NRC Office of Investigations launches probe into Palisades SIRW storage tank leak

The 45-year-old, problem-plagued Palisades atomic reactor sits on the shore of Lake Michigan, drinking water supply for tens of millions downstreamAs reported by the St. Joe Herald-Palladium, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Office of Investigations (OI) has launched a special probe into the leakage of up to 31.4 gallons per day of acidic and radioactive water from the Safety Injection Refueling Water (SIRW) storage tank into the control room and auxiliary building of Entergy Nuclear's Palisades atomic reactor in Covert, MI on Lake Michigan's southeastern shoreline. WSJM radio reports that Palisades' PR spokesman Mark Savage denies any safety significance.

The Associated Press has also reported on this story. A Detroit News opinion column also comments on this story, including that "The tank was being refilled when, Tuesday night, new leaks appeared, and at 9 p.m., it was shut down." Entergy Nuclear appears to be in a hurry to re-start Palisades!

In addition, as the Kalamazoo Gazette reports, the NRC is demanding a copy from Entergy Nuclear of an internal survey of Palisades' workforce, revealing a complete collapse of safety culture at the atomic reactor, including fears of retaliation and harassment for questioning management decisions or raising safety concerns. As spelled out in its letter to Entergy, NRC defines safety culture as "the core values and behaviors resulting from a collective commitment by leaders and individuals to emphasize safety over competing goals to ensure protection of people and the environment." More.

"Taking Back America's Energy Future from the Lobbyists: 1 Million Americans to Fight Industry Efforts to Kill Clean Energy Agenda"

"Burning Money" image by Gene Case, Avenging AngelsBeyond Nuclear has joined with three dozen national, regional, and local grassroots organizations to launch the American Clean Energy Agenda. See the media release, entitled "Taking Back America's Energy Future from the Lobbyists: 1 Million Americans to Fight Industry Efforts to Kill Clean Energy Agenda." The American Clean Energy Agenda is posted online. Beyond Nuclear's Kevin Kamps, who took part in the early April summit to hammer out these principles in Boston, said: "Only in Orwell's worst nightmare would dirty, dangerous, and expensive nuclear power be considered clean energy."

Markey to NRC: There is a crisis in the control room at the Palisades nuclear power plant

U.S. Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA)On June 22nd, U.S. Representative Ed Markey (D-MA), Ranking Democrat on the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee, issued a media release regarding a letter he had written to U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Chairman Greg Jaczko with deep concerns about the situation at Entergy's Palisades atomic reactor in Covert, MI on the Lake Michigan shoreline. Markey's letter was prompted by a June 14 letter (attached to his letter to Chairman Jaczko) by D.C.-based attorney Billie Garde, who has long worked with nuclear whistle blowers. Garde's letter revealed that a radioactive water leak has been ongoing in the Palisades control room for a year; "catch basins" are used to collect the radioactive water leakage, although it is unclear how the radioactive water is disposed of after it is collected.

Garde also revealed a total collapse in "Safety Culture" at Palisades: most workers fear retaliation if they question management decisions. Less severe Safety Culture collapse at Millstone nuclear power plant in Connecticut led to its shutdown by NRC in 1996, according to Garde.

Beyond Nuclear's Kevin Kamps and a coalition of two dozen environmental allies and concerned citizens met with NRC Chairman Jaczko on May 25th after he toured the problem-plagued Palisades atomic reactor. On June 12th, the radioactive water leakage surpassed 31.4 gallons per day, at which point Palisades shut down and the problem was first revealed to the public. However, Garde's letter revealed that the leakage had already been occuring at a rate of 15 to 20 gallons per day, for many months on end.

The coalition wrote Jaczko on June 14, asking if he had not known about the leak, or had known but failed to tell the public about it on May 25.

The Kalamazoo Gazette has reported on this story. So has the St. Joe Herald-Palladium.

Update on June 28, 2012 by admin

On June 27th, Beyond Nuclear's Kevin Kamps published a media statement in response to Congressman Markey's revelations.

Update on August 31, 2012 by admin

In August, NRC Chairwoman Allison Macfarlane responded to Congressman Markey's questions with a cover letter, Responses to Information Requests, and an Executive Summary from Palisades' safety culture assessment. Of note, in the Response to Information Requests at page 1, NRC Chairwoman Macfarlane states "the licensee cannot exclude the possibility that the tank is leaking from a structural defect," and that Entergy justifies continued use of the tank under standards for the "Temporary Acceptance of Degradation," although temporary appears to be indefinite, for no further repair or replacement is spelled out. The safety culture assessment executive summary noted a "repeated emphasis of production over safety" at Palisades, a key factor in FirstEnergy's Davis-Besse Hole-in-the-Head fiasco in 2002, the most infamous nuclear safely lapse in the U.S. since the 1979 Three Mile Island meltdown, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

INDEPENDENCE FROM ENTERGY Rally and Action

The Safe and Green Energy Alliance (SAGE) has called for a rally in Brattleboro, VT and non-violent direct action at Entergy's Vermont Yankee atomic reactor on July 1st. See the SAGE online announcement here; see the full size poster (left) here.

Senate committee confirms new NRC chairwoman

Rollcall has reported that the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee has voted to confirm Dr. Allison Macfarlane as the next chairwoman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), to complete the final year of outgoing Chairman Greg Jaczko's term. At the same time, the committee re-confirmed NRC Commissioner Kristine Svinicki for a second five year term. EPW Committee Chairwoman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) fully supports the Macfarlane confirmation, while opposing Svinicki, stating:

"I am pleased that the Committee approved the President's nominee, Dr. Macfarlane, because she brings the critical experience, intelligence, scientific background, and integrity that we need in the NRC Chairman. I could not support Commissioner Svinicki's re-nomination, because I do not believe that she has demonstrated the commitment to safety that the American people have a right to expect in this post-Fukushima era."

The full U.S. Senate will now vote on the nominations.