Daily News from New York, New York • 901

DAILY NEWS Swollk NS1 THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 1980 IPS e7 stt pirolbe off (LSD pDaM escalation ofthe Shoreham plant should BY FRANK MAZZA The State Public Service Commission said yesterday it wants to investigate possible mismanagement by the Long Island Lighting Co. in the construction of its multi-billion dol- lar nuclear plant at Shoreham. The commission also said that if it found that "imprudent steps" had been taken, it would take the cost of that "construction "off the" rate-payers shoulders and put it on the company's." At its annual stockholder's meeting in Hicksville Tuesday, Lilco hinted that the latest projected cost of the Shoreham plant has mushroomed another $600 million to a total of $2.2 billion, almost 10 times the original cost estimate of $261 million. The new figure, makes the plant the most costly commercial nuclear reactor in existence. A spokesman for Lilco told The Daily News yesterday that this spring the company will ask for a rate increase to pay for the higher construction cost of Shoreham and to catch up with the current inflationary spiral.

The rate boost request will be in addition a $25.6 million rate increase that is -expected to be approved by the PSC next month. -Passing on to customers the latest cost AV i sl4ilififs boost the average monthly utility bill of the residential consumer by $5, according to sources in the PSC and a local consumer group. The company reported that the $25.6 million rate increase scheduled for next month will raise the average monthly bill by $1.12 in winter and $1,32 in summer. The company said it could not at this time estimate the size of the rate increase to cover the cost escalation of Shoreham or its impact on customers. Francis Rivett of the PSC told The News the commission had requested $200,000 from the Legislature to conduct a probe into the cost of the capital construction undertaken by Lilco.

The Legislature turned down the request, but, Rivett said, the commission is hopeful that it will.be reinstated or appropriated through the state's supplemental budget. "We're trying hard to get it." he said. It would be an unprecedented action for the PSC to check into a utility's capital construction program with the intention of making the company pay for any mistakes found. Rivett said the commission decided it should look into the Shoreham nuclear construction because of the great escalation in cost "For a 10-fold increase in the projected cost, we want to look and look carefully." Rivett said. Besides, he pointed out the latest escalation of $600 million might provide legislators with the incentive to approve the funds for the construction probe.

"It certainly can't hurt," he remarked. James MooneyDaily News Interior view of Ulco's Shoreham nuclear plant Wydler won't seek a 10th term Rep It has been rumored in recent days Richard Kessel, director of Long Island Consumer Action, a citizen watchdog group, demanded yesterday that the entire Lilco board resign. He accused the top executives of "making a $2 billion seat is Assemblyman Raymond McGrath of Valley Stream. Time to move on' Wydler said in announcing his retirement, I am certain that I can be reelected but I do not look forward to the rigors of the 10th campaign," and added, "It is 'simply time to move on and give someone By GROVER RYDER "I cannot do this job "any better, only longer," said Rep. John Wydler -(R-Garden City) yesterday- as he announced that he will not seek his 10th term.

Wydler, senior member of the Long Island congressional delegation and from the strongly Republican 5th said that his decision to leave office was based "on my own interests and those of my family." Although the announcement came as a surprise, it has been known for some time that Wydler, 55, an attorney, was unhappy' with outside-income restrictions placed on its members by Congress. He voted against the move that limited outside income to $8,625 a year. that former Democratic State Burstein of Woodmere, now a member of the State Public Service Commission, was ready to resign her position to try to unseat Wydler. She was in Albany yesterday and. could not be reached for comment Another possible Democratic candidate for the seat is Nassau District Attorney Denis Dillon, who may see It as a step toward realizing a lifetime ambition of becoming a U.S.

senator, Wydler's announcement came as a surprise even to Nassau Republican leader Joseph Margiotta, who was told by the congressman of his decision only on Tuesday. Expected to get the nod tomorrow as the Republican candidate for the Wydler The consumer advocate noted that it was the stockholders who elected the board members and so the stockholders should pay for mismanagement by the directors. KesseL who owns one share of Lilco stock, suggested that the overrun costs caused by mismanagement should come out of stockholders' dividends. "Certainly the billion-dollar bungle should not be borne by the customers," Kessel declared. The consumer group also called on the PSC yesterday to hold off action on Lilco's rate request for $25.6 million until the question of cost overruns is resolved.

elsea chance." I After voting against the restrictions on income, Wydler wrote a letter to his colleagues in Congress, stating: "I am not a wealthy man. I depend on my outside earned income to provide additional money which is necessary to support my family." The Wydlers have three children. The salary of a congressman is $60,700 per year. We solve problems, get answers, cut red tape, stand up for your rights. Questions answered only in this column.

Write Action Line, Bex 1 58, New York, N.Y. 10017. Include your phone number. Incoming phone calls cannot be accepted. Brooklyn directory, which is scheduled for delivery in June.

We hope she goes far I have an 11-year-old daughter who is very good in acrobatics and gymnastics. In her first year she was given an award from her acrobatic school as the new student with the best potential. This was last June, and in -September when she returned to class she was placed with the children who had been there for five years. She has kept pace, and is about the second one in that class now. She has asked me how she can train for future .1.1..

1 HA tA I. A- fl-mA this to proceed. We continued to be concerned, however, because Mrs. L. had stated in her original letter that she had been letting neighborhood children use the pool, and it is now unusable.

But there had been no good news to impart until today. We called reader P.W. to answer her question and also to ask what advice or help, being in the business, she might be able to offer M.L., and she has been enormously helpful. Without going into details, Mrs. L.

is getting the liner she needs to provide happy splashing for those kids this summer, and at greatly reduced cost We may just stop by some hot day for a dip. Once more we say, "Hooray for our readers." We dialed a right number I am a senior citizen and I live alone, on my Social Security. My problem is with the phone company. I want to change my listing to just the-first initial and last name, because of obscene phone calls I have been receiving. They tell me I would have to pay $9 plus charges to do this.

I don't want the number changed, just the name. I've called them and got no satisfaction. I cant afford to spend $9 en this. Hope you can help me. S.G., Brooklyn We sent your letter, together with our plea in your behalf, to New York Telephone, and there district staff manager Carol Buecherl discussed your situation with the business office, which has now waived the standard record-order charge of $9 to make the change.

Your name with first initial only will appear in the next By PAN O'MAILEY and TOM McMORROW I am an owner of Water World a swimming pool repair company. Last fall you published a letter from MX. of Ozone Park, who had purchased a pool liner two years ago. The company had guaranteed this liner for 10 years not to tear at the seams, but it did. Then the company went bankrupt, and another company took over the business, using a different name, but with the same logo and the same phone number.

The new company quoted her $1,000 as opposed to the $450 she had originally paid, and refused to honor the warranty in any fashion. Your answer was that you handed this over to the Consumer Frauds Bureau of the attorney general's office. As of this date you have not published what happened. Although'you did not mention names, we know by our knowledge of the business what companies were involved. The $1,000 being asked is certainly high; a more equitable price would be in the $500 area.

We hate to see someone get stuck like this, and would appreciate any information, either through your column or by letter, as to the results of the investigation. Flushing We had not published anything further on this case because, unfortunately, the attorney general's office was unable to help this woman. We had suspected that someone had "taken a bath financially here (gone through bankruptcy and then reopened under another name, cleansed of alTprevious obligations), but apparently the attorney general found insufficient evidence of ViympiC III pc lit lull. A uavc uu luca nucic iiuu moderate-priced program, or even any program that exists for Olympic training. Stacey's ability to work hard plus the natural ability she has and her desire to win should be explored.

Thank you for any help. M.C, Queens Village Picturing your daughter, with her willingness to work and sacrifice whatever it takes to make a future Olympic team, makes all the more poignant the thought of the kids who have paid all those dues and are ready to go right now and can't In the hope that a better world in the future will enable Olympic competition to resume, we wrote to the U. S. Olympic Committee in Colorado Springs in Stacey's behalf. Director of com- r4UUUiLuvu0 v.

Mwwv.k wm. jww personally. We also advise you to get in touch with the U. S. Gymnastics Federation in Tucson, Ariz, for guidance.

Ana Keep us posted on ner progress..