Descriptive Summary
Potthoff, Frederick
Allen's Creek Nuclear Generating Plant Collection
September 1978-June 1982
Materials are
in English.
RG O 004
2.5 linear feet, 5 boxes, 380 items
Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public
Library
Historical Note
In the 1970’s Houston Lighting and Power Company (HL&P) applied to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for a permit to build a nuclear generating plant at Wallis, Texas, less than 50 miles from the western edge of Houston. Public opposition to this plan, fueled in part by press coverage of problems at other plants around the country, led to lengthy public hearings and, even, court action. In the meantime, the costs of construction escalated. In the end, HL&P withdrew its request.
ChronologyAug 1973Houston Lighting and Power Company (HL&P) filed application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for permits to construct Allens Creek Nuclear Generating Station (ACNGS) Units 1 and 2 at Wallis, Texas.Nov 1974-Mar 1975HL&P issued a safety evaluation report and an environmental statement and NRC held hearings on environmental and site suitability.Sept 1975HL&P deferred construction plans.Oct 1976HL&P reactivated construction plans for Unit 1 only.Mar 1978The Atomic Safety and Licensing Board invited filing of petitions to intervene in the application process and issued a notice of intervention procedures.Mar 1979The water pump used to cool the reactor at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania broke down, releasing radioactive steam into the atmosphere. The Houston press covered the story extensively and the number of letters from concerned citizens increased substantially.Jan-Nov 1981Litigation of one hundred contentions (of possible safety hazards) by twelve individuals approved as intervenors.Nov 1978, Oct 1979, & Dec 1980The NRC held hearings in Wallis and Houston during which limited appearance statements were made by more than one hundred individuals.August 1982HL&P withdraws its application for construction permit.
Scope and ContentsThe materials preserved in this collection were part of those collected by Frederick Potthoff, a resident of Houston concerned about the proposed construction of ACNGS. Mr. Potthoff was also a member of the Mockingbird Alliance, an organization dedicated to “. . . halting the construction of all atomic power plants.” The materials were collected by Mr. Potthoff over a four year period from 1978-1982 and were donated to the Houston Metropolitan Research Center in 1986.
A portion of the materials donated were not preserved in the collection. These include reports on alternative energy sources and treatment of nuclear waste, government publications on procedural issues, testimony regarding HL&P’s request to the Texas Public Utilities Commission for a rate increase, and newspaper clippings not specifically related to proposed or operating nuclear power plants.
Arrangement
- Series 1: Reports
- Series 2: Correspondence
- Series 3: Testimony
-
Series 4: Clippings
Access Restrictions
None.
Use Restrictions
None.
Preferred Citation
Allens Creek Nuclear Generating Plant Collection. Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston
Public Library.
Acquisition Information
Donated by: Frederick Potthoff, February 1986.
Processing Information
Processed by: Ann Porter, June 2005.
Index Terms
Subjects
Antinuclear movement
Nuclear Power Plants--Design and construction
Nuclear Power Plants--Environmental aspects
Nuclear Power Plants--Texas
OrganizationsAllens Creek Nuclear Generating Station (Tex.)Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant (Pa.)Detailed DescriptionSeries 1: ReportsScientific and engineering reports related to construction of ACNGS. The reports were completed by staff of HL&P and NRC.
11Synopsis of events relating to application for permits to construct ACNGS. September 1981.12Safety evaluation report related to the construction of ACNGS, supplement # 2. March 1979.13ACNGS preliminary safety analysis report. January 1981.
14NRC requests further information from HL&P related to safety evaluation report. 1981.15HL&P response to NRC request. July 1981.16Safety evaluation report related to the construction of ACNGS, supplement # 3. July 1981.17Safety evaluation report related to the construction of ACNGS, supplement # 4. October 1981.18Final supplement to the final environmental statement related to construction of ACNGS. August 1978.19Draft supplement to the final environmental statement related to the construction of ACNGS. December 1980.110Supplement to the final environmental statement related to the construction of ACNGS. March 1981.111NRC staff’s proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law on environmental matters. January 1982.112Geography and demography of proposed site. No date.113Description of proposed site of barge off-loading facility in Brazoria County. No date.Series 2: CorrespondenceCopies of letters written over a three year period by concerned citizens who lived or worked within a 50 mile radius of the proposed ACNGS site and were opposed to its construction.
21Letters to NRC from concerned citizens wishing to intervene in hearings scheduled October 10-November 18, 1978. October-November 1978.22 Letters to NRC from concerned citizens wishing to intervene in hearings scheduled for October 15-19, 1979. April-June 1979.23Letters to NRC from citizens wishing to intervene in hearings scheduled October 15-19, 1979. July 1979.24 Letters to NRC from citizens wishing to intervene in hearings scheduled October 15-19,1979. August-October, 1979.25Letters to NRC from citizens wishing to intervene in hearings scheduled December 2, 1980. March-December 1980.26Letters to NRC from citizens wishing to intervene in hearings scheduled January 12, 1981. December 1980- June 1981.27Letter favorable to construction of ACNGS. September1981.28Press releases issued by intervenors. February-July 1981.29NRC staff response to citizens wishing to intervene. December 1978-August 1979.210Letters of cooperation from area governmental entities.
May-August 1980.211Intervention by members of Congress. August 1980-March 1981.31Nuclear intervenors training manual. September 1978.32Contentions of intervenors. No date.33NRC staff’s proposed schedule of hearings on contentions of intervenors. August 1980.Series 3: TestimonyTestimony of expert witnesses hired by HL&P to counter contentions of safety risks made by the twelve approved intervenors.
34Testimony of Charles Ferrell and Leonard Suffer regarding Bishop contention 1: Population density projections. No date.35Testimony of Robert Iotto, William Carnes, and William Mercurio regarding Bishop contentions 4, 5, 7, 9, and 10: Pipelines crossing the Brazos River. April 20,1981.36Testimony of Kazimeras Compe regarding Bishop contentions 4, 5, 7, 9, and 10: Pipelines crossing the Brazos River. April 20,1981.37Testimony of NRC staff regarding Bishop contentions 12 and 21: Radioactivity in the cooling lake. No date.38Testimony of Kazimeras Compe regarding Bishop contention 17: Hazardous materials transportation. July 27, 1981.39Testimony of J. B. Cannon, S. A. Carnes and R. M. Reed regarding Bishop contention 23a: Site Alternatives. No date.310Testimony of Tai Huang regarding Doherty contention 41: Water level indicators. July 27,1981.311Testimony of Felix Litton regarding Doherty contention 43: Stainless Steel Cleaning and Regulatory Guide. October 22, 1981.312Testimony of Felix Litton regarding Doherty contention 47: Turbine Missiles. May 11, 1981.313Testimony of Vincent Leung regarding Doherty contention 48: Control Rods. May 11,1981.314Testimony of Felix Litton regarding Doherty contention 50: Jet pump hold-down beams. May 11,1981.315Testimony of Kevin Holtzclaw, and Richard Williams regarding Doherty contentions 3, 39, and 20a: Fuel-specific enthalpy, fuel swelling, and gap conductance. No date.316Testimony of Vincent Leung regarding Doherty contention 6: Recirculation pump overspeed. May 11,1981.317Testimony of Eugene Eckert regarding Doherty contention 7: LCPI cold slug. April 20, 1981.318Testimony of Marvin Hodges regarding Doherty contentions 8, 17, and 32: ATWS, SRV reliability, ECCS vaporization rate. July 27,1981.319Testimony of Kamran Mokhtarian regarding Doherty contention 9: Containment buckling. April 20,1981.320Testimony of Sai Chan regarding Doherty contentions 9 and 27: Containment buckling and reactor pedestal. April 20,1981.321Testimony of Om Chopra regarding Doherty contention 10 and 30: High pressure core spray and interconnecting grid stability. May 11,1981.322Testimony of Vincent Leung regarding Doherty contention11. October 30, 1981.323Testimony of Ralph Meyer regarding Doherty contentions 14 and 25: Fuel failure detection methods. May 11,1981.324Testimony of Walter Brooks regarding Doherty contention 15: WIGLE computer code. October 30, 1981.325Testimony of Walter Brooks regarding Doherty contention 21. October 30, 1981.326Testimony of Walter Brooks regarding Doherty contention 24: Rod drop. October 30, 1981.327Testimony of Calvin Moon regarding Doherty contention 26: Stud bolts. July 27,1981.328Testimony of Diron Simpadyan regarding Doherty contention 27: Reactor pedestal. April 20, 1981.329Testimony of Jerome Pearring regarding Doherty contention 29: Blockage of intake canal. July 27,1981.330 Testimony of Marvin Hodges regarding Doherty contention 40: Accidental releases of 133-xenon. July 27,1981.331Testimony of Ralph Meyer regarding Doherty contentions 3, 20a, and 39: Fuel-specific enthalpy, gap conductance and cladding swelling. April 20,1981.332 Testimony of Jacques Reed regarding Doherty contention 40: Accidental releases of 133-xenon. July 27,1981.41Testimony of Gerald Gears regarding Marrack contention 2b: Transmission lines-health effects. No date.42Testimony of Robert Reed regarding marrack contention 2c: Transmission line impacts on waterfowl. No date.43Testimony of Robert McCuistion regarding TEXPIRG contention 1: STP vs. AC1. No date.44Testimony of Calvin Moon, Sam Carnes, Robert Reed and Frank Sanders regarding TEXPIRG contention AC-1 : Reactor pressure vessel transportation. No
date.45 Testimony of F. S. Sanders regarding TEXPIRG contentions 2 and 4: Acquatic ecology of cooling reservoir. No date.46Testimony of Kazimeras Compe regarding TEXPIRG contention 6: Aircraft hazards. April 20,1981.47Testimony of Keith Woodard regarding TEXPIRG contention 6: Aircraft hazards. April 20,1981.48Testimony of J. W. Dick , N. E. Hinkle, K. Johnson, and C.R. Kerley regarding TEXPIRG contention 5 and 7a-d: Alternative energy sources. No date.49Testimony of Gregory Harrison regarding TEXPIRG contention 21: Cable fires. May 11, 1981.410Testimony of John Nehemias regarding TEXPIRG contention 21: Occupational radiation exposure. May 11, 1981.411Testimony of Sanat Korde regarding TEXPIRG contention 26: Computer code error. April 20, 1981.412Testimony of Jay Lee regarding TEXPIRG contention 30: Charcoal absorber fires. May 11, 1981.413Testimony of James Knight regarding TEXPIRG contention 38: Scram discharge. October 30, 1981.414Testimony of Felix Litton regarding TEXPIRG contention 39: Fracture toughness. May 11, 1981.415Testimony of Robert Schemel re TEXPIRG contention AC 28: Post-accident monitoring. July 27,1981.416Testimony of Fred Allenspach and John Gilray regarding TEXPIRG contention AC 31: Technical qualifications. March 24,1982.417Testimony of Conrad McCracken regarding TEXPIRG contention AC 52: Outside containment sampling. July 27, 1981.418Testimony of Calvin Moon regarding Board question 2: Use of wash-1400. No date.419Testimony of Calvin Fields regarding Board question 4A: Combustible gas control. July 27, 1981.July 27, 1981.420Testimony of Calvin Moon regarding Board question 7: on-site transportation accident. No date.421 Testimony of Mel Fields regarding containment questions: compliance with GDC 50(ASLB6) and bypass leakage (ASLB9}. May 11,1981.422Testimony of William Bivins regarding Potential requirements for dredging San Bernard River to transport the reactor vessel. No date.423Testimony of Robert Urbanik regarding Evacuation time estimate study for Allens Creek. October 14,1981.424Partial transcript of NRC hearings on ACNGS, pp.1627-1802. August 30, 1980.Series 4: News ClippingsNews paper clippings which focused on the multiple potential hazards in construction and operation of nuclear generating plants.
51News clippings related to accident at Three Mile Island nuclear generating plant. March-November 1979.52News clippings related to accident at Three Mile island nuclear generating plant. No dates.53News clippings related to proposal for construction of ACNGS. October-November 1979.54News clippings related to proposal for construction of ACNGS. December 1980.55News clippings related to proposal for construction of ACNGS . January-December 1981.56News clippings related to proposal for construction of ACNGS . February-August 1982.57News clippings related to proposal for construction of ACNGS. No dates.58News clippings related to construction of South Texas Nuclear Plant (STNP ). July-December 1979. 59News clippings related to construction of STNP. January-June 1981.510News clippings related to construction of STNP. July 1981- June 1982. 511Mockingbird Alliance. No dates.512Letters from F. Potthoff to NRC re construction of ACNGS. November 1978-August 1980.513Letters to F. Potthoff from various sources re construction of ACNGS. November 1978-August 1981.514F. Potthoff’s working papers. No dates.