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.$|[UNITED STATES OF AMERICANUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

'82 Jm 28 p;;:33BEFORE THE ATOMIC LICENSING AND SAFETY BOARD

CTm.CU Z:;.:ia h'; ,

T: N;;pIn the Matter of the Application of )Public Service Company cf Oklahoma )Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc. ) Docket Nos. STN 50-556

and ) STN 50-557We' stern Farmers Electric Cooperative )

) P- @(Black Fox Station, Units 1 and 2) ) G g

2 RhCEgygg 7ESI JSggg,

' 'REPLY IN OPPOSITION TO INTERVENQ "%p , fMOTION TO ABATE PROCEEDINGS

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Public Service Company of Oklahoma, Associatedi'

Electric Cooperative, Inc., and Western Farmers Electric

Cooperative (" Applicants " ) hereby file ineir reply to Inter-

venors' (Citizens Action for Safe Energy, Lawrence Burrell,

and Ilene Younghein) January 20 " Motion to Abate Proceedings."

Applicants' reply is being filed on an expedited basis in;

order to avoid mooting the matter by the passage of time.|

| Intervenors base their Motion on the January 15

order of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission ("OCC") and the|

belief that "there is little doubt as to the practical effectt'

such an Order will have on the decision to proceed" with Black|

Fox Station, namely cancellation. Intervenors' Motion, p.. 2.

Intervenors' assumption that the OCC order will, ipst facto,

cause-cancellation of Black Fox Station is erroneous. Therel

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can be no quarrel with the fact that the OCC believes Black,

- Fox should be cancelled; but their view, as recognized.in thei

OCC order, is: strictly advisory. OCC order, pp. 53-54.'

. Although the OCC regulates the majority'of Public

Service Company of Oklahoma's operations, they have only

' limited jurisdiction over Western Farmers Electric Coopera-

tive,'and little if any jurisdiction over Associated Electric

Cooperative, Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of

Missouri. Hence, alternatives to cancellation of-the project4

are viable considerations. -Discussions among the Applicants: are ongoing, and it is' expected that a decision will-bej

{ reached by February 15, 1982. The grant of Intervenors' Mo- ,

:

i tion could prejudice these discussions because such a ruling

might be interpreted as a signal on the merits of the matters

under consideration.i In addition, the untoward delay experienced by

! Applicants in this proceeding -- caused by the. inaction of thef

Commissioners -- should not be furthered by this Atomic Safety.,

and Licensing Board (" ASLB") . This proceeding is at an

important stage. The final round of contentions are due by1

|- the end of the month. Replies are due ten days later, and a

prehearing conference will be held if necessary thereafter.4

Thus, this proceeding is close to the point of finalizing theissues.for litigation and of entering the final stages of ,p

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discovery. This momentum should not be disrupted by'the grant

of Intervenors' Motion.

For the foregoing reasons, Intervenors' Motion

should be denied. Applicants, of course, will provide, con-

sistent with the ASLB's admonition (Tr. 206), prompt advice of

the February 15 decision.

Respectfully submitted,

2 - ' $ b '_5J p ph Q411ocounsel for Public Service

Company of Oklahoma

ISHAM, LINCOLN & BEALESuite 8401120 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.Washington, D. C. 20036(202) 833-9730

Dated: January 25, 1982.

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICANUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

BEFORE THE ATOMIC SAFETY AND LICENSING BOARD

In the Matter of the Application of )Public Service Company of Oklahoma, )Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc. ) Docket Nos. STN 50-556

and ) STN 50-557Western Farmers Electric Cooperative )

)(Black Fox Station, Units 1 and 2) )

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that copies of the REPLY IN OPPOSITION

TO INTERVENORS' MOTION TO ABATE PROCEEDINGS in the above-captioned

proceeding were hand-delivered to Judges Wolfe and Shon, and to

James H. Thessin, Esquire, and were served upon the other persons

shown below by deposit in the United States mail, first-class

postage prepaid, this 25th day of January, 1982.

Sheldon J. Wolfe, Esquire Docketing and Service SectionAdministrative Judge Office of the Secretary ofAtomic Safety and Licensing the Commission

Board Panel U. S. Nuclear RegulatoryU. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

i Commission Washington, D. C. 20555Washington, D. C. 20555

Atomic Safety and LicensingMr. Frederick J. Shon Board PanelAdministrative Judge U. S. Nuclear Regulatory,

| Atomic Safety and Licensing Commissioni Board panel Washington, D. C. 20555

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory

| Commission Atomic Safety and LicensingWashington, D. C. 20555 Appeal Board Panel'

U. S. Nuclear RegulatoryDr. Paul W. Purdom CommissionAdministrative Judge Washington, D. C. 20555i

- U. S. Nuclear RegulatoryCommission

c/o Environmental Studiesi Group

Drexel University

|32nd and Chestnut Streets

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Philadelphia, PA 19104

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Dennis C. Dambly, Esquire James.H. Thessin, EsquireCounsel for NRC Staff Counsel for NRC StaffU. S. Nuclear Regulatory U. S. Nuclear Regulatory.

Commission CommissionWashington, D. C. 20555 Washington, D. C. 20555

Joseph R. Farris, Esquire Mr. Maynard HumanFeldman, Hall, Franden, Reed, General Manager

& Woodard Western Farmers Electric -

816 Enterprise Building CooperativeTulsa, Oklahoma 74103 P. O. Box 429

Andarko, Oklahoma 73005Mr. Clyde WisnerPublic Affairs Officer Mr. Gerald F. DiddleNRC Region 4 General Manager611 Ryan Plaza Drive Associated ElectricSuite 1000 Cooperative, Inc.

Arlington, Texas 76011 P. O. Box 754Springfield, Missouri 65801

Mrs. Carrie DickersonCitizens Action for Safe Michael L. Bardrick, Esquire

Energy, Inc. Assistant Attorney GeneralP. O. Box 924 State of OklahomaClaremore, Oklahoma 74107 112 State Capitol Building

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105Mrs. Ilene H. Younghein3900 Cashion PlaceOklahoma City, Oklahoma 73112

Mr. Lawrence BurrellRoute 1, Box 197Fairview, Oklahoma 73737

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