Suspension of All Operating Licenses (Generic Letter 79-64)

GL79064 

                               UNITED STATES 
                       NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 
                          WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 

                             November 23, 1979 

Mr. William A. Lochstet, Secretary
Environmental Coalition on Nuclear Power
119 E. Aaron Drive
State College, Pennsylvania 16801 

Dear Mr. Lochstet: 

This letter is sent to acknowledge receipt of your petition dated March 29, 
1979, on behalf of the Environmental Coalition on Nuclear Power to suspend 
the operating license for each pressurized water reactor. Your petition is 
being treated under the procedures specified in 10 CFR 2.206 of the 
Commission's regulations. Accordingly, we will inform you of our decision on
your petition within a reasonable time. 

Enclosed for your information is a copy of the notice that will be filed for
publication with the Office of the Federal Register. 

                                        Sincerely, 



                                        Harold R. Denton, Director 
                                        Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Enclosure:
Notice

cc w/enclosure and Petition:
All PWR Licensees w/Service
  Lists
.

                        UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
                       NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 

                     PETITION TO SUSPEND ALL OPERATING 
                  LICENSES FOR PRESSURIZED WATER REACTORS 

                REQUEST FOR ACTION PURSUANT TO 10 CFR 2.206 

     Notice is hereby given that by petition dated March 29, 1979, the 
Environmental Coalition on Nuclear Power, State College, Pennsylvania, 
requested that the Commission suspend all operating licenses issued for 
pressurized water reactors.  The petition alleges that the safety 
evaluations performed for these licenses are invalid, because the incident 
which occurred on March 28, 1979, at Three Mile Island Unit 2, a pressurized 
water reactor, shows that the evaluations of the Emergency Core Cooling 
System (ECCS) for all pressurized water reactors cannot demonstrate the 
performance of the ECCS required by 10 CFR 50.46. 

     The petition is being treated pursuant to the procedures specified in 
10 CFR 2.206 of the Commission's regulations, an accordingly, action will be
taken on the petition within a reasonable time.  A copy of the petition is 
available for inspection in the Commission's Public Document Room, 1717 H 
Street, N. W., Washington, D.C. 20555. 

                                   FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 


                                   Daniel R. Muller, Acting Director 
                                   Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation 

Dated at Bethesda, Maryland
this 23rd day of November, 1979.
.

                Before The Nuclear Regulatory Commission 
                            Emergency Petition 

     The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is hereby petitioned to immediately 
suspend the operating license for each Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) 
currently licensed to operate.  This petition is brought before the 
Commission pursuant to 10CFR 2.204, 2.206, 50.54 and 50.100.  This petition 
is brought because the safety evaluations performed for these licenses are 
not valid. 

     As required by 10CFR 50.46, each PWR shall be equipped with an 
Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS) which shall be designed so that its 
performance shall be to respond to postulated accidents in such  a way as to 
limit the fuel temperature as specified in 10CFR 50.46.  This specification 
would not permit the fuel to melt.  These postulated accidents include the 
double-ended rupture of the largest pipe in the reactor coolant system.  All 
PWR power plants are licensed subject to this regulation.  The procedures 
used to demonstrate this performance are not valid. 

     The Three Mile Island Unit II plant is licensed to operate subject to 
this requirement.  On 28 March 1979 an accident occurred at this plant.  The
accident was initiated by an event less severe than the double-ended rupture
of the largest pipe in the reactor coolant system.  The consequence of this 
accident was that at least some of the fuel melted.  This consequence is 
clearly in excess of the performance required under 10CFR 50.46.  Thus, the 
analyses used to predict such performance are invalid.  Thus, it has now 
been established in fact by the evidence of 28 March 1979 at Three Mile 
Island Unit II, that the basis for granting these licenses was invalid, and 
they should be immediately suspended, or revoked. 


                                   Wm. A. Lochstet, Secretary 
                                   119 E. Aaron Dr. 
                                   State College, Pa. 
                                   16801 
                                   29 March 1979 
.

                            OPERATING LICENSE 

                        Pressurized Water Reactors 


                              50-003/247 
                              50-029 
                              50-206 
                              50-213 
                              50-244 
                              50-250/251 
                              50-255 
                              50-260 
                              50-261 
                              50-266/301 
                              50-269/270/287 
                              50-272 
                              50-280/281 
                              50-282/306 
                              50-285 
                              50-286 
                              50-289/320 
                              50-295/304 
                              50-302 
                              50-305 
                              50-309 
                              50-312 
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                              50-315/316 
                              50-317/318 
                              50-321 
                              50-334 
                              50-335 
                              50-336 
                              50-338 
                              50-344 
                              50-346 
                              50-348