CAMPUS AND AREA
University Daily Kansan, April 12, 1984
Page 8
KCC thinks inspection is essential
By United Press International
TOPEKA - A spokesman for the Kansas Corporation Commission said yesterday that utility regulators were frustrated by the unexpected cancellation of a federal inspection of the Wolf Creek nuclear power plant this week.
Gary Haden said the commission thought that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's periodic inspection of the plant was a necessary check on the utilities building it. In a letter sent to the federal agency Tuesday, KCC members said they wanted some type of independent evaluation.
"We think it's important." Haden said. "We feel we have to have a way of knowing where the utility is."
The inspection, scheduled for Tuesday through today, was canceled abruptly last week because the NRC's chief inspecting engineer, Bill Loveace, was leaving the agency April 27. NRC officials said there would not be enough time for him to complete the paperwork on the Wolf Creek inspection.
prompted KCC chairman Michael Lennen to write an angry letter to the NRC asking that Lovehle be allowed to visit the inspection before he left for his new job.
"Lovelace told the NRC 18 months ago he needed an assistant," Haden said. "He inspects about 50 plants around the country. He's one of a kind, with an incredible wealth of knowledge."
edge
PURING THE INSPECTION, NRC officials had planned to review construction work and estimate when the utility would be ready to load nuclear fuel — a sign of when it would be ready to begin operation.
The cancellation of the visit
"WHILE THE NRC has carried out these visits for the purpose of staff scheduling, we at the commission have found the visit to be an anomaly in its planned cases and in estimating project timetables and costs," the letter said.
owns 47 percent of the plant being built near Burlington, says it will be ready to load nuclear fuel in September K&E & GWF is a starting date for the spring of 1983.
"Given the utility industry's rather spotty history in projecting when nuclear plants, including Wolf Creek, will be ready to load fuel, we do not see how either the NRC or this commission can function efficiently without some sort of independent assessment of when fuel will be loaded," Lennen wrote.
Kansas Gas & Electric Co., which
KG&E SPOKESMAN Lyle Koerper downplayed the importance of the NRC inspection and said the cancellation would have no effect on the plant.
"The purpose of the inspections, as the NRC has always stated, is to obtain information on the status of the construction of the facility." Koerper is well aware that the NRC better allocate its resources, and is used for staffing purposes."
"Our only concern is that the NRC provide the necessary monitors when the network is down."
Haden said the NRC's main purpose in inspecting the plants was for staff
scheduling, but the inspections provided other benefits as well.
"We have to have some way of knowing what the costs are going to be," Haden said. "Maybe we'll think we're ready to load, and then find out how much money we need." We thought we were, and each month of delay costs $40 to $50 million."
"We are frustrated," Haden said. "We are getting close enough to the completion date that if we could get an estimate from the NCR now on how far along the plant is, we would have felt more secure." There is not that check and balance."
Haden said the KCC would wait and see how the NRC responded to Lennen's letter before deciding what steps, if any, to take.
Oread alleys to be tidied up
By the Kansan Staff
The Oread neighborhood is going to get a spring cleaning Saturday morning from members of the Oread Neighborhood Association and other volunteers.
The volunteers plan to spend the morning picking up tree limbs and garbage from neighborhood alleys. The neighborhood's boundaries are between Ninth and 17th streets and Massachusetts, Michigan streets.
Kevin McHugh, president of the association, said that group members had cleanups every spring and fall and
that the projects had been successful in the past.
"I think of it as the one drawing point that gets everyone in the neighborhood together," he said."
McHugh said that the neighborhood association welcomed any volunteer effort from people living in the area. The number of KU students who have helped with cleanups in the past is small in proportion to the number who lived in the neighborhood, he said.
Residents who want trash picked up by the neighborhood volunteers should have it bundled and stacked near alley trash dumpsters by 8 a.m. Saturday, McHugh said.
CANOE TRIP Presented by SUA Outdoor Recreation
Come paddle down the Mangua River for Sun and Fun!! April 20-22
Organizational Meeting April 16, 7 p.m.-Kansas Union Deadline for sign-up—April 18, 5 p.m.
SIGN UP EARLY
For More Information Contact the SUA Office—4th level, Kansas Union 864-3477
ROUTE HEARINGS
for KU on Wheels will be held April 19th and 26th. Anyone with suggestions pertaining to scheduling or route changes in the bus system is encouraged to come before the Transportation Board.
Contact the Student Senate Office for more information and hearing times.Call 864-3710 and ask for Nancy Anderson.
Paid for by Student Senate.
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