Oyster Creek may have to use fire suppression system to cool high-level radioactive waste storage pool

NRC's file photo of Oyster Creek, which began operations in 1969As reported by Reuters, Exelon Nuclear's Oyster Creek atomic reactor on the NJ shore (photo, left) may need to use its in-house fire suppression system's emergency water supply in order to cool its high-level radioactive waste storage pool, after water levels in the Forked River and Barnegat Bay rose nearly 7.5 feet above normal due to Hurricane Sandy. As reported by Reuters, 'the nation's oldest facility declared a rare "alert" after the record storm surge pushed flood waters high enough to endanger a key cooling system.'

Water levels were apparently high enough to "submerge the service water pump motor that is used to cool the water in the spent fuel pool, potentially forcing it to use emergency water supplies from the in-house fire suppression system to keep the rods from overheating," the article reports. NRC informed Reuters that "the company had moved a portable pump to the water intake structure as a precaution, but has not needed to use it."

Oyster Creek issued a rare "Alert," eliciting comment from a high-level Obama administration official running the federal government's response to Hurricane Sandy:

"'Right now there's no imminent threat of releases. There's no protective actions around the plant,' Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Craig Fugate said on the Today Show.

'Some of these reporting requirements are due though to the severity of the storms. That they have to make these notifications based upon conditions, that does not mean that they are in an imminent threat at the plant,' Fugate said."

But even if Fugate is speaking truth, the nuclear establishment's past lies can lead to public distrust. Rosalie Bertell's book No Immediate Danger? challenged the U.S. nuclear establishment's flip use of such deceptive phraseology in the aftermath of the Three Mile Island meltdown of 1979. Such bad memories were revived by Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Edano's use of the phrase "no immediate health risk" in the first days of the Fukushima nuclear catastrophe.

Reuters reports that the high-level radioactive waste in Oyster Creek's pool could cause the water to boil in about 25 hours without additional coolant; "in an extreme scenario the rods could overheat, risking the eventual release of radiation."

As pointed out by Gregg Levine at Capitoilette, "If hoses desperately pouring water on endangered spent fuel pools remind you of Fukushima, it should. Oyster Creek is the same model of GE boiling water reactor that failed so catastrophically in Japan."

Ironically enough, during Oyster Creek's troubles -- which included loss of offsite power and the need to fire up two emergency diesel generators on site to provide electricity -- by 3:20 AM Tuesday, October 30th, 36 of 43 of Oyster Creek's emergency warning sirens were dysfunctional, according to an NRC "event notification." Thus, when needed most, emergency sirens often don't work, as they are grid connected, and not backed up, as by solar panels.

First an "Unusual Event" and then an "Alert" declared at Oyster Creek due to Hurricane Sandy

Oyster Creek atomic reactorThe United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has reported that Exelon Nuclear declared an "Unusual Event" at the Oyster Creek atomic reactor in Lacey Township, New Jersey (photo, left) at 7 PM Eastern, when water levels in the Forked River "first reached a minimum high water level criteria" in the plant's cooling water intake structure, "due to a combination of a rising tide, wind direction, and storm surge." The very center of Hurricane Sandy made landfall not far from Oyster Creek.

The higher level "Alert" was declared at 8:45 PM due to river levels in the intake structure "exceeding certain high water level criteria."

The Oyster Creek atomic reactor is currently shutdown for refueling. However, this means that thermally hot high-level radioactive waste, recently discharged from the operating reactor core, is now stored in the irradiated fuel storage pool, increasing risks of the pool water boiling if the electrical grid goes down in the storm. NRC does not require the cooling water systems in high-level radioactive waste storage pools to be connected to emergency back-up diesel generators, or any other power source besides the primary electrical grid.

Oyster Creek is the oldest operating reactor in the U.S., an identical twin design to Fukushima Daiichi Units 1, 2, 3, and 4 -- only older. Its high-level radioactive waste storage pool contains significantly more irradiated nuclear fuel than any of Fukushima Daiichi's units.

"A Mountain of Radioactive Waste 70 Years High: Ending the Nuclear Age," Chicago, December 1-3

Please consider attending, and help spread the word about, a quickly approaching event co-sponsored by Beyond Nuclear and Nuclear Energy Information Service (NEIS) of Chicago: "A Mountain of Radioactive Waste 70 Years High: Ending the Nuclear Age," Chicago, December 1-3.

December 2, 2012 marks the 70th year since Enrico Fermi created the first self-sustaining chain reaction in his prototype reactor during the Manhattan Project to develop nuclear weapons, dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan at the end of World War Two. Since then, over 67,000 metric tons of high-level radioactive waste have been generated by American commercial atomic reactors, and more than 10,000 metric tons of high-level radioactive wastes have been generated by the U.S. nuclear weapons complex, and we don't even know what to do with Fermi's first cupful.

See a list of confirmed speakers here. See NEIS's conference schedule, as well as registration, travel, and accommodation materials, here. 

As David Kraft of NEIS has asked "What if the Nuclear Industry had a birthday party…and WE showed up?" Find out, by joining us in Chicago for a powerful event.

Concerns mount over safety of reactors and fuel storage as Sandy nears landfall

Beyond Nuclear issued this press release concerning the status of US nuclear power plants and Hurricane Sandy.

Concerns mount over safety of reactors and fuel storage as Sandy nears landfall

Nuclear plants become part of the problem when natural disaster strikes

TAKOMA PARK, MD - As Hurricane Sandy lashes the east coast of the US and carves a swath inland, concerns are mounting about the status of both operating and shut down nuclear power plants in its path. Reactors situated in vulnerable locations along the eastern US shoreline, as well as on the Great Lakes, could face unprecedented challenges for which neither the industry nor its regulator are adequately prepared.

“Given all the safety systems are reliant upon offsite power,  nuclear reactors in the path of this mega-storm need to promptly shut down because of grid instability,” said Linda Gunter, International Specialist at Beyond Nuclear. “But when they do, they can no longer provide electricity at a time when it is needed most. As we saw with Fukushima Daiichi, when natural disaster strikes, nuclear power plants become a liability and part of the problem. We will be monitoring the situation closely as Sandy makes landfall as there are a number of reactors on the east coast and on the Great Lakes that give us great cause for concern,” she concluded.

“Ever since the Fukushima nuclear catastrophe in Japan began, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has been busy un-learning the lessons of that catastrophe instead of ordering prompt, meaningful safety retrofits and the shutdown of our most dangerous reactors” said Paul Gunter, Director of Reactor Oversight at Beyond Nuclear. “The NRC and the industry have been dragging their feet over cost concerns, gambling that the odds are against an unprecedented challenge of accidents and natural catastrophe,” he said. “It appears they would rather pay the much higher price later than force the nuclear industry to invest in safety today,” he concluded.

Beyond Nuclear and thousands of environmental groups and concerned citizens across the country filed an emergency petition with the NRC immediately after the Fukushima nuclear catastrophe began, urging that back-up power on high-level radioactive waste storage pools be required. A year and a half later, no such requirements have been implemented.

"High-level radioactive waste storage pools are not connected to back-up power, which means as soon as the electric grid goes down, water circulation pumps stop operating," said Kevin Kamps, Radioactive Waste Specialist at Beyond Nuclear. 

"In just several hours after loss of cooling, the pool water can begin to boil. Over the course of several to many days, if the pool water were to boil down to the tops of the irradiated nuclear fuel assemblies, they could quickly overheat, catch fire once exposed to air, and cause catastrophic radioactivity releases to the environment, as pools are not located in radiological containment structures," Kamps added.

Hurricane Sandy: Contact Beyond Nuclear for insight on reactor vulnerability

As Hurricane Sandy lashes the east coast of the US, concerns have been raised about the status of both operating and shut down nuclear power plants in its path. In the light of the devastating effects of the tsunami on the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactors in Japan, there remain many questions about the capacity of U.S. plants to withstand severe weather impacts and potential loss of electrical power.

For reporters interested in knowing more about the risks faced by the public living around nuclear plants in the path of Sandy, and about the potential for technical failure at reactors, from malfunction to meltdown, Beyond Nuclear experts are available for interview and consultation.

Please contact: 

Paul Gunter, Director of Reactor Oversight, 301.523.0201. Paul has expertise on all aspects of reactor operation and technical failures, as well as threats to public safety (including evacuation challenges.)

Kevin Kamps, Radioactive Waste Specialist, 240.462.3216. Kevin has expertise on all aspects of radioactive waste, particularly the vulnerability of reactor fuel pools and onsite waste casks during severe weather events and loss of power at nuclear plants.

Bloomberg has listed the potentially affected reactors here.

Update on October 29, 2012 by admin

Bloomberg report with Kevin Kamps quoted, here. Businessweek quoted Kevin as well.

Update on October 29, 2012 by admin

This morning, Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman interviewed nuclear engineer Arnie Gundersen of Fairewinds Associates in Burlington, VT about the safety risks to numerous atomic reactors and high-level radioactive waste storage pools in the path of Hurricane Sandy, especially concerning the likely "collapse" of the electric grid, coupled with any failure of emergency diesel generators. The interview is entitled "Nuclear Plants from Virginia to Vermont Could Be Impacted from Massive Hurricane Sandy."

On Oct. 28th, Fairewinds Energy Education's Podcast, featuring Kevin Hurley interviewing Arnie, began with an analysis of the atomic reactor and radioactive waste risks due to Hurricane Sandy.

Arnie emphasizes in his interviews that high-level radioactive waste storage pools lack emergency back up power. Reactors which happen to be shut down for re-fueling, such as Oyster Creek, NJ -- close to the center of Sandy's land fall -- have hot waste, recently discharged from the operating reactor core. Pools, often crammed full of high-level radioactive waste, can begin to boil within several hours once water circulation is lost due to loss of the electric grid. Although it might take days for the pool water to boil down to the top of the irradiated nuclear fuel assemblies, if that were to occur, a radioactive waste fire could start, not contained in radiological containment structures.

While shutting down reactors before Hurricane Sandy's landfall, so that they can begin to cool down from full power thermal heat levels, is the responsible course of action by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and nuclear utilities, many reactors in the hurricane's path are still running at full power, according to NRC's website, as of 3:30 PM Eastern Monday, Oct. 29th, including: Calvert Cliffs 1 & 2 in MD, Hope Creek & Salem 1 in NJ (Reuters has reported that Salem 1 & Hope Creek will likey shut down today, as hurricane wind speeds and Delaware River levels rise above allowable operating parameters), Indian Point 2 & 3 in NY, Limerick 1 & 2 in PA, Millstone 3 in CT, North Anna 1 & 2 in VA, Peach Bottom 2 & 3 in PA, Pilgrim in MA, Surry 1 & 2 in VA, Susquehanna 2 in PA (at 75% power), Three Mile Island 1 in PA, and Vermont Yankee.

A Reuters article, reprinted by Huffington Post, speculated whether high winds might also force reactors in Maryland and Pennsylvania to shut down. The Christian Science Monitor has reported that one of the two operating reactors at Millstone will be powered down to 75% power levels, to stabilize the electric grid against the risk of a sudden need to shut down the reactors completely. The Day of New London, CT confirmed the power down to 75% power level at Millstone Unit 3. A Dominion Nuclear spokesman explained "Unit 3 will be better able to handle any storm surges that could affect its intake water system at a lower power output." The article also reported that flood barriers had been installed.

Update on October 29, 2012 by admin

NRC issued a press release at 4 PM on Monday, Oct. 29th reporting, in its sub-title, that as of 3 PM, "No Plants Shut Down as a Result of the Storm."