U. S. moves towards bar on N-plants

Press, 11 May 1979, Page 6

U. S. moves towards bar on N-plants

• NZPA Washington An American House of Representatives committee has approved a six-month moratorium on the granting of construction permits for new nuclear reactors. It also approved a second provision banning the operation of new reactors until the Federal Government has ratified an emergency response plan for affected areas. The six-month construc- • tion moratorium was approved by the House Interior Committee 23 to 7 despite the opposition of its chairman. Representative Morris Udall, an Arizona Democrat.

The House Speaker (Mr Thomas O’Neill) said later that the House would probably go along with the two bans approved by the Interior Committee.

“There is no question that after the Three Mile Island situation there is a go-slow feeling towards nuclear power,” Mr O’Neill said. “1 would be very surprised if it didn't pass.” The moratorium on construction permits for new reactors and the ban on the operation of new reactors came in the form of amendments to a bill authorising funds for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in the fiscal year beginning on October 1.

The authorising legislation is scheduled to be considered today by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

The sponsor of the move, Mr Edward Markey, said the six-month moratorium would hold up construction permits for six reactors in four states; Pebble Springs 1 and

2 in Oregon, Pilgrim 2 in Massachusetts, Palo Verde 4 and 5 in Arizona, and Allens Creek 1 in Texas. The moratorium has been criticised by Francis Wiedenmann, a • spokesman for the Boston Edison Company, which owns 59 per cent of the Pilgrim 2 plant.

“They’re looking for votes for the next time around,” he said. "It’s silly. It would serve no purpose. A sixmonth moratorium would ; serve no purpose in terms of safety." The move temporarily to ban the operation of new reactors could affect seven plants that are expected to | come before N.R.C. licencing boards during the present: calendar year. They are in California, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, and[ Virginia.