Emergency Planning Question 3: Answer: QUESTIONS FROM CHAIRMAN JOHNSTON Resolution of emergency planning issues early enough in a. Does the Administration's National Energy Strategy b. Does your legislation envision congressional action on emergency planning issues? C. What makes you think that Congress is any more likely to legislate away emergency planning issues now than it was when the fate of both Shoreham and Seabrook was hanging in the balance? Yes, the Administration's National Energy Strategy modify or suspend operation under the combined license. Clearly our bill does envision congressional action on these emergency planning issues. Regarding your third question, we are requesting that Congress take action on offsite emergency planning provisions now because resolution is important to the future use of nuclear power and we believe that the Administration bill incorporates a fair approach which addresses both the needs of prospective plant owners and the public. QUESTIONS FROM CHAIRMAN JOHNSTON HTGR Technology Question 4: Mr. Young, at the hearing, you and I had a discussion about Specifically, you expressed your hope that if the HTGR technology was used for the new production reactor, then the reactor could also be used as the demonstration necessary to obtain design certification from NRC for the HTGR. I understand your concern that a utility would not be willing to order an HTGR until the design had been certified by NRC. But I am asking you a different question. I am asking you if the technology is sufficiently developed to build a reactor, and my assumption is that it must be, or else we would not be considering it for a new production reactor. Certainly, we would not be selecting a technology for a new production reactor that is just experimental. So, assuming that the technology is sufficiently developed to Further, it seems to me that there wouldn't be any need for a Please elaborate on your comments made at the hearing. Answer 4 -2 I would agree with you that there would not be any need for a demonstration of technology at a later date, after the HTGR design had been certified by the NRC. I never intended to suggest such a sequence. The DOE HTGR development program is based on demonstration before certification. I do not agree with your statement that the HTGR technology The development and construction of a New Production Reactor (NPR)-HTGR for tritium production is a highly attractive potential way to demonstrate HTGR technology for eventual application in a commercial HTGR. The NPR-HTGR is on an expedited schedule and many structures, systems, components, Answer 4 -3 and other features will be common to both reactors. Use of the NPR-HTGR for technological demonstration would be a cost effective way to conserve government funds in a time of budget restraints. Within the constraints of their respective missions, the commercial plant design and Safety Analysis Report completion, and three years for NRC review and certification rulemaking. If the NPR-HTGR is not selected for tritium production in December 1991, it will be necessary for us to reformulate our approach to HTGR commercialization. |