May 9, 1983

The nuclear power industry, already reeling from stagnant demand for electricity, huge cost overruns for new construction and mounting environmental opposition, has been dealt a devastating blow by the Federal Government in recent actions, several of the nation's biggest utilities said over the weekend. In decisions announced last week, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said it would close the Consolidated Edison Company's Indian Point nuclear plant if the utility did not come up with an acceptable emergency evacuation plan, and fined the operators of the Salem nuclear plant in New Jersey $850,000 for safety violations. The actions came against the backdrop of a Supreme Court decision upholding the right of municipalities to bar nuclear plants within their boundaries. Evan Silverstein, an analyst for L.F. Rothchild and Company, characterized the moves as ''another nail in the coffin of nuclear power.'' He added that ''every time the nuclear industry receives another setback there are countless investors out there that say to themselves, 'That's it, this is too big a gamble at any price.' ''

''I grew up in a tough neighborhood in Rhode Island. If someone took a swing at me, being a good Irishman, I would say swing back.

Secretary of State George P. Shultz said today that he was very encouraged by Saudi Arabia's reaction to the Israeli-Lebanese withdrawal agreement and to his efforts to bring about a pullout of Syrian troops from Lebanon. Mr. Shultz spoke to reporters on his Air Force plane as he wound up a two-week tour of the Middle East. He began the day in Saudi Arabia and then went on to Israel and Lebanon before flying here tonight. After his talks with Saudi leaders in Jidda, Mr. Shultz said both King Fahd and Prince Saud al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister, had questioned him extensively about the details of the Israeli-Lebanese agreement, which Syria criticized sharply on Saturday. He said of the Saudis, ''I don't want to speak for them, but I considered it to be very worthwhile and encouraging from our standpoint.''

On Thursday Susana Martinez Duran's hopes were high. After quickly arranging things at home in the southern city of Neuquen, she flew 700 miles to the capital. Her 28-year old brother disappeared in 1976, and a week ago the ruling military said that relatives of the thousands who vanished during a Government campaign against terrorism in the 1970's could go to the Interior Ministry to learn what was known of their fate. This morning, Mrs. Duran, dressed in a blue suit, stepped into the shabby back-street office to which she had been directed. Emerging 15 minutes later, her hopes crushed, she sobbed the word again and again: ''Disappeared.''

When librarians at the Connetquot Public Library in Bohemia, L.I., announced in a recent newsletter that the library would soon have three personal computers that could be checked out and taken home, they were nearly overwhelmed by the response. ''We immediately had 150 reservations,'' said Joan Zaleski, the library's director. ''So we realized we'd have to order three more. And there's still a waiting list of over a hundred.''