Saturday, August 26, 2023

Wastewater - Cape Cod Nuclear Plant The Messenger 8.22.23

Complaint Alleges 1M Gallons of Wastewater Released by Cape Cod Nuclear Plant The Messenger 8.22.23

Environmental activists in Massachusetts say they have received a whistleblower's complaint letter alleging that the company in charge of handling nuclear materials at a decommissioning power plant has released gallons of contaminated water into the environment.

Recent Critiques of New Reactors

2023-8-25 ICSEF Recent New Reactor Critiques Opeds .docx

NRC Proposes $87,500 Fine to BWXT

Nuclear Regulatory Commission - News Release
No: II‑23-024 August 23, 2023
Contact: Dave Gasperson, 404-997-4417

NRC Proposes $87,500 Fine to BWXT

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has proposed an $87,500 civil penalty to BWXT Nuclear Operations Group Inc. for two violations of regulatory requirements related to safety controls at its fuel fabrication facility in Lynchburg, Virginia.

The violations were discovered after a January 19 event when a storage tank at BWXT’s Uranium Recovery Facility overflowed, spilling uranium solution onto the floor and into a ventilation system. Two safety controls designed to prevent such a spill failed, increasing the risk of an accidental criticality. The event did not endanger the plant workers, the public, or the environment.

The NRC identified the proposed violations in March during an inspection that revealed an apparent breakdown of safety controls designed to prevent an accidental criticality at BWXT’s facility.

The NRC held a predecisional enforcement conference with BWXT on June 21, and the company provided its perspective, including the results from its root cause evaluation and corrective actions. The company’s investigation into the spill tracked the underlying reasons for the violations back to 2012.

The NRC reviewed BWXT’s response and determined that while previous incidents did not result in an accidental criticality, BWXT missed opportunities to identify the issues for more than 10 years. However, the NRC did credit actions BWXT has taken to strengthen safety controls in imposing the proposed fine.

The company has 30 days to pay the proposed penalty or contest the penalty in writing.

Peach Bottom Unit 1 decommissioning

PUBLIC MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT

Title: Peach Bottom and Dresden Decommissioning Presubmittal Public Meeting

Date(s) and Time(s): September 14, 2023, 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM ET

Location: Webinar

Category: This is an Observation Meeting. This is a meeting in which attendees will have an
opportunity to observe the NRC performing its regulatory function or discussing regulatory
issues. Attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions of the NRC staff or make
comments about the issues discussed following the business portion of the meeting;
however, the NRC is not actively soliciting comments towards regulatory decisions at this
meeting.

Purpose: Meeting between Constellation Energy Generation, LLC and NRC to discuss an
alternative approach from the decommissioning schedule requirements in 10 CFR
50.82(a)(3) to allow the completion of decommissioning for Peach Bottom Atomic Power
Station, Unit 1 and Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1 beyond 60 years of permanent
cessation of operations.

Sunday, August 20, 2023

NY gov signing of No Wastewater Dump bill

NY: Governor Hochul Signs Bill to Protect the Hudson River From Indian Point Decommissioning Wastewater, New York governor press release, Aug 18, 2023. 

https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-signs-bill-protect-hudson-river-indian-point-decommissioning-wastewater.

NRC Proposes $8,750 Civil Penalty to VHS Harper-Hutzel Hospital

Nuclear Regulatory Commission - News Release
No: III-23-021 August 18, 2023
Contact: Viktoria Mitlyng, 630-829-9662 Prema Chandrathil, 630-829-9663

NRC Proposes $8,750 Civil Penalty to VHS Harper-Hutzel Hospital

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has proposed an $8,750 fine to VHS Harper-Hutzel Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, for two violations of NRC safety requirements during the administrations of radioisotopes for treatment of liver tumors.

The hospital holds an NRC license for the use of nuclear material for diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine and for yttrium-90 (Y-90) microsphere administrations.

The first violation involved the failure to develop, implement, and maintain written procedures to provide high confidence that each administration of Y-90 microspheres was performed according to the prepared written directive. The NRC determined that while the violation involved inadequate procedures, there was no negative impact to patients who received the treatment.

The second violation involved the licensee’s failure to monitor the hospital staff’s exposure to radiation during administrations of Y-90 microspheres.

In addition, the NRC identified three violations of security requirements. Details of the security- related violations are considered sensitive and not released to the public.

The Harper-Hutzel Hospital documented corrective actions it has taken to prevent recurrence of the violations in a response letter.

The company has 30 days to either pay or contest in writing the proposed penalty.

TMI-2 SOLUTIONS, LLC, THREE MILE ISLAND NUCLEAR STATION, UNIT 2 - NRC INSPECTION REPORT NO. 05000320/2023002

TMI U2 inspection report 2Q 2023.pdf

Risk of cancer death after exposure to low-dose ionizing radiation underestimated, suggests nuclear industry study

Subject: Risk of cancer death after exposure to low-dose ionizing radiation underestimated, suggests nuclear industry study

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-08-cancer-death-exposure-low-dose-ionizing.html

Friday, August 11, 2023

Main power line fails at Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant

https://news.yahoo.com/main-power-line-fails-russian-064130928.html


Main power line fails at Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant

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The Ukrainian nuclear agency Energoatom reported on Aug. 10 that the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant lost power from the main 750 kilovolt (kV) power line overnight.

The plant was then connected to the 330 kV backup line instead. The risk of this backup power line failing puts the largest nuclear plant in Europe on the verge of a blackout.

The main danger of losing external power is that the 4th reactor would go into "hot shutdown" as a result of the cooling pumps being switched off, Energoatom explained.

Without sufficient cooling, the equipment within the reactor can fail, heightening the risk of a nuclear accident.

Energoatom emphasized that the continued occupation of the plant by "illegitimate and untrained" management is bringing it "closer to disaster."

Russian forces have occupied the Zaporizhzhia plant since March 2022. Throughout the all-out war, the plant has been repeatedly disconnected from the Ukrainian power grid due to Russian attacks on the country's energy infrastructure.

For four months between March and July 2023, the plant was disconnected from the 330 kV backup power line due to damage on the opposite bank of the Dnipro River.

In October 2022, the plant was forced to rely on diesel generators to provide power to the cooling systems due to Russian shelling.

Before Russia's full-scale war, the nuclear plant had six backup lines and four main lines of 750 kV.

After nearly a year and a half of Russian occupation, uncertainty about what Russia could do next at the plant remains.

Ukraine raised fresh concerns of a potential accident at the plant in June, with top officials warning that Russia had rigged the plant with explosives and could launch a terrorist attack.

Since occupying the plant, Russia has used the nuclear plant as a military base, placing troops and equipment there.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has staff based at the plant on rotation since September 2022 to monitor the situation.

Read also: Locals near Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant brace for potential disaster: ‘It would be the end of us’

Peach Bottom Decommissioning Presubmittal Public Meeting Summary

Hello Mr. Epstein,


Your questions were address in the Peach Bottom decommissioning presubmittal public meeting.  The meeting summary can be found under ADAMS accession number ML23187A474.  I am attaching it for your convenience.   

Paragraph 4 on page 2 of the summary was provided to support your concern regarding decommissioning cost. I am adding the paragraph for your convenience.

There are many factors that affect reactor decommissioning costs. The minimum
decommissioning funding assurance amount must be adjusted annually by applying the latest
escalation factors for labor, energy, and waste burial costs. On page 53, the licensee estimated
that $275.417M in decommissioning expenditures remained as of December 31, 2022. The
licensee also reported that $145.438M was the balance of the trust as of December 31, 2022.
This compares to a balance of $159.188M in the trust as of December 31, 2021, which was
reported by the licensee on page 14 of the financial assurance status report submitted to the
NRC on March 23, 2022 (ADAMS Accession No. ML22082A227). This reflects an 8.6% decline
in the decommissioning trust fund balance from December 31, 2021, to December 31, 2022.


There are no contracts the NRC relies upon pursuant to 10 CFR 50.75(e)(1)(v).  As a result, we cannot provide a response to that identifies the amount Constellation received from the federal government relating to Department of Energy.

Paragraph 5 on page 2 of the summary was provided to support your concern regarding the decline in the amount of the trust fund balance. I am adding the paragraph for your convenience.


The Peach Bottom Unit 1 Trust experienced losses consistent with, and even less than, the
broad market equity indexes (S&P 500 experienced a loss of 18.11% in 2022) and the broad
bond/fixed income index (Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate [AGG] index, which experienced a loss of
13% in 2022). The statement as to the decline in the decommissioning trust fund balance in
view of broad, negative market returns does not consider contributions provided by the public
utility commission into the trust in 2022 nor withdrawals by the licensee in addressing
decommissioning expenditures in 2022. The NRC staff finds these outcomes reasonable and to
date, the information evaluated by the NRC staff does not raise concerns.


The last paragraph on page 2 of the summary was provided to support your concern regarding “Qualified Funds” and “Non-Qualified Funds.” I am adding the paragraph for your convenience.


There was a question regarding the funding levels as of December 31, 2022, for the “Qualified
Funds” and “Non-Qualified Funds” as well as the net gap in funding for site termination.
Information regarding this was not provided by the licensee, and thus was not available to the
NRC staff. The NRC staff is currently evaluating the March 2023 submission by the licensee to
determine if any shortfall/funding gap exists at the Peach Bottom Unit 1 site.


The Peach Bottom plant was shutdown on October 31, 1974. All spent fuel has been removed from the site, and the spent fuel pool is drained and decontaminated. The Department of Energy has possession of spent fuel rods at their facility. Idaho National Laboratory has been safely housing spent nuclear fuel for decades.

Assuming an off-site, high-level radioactive waste site is tied to the licensees discretion.  The NRC has no submittal docketed from the licensee regarding this question.

Thank you for submitting your questions.  For future reference, there is always a telephone number associated with public meetings that is posted on the agencies public meeting website that you can use to call into the meeting.   


Tanya E. Hood
Project Manager
Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
11555 Rockville Pike
Rockville, Maryland 20852-2738

Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Unit 2 - Correction to Technical Specifications Page 3.3-73 In Amendment No. 265 (EPID L-2019-PMP-0064)

Subject: Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Unit 2 - Correction to Technical Specifications Page 3.3-73 In Amendment No. 265 (EPID L-2019-PMP-0064)

ADAMS Accession No.: ML23195A185


Using Web-based ADAMS, select “Advanced Search”
Under “Property,” select “Accession Number”
Under “Value,” enter the Accession Number
Click Search

Wednesday, August 9, 2023

Peach Bottom 1 Nuclear Decommissioning Funding Gap Grows to $130 Million: $13.75 Million Annual Loss; 8.6% Decline

PeachBottomUnit1DecommMeetingSummary.7-2023.pdf

Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Unit 2 - Authorization and Safety Evaluation for Relief Request 4RR-10 (EPID L-2023-LLR-0014)

Subject: Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Unit 2 - Authorization and Safety Evaluation for Relief Request 4RR-10 (EPID L-2023-LLR-0014)

ADAMS Accession No.: ML23207A176

 
 
Using Web-based ADAMS, select “Advanced Search”
Under “Property,” select “Accession Number”
Under “Value,” enter the Accession Number
Click Search

SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 – INTEGRATED INSPECTION REPORT 05000387/2023002 AND 05000388/2023002

SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 – INTEGRATED INSPECTION REPORT 05000387/2023002 AND 05000388/2023002