Saturday, December 31, 2011

Agency Smackdown, Round 2: A Critique of ‘the Nuclear Party’

From the New York Times:
The chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, whose four fellow commissioners complained about him to the White House, saying that he had been withholding information from them and wielding too much power, drew a spirited defense on Wednesday from a predecessor at the agency. Peter A. Bradford, who was a commission member from 1977 to 1982, was speaking with reporters in a conference call on another topic, whether the recent approval of a new reactor design by the commission represented a major step toward a “nuclear renaissance.” (It doesn’t, he said.) Mr. Bradford never led the Nuclear Regulatory Commission but can be considered an expert on multimember agencies; he later served as the chairman of the public utility commissions of New York State and Maine. In the course of the call, Mr. Bradford said that the four commissioners were trying to give the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s chairman, Gregory B. Jaczko, “a push toward the door.”
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TMI: Meeting to discuss Inspection Results (ML113480100)

Forthcoming Meeting with Exelon Generation Company, LLC, and Entergy Operations, Inc. to Discuss Steam Generator Inspection Results at Three Mile Island, Unit 1 and Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 1 Download ML113480100

TMI: Third Inservice Inspection Interval Relif Requests (ML113410469)

THREE MILE ISLAND NUCLEAR STATION, UNIT 1 (TMI-1) - THIRD INSERVICE INSPECTION INTERVAL RELIEF REQUESTS RR-11-01 AND RR-11-02 (TAC NOS. ME5670 AND ME5671)

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Peach Bottom: Information Needed Re Use of Neutron Absorbing Inserts (ML113260295)

Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Units 2 and 3 – Supplemental Information Needed for Acceptance of Requested Licensing Action Re: Use of Neutron Absorbing Inserts in Units 2 and 3 Spent Fuel Pool Storage Racks (TAC Nos. ME7538 and ME7539) ADAMS Accession No.: ML113260295

Letter Regarding Petiton from Paul Gunter to Suspect OLs of BE BWR Mark I Units

G20110262/EDATS: OEDO-2011-0269 - Acknowledgment Letter Regarding 2.206 Petition of April 13, 2011 from Paul Gunter to Immediately Suspend OLs of GE BWR Mark I Units Download PDF

PPL's Water Use Plan for Bell Bend Nuclear Power Plant (Epstein Testimony, SRBC, 12/15/11)

Testimony of Eric Joseph Epstein Before the Susquehanna River Basin Commission December 15, 2011 __________ Re: PPL’s Conceptual Proposal to Develop and Implement A Corporate Storage Asset Pool for Consumptive Use Mitigation Presented to the SRBC on June 23, 2011 Download PDF

Regulatory Meltdown

Regulatory Meltdown: How Four Nuclear Regulatory Commissioners Conspired to Delay and Weaken Nuclear Reactor Safety in the Wake of Fukushima Prepared by the Staff of Congressman Edward J Markey (D-MA) Download PDF

Fukushima Reactor(s) Leaking Again; Hydrogen Building Up

From Huntington News:
Although the initial accident took place in the Spring, the reactors at Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant again have mounting pressure from hydrogen. Workers are trying to reduce the pressure by spraying nitrogen. Should hydrogen levels go too high, additional explosions could occur. This Youtube video is based on a release from Toyko Electric Power.
In late October, Tokyo Electric Power Company began extracting gases from the containment vessel of the No.2 reactor to remove radioactive substances. During the work, TEPCO found hydrogen accumulating in parts of the reactor at a density of up to 2.9 percent. TEPCO started pumping nitrogen into the pressure vessels of the No.1, 2, 3 reactors on Thursday to lessen the concentration of hydrogen. The density of hydrogen accumulating in the containment and pressure vessels is thought to be below 4 percent, the level where an explosion could occur.
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Sundance 2012: Images from THE ATOMIC STATES OF AMERICA

With the announcement of the 2012 Sundance Film Festival in-competition line-up comes a whole bunch of images from the upcoming films. In this edition, we’ll cover four documentaries: The Atomic States of America, Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare, The Other Dream Team, and Marina Abramović The Artist is Present. Click here to view the images.

Sundance 2012: Images from THE ATOMIC STATES OF AMERICA

With the announcement of the 2012 Sundance Film Festival in-competition line-up comes a whole bunch of images from the upcoming films. In this edition, we’ll cover four documentaries: The Atomic States of America, Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare, The Other Dream Team, and Marina Abramović The Artist is Present. Click here to view the images.

'No Errors' in Nuclear Crisis

From the Wall Street Journal:
More than eight months after disaster struck at its Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, Tokyo Electric Power Co. said an internal investigation, its first public assessment of its handling of the crisis, found no evidence of significant errors in its response.

But the plant operator also conceded it still didn't have answers to some key questions about the disaster, in the latest reminder of how little is still known about how the March 11 accident unfolded and what the current status of the plant is.

The findings were part of an interim report on the accident that Tepco released Friday.

The report supports Tepco's line that its plant complied with earthquake safety standards. But Tepco acknowledged it hasn't yet resolved a fundamental problem: pinpointing the source of continued leaks of irradiated water from the plant. It also said it doesn't know why radiation releases spiked four days into the crisis.

Complicating the picture, the utility retracted an earlier statement that an explosion took place in Unit 2 of the plant on March 15, the day of the radiation increase, removing one possible cause for the higher radiation levels. Tepco initially said there were two explosions on March 15, one believed to be inside the suppression chamber of Unit 2 and another near the rooftop of Unit 4. This followed explosions at Unit 1 on March 12 and at Unit 3 at March 14.

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Exelon: Threshold Determination Under 10 CFR 50.80

Exelon Generation Company, LLC – Threshold Determination Under 10 CFR 50.80 – (TAC Nos. ME6269 – ME6287) ADAMS Accession No.: ML112450212

Markey to NRC: Pump Problems Plague Palisades Power Plant

For Immediate Release Contact: Giselle Barry 202-225-2836 December 1, 2011 http://markey.house.gov/ Markey to NRC: Pump Problems Plague Palisades Power Plant Congressman queries NRC about series of failures at Palisades, other nuclear power plants involving steel used in water pumps for cooling nuclear reactors WASHINGTON, D.C. – A recent investigation by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) found that the failure of a water pump due to the corrosion of certain kinds of stainless steel components caused an August shutdown of the Palisades Nuclear Generating Station in Michigan. Despite scientific findings and industry experience reporting its vulnerability to cracks and corrosion, the types of stainless steel –known as 410SS and 416SS – continues to be used in water pumps used to provide cooling water to critical safety-related equipment such as component cooling water, diesel generators, and containment vessel air coolers for nuclear power plants throughout the U.S. Today, Congressman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, sent a letter querying the NRC about the vulnerability of these metals to corrosion cracking and their continued use despite two decades of failures in nuclear power plants. Despite NRC alerting licensees about issues with these pumps, failures continue and licensees have not been required to take any action or even report back to the NRC regarding what they are doing to identify, mitigate or prevent corrosion cracking that could cause component failures. “They say there was never a good knife made of bad steel. Similarly, you can’t have a safe nuclear reactor made of bad steel,” said Rep. Markey. “I am concerned that U.S. nuclear power plants using components made from 410 and 416 steel may be subject to failures of critical safety equipment and at risk of shutdown. NRC must ensure that it requires licensees to take steps to identify and mitigate any corrosion of its components in order to demonstrate that they will perform satisfactorily in service, especially for critical safety-related operations.” A copy of the letter to the NRC can be found HERE. In the letter, Rep. Markey asks the NRC to respond to questions that include:
  • Which U.S. nuclear power plants currently use 410SS and 416SS components and what are the known uses of 410SS and 416SS?
  • Will the NRC undertake a review of 410SS and 416SS steels to determine if additional periodic inspections and mitigation efforts are warranted?
  • What regulatory actions will be undertaken in order to assess, require licensee reporting and inspection of, and address problems involved in 410SS and 416SS components?
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Cesium from Fukushima plant fell all over Japan

From Asahi Shimbun:

Radioactive substances from the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant have now been confirmed in all prefectures, including Uruma, Okinawa Prefecture, about 1,700 kilometers from the plant, according to the science ministry.

The ministry said it concluded the radioactive substances came from the stricken nuclear plant because, in all cases, they contained cesium-134, which has short half-life of two years.

Before the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake, radioactive substance were barely detectable in most areas.

But the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's survey results released on Nov. 25 showed that fallout from the Fukushima plant has spread across Japan. The survey covered the cumulative densities of radioactive substances in dust that fell into receptacles during the four months from March through June.

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Recission of Reactor Security Orders

Holders of Licenses for Operating Power Reactors: Rescission or Partial Rescission of Certain Power Reactor Security Orders Applicable to Nuclear Power Plants ADAMS Accession Number: ML111220447

Three Mile Island Unit 1 Returned to Service

Contact:

Ralph DeSantis FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Three Mile Island Generating Station 717-948-8930

Three Mile Island Unit 1 Returned to Service

Thousands of Equipment Upgrades and Maintenance Tasks Completed Safely, Additional Workers Bring Economic Boost to Region

LONDONDERRY TWP., PA (November 27, 2011) – Following a safe and successful refueling outage, station operators placed Three Mile Island Unit 1 back in service on Friday, Nov. 25 at 3:50 p.m. and the plant reached full power this afternoon. During the outage, workers replaced nearly a third of the reactor’s fuel and safely performed more than 17,000 inspections and maintenance activities on a variety of plant components and systems. This year, workers also upgraded the plant’s main electrical generator and installed a new digital control rod drive system.

“TMI’s refueling outage was a big success thanks to the dedication and talent of our full-time personnel and the many supplemental workers who supported us,” said Site Vice President, Glen Earl Chick. “We completed a host of maintenance activities and equipment upgrades that will help us run the plant safely and efficiently for many years to come.”

Three Mile Island used the talents and expertise of more than 1,700 supplemental workers to support this year’s refueling outage. Many of these workers traveled to Three Mile Island from outside the area, providing a significant boost to the local economy.

Three Mile Island Unit 1 generates 852 megawatts of carbon free power - enough electricity for about 800,000 homes. Electric customers were not affected by the plant being off line.

###

Exelon Corporation is one of the nation’s largest electric utilities with more than $18 billion in annual revenues. The company has one of the industry’s largest portfolios of electricity generation capacity, with a nationwide reach and strong positions in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. Exelon distributes electricity to approximately 5.4 million customers in northern Illinois and southeastern Pennsylvania and natural gas to approximately 490,000 customers in the Philadelphia area. Exelon is headquartered in Chicago and trades on the NYSE under the ticker EXC.

TMI & Peach Bottom:Additonal Information Regarding 6-day Response

BRAIDWOOD STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2; BYRON STATION, UNIT NOS. 1 AND 2; CLINTON POWER STATION, UNIT NO.1; DRESDEN NUCLEAR POWER STATION, UNITS 2 AND 3; LASALLE COUNTY STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2; LIMERICK GENERATING STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2; OYSTER CREEK NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION; PEACH BOTTOM ATOMIC POWER STATION, UNITS 2 AND 3; QUAD CITIES NUCLEAR POWER STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2; AND THREE MILE ISLAND NUCLEAR STATION, UNIT 1 ­ BULLETIN 2011-01, "MITIGATING STRATEGIES" REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING 60-DAY RESPONSE (TAC NOS. ME6402, ME6403, ME6409, ME6410, ME6416, ME6427, ME6428, ME6444, ME6445, ME6446, ME6447, ME6460, ME6465, ME6466, ME6473, ME6474, AND ME6493

Download ML113120057

Susquehanna: Ammendment regarding Surveillance Requirements (ML11292A137)

SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 -ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENTS RE: CHANGE TO TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS (TSs) SURVEILLANCE REQUIREMENTS (SRs) 3.4.3.1 TO REVISE THE LOWER SURVEILLANCE TOLERANCES (TAC NOS. ME5050 AND ME5051)

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TMI: Decommissioning Fund Status Report

Three Mile Island Nuclear Station Unit 2 - 2011 Decommissioning Fund Status Report - Request for Additional Information, License: DPR-73, Docket: 50-320. Download Report

2.206 Petition Regarding Boiling Water Reactors

2.206 Petition Regarding Boiling Water Reactors with Mark I and Mark II Containment Designs ADAMS Accession No.: ML112800606

TMI: NRC Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report 05000289/2011301

THREE MILE ]SLAND NUCLEAR STATION, UNIT 1 - NRC INITIAL OPERATOR LICENSING EXAMINATION REPORT O5OOO289/2011301 Download Report

TMI: NRC Integrated Inspection Report 05000289/2011004

Three Mile Island -Three Mile Island Station, Unit 1 - NRC Integrated Inspection Report 05000289/2011004 ADAMS Accession No. ML113080106

NRC INVESTIGATION REPORT NO. 1-2011-034

From the NRC: Dear Mr. Collins: This refers to the investigation by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) Office of Investigations (Ol) that was conducted at Exelon's Three Mile lsland (TMl)facility, and completed on July 7, 2011. The investigation was conducted to determine, in part, whether you, a contractor employee, deliberately failed to report a June 2010 arrest on a personal history questionnaire (PHQ) you completed on July 28, 2010, to obtain unescorted access authorization (UAA) to the site. Based on the results of the Ol investigation, the NRC has concluded that you deliberately violated Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Section 73.56(dX2), "Personal history disclosure," which requires, in part, that any individual who is applying for UM shall disclose the personal history information that is required by the licensee's access authorization program, including any information that may be necessary for the reviewing official to make a determination of the individual's trustworthiness and reliability. The PHQ required that you disclose all legal actions; however, you failed to record that you had been arrested on drug-related charges on June 13,2010. Download PDF

Susquehanna: Audit of the Licensee's Management of Regulatory Commitments

Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2 – Audit of the Licensee’s Management of Regulatory Commitments (TAC Nos. ME7014 and ME7015) ADAMS Accession No.: ML11264A002

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Susquehanna: Audit of Licensee's Management (ML11264A002)

SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 - AUDIT OF THE LICENSEE'S MANAGEMENT OF REGULATORY COMMITMENTS (TAC NOS. ME7014 AND ME7015

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New Norwegian report says Fukushima radiation releases twice initial estimates

From Bellona:

The estimate of much higher levels of radioactive caesium-137 in the atmosphere comes from a worldwide network of sensors that was studied by the Norwegian Institute for Air Research in a report authored by Andreas Stohl .

The Norwegian study says the Japanese government estimate came only from data in Japan, and that would have missed emissions blown out to sea. Its says that Fukushima Daiichi radioactive releases equal 40 percent of those from the Chernobyl disaster in 1986.

A study by the French Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety also stated that the amount of caesium-137 that flowed into the Pacific from the coastal plant is some 30 times more than was estimated by the plant’s owner, Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO).

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Cancer, nuke site study begins; Trying to find risks of living nearby

From USA Today:

As the nation explores whether to invest more in nuclear energy, the National Academy of Sciences has begun a study of cancer risks faced by people living near nuclear facilities -- a study it admits is worrisome. A patchwork of state and local mortality reports, inconsistent data on illnesses and pollution combined with an American population that has moved around quite a bit in the past 50 years are just some of the challenges, said John Burris, chairman of the cancer-risk study committee. Proving scientifically whether long-term exposure to low doses of radiation around the nation's 104 nuclear facilities has meant a higher rate of cancer for those living nearby will be a daunting task, Burris said. "If you show living near a nuclear facility increases your chances of getting cancer, there will have to be radical changes, but that is not up to the committee," Burris said at a public meeting in Tennessee this month. The study, called for by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, is planned to update a 1991 National Cancer Institute study that found no danger in living near nuclear plants. President Obama has called for $36 billion in federal loan guarantees for nuclear power plant construction.

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Fallout forensics hike radiation toll

From Nature:

The disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in March released far more radiation than the Japanese government has claimed. So concludes a study1 that combines radioactivity data from across the globe to estimate the scale and fate of emissions from the shattered plant.

The study also suggests that, contrary to government claims, pools used to store spent nuclear fuel played a significant part in the release of the long-lived environmental contaminant caesium-137, which could have been prevented by prompt action. The analysis has been posted online for open peer review by the journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.

Andreas Stohl, an atmospheric scientist with the Norwegian Institute for Air Research in Kjeller, who led the research, believes that the analysis is the most comprehensive effort yet to understand how much radiation was released from Fukushima Daiichi. "It's a very valuable contribution," says Lars-Erik De Geer, an atmospheric modeller with the Swedish Defense Research Agency in Stockholm, who was not involved with the study.

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Correction Letter for Peach Bottom: Safety Evaluation (ML112911410)

CORRECTION LETTER FOR PEACH BOTTOM ATOMIC POWER STATION, UNIT 3 - SAFETY EVALUATION REGARDING SAFETY LIMIT MINIMUM CRITICAL POWER RATIO VALUE CHANGE (TAC NO. ME6391)

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Panel proposes widening nuclear evacuation perimeter to 30 km (18 miles)

From Kyodo News:

The secretariat of the Nuclear Safety Commission of Japan proposed on Thursday expanding the maximum evacuation perimeter around a nuclear power plant to a 30-kilometer radius from the current 10 km in the event of a future nuclear accident.

The secretariat also proposed newly designating a 5-km radius around a nuclear plant as a zone from which people should immediately be evacuated following a plant accident.

The proposal was shown to the commission's working group reexamining evacuation rules for nuclear accidents in the wake of the disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Fukushima Prefecture triggered by the massive earthquake and tsunami in March.

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Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Susquehanna: Correction Letter RE: Transmittal of Accident Sequence Precursor Analysis

SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNIT 1 - CORRECTION LETTER RE: TRANSMITTAL OF ACCIDENT SEQUENCE PRECURSOR ANALYSIS FOR SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNIT 1

Adams Accession No. ML11286A202

TMI: Decomissioning Funding Status Report - Request for Additional Information

Three Mile Island Nuclear Station Unit 2 - 2011 Decommissioning Funding Status Report - Request for Additional Information, License: DPR-73, Docket: 50-320

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Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Gov't releases new radiation map for Tohoku, Kanto districts

From the Mainichi Daily News:

The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has released a new map showing the spread of radiation from the crippled Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant across 10 prefectures, including Tokyo and Kanagawa.

The map released on Oct. 6 shows levels of radioactive cesium (cesium-137 and cesium-134) that have accumulated in soil in the prefectures of Yamagata, Miyagi, Fukushima, Tochigi, Gunma, Ibaraki, Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa and Tokyo.

The map shows 30,000 to 60,000 becquerels of radioactive cesium per square meter of soil in the areas of Higashikanamachi, Mizumotokoen and Shibamata in Tokyo's Katsushika Ward, as well as some parts of Kitakoiwa in Tokyo's Edogawa Ward.

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Gov't releases new radiation map for Tohoku, Kanto districts

From the Mainichi Daily News:

The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has released a new map showing the spread of radiation from the crippled Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant across 10 prefectures, including Tokyo and Kanagawa.

The map released on Oct. 6 shows levels of radioactive cesium (cesium-137 and cesium-134) that have accumulated in soil in the prefectures of Yamagata, Miyagi, Fukushima, Tochigi, Gunma, Ibaraki, Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa and Tokyo.

The map shows 30,000 to 60,000 becquerels of radioactive cesium per square meter of soil in the areas of Higashikanamachi, Mizumotokoen and Shibamata in Tokyo's Katsushika Ward, as well as some parts of Kitakoiwa in Tokyo's Edogawa Ward.

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GE warns nuclear reactors could struggle in earthquake

From NJ.com:

A manufacturer of dozens of boiling water nuclear reactors in the country, including many on the East Coast, warned the Nuclear Regulatory Commission last year and reiterated last week that earthquakes could hinder its reactors from shutting down.

GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, which manufactured the boiling water reactors at Oyster Creek, Hope Creek and two plants in Pennsylvania, said that an earthquake could prevent rods that cool the reactor from being inserted.

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Monday, October 3, 2011

Peach Bottom: Issuance of Amendments Re: Liquid Nitrogen Storage

Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Units 2 and 3 – Issuance of Amendments Re: Liquid Nitrogen Storage (TAC Nos. ME4131 and ME4132) ADAMS Accession No.: ML112570049

Peach Bottom: Issuance of Amendment Re: Safety Limit Minimum Critical Power Ratio Value Change

Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Unit 3 – Issuance of Amendment Re: Safety Limit Minimum Critical Power Ratio Value Change (TAC No. ME6391) ADAMS Accession No.: ML111860015

Summary of June 14, 2011, Meeting with Exelon

Summary of June 14, 2011, Meeting with Exelon Re: Proposed Amendment Request to Implement an Extended Power Uprate ADAMS Accession No.: ML111740739

Recipe for Disaster: Time to Make Nuclear Power Safer

From the Union of Concerned Scientists:

History has shown—most recently with the Fukushima disaster in Japan—that accidents happen. But those responsible for U.S. nuclear power safety and security—Congress, the White House, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the nuclear industry—continue to offer overly optimistic assurances that everything is fine and everyone is safe.

In fact, they could and should be doing much more to protect Americans from a nuclear accident, and their failure to address known threats is a recipe for disaster. For example:

Radioactive fuel rods are stored in hazardous conditions at all 104 U.S. nuclear reactors

More than 40 of the 104 reactors fail to meet basic fire safety standards that have been in place for years

A dozen plants have not even fully implemented terrorism prevention requirements—10 years after 9/11

Nuclear reactors currently supply nearly 20 percent of America's electricity needs, and that won't change anytime soon. What has to change is the attitude of the people entrusted with keeping Americans safe.

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TEPCO sell-off to cover damages

From the Daily Yomiuri:

Tokyo Electric Power Co. has begun preparations to sell off assets, including company residences and recreation facilities, through four trust banks to raise money for compensation related to the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant crisis, it has been learned.

Initially, TEPCO intends to sell about 40 pieces of real estate for about 10 billion yen. Later, the utility will designate further assets to sell, coordinating with the government's TEPCO Management and Finance Investigation Committee, a third-party panel monitoring the company's restructuring efforts.

Eventually, the company hopes to raise about 600 billion yen through sales of real estate and stock.

According to sources, TEPCO will commission four trust banks to sell the assets. They are Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corp., Mizuho Trust and Banking Co., The Chuo Mitsui Trust and Banking Co. and The Sumitomo Trust & Banking Co.

The utility will begin by selling employee residences in Setagaya and Meguro wards, Tokyo, and Ichihara, Chiba Prefecture; dormitories in Chiba's Chuo Ward and Sodegaura, Chiba Prefecture, and Konan Ward, Yokohama; recreation facilities in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, and in the Shukugo district of Utsunomiya. These assets are expected to be sold relatively easily.

The bidding for these assets is expected to take place from early to mid-October with winning bidders likely to take over the properties beginning in November.

It is important for TEPCO to raise money quickly to compensate people affected by the crisis at the Fukushima power plant. The firm's operating costs have also increased, as TEPCO, with its idled nuclear power plants, has to purchase fuel for thermal power generation.

TEPCO will sell its assets before beginning compensation payments in October. Originally, TEPCO planned to sell them around August, but coordination with the government committee took longer than expected, delaying the sales.

TEPCO plans to consider other assets it can sell over the next one or two years with a goal of raising about 100 billion yen.

Aside from real estate, the company plans to raise about 270 billion yen through securities and about 230 billion yen via the sale or liquidation of group companies.

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Fairewinds Introduces a Japanese Language Edition and Identifies Safety Problems in all Reactors Designed Like Fukushima

Fairewinds Introduces a Japanese Language Edition and Identifies Safety Problems in all Reactors Designed Like Fukushima from Fairewinds Associates on Vimeo.

Siemens to quit nuclear industry

From BBC News:

German industrial and engineering conglomerate Siemens is to withdraw entirely from the nuclear industry.

The move is a response to the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan in March, chief executive Peter Loescher said.

He told Spiegel magazine it was the firm's answer to "the clear positioning of German society and politics for a pullout from nuclear energy".

"The chapter for us is closed," he said, announcing that the firm will no longer build nuclear power stations.

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TMI: Issuance of Amendment Re: Maximum Allowable Power

Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1 – Issuance of Amendment Re: Maximum Allowable Power with Inoperable Main Steam Safety Valves (TAC No. ME4808) ADAMS Accession No.: ML112360581

Peach Bottom: Request for Additional Information Regarding License Amendment Request

Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Unit 3 - Request for Additional Information Regarding License Amendment Request for Safety Limit Minimum Critical Power Ratio Change (TAC No. ME6931)

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Susquehanna: Amendment Re: Adoption of TSTF-514

SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 -ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENT RE: ADOPTION OF TSTF-514, REVISION 3 (TAC NOS. ME6036 AND ME6037)

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PPL's nuclear plant marked down in NRC safety check

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania's Susquehanna nuclear power plant faces tougher scrutiny from federal regulators following a national review of plant safety. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Tuesday all of the nation's 104 plants are operating safely, but that problems at Unit 1 of the Susquehanna plant in Luzerne County made it 1 of 5 with the worst recent safety performance. No serious problems were detected at Pennsylvania's four other nuclear plants in the latest assessment. The low grades reflect four unplanned shutdowns at Susquehanna Unit 1 between April 2010 and January 2011, including one necessitated by a faulty gasket that caused 1 million gallons of river water to leak into the turbine building. NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan says the agency will conduct at least one special inspection of the plant later this year.

Susquehanna: Mid-Cycle Letter

Susquehanna Steam Electric Station Units 1 and 2 - Mid-Cycle Letter for Susquehanna Steam Electric Station Units 1 and 2 (Report 05000387/2011006 and 05000388/2011006) ADAMS Accession No. ML112430469

TMI: Mid-Cycle Letter

Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1 - Mid-Cycle Letter for Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1 (Report 05000289/2011006)

ADAMS Accession No. ML112420674

Peach Bottom: Mid-Cycle Letter

Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station - Mid-Cycle Letter for Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station (05000277/2011006 AND 05000278/2011006)

ADAMS Accession No. ML112411345

Analysis Of Cancer Risks in Populations Near Nuclear Facilities: Phase 1

Project Title:

Analysis Of Cancer Risks in Populations Near Nuclear Facilities: Phase 1

PIN:

DELS-NRSB-10-02

Major Unit:

Division on Earth and Life Studies

Institute of Medicine

Sub Unit:

Board on Health Sciences Policy

Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board

RSO:

Crowley, Kevin

Subject/Focus Area:

Energy and Energy Conservation; Environment and Environmental Studies; Health and Medicine

Project Scope

The National Academies will provide an assessment of cancer risks in populations living near U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission-licensed nuclear facilities. This assessment will be carried out in two consecutive phases: 

A Phase 1 scoping study will identify scientifically sound approaches for carrying out the cancer epidemiology study that has been requested by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. It will address the following tasks:

1. Methodological approaches for assessing off-site radiation dose, including consideration of:

• Pathways, receptors, and source terms
• Availability, completeness, and quality of information on gaseous and liquid radioactive releases and direct radiation exposure from nuclear facilities 
• Approaches for overcoming potential methodological limitations arising from the variability in radioactive releases over time and other confounding factors
• Approaches for characterizing and communicating uncertainties.

2. Methodological approaches for assessing cancer epidemiology, including consideration of:

• Characteristics of the study populations (e.g., socioeconomic factors, all age groups, children only, and nuclear facility workers) 
• Geographic areas to use in the study (e.g., county, zip codes, census tracts, or annular rings around the facility at some nominal distances) 
• Cancer types and health outcomes of morbidity and mortality
• Availability, completeness, and quality of cancer incidence and mortality data
• Different epidemiological study designs and statistical assessment methods (e.g., ecologic or case-control study designs)
• Approaches for overcoming potential methodological limitations arising from low statistical power, random clustering, changes in population characteristics over time, and other confounding factors 
• Approaches for characterizing and communicating uncertainties.

The results of this Phase 1 scoping study will be used to inform the design of the cancer risk assessment, which will be carried out in Phase 2.

Note (05-02-2011): The Project Scope has been revised for clarity. The updated version is shown above. 

The project is sponsored by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The approximate start date for the project is 09/01/2010.

The Phase 1 report is expected to be issued in early 2012.

Project Duration:

18 months

Provide FEEDBACK on this project.

Contact the Public Access Records Office to make an inquiry, request a list of the public access file materials, or obtain a copy of the materials found in the file.

Cumulative US Commercial Spent Nuclear Fuel Inventory

Thursday, August 25, 2011

NRC CLARIFIES EARTHQUAKE MEASUREMENTS AND DESIGN CRITERIA

From the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission:

This year has seen a dramatic increase in a question people regularly ask the Nuclear Regulatory Commission: “What magnitude earthquakes are U.S. nuclear power plants designed to withstand?” The answer, however, does not include a specific “magnitude.”

The NRC requires U.S. reactors to withstand a predicted level of ground motion, or acceleration, specific to a given site. Ground acceleration is measured in relation to “g,” the acceleration caused by Earth’s gravity.

An earthquake’s magnitude, often described on the Richter scale, is an expression of how much energy the quake released. It’s not possible to transform a given magnitude alone to ground acceleration at a site. Several important factors affect the relationship between an earthquake’s magnitude and associated ground acceleration, including the distance from the earthquake, the depth of the quake and the site’s local geology (i.e., hard rock or soil). A small earthquake close to a site could therefore generate the same peak ground acceleration as a large earthquake farther away.

The NRC’s requirements call for a nuclear power plant’s design to account for ground acceleration that is appropriate for its location, given the possible earthquake sources that may affect the site and the makeup of nearby faults, etc. Existing U.S. plants were designed on a “deterministic” or “scenario earthquake” basis. In other words, examination of an area’s seismological history provides an understanding of the largest earthquake and associated ground acceleration expected at a plant site.

Later this year, the agency expects to provide existing plants a seismic analysis tool based on work related to applications for new plants, along with the latest information on earthquake sources, so that the plants can perform an updated review. Applications for new nuclear power plants have taken a “probabilistic” approach to determining seismic hazards, looking at a wide range of possible quakes from sources that could affect a given site. The NRC has spent several years examining how these newer techniques can be used to re-evaluate existing nuclear power plant sites.

NRC PRESENTING AT NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES MEETING AUG. 29 ON NRC-SPONSORED CANCER RISK STUDY

From NRC News:

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will present information during the National Academy of Sciences’ (NAS) fifth committee meeting on the NRC-sponsored study, “Analysis of Cancer Risks in Populations Near Nuclear Facilities: Phase 1.” The meeting’s public session will run from 1:20 p.m. 5 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 29, at the Pew Charitable Trusts Conference Center, 901 E St., NW in Washington, D.C.

The NRC will outline potential next steps for the study and describe the agency’s public outreach and communications efforts. NRC staff will also be available to answer committee member questions. The Environmental Protection Agency will also present information to the committee. The public is welcome to attend and will have the opportunity to comment prior to the end of the meeting. The NAS asks members of the public to register for the meeting, and the NAS website has additional details, although they are subject to change. General questions on the study can be sent via e-mail to: crs@nas.edu.

The NAS project will update the 1990 U.S. National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute (NCI) report, “Cancer in Populations Living Near Nuclear Facilities.” The NRC uses the 1990 NCI report as a primary resource when communicating with the public about cancer mortality risk in counties that contain or are adjacent to nuclear power facilities. In the new study, the NRC is asking the NAS to evaluate cancer diagnosis rates, in addition to mortality risk, for populations living near decommissioned, operating and proposed NRC-licensed nuclear facilities. Phase 1 of the NAS study will determine whether a technically defensible approach to meet the goals of the study request is feasible and if so, the approach will be developed using scientifically sound processes for evaluating cancer risk that could be associated with nuclear facilities.

All Four Exelon Nuclear Mid-Atlantic Plants Operating Safely Following Regional Seismic Activity

Exelon Nuclear

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KENNETT SQUARE, PA. (August 23, 2011) - None of Exelon Nuclear's four Mid-Atlantic nuclear energy stations was affected by this afternoon’s seismic activity in Virginia, and all continue to operate safely at this time. An “Unusual Event” was declared at each of the stations following the seismic activity, in accordance with plant procedures: Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Three Mile Island Generating Station and Limerick Generating Station in Pennsylvania, and Oyster Creek Generating Station in New Jersey.

Plant equipment continued to function normally at each of the Exelon Nuclear stations. Operators are currently performing "walk-downs" to identify any potential affects from the seismic activity, but no damage to equipment or plant operations has been identified at this time. Each plant continued to operate at normal power level throughout the event and no evacuations or additional safety measures were required.

Nuclear energy plants are designed specifically to withstand the impact of earthquakes and other severe acts of nature. The earthquake, reported to be at a magnitude of 5.9 on the Richter Scale, did not challenge the engineered design of the Exelon facilities.

An “Unusual Event” is the lowest level emergency classifications as determined by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

TMI: Relocation of Equipment Load List (ML112150486)

Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1 – Issuance of Amendment Re: Relocation of Equipment Load List From Technical Specifications to Updated Final Safety Analysis Report (TAC No. ME4732) Download ML112150486

New Data Supports Previous Fairewinds Analysis, as Contamination Spreads in Japan and Worldwide

New Data Supports Previous Fairewinds Analysis, as Contamination Spreads in Japan and Worldwide from Fairewinds Associates on Vimeo.

Fukushima Evacuation Zone areas uninhabitable, PM to apologize

From Majirox News:

Parts of the 20-kilometer (12.42 mile) Evacuation Zone around the radiation-leaking Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant are close to being declared uninhabitable and the ban on entering the area maintained, possibly for decades, according to the Yomiuri newspaper on Aug. 21.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan is poised to explain the situation to local government leaders from the affected leaders and apologize for evacuation from the area becoming long-term rather than temporary.

Excess radiation dozens of times greater than the acceptable annual safety level in parts of the zone is behind the moves, which thwart national government plans to reopen the area by January next year upon achieving a cold shutdown of the plant, which went into meltdown after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that hit the Tohoku Region.

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June 2011 Susquehanna River Basin Commission Meeting Minutes

To Whom It May Concern: Attached are the Minutes of the June 23, 2011 Susquehanna River Basin Commission meeting. Please let me know if you have any problems opening the document, or wish to be removed from this email list. Thank you for your interest. Ava A. Stoops

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Nuclear Regulatory Commission recommends further review of Beyond Nuclear petition for emergency enforcement actions at Fukushima-style US reactors

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 19, 2011

CONTACT: Linda Gunter, Beyond Nuclear, 301.455.5655

Nuclear Regulatory Commission recommends further review of Beyond Nuclear petition for emergency enforcement actions at Fukushima-style US reactors

[Takoma Park, MD] The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has accepted several emergency actions for further agency review that were requested in a petition filed by Beyond Nuclear on April 13, 2011. The Beyond Nuclear petition seeks to suspend the operation of the dangerous and seriously flawed General Electric Mark I Boiling Water Reactors, 23 of which still operate around the U.S. and which are almost identical to the Fukushima reactors that melted down in Japan. The petition was co-signed by national and regional anti-nuclear groups as well as more than 5,000 individuals.

The Beyond Nuclear petition to the NRC asks that the Mark I reactors cease operations until several emergency actions are taken. The actions accepted by the federal agency for the further review include; 1) the NRC revoke the 1989 prior approval for all GE Mark I operators to “voluntarily” install the same experimental hardened vent systems on flawed containment structures that the Fukushima catastrophe demonstrates to have a 100% failure rate and; 2) that the agency immediately issue Orders requiring all U.S. Mark I operators to promptly install dedicated emergency back-up electrical power to ensure reliable cooling systems for the densely packed spent fuel pools. The GE BWR fuel pools are located at the top of the reactor building and currently do not have backup power if offsite and on-site electrical power were lost simultaneously.

“Fukushima demonstrates that a nuclear catastrophe can result from these same fundamental flaws in the Mark I reactors operating in the United States,” said Paul Gunter, director of the Reactor Oversight Project at Beyond Nuclear. “We are spotlighting these dangerous reactors to test the NRCs’ willingness to take enforcement action to protect public safety rather than protect the nuclear industry bottom line,” he said.

On July 19, 2011, NRC released its own “Near-Term Task Force Review of Insights from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident.” While the Task Force addresses the same two action items found in the Beyond Nuclear petition that were accepted by the review board, the Task Force’s conclusions are considerably weaker.

First, where NRC task force recommendation 5 states that the agency consider issuing an Order to Mark I operators to upgrade hardened vent systems on the containment, the public petitioners have requested the agency revoke all prior approval of the “voluntary” installation of the controversial venting system. The vents were seen to fail at Fukushima and are only in place to save the containment which is too weak to withstand a severe accident. The containments were retrofitted in the 1990’s to instead temporarily vent explosive gas, steam pressure and radioactivity to the outside atmosphere to save the containment component.

“Given the catastrophic failure demonstrated at Fukushima, these same designs should not be allowed to operate with experimental vents on containment,” said Gunter, “The GE reactor was originally licensed with the claim of a ‘leak tight’ containment so this after-thought of installing a vent for accident conditions is in fact a violation of that same license,” he said.

Scott Portzline, security consultant to Three Mile Island Alert, Harrisburg PA said, ”The NRC’s Task Force on Fukushima has also recommended that the Mark II design reactors, like the one at Limerick PA, also be ordered to change over to a reliable vent system. The Peach Bottom Reactors would be affected by such an order since they are of Mark I design.”

In its petition, Beyond Nuclear additionally asked that the NRC then provide the public with full hearing rights to first independently review any further experimental modifications to the acknowledged weaker and substandard Mark I containment system.

Secondly, where NRC task force recommendation 7 states that emergency back-up power should be provided to ensure make-up for water boiled off of overheated spent fuel pools following loss of offsite power, the petitioners’ request that reliable back-up power be provide to assure reliable cooling to prevent the pools from boiling off. The petitioners remain concerned about the unintended consequences of condensation from a spent fuel pool boil off affecting safety-related systems like electrical circuits and sump systems.

The NRC review board further recommended that the agency “reject” in part Beyond Nuclear’s requested actions for any further review to include; 1) “Immediately suspend operating licenses of all GE BWR Mark I units pending full NRC review with independent expert and public participation from the affected emergency planning zone communities,” and; 2) “Conduct public meetings within each of the ten-mile emergency planning zone for each GE BWR site for the purpose of receiving public comment and independent expert testimony regarding the reliability of hardened vent system or direct torus vent system.”

Beyond Nuclear and the co-petitioners will be provided an additional public meeting before the NRC’s Petition Review to present supplemental material and challenge agency recommendations to reject requested emergency actions. The date for that meeting has not been established.

-30-

Markey Statement on NRC Vote To Act On Fukushima Task Force Recommendations

For Immediate Release Contact: Giselle Barry 202-225-2836 August 19, 2011

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee and a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, released the following statement after the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) directed its staff to complete several actions within the next 45 days in response to recommendations from the NRC’s Near-Term Task Force. “I am encouraged that all the NRC Commissioners have agreed with Chairman Greg Jaczko to act within 90 days on 11 of the 12 safety recommendations of the Near Term Task Force. It is urgent that the NRC address vulnerabilities to America's nuclear fleet that were starkly revealed by the Fukushima meltdowns. “Unfortunately, Commissioners Magwood, Svinicki, and Ostendorff did not agree even to a prompt up-or-down vote on the very first, common-sense recommendation of the Task Force - to replace the current patchwork of safety regulations with a logical, systematic, and coherent regulatory framework. Now is not the time for 18 additional months of redundant study of the first recommendation, which was made by a Task Force with 135 years of collective experience at the NRC and with full access to NRC staff. “The Task Force’s recommendations, if adopted, would go a long way towards ensuring the safety of America’s 104 nuclear reactors if the rest of the Commissioners also agree to support Chairman Jaczko on the substance of all 12 recommendations of the Task Force. I urge them to do so.”

Peach Bottom: Document Access (ML111860054)

Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Unit 3 – Individual Notice of Consideration of Issuance of Amendment to Facility Operating License, Proposed No Significant Hazards Consideration Determination and Opportunity for Hearing and Order Imposing Procedures for Document Access to Sensitive Unclassified Non-Safeguards Information (TAC No. ME6391) Download ML111860054

TMI: Weld Overlay of the Pressurizer Spray Nozzle (ML112140397)

Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1 – Proposed Alternative RR-10-02 Regarding Weld Overlay of the Pressurizer Spray Nozzle to Safe-End and Safe-End to Elbow Dissimilar Metal Welds (TAC No. ME4795) Download ML112140397

Japan eyes global nuclear compensation treaty: report

From Reuters:

Japan is considering joining a U.S.-led global nuclear compensation treaty in a bid to fend off excessive overseas damage claims related to nuclear accidents, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Sunday, without citing sources. The U.S., Morocco, Romania and Argentina have agreed to the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage, but the treaty needs at least five countries in order to go into effect. The newspaper said Japan would start discussions with the United States in the coming week over the pact, which defines the rules for trials for damage claims in countries where accidents happen.

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Peach Bottom: Safety Limit Minimum Critical Power Ratio Change (ML111860025)

PEACH BOTTOM ATOMIC POWER STATION, UNIT 3 - REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING LICENSE AMENDMENT REQUEST FOR SAFETY LIMIT MINIMUM CRITICAL POWER RATIO CHANGE (TAC NO. ME6931

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US Blue Ribbon Commission goes on tour

The US government’s Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future (BRC) will be hosting public meetings to solicit feedback on the draft commission report, in association with state regional groups that work on high-level radioactive waste policy. Whilst much of the testimony to the BRC was given in Washington, DC, now the BRC is going on tour with a series of one-day meetings to present the draft BRC report (issued on July 29, 2011), and to hear feedback. The current schedule is:
  • September 13, 2011: Denver, CO (Embassy Suites, 1420 Stout Street)
  • October 12, 2011: Boston, MA (Harvard Medical School Conference Center, 77 Louis Pasteur, Longwood Harvard University, Cambridge)
  • October 18, 2011: Atlanta, GA (Marriot Marquis, 265 Peachtree Center Avenue)
  • October 20, 2011: Washington, DC (Hilton Garden Inn, 815 14th Street NW)
  • October 28, 2011: Minneapolis, MN (Hyatt Regency, 1300 Nicollet Mall)
  • Other dates and locations are to be determined.
The meetings will begin with a briefing from Commission staff on the draft report, followed by comments from elected and appointed state and regional representatives. The latter portion of the meeting will be devoted to a facilitated and interactive breakout opportunity for all who attend, and will conclude with a public comment period. All public are welcome to attend. Pre-registration will be strongly encouraged but not required. Transcripts (not webcasts) of the meetings will be made available on the website, along with all written comments anyone chooses to offer. The draft full commission report has been published for comments (see file attachment) until 31 October 2011. Directions on how to comment are contained in the document. The draft commission report , commission activity details, and pre-registration details are available at WWW.BRC.GOV

TMI: Exelon Cyber Security Plan (ML111861341)

BRAIDWOOD STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2; BYRON STATION, UNIT NOS. 1 AND 2; CLINTON POWER STATION, UNIT NO.1; DRESDEN NUCLEAR POWER STATION, UNITS 2 AND 3; LASALLE COUNTY STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2; LIMERICK GENERATING STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2; OYSTER CREEK NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION; PEACH BOTTOM ATOMIC POWER STATION, UNITS 2 AND 3; QUAD CITIES NUCLEAR POWER STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2; AND THREE MILE ISLAND NUCLEAR STATION, UNIT 1 ­ ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENTS REGARDING THE EXELON CYBER SECURITY PLAN (TAC NOS. ME4298, ME4299, ME4300, ME4301, ME4302, ME4303, ME4304, ME4305, ME4306, ME4307, ME4308, ME4309, ME4310, ME4311, ME4312, ME4313, AND ME4314)

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Nuclear Waste Piles Up—in Budget Deficit

From the Wall Street Journal:

Imagine a football field packed 20 feet high with highly radioactive nuclear waste. That's about the volume of the 65,000 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel stranded at dozens of nuclear sites across the U.S.

It isn't just a potential public health hazard, as Japan's recent nuclear disaster showed, but a growing burden on the federal government's groaning finances.

A decades-old promise to dispose of the waste has become another unfunded liability, starting with a $25 billion ratepayer fund gone astray and $16 billion or more in estimated legal judgments to compensate utilities for their storage expenses. The costs of the ultimate disposal project also are sure to rise, with no plan in sight to replace the now-canceled plan to entomb the waste at Nevada's Yucca Mountain.

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Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1 - Proposed Alternative Regarding Control Rod Drive Housing Examinations

Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1 - Proposed Alternative Regarding Control Rod Drive Housing Examinations

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Lethal Levels of Radiation at Fukushima: What Are the Implications?

Lethal Levels of Radiation at Fukushima: What Are the Implications? from Fairewinds Associates on Vimeo.

TMI & Susquehanna: Updates

Three Mile Island

July 20 – The NRC granted requests from TMI operator Exelon for relief and allowed it to use alternative procedures to certain requirements for in-service examination of components and steam pressure tests conducted during 10-year intervals. The requests were part of the fourth 10-year inspection that began on April 20, 2011 and ends no later than April 19, 2022.

The NRC staff concluded that that the proposed alternatives for some of the requirements “provide an acceptable level of quality and safety” as outlined by Exelon.

The staff also noted that Exelon had “demonstrated that it is impractical to comply with the specified” American Society of Mechanical Engineers code requirements for one issue and “that the proposed alternative testing will provide reasonable assurance of leak tightness of the subject components.”

July 27 - The NRC staff issued a letter on its inspection of TMI for the quarter running from April through June 2011. The staff said no findings of significance were identified.

The report added that inspectors determined “that corrective actions to address configuration control performance deficiencies from the first half of 2010 and transient material control deficiencies from all of calendar year 2010 continued to be effective.” It added that the number of configuration control deficiencies identified in the first half of 2011 “were notably reduced from the first half of 2010.”

But the report noted that inspectors “identified several instances for which corrective action timelines was not commensurate with potential significance of degraded equipment conditions.” It added, “Station management acknowledged the issues, verified they were captured in the corrective action program, and initiated several significant station-wide actions to reemphasize worker performance fundamentals. The inspectors determined these correction actions were appropriate and observed improved worker fundamental performance through the end of June 2011.”

Susquehanna Steam Electric Station in Berwick

July 20, 2011 – The NRC issued a letter on the completion of its triennial (every three years) fire inspection of Units 1 and 2 at the plant.

Based on the inspection, two findings of very low safety significance were identified. The NRC said it would treat the findings as non-cited violations because they were entered into the plant’s corrective action program and they were of very low safety significance.

One of the violations involved the failure of plant operator PPL to adequately implement “a fire water supply system with two redundant 100 percent capacity fire water pumps and three sources of supply water.”

“Design flow rates could not be achieved and maintained by a single fire water pump for all required sprinkler systems,” the report said. “PPL performed an operability evaluation and determined the affected sprinkler systems were capable of performing their intended functions at lower flow rates and for a shorter duration than originally specified by plant design. In addition, the Unit 2 cooling tower basin was determined to be inoperable as a sole source of supply water for the fire water system.”

“From initial plant conduction until present,” the report added, “PPL failed to provide two redundant fire water pumps that could be supplied from any of three separate water sources.” The NRC said the issue was entered into PPL’s corrective action program.

The other finding involved the failure to implement all provisions of the approved fire protection program. “Specifically, PPL established acceptance criteria in the fire pump performance tests that were non-conservative compared to design basis requirements and the test acceptance criteria were insufficient to demonstrate that the fire pumps could provide sufficient pump pressure to satisfy required sprinkler system hydraulic needs.”

The report added, “PPL’s corrective actions program required fire protection deficiencies be identified and corrected. The team determined that PPL had not adequately implemented the required quality assurance criteria for fire pump testing, in that the combined tests did not demonstrate that pump performance conformed to design requirements or would perform satisfactorily in service.”

U.S. nuclear waste: where to now?

From Smart Planet:

Radioactive waste has been accumulating at sites across the United States for decades. The 75,000-metric-ton problem isn’t going away (well, not for a million years or so). And as of now, it’s not going to Nevada’s Yucca Mountain either. Tasked with finding long-term solutions to this disposal issue, the Blue Ribbon Commission released a draft report on Friday.

Critical of the government’s handing of the issue thus far, the almost 200-page report asks for a new federal organization, separate from the Department of Energy, that would deal with transporting, storing and disposing of nuclear wastes of various kinds and radioactivity levels.

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