Nuclear Energy Information Service
Illinois' Nuclear Power Watchdog for 25 Years

Illinois Nukes, NRC "Watch List": Cause for Guarded Optimism, Healthy Skeptecism

PRESS RELEASE

July 27, 1997, for immediate use

NRC "WATCH LIST" RESULTS: CAUSE FOR GUARDED ENCOURAGEMENT, HEALTHY SKEPTICISM

by David A. Kraft, Director

Today's announcement of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) nuclear reactor "close watch list" should be greeted with both guarded encouragement, and with healthy skepticism.

It is a relief that, after 13 previous failed attempts to do so, Commonwealth Edison's two aging Dresden reactors are finally off the "close watch list." We hope they stay off.

However, ComEd's two LaSalle reactors and Illinois Power's Clinton reactor remain on the list. The two Zion reactors should have stayed on, even though they are classified as permanently retired. And, NRC sent ComEd yet another warning letter about the deteriorating trend at its two old Quad Cities reactors.

Is ComEd showing signs of improving its poor track record? Guardedly, yes. We would like to see this trend continue as Chairman John Rowe continues his welcome and long-overdue approach towards nuclear reactors of "operate well, or shut down;" and as he alters the course of this poorly managed nuclear utility.

We are forced to continue our skepticism because of NRC's role in perpetuating the declining reactor performance here in Illinois and elsewhere.

NRC continues to contribute to poor reactor performance by its reluctance to regulate assertively. Public scoldings and a few fines to poorly performing utilities are still followed by few meaningful consequences, as is evidenced by the past two meetings between ComEd and NRC on reactor performance. NRC continues to place more importance on "relieving the regulatory burden" of nuclear utilities than on getting them to perform in a world-class manner, as is evidenced by their upcoming September public meeting near Chicago to use "industry initiatives" as substitutes for traditional regulatory oversight.

Further, today's "watch list" meeting had a second announcement: that of reducing the number of annual "watch list" determinations from two to one, thus further removing poorly performing nuclear reactors from both public scrutiny and outcry. And still, NRC has not promulgated the necessary standardized, written, objective criteria in making its "watch list" determinations that could give the public confidence that reactors leaving the "watch list" are actually up to regulatory standard.

Until it adopts written, objective, and standardized "watch list" criteria, regulates more assertively, and stops cutting slack to recalcitrant and recidivistic utilities like ComEd, the NRC can never truly make the claim that the utilities have improved; and the public can never be sure that the regulators are truly regulating.

Nuclear Energy Information Service is an Evanston-based, environmental, energy education organization founded in 1981 to provide the public with credible information on nuclear power and radiation hazards, and viable alternative energy choices to the continued use of nuclear power.

Back to the top of this Page