[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 235 (Thursday, December 8, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-30149]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: December 8, 1994]


=======================================================================
[Docket Nos. 50-277 and 50-278; License Nos. DPR-44 and DPR-56]

 

PECO Energy Company; Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Unit Nos. 
2 and 3; Receipt of Petition for Director's Decision Under 10 CFR 2.206

    Notice is hereby given that by a press release dated October 6, 
1994, the Maryland Safe Energy Coalition requests that the Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission (NRC) take action with regard to the Peach Bottom 
Atomic Power Station of PECO Energy Company.
    The Petition requests that the NRC: (1) Immediately shut down both 
reactors at Peach Bottom until the risk of fire near electrical control 
cables due to combustible insulation is corrected; (2) suspend the 
Peach Bottom license until an analysis of the synergistic effects of 
cracks in multiple parts is conducted; (3) immediately shut down both 
reactors at Peach Bottom until all safety class component parts in both 
reactor vessels, including the cooling system, the heat transfer system 
and the reactor core, are inspected; and (4) immediately shut down both 
reactors at Peach Bottom spending correction of numerous equipment 
problems identified in recent NRC inspection reports.
    As the bases of its requests, the Petitioner states that the 
manufacturer of the flame retardant (Thermo-Lag insulation) was 
indicted on criminal charges (of falsifying tests of the effectiveness 
of the insulation as a fire barrier); fire near the electrical control 
cables, due to combustible Thermo-Lag insulation, could case a 
catastrophic meltdown; cracks were discovered in the structural support 
(core shroud) for the reactor fuel in Reactor 3; the NRC discovered 
that on August 3, 1994, both reactors had no emergency cooling water 
for approximately 1 hour; and according to an NRC report dated August 
16, 1994, numerous chronic problems exist at Peach Bottom including 
cooling tower leaks, coolant injection system vibration, injection 
value failures, feedwater vibrations and leakage, fuel pool hot spots, 
incore probe failures, auxiliary boiler and unreliability, valve 
failures, air solenoid failure, and hydraulic leaks and malfunctions.
    The Petition is being treated pursuant to 10 CFR 2.206 of the 
Commission's regulations and has been referred to the Director of 
Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR). As provided by Sec. 2.206, 
appropriate action will be taken on this Petition within a reasonable 
time. By letter dated December 2, 1994, the Director denied the 
Petitioner's requests for an immediate shutdown of Peach Bottom and for 
an immediate suspension of the Peach Bottom license.
    A copy of the Petition is available for inspection at the 
Commission's Public Document Room at 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC 
and at the local public document room located at the State Library of 
Pennsylvania (Regional Depository) Government Publications Section, 
Education Building, Walnut Street and Commonwealth Avenue, Box 1601, 
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 17105.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 2d day of December 1994.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Frank J. Miraglia,

Acting Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.

[FR Doc. 94-30149 Filed 12-7-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7590-01-M