James V. Southern California Edison Trial Begins Wednesday; Exposure to Nuclear Radiation and Nuclear "Fuel Fleas" Alleged as Cause of Plaintfiff's Terminal Cancer.

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 30, 1995--Trial begins Wednesday, May 31 at 9:00 AM in the United States District Court, Southern District of California, in the matter of James v. Southern California Edison Company (SCE) and Combustion Engineering, Inc. for personal injuries, loss of consortium and punitive damages before the Honorable Napoleon Jones. Plaintiffs Glen "Jimmy" and Doreth "Nancy" James allege that exposure to dangerous levels of radiation while working at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station in San Clemente, CA (San Onofre) caused Mr. James to contract chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML), a terminal form of cancer. Don Howarth and Suzelle Smith, with the Los Angeles law firm of Howarth & Smith, represent the plaintiffs.

James, age 62, filed his complaint July 12, 1994 and alleges that hazardous conditions and dangerous levels of radiation, including exposure to "fuel fleas" (radioactive fuel particulates which emit alpha, beta and gamma radiation), resulted in his CML, which was first diagnosed in February 1992. He also alleges that detection, monitoring, and documentation of radiation exposure were all seriously flawed at San Onofre and that he was deceived into thinking that the nuclear power plant was a safe place to work.

James is similar to R.C. Tang v. SCE, which was tried in 1994 by Howarth & Smith against the same defendants and which was the first case to allege that exposure to nuclear radiation at San Onofre caused a terminal cancer. Both James and Tang worked in radiation areas of San Onofre in the mid-1980's and James has the identical terminal cancer, CML, as Tang. Radiation is the only known cause of CML, a very rare cancer.

James worked onsite at San Onofre in radiation areas in 1982 and 1983 when he was employed by Bechtel Power Corporation as a field engineer; and in 1985 and 1986 when he was employed by Fluor Technology, Inc. as an electrical designer and engineer. During that time, more than 105 corroded nuclear fuel rods caused leakage of radioactive gas and uranium fuel particles, which resulted in radiation levels of at least 10 times higher than normal. The NRC fined San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station at least $200,000 for its failure to comply with federal regulations.

"All during this time," said Don Howarth, "San Onofre's management maintained that the environment was safe while nuclear fuel fleas ran rampant and undetected throughout the plant, acting as a silent death warrant over Jimmy. We know this because the latency period for his type of cancer is 8-10 years, and the real question is how many other people were exposed to radioactive emissions from San Onofre?"

"There is a nuclear fuel flea epidemic," alleges Suzelle Smith, "and, for those affected, it is as invidious as AIDS. In fact, in preparing for this trial, the court ordered SCE to publicly notify people working between January 1983 and December 1987 at San Onofre that the plaintiffs were seeking production of all records involving possible exposure to radioactive materials at the nuclear power plant."

"It is too late for me," said Jimmy James. "This lawsuit has been brought for the good it will do in compelling SCE to be accountable for its deceptions about safety measures to the people working at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station and to the public as well. We want the nuclear power industry to take heed and make people, not profit, its top priority."

"My husband has become a shell of his former self," observed Nancy James. "This cancer that was completely unnecessary is eating him alive and depriving us of a future together. No one should have to suffer this way, and it is time for the truth to be told."

CONTACT: Kathy Pinckert, 310/836-8355; Page 310/724-9554