co of Kaiser's role in thone plans. plant. Dickhoner said. enneluded its pa be and issued a officials could not be reached on the course of action plan before the end report.

for comment.

NRC rpokesman Jan Strasma said Bechtel previously was designated by "It's reasonable to read be- Attempts to contact Katser Keppler was unable to approve CO&E's so. CO&E as the project manager to oversee See ZIMMER, Pege 3A tween the lines and conclude offtetats were unsuccenful.

THE CINCIXNATIKNQUIRER

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23,1983 CG&E Wants Bechtel To Complete Zimmer CY K AREN GAtt.OCH said. s!though crttles said it could and 8EN L.K AUFMAN ed. It's worked elsewhere.- on the entsting construction.

recreate problems that stopped and also do the quality control."

EWrer Reser*ers CO&E's course of Action pro. Kalser then would be phased out safety-related construction at posed Bechtel as " project director- and replaced by Bechtel as butId-mt QQQ[ said Ouckenberger. "I hope there Cincinnau Oas & Electric Co. 2 mme final construch as M. MW WW W MW N FW N M ts not a stestre to complete it con It is " norma!" for prime con- well as qual!ty assurance for old assurance overseer. quickly and omtook quality mt.

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t tractors to do quality assurance, and new construcuon. Now it is Stoecklin said CO&rs revised  !!cauon."

Corp. at troubt I Z1 Strasma explained, and CO&E's being rettsed to add prime cop. Course of Action would "try to theTuesday, detractors attacked sullty's chotee of Bechtet.

Tom Devine, director of the owsr station and let Bechtel pr p sai rm n t be rejected be- tractor's datlet make some pWs Government Accountabellty Pro-Wer Corp flntsh the construc- cause Kalser bcitched the same Approval must corne from re. a repeat of Katser,Mor awndtng a problema. David Altman, head of the ject which represents NRC-recos.

tira as =e11 as oversee qual!:y clual assignment at zimmer. stonal NRC chief James Keppler Unlike Katser, a novice at Environmental Adttsory Council nised intervenors in the Elmamer

- "That wasone of the problems who turned thumbs-down on building commeretal nuclear for CincinnatJ City Counctl. said liceneing process, sald a confttet of that resulted in where Zimmer is Katser blonday, power stations. Bechtel is an es* CO&E is inttung a repeat of qual- Interest would ettst even without 11 tat dual role is not an unac- today," Strasma said. "but that CO&E spokesman Bruee pertenced nuclear contractor. lty assurance and construcuon gising Bechtel construction cepenbee confilet of Interest Nu- problems that forced NRC to stop dulles.

doesn't mean that the organisa- 8torckttn sato the uttitty wants elMr Regulatory Commisstort unrial setup is faulty. It was the Ka tter m remain involved in some safety-related construction at Under CO&E's proposed Course 45ee Zl488Elt. Zimmer last year.

(NRC) spokesman Jan Strauma tsarties t Katser and CO&El envolv- verir'eauon of quality assurance beck page,thig eertient of Acuan, Bechtel would be re-Moreover Altman said, the sponsible for meeting construc- 4

/f LINUNU M N chargue of sekstandard welds and falsPfics. Mrfri hadn1 been Informd of Ultr NRCs de- Torrey Ptnes Technology audit of uon cost esumates and deadttnes t>n of doeurnents. 66nn late yesterday, a Katser spr*emn construcuon management found as well as decidmg what repairs The NRC told Joseph WU! lams Jr :he sM. He said the enmpany had supewt t"- that during the 10 years of Kalser are necessary to make the plant

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• compesy's senior vice president, nuclear ep forms' ion to the NW. but wouldn t com' construcuan. "It was cost and safe.

VI INCINNI*

• erations, that it wouk'n't approve a plan en. I ment further on the Invest!gatinn- echeduling that what "We feel there should be an der which Henry J. Kaiser Co. would be prl- happened at that instead independent organtsation for all MDF The NRCs rettonal offlee in Glen g!?yn of quality and safety.

mary constructor. Kaiser was constructor of said R isn't ruling out any role for Kaiser at quality assurance activltles," De-I3 RCJ HE the plant durmg the pered unen the aneg- smmer. m omce of Inwsagsdon's Anal Cincinnau Councilman Our C. vine said. "I gueas what we're THE WAI t. STit3RT JtWUlu. edty inadaluate work a.id record keeping report "may prove more favorable" to the Guttenberger shared Altman's afrald of to that the financial orrurred concerna.

Twedew M U. N ccmpany, the NRC sand, tus R based Ms car. "I have a queouon about Bech- gaseires thatgoing E ate also are strangling to strangle aoswasa ovesev J====as surra,* w Ornmission ofDetals said the decisten rent dertsinn on Information otitained to GL EM ELLYN. IH.-The thelear Regule- was based ce informatma frem its Omce of tel's abattty to be the manager and Bechtet's ability to make objective Investigadons, wktet is conducting an in- date'Clactnpati Cas spokesman said the the constructor at the same Mme dectstons on safety lasuet" I

• A D'on""'"C-Cl 7Ca ""g -> g quiry resume wort st its trombial anunn nurieer NRC lato th.e pro)cet. lavesurstors briefed enmpa,n,y wu!. submit a respo,nse to th,e NRC.

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m,,,o,dr.o,,m,, and . ia,st a,,nntane. m sru,to,1 n-e, pnwer plant , , , , , , , , ,neco.,g

,,,y m derkhn mens W be conctoded for several months. An NRC Onetanad Cas's consukants recendy e&

-i. - tae vs a ,a,,o,nn. ,gmg,eman ve,nc.nen s on reha.rd to e.nmment on the inF the tot,al cost of building the Zim.

ttmated gs. ut .ald they - rner neca, , ant at between m -w plant psr. P to s,c, r er M a year ago Inkwtne N N reestrertar eMef menn* mof rule out > as and m bunnn. mt esumate ansed N Ingebly the plant. rienstl Gas teuid resume rcestrurttan et th*

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,e en eelsy wora resamtena and refusal and. Mbeard h turther drive no the tennt's emt '

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