Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2 - Security Baseline Inspection Report 05000387/2021401 and 05000388/2021401
ADAMS Accession No. ML21298A203
Friday, October 29, 2021
Friday, October 22, 2021
TMI-Alert's Decommissioning Testimony
DEP Citizens Advisory Council Meets Oct. 19 To Hear Report On Radiation Decontamination Of Oil & Gas Wastewater Treatment Facilities, Reactors, Waste Sites
http://paenvironmentdaily.
DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council is scheduled to meet in-person and virtually on October 19 to hear a presentation from DEP on the decontamination and decommissioning of oil and gas wastewater treatment facilities, nuclear power plants, waste dump sites and other sites in Pennsylvania.
Peak Water Demands in the Delaware River Basin Have Likely Occurred
Peak Water Demands in the Delaware River Basin Have Likely Occurred
New DRBC report shows that despite population increases, water use is projected to decrease; consumptive use is projected to remain constant
For Immediate Release
October 19, 2021
(West Trenton, N.J.) -- The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) recently published a report entitled Water Withdrawal and Consumptive Use Estimates for the Delaware River Basin (1990-2017) with Projections through 2060.
"DRBC’s planning programs include the evaluation of sustainable water availability in the Delaware River Basin, supporting efforts to ensure water security for over 13 million people in four states," DRBC Executive Director Steve Tambini said. "This is the first time in DRBC’s history that nearly 30 years of water use data have been used to project future water withdrawals and consumptive water uses for multiple water use sectors."
Most of the water used in the Basin comes from surface water. Major water use sectors highlighted in this report include public water supply, power generation, industry, mining, irrigation, self-supplied domestic (private water wells) and out-of-basin transfers. The report also evaluated and projected consumptive use, or water that is withdrawn from the Basin but is not returned; examples include out-of-basin water transfers and water lost to evaporation from being used for cooling purposes in power generation.
The data show that peak water withdrawals in the Basin have likely already occurred. Further, despite a continued increase in population, water demands are projected to decrease through 2060. More people using less water overall is indicative of the benefits of water efficiency in the Basin.
The data also show that the amount of water consumptively used is projected to remain relatively constant. One reason is a change in technology for generating power; newer recirculating technology withdrawals less water overall but results in higher rates of evaporation.
"While peak water demand may be in the past, the complex interstate systems that support water resources throughout the Basin still need proper management and protection," Tambini continued. "The results of this study will be incorporated into water availability and water resiliency assessments for the Delaware River Basin that will also consider a repeat of extreme drought conditions and changes to flow and sea level rise due to climate change."
The report, as well as the historical and projected data supporting this report, is available at https://www.nj.gov/drbc/
The DRBC is a federal/interstate government agency created in 1961 by concurrent compact legislation, marking the first time that the federal government and a group of states joined together as equal partners in a river basin planning, development and regulatory agency. The five Commission members are the governors of the Basin states (Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania) and the commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ North Atlantic Division, who represents the federal government.
To learn more about the Commission, please visit www.drbc.gov or follow DRBC on Twitter at @DRBC1961.
# # # #
Contact:
Kate Schmidt, Kate.Schmidt@drbc.gov
# # # #
Contact:
Kate Schmidt, Kate.Schmidt@drbc.gov
# # # #
Friday, October 15, 2021
Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Units 2 and 3 - Exemption from Specific Requirements of 10 CFR Part 26 (EPID L-2021-LLE-0041 [COVID-19])
Subject: Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Units 2 and 3 - Exemption from Specific Requirements of 10 CFR Part 26 (EPID L-2021-LLE-0041 [COVID-19])
ADAMS Accession No.: ML21265A438
PA DEP News Release : DEP, State Police Urge Public to Report Missing Portable Nuclear Gauge
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
Dept. of Environmental Protection
Commonwealth News Bureau
Room 308, Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg PA., 17120
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10/14/2021
10/14/2021
CONTACT:
Jamar Thrasher, DEP
717-319-1758
Jamar Thrasher, DEP
717-319-1758
RECOVERED - DEP, State Police Urge Public to Report Missing Portable Nuclear Gauge
Company offers $1,000 reward for the gauge’s return
Company offers $1,000 reward for the gauge’s return
Williamsport, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Pennsylvania State Police are assisting in the search for a missing portable nuclear gauge containing sealed sources of radioactive material that belongs to Pennsylvania-based CMT Laboratories. The company is offering a $1,000 reward for its safe return.
An image of the gauge is included at the end of this press release. Anyone who finds the gauge should not handle it directly, but rather maintain distance, limit time of proximity, and immediately contact Pennsylvania State Police Lamar Barracks at 570-726-6000. A trained individual will recover the gauge.
“It is critical for anyone who has information about the lost nuclear gauge to contact state police immediately,” DEP Bureau of Radiation Protection Director David Allard said. “As long as the device is not tampered with or damaged, it presents no hazard to public safety.”
The gauge was reported missing by the company the evening of Wednesday, October 13, 2021. The gauge’s authorized user completed their work at approximately 6:00 PM and inadvertently departed the job site without properly securing the gauge in its case. The vehicle left the job site, in the proximity of E. Valley Road, Logan Township, Clinton County, and traveled toward Loganton when the loss of the gauge was noticed.
If the gauge is badly damaged or was struck by a vehicle, there is potential for contamination.
CMT Laboratories is licensed by DEP to possess and use the gauge. This type of nuclear gauge is commonly used to evaluate the properties of building materials at construction sites throughout the commonwealth. The radioactive material contained within the gauge is believed to be in a safe, shielded position. However, it may have been damaged in the fall from the transport vehicle.
The nuclear density gauge is a Troxler Model 3440. The gauge is yellow in color and about the size of a shoe box, with an electronic keypad and a metal rod extending from the top surface. The Troxler gauge contains approximately 9 millicuries of Cesium-137 and 44 millicuries of Americium-241. The radioactive material is double encapsulated within the device to protect its integrity.
Anyone who finds the gauge should not handle it directly, but rather maintain distance, limit time of proximity, and immediately contact Pennsylvania State Police Lamar Barracks at 570-726-6000. A trained individual will recover the gauge.
For more information on DEP’s Bureau of Radiation Protection, visit https://www.dep.pa.gov/Business/RadiationProtection/Pages/default.aspx.
Shown above: A Troxler Model 3340 portable nuclear gauge. A similar gauge owned by CMT Laboratories went missing on Wednesday, October 13, 2021 in Clinton County. Contact Pennsylvania State Police Lamar Barracks at 570-726-6000 with any information. A $1,000 reward is being offered by CMT Laboratories for the gauge’s safe return. (Image source: Troxler Electronic Laboratories, Inc.)
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Tuesday, October 12, 2021
Susquehanna - AUTOMATIC REACTOR SCRAM AFTER MAIN TURBINE TRIP
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
EVENT REPORTS FOR
10/08/2021 - 10/12/2021
10/08/2021 - 10/12/2021
Power Reactor
Event Number: 55514
Facility: Susquehanna
Region: 1 State: PA
Unit: [2] [] []
RX Type: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4
NRC Notified By: Charles Yoder
HQ OPS Officer: Lloyd Desotell
Notification Date: 10/11/2021
Notification Time: 17:05 [ET]
Event Date: 10/11/2021
Event Time: 13:21 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 10/11/2021
Emergency Class: Non Emergency
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(iv)(A) - Eccs Injection
50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) - RPS Actuation - Critical
50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A) - Valid Specif Sys Actuation
Person (Organization):
CARFANG, ERIN (R1)
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX Crit | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | A/R | Y | 95 | Power Operation | 0 | Hot Standby |
Event Text
AUTOMATIC REACTOR SCRAM AFTER MAIN TURBINE TRIP
"At 1321 EDT on October 11, 2021, Susquehanna Steam Electric Station Unit 2 reactor automatically scrammed due to a trip of the Main Turbine.
"Unit 2 reactor was being operated at approximately 95 percent RTP [rated thermal power] with no evolutions in progress. The Control Room received indication of a Main Turbine trip with both divisions of RPS [Reactor Protection System] actuated and all control rods inserted. Turbine bypass valves opened automatically to control reactor pressure and subsequently failed open causing the reactor to depressurize. When reactor pressure reached approximately 560 psig, the operations crew manually closed the Main Steam Isolation Valves (MISVs) to stop the depressurization. Reactor water level lowered to -31 inches causing Level 3 (+13 inches) isolations. No [automatic] ECCS [Emergency Core Cooling System] actuations occurred. HPCI [High Pressure Coolant Injection] and RCIC [Reactor Core Isolation Cooling] were manually initiated to control reactor water level. The Operations crew subsequently maintained reactor water level at the normal operating band using RCIC and reactor pressure was controlled with HPCI in pressure control mode and main steam line drains. The Reactor Recirculation Pumps tripped as designed on EOC-RPT [end of cycle recirculation pump trip].
"The reactor is currently stable in Mode 3. An investigation into the cause of the turbine trip is underway.
"The NRC Resident Inspector was notified. A voluntary notification to PEMA will be made.
"This event requires a 4 hour ENS notification in accordance with 10 CFR 50.72(b)(2)(iv)(A), 10 CFR 50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) and an 8 hour ENS notification in accordance with 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A)."
"At 1321 EDT on October 11, 2021, Susquehanna Steam Electric Station Unit 2 reactor automatically scrammed due to a trip of the Main Turbine.
"Unit 2 reactor was being operated at approximately 95 percent RTP [rated thermal power] with no evolutions in progress. The Control Room received indication of a Main Turbine trip with both divisions of RPS [Reactor Protection System] actuated and all control rods inserted. Turbine bypass valves opened automatically to control reactor pressure and subsequently failed open causing the reactor to depressurize. When reactor pressure reached approximately 560 psig, the operations crew manually closed the Main Steam Isolation Valves (MISVs) to stop the depressurization. Reactor water level lowered to -31 inches causing Level 3 (+13 inches) isolations. No [automatic] ECCS [Emergency Core Cooling System] actuations occurred. HPCI [High Pressure Coolant Injection] and RCIC [Reactor Core Isolation Cooling] were manually initiated to control reactor water level. The Operations crew subsequently maintained reactor water level at the normal operating band using RCIC and reactor pressure was controlled with HPCI in pressure control mode and main steam line drains. The Reactor Recirculation Pumps tripped as designed on EOC-RPT [end of cycle recirculation pump trip].
"The reactor is currently stable in Mode 3. An investigation into the cause of the turbine trip is underway.
"The NRC Resident Inspector was notified. A voluntary notification to PEMA will be made.
"This event requires a 4 hour ENS notification in accordance with 10 CFR 50.72(b)(2)(iv)(A), 10 CFR 50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) and an 8 hour ENS notification in accordance with 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A)."
Page Last Reviewed/Updated Tuesday, October 12, 2021
Sunday, October 3, 2021
NRC Proposes $45,000 Fine to Terracon Consultants, Inc.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission - News Release
No: IV-21-014 October 1, 2021
Contact: Victor Dricks, 817-200-1128
NRC Proposes $45,000 Fine to Terracon Consultants, Inc.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is proposing a $45,000 fine to Terracon Consultants Inc. of Olathe, Kansas, for five violations of NRC requirements involving the loss of control of a portable nuclear gauge.
The violations involve:
- Failure by Terracon to control and maintain constant surveillance of licensed material.
- Failure to use an approved container for the transport of licensed material.
- Failure to lock or place the gauge inside a container to prevent unauthorized or accidental removal.
- Failure to properly block and brace the canister from movement during transportation.
- Failure to provide required notification to the NRC immediately following discovery of its loss, as described in an April 1 inspection report.
NRC staff met virtually with company representatives on May 20, 2021, during a pre- decisional enforcement conference to discuss the violations, which stem from a Nov. 25, 2019, incident in which a worker placed an unsecured portable nuclear gauge in the bed of a truck and drove away from a temporary job site in Killingly, Connecticut, and lost the gauge.
The gauge was subsequently recovered, but the technician did not provide complete and accurate information regarding the circumstances of the event during interviews with company officials.
The company has 60 days to dispute the fine or request involvement of a neutral third-party mediator to resolve the issues.
NRC Proposes $150,000 Civil Penalty to Entergy Operations, Inc.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission - News Release
No: IV-21-013 October 1, 2021
Contact: Victor Dricks, 817-200-1128
NRC Proposes $150,000 Civil Penalty to Entergy Operations, Inc.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is proposing a $150,000 fine to Entergy Operations Inc. for three willful violations of agency requirements at the River Bend nuclear power plant. Entergy operates the plant in St. Francisville, Louisiana.
The violations involved:
- On Aug. 13, 2018, a proctor made an unauthorized copy of an exam after thinking he had lost pages of the exam taken by the examinee. He then falsified answers on behalf of the examinee and submitted it.
- On Sept. 1, 2019, a non-licensed operator assigned to the plant’s control building failed to properly complete a tour of all areas as required.
- On March 31, 2020, a senior reactor operator provided a key to a maintenance supervisor who was not authorized to receive it and the supervisor accessed a room containing
cybersecurity-related equipment.
NRC staff met with company representatives virtually on Aug. 16, 2021, during a pre-decisional enforcement conference to discuss the violations as described in a July 1, 2021, inspection report. The company has 60 days to dispute the fine or request involvement of a neutral third-party mediator to resolve the issues.
NRC to Hold Virtual Regulatory Performance Meeting to Discuss Supplemental Inspection Results for Grand Gulf Nuclear Power Plant
Nuclear Regulatory Commission - News Release
No: IV-21-012 September 30, 2021
Contact: Victor Dricks, 817-200-1128
NRC to Hold Virtual Regulatory Performance Meeting to Discuss Supplemental Inspection Results for Grand Gulf Nuclear Power Plant
Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will discuss the results of a recent onsite supplemental inspection of the Grand Gulf nuclear power plant during a virtual meeting to be held Oct. 4.
The session will run from 5-7 p.m., Central time. Following registration, a confirmation email will be sent with details on how to join the video webinar. To listen to the audio presentation, participants must call 888-323-9703 and enter passcode 1786567#. The meeting will be recorded and later made available on the NRC website.
NRC staff responsible for plant inspection and oversight will participate in the discussion, including the Region IV Regional Administrator and the supplemental inspection team leader. NRC staff will discuss the results of a comprehensive inspection conducted between Aug. 23 and Sept. 17 in response to the station’s degraded performance in 2020. Officials from Entergy Operations, Inc., which operates the plant, will discuss their performance improvement plan. Members of the public will have an opportunity to ask questions of NRC staff following the business portion of the meeting.
Grand Gulf, located in Port Gibson, Mississippi, continues to operate safely. Because of the number of unplanned plant shutdowns in 2020, the plant is receiving increased oversight and inspection focus.
The annual assessment letter for Grand Gulf is available on the NRC website. Current performance information for the plant is also available and is updated on a quarterly basis.
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