NRC "supplemental inspection" begins at Palisades

The scorched control room panel involved in the Sept. 25, 2011 accident at Palisades which NRC concluded was of "substantial significance to safety"As reported by the Associated Press, an eight member "supplemental inspection team" from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) began two weeks of work today at Entergy Nuclear's problem-plagued Palisades atomic reactor in Covert, Michigan on the Lake Michigan shoreline. Last Valentine's Day, NRC lowered Palisades' safety status to among the four worst-run reactors in the U.S. This came after a September 25, 2011 near-electrocution, caused by short cuts on safety, that plunged half the control room into a power outage, instantly throwing 22 safety related plant systems into chaos (see photo, left).

It took control room operators hours to bring the reactor under control, all the while straining age-degraded systems, structures, and components to the breaking point. This included the worst embrittled reactor pressure vessel (RPV) in the U.S. If subjected to emergency core cooling system (ECCS) water, the RPV could fracture like a hot glass under cold water, due to "pressurized thermal shock." Such a fracture would lead to a loss of coolant accident in the core, very likely leading to a meltdown. If the containment structures then failed, a catastrophic radioactivity release would result. Frighteningly, the electrical fault inadvernently activated the ECCS. Fortunately, the ECCS failed to inject cooling water, which would have tested NRC's decades of repeated weakenings of PTS safety standards, which has allowed Palisades to keep operating as its RPV embrittlement has worsened. Of course, the failure of the ECCS to work, when ordered to (even inadvertently) raises its own red flags -- the ECCS is one of the last lines of defense against nuclear fuel overheating in the core that can also lead to meltdown.

NRC allowed Entergy to tell it when it was ready for this special inspection. Entergy took over seven months to prepare itself.

SAMA contention defended, resistance to Davis-Besse license extension continues

Toledo attorney Terry Lodge speaks at a press conference on August 9th at Oak Harbor High School, prior to an NRC public meeting, addressing Davis-Besse's severely cracked shield building.On Sept. 14th, environmental coalition attorney, Toledo-based Terry Lodge (photo, left), filed a rebuttal against FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company's (FENOC) Motion for Summary Dismissal (MSD) of an intervention contention challenging the Davis-Besse atomic reactor's Severe Accident Mitigation Alernatives (SAMA) analyses.

FENOC applied for a 20 year license extension in August 2010, which the environmental coalition (Beyond Nuclear, Citizens Environment Alliance of Southwestern Ontario, Don't Waste Michigan, and Green Party of Ohio) challenged in December 2010. One of the contentions the coalition successfully filed involved SAMA. On the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear catastrophe (April 26, 2011), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) Atomic Safety (sic) and Licensing Board (ASLB) granted the environmental intervenors a hearing on the SAMA contention. 

The coalition is deeply indebted to Pilgrim Watch in Massachusetts, as well as the New England Coalition, for their groundbreaking SAMA challenges against the Pilgrim and Seabrook, NH license extensions, respectively. Their work laid the groundwork for ours.

FENOC appealed the ASLB's ruling to the five member NRC Commission, which earlier this year largely ruled in FENOC's favor, overruling the ASLB and dismissing several aspects of the SAMA hearing request. However, some aspects survived. Those are what FENOC would now like to nix entirely.

However, FENOC recently admitted that it had made five major errors in its original SAMA analyses, including getting wind directions 180 degrees wrong; undervaluing Ohio farmland and urban property values; and underestimating the amount of hazardous radioactivity that could escape into the environment during a meltdown at Davis-Besse, as well as the land area that could become contaminated.

The heart of the environmental coalition's defense of its contention involves the severe cracking of Davis-Besse's outer concrete, steel reinforced shield building, as well as significant corrosion of its inner steel containment vessel. The Intervenors charge that FENOC's SAMA analyses are fatally flawed, for they ignore the questionable structural integrity of Davis-Besse's containment structures, which could fail under even small loads, such as mild earthquakes, or meltdown conditions (high temperatures and pressures, which the shield building was never even designed to withstand when brand new, let alone severely cracked).

The ASLB has indicated it will hold oral argument pre-hearings in the vicinity of Davis-Besse in early November, at which the environmental coalition will defend not only its SAMA contention, but also its shield building cracking contention.

Palisades a catastrophe waiting to happen, must be shutdown before it melts down

Catharine Sugas, a local concerned citizen and longtime anti-nuclear watchdog, testifies for Palisades' shutdown at an NRC public meeting in South Haven, Michigan. Photo Credit: Steve Carmody/Michigan RadioWWMT TV 3 interviewed Beyond Nuclear's Kevin Kamps about the problem-plagued Palisades atomic reactor. Kevin charged both Entergy Nuclear and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission with a cover up, after a survey of Palisades workers -- revealing a complete collapse of safety culture -- was concealed from the media and public for months. In June, U.S. Representative Ed Markey (D-MA), acting on a tip from D.C. attorney Billie Pirner Garde, who works with Palisades whistleblowers, revealed the safety culture collapse to the public.

TV 3 later reported Kevin vowing, during testimony before the NRC meeting about Palisades' safety culture in South Haven, Michigan, "We will do our best to keep our eyes on you, because we feel burned countless times by the NRC." Corinne Carey with Don't Waste Michigan was also interviewed: "My family and I live in Grand Rapids, and that 70 miles or so is not far enough should there be a serious problem there. I just became a great-grandma, and I'm worried about my sweet little Emilia Rose."

The St. Joe Herald Palladium reported on the NRC public meeting:

"Wade Adams of Kalamazoo told the NRC he thought the corrective action plan was a 'smokescreen' for Entergy to blame employees for its performance problems. 

The real issue, he said, is that Palisades is an old nuclear power plant and will continue to have performance problems.

'It's old and it should be shut down,' Adams said."

TV 8 Grand Rapids also reported on this story, interviewing Benton Harbor resident Bette Pierman, who called for the troubled atomic reactor to be shutdown before catastrophe strikes, radioactively contaminating the region's food and drinking water supply.

Michigan Radio also reported on public calls for Palisades' shutdown:

"The owners of the Palisades nuclear power plant promised last night to improve their 'culture of safety.'   

But dozens of people at the public meeting doubted that promise. Catherine Sugas spoke for many people who attended the meeting when she questioned why the problem plagued nuclear power plant is still operating.

'If you can’t shut down a plant that’s dangerous…what are you? How can you keep a plant going that’s obviously dangerous,' Sugas asked a panel from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission." (see photo, above left)

The Kalamazoo Gazette also reported on this story, including concerned local residents and environmental representatives' calls for Palisades to be shutdown.

Like a seen straight out of The Simpson's, where Homer works at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, the Gazette also reported:

"Officials at Wednesday's meeting went into details about how specifically they are working to address the problems, which include increasing communication between employees, having assessments of managers, and having supervisors coach workers on working more safely.

One example is that if employees report a problem or raise a concern, they are rewarded with a candy bar." (emphasis added)

The Gazette also reported on Kevin's talk in Kalamazoo on Sept. 13th, entitled "The Catastrophe Waiting to Happen at Palisades, and What You Can Do to Prevent It!" That event was hosted by Kalamazoo Peace House, and was held at Sunnyside United Methodist Church. Kevin presented a PowerPoint.

Beyond Nuclear issued a media statement.

Update on September 18, 2012 by admin

Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire compiled more media coverage, including WKZO Radio, which quoted Kevin:

"Longtime anti-nuclear activist Kevin Kamps repeated his desire that he wants Palisades to be shut down during the forum, saying people have been 'burned countless times by the NRC.'"

Concerned local residents and environmental groups express concerns to NRC Chair Macfarlane about leaks & coverups at Palisades

The area of the control room at Palisades where, on Sept. 25, 2011, a short circuit nearly electrocuted a worker, cutting off 50% of control room power, which plunged Palisades into near-disaster, testing age-degraded systems, structures, and components to the breaking point. Photo taken by Mark Bugnaski, Kalamazoo GazetteA coalition of concerned local residents, as well as representatives of environmental groups, has responded to a letter sent to them on September 4th by U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Chairwoman, Allison Macfarlane. The exchange centers on a leak of radioactive and acidic water above, around, and even into the control room at the problem-plagued Palisades atomic reactor in Covert, Michigan on the Lake Michigan shoreline. Chairwoman Macfarlane stated that the NRC Staff had determined that the leak was not significant enough for the NRC Chair and Commissioners, as well as the general public, to be notified about it. The coalition begged to differ.

Chairwoman Macfarlane also stated that NRC's approval of Palisades' 20 year license extension requires Entergy to manage aging of safety significant systems, structures, and components. The coalition, which includes groups like Don't Waste Michigan that actively intervened against Palisades' license extension, responded that Entergy is utterly failing at that, as are NRC's own oversight and inspections, for Palisades has suffered a large number of sudden, age-related break downs, some of "substantial significance to safety," in NRC's own words (see photo, above left).

25 members of the coalition had met with former NRC Chairman Greg Jaczko on May 25th, immediately after his tour of Palisades, and a press conference he held, in nearby South Haven, Michigan. Neither NRC Chairman Jaczko, nor any of the NRC Staff in attendance -- including NRC Region 3 Administrator Chuck Casto, director of NRC's Office of Public Affairs Elliot Brenner, NRC resident inspectors at Palisades, and others, said one word about the leak during the meeting or press conference.

On June 12th, just over two weeks after the May 25th meeting, Palisades suddenly shutdown to investigate the leak. Press statements by Palisades' spokesman Mark Savage quickly made it clear the leak had been ongoing since before the May 25th meeting. The coalition immediately wrote Chairman Jaczko on June 14th, asking whether or not he had himself known about the leak, and why the concerned public and media had been kept in the dark.

On June 22nd, U.S. Congressman Markey (D-MA), acting on tips from Palisades whistleblowers who had confided in D.C. attorney Billie Pirner Garde, revealed that the leak was actually into the control room. Markey also revealed that Palisades' safety culture was in complete collapse. NRC had known about the safety culture problems for months, it turned out. And NRC had also known about the control room leak for a year. However, neither scandal had been revealed publicly.

On August 14th, HuffPost Hill then broke the story that NRC Chairman Jaczko had himself been kept in the dark by his own Staff about the leak, and had ordered an investigation to find out why. NRC Commissioner Ostendorff has been accused of attempting to interfere with that investigation, including yelling at the lead investigator, who happens to be a woman. If the allegation is true, it is most ironic, and hypocritical. In a letter to the White House as well as at congressional hearings, Ostendorff joined NRC Commissioners Svinicki, Magwood, and Apostalakis in seeking Jaczko's ouster from NRC for allegedly bullying female staffers, a charge never substantiated.

On August 15th, Chairwoman Macfarlane answered Markey's June 24th letter. Of note, in Macfarlane's "Response to Information Requests," she states "the licensee cannot exclude the possibility that the tank is leaking from a structural defect," and that Entergy justifies continued use of the leaking and potentially structurally defective Safety Injection Refueling Water (SIRW) storage tank under standards for the "Temporary Acceptance of Degradation." However, temporary appears to be indefinite, for no further repair or replacement is spelled out. In addition, the safety culture assessment executive summary noted a "repeated emphasis of production over safety" at Palisades. ("Production over safety" was a key factor in FirstEnergy's Davis-Besse Hole-in-the-Head fiasco in 2002, according to a Dec. 2002 NRC Office of Inspector General Investigation into NRC wrongdoing associated with the scandalous near-disaster. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, Davis-Besse's 2002 Hole in the Head Fiasco was the most infamous nuclear safely lapse in the U.S. since the 1979 Three Mile Island meltdown.)

However, on August 30th, Markey was compelled to write Macfarlane again, after Palisades sprung yet another, unrelated leak -- this time, a safety-critical primary coolant leak, through-wall from a control rod drive mechanism (CRDM). Unique in the nuclear power industry, Palisades has suffered chronic CRDM seal leaks for 40 years, as documented by the Union of Concerned Scientists.

On Wed., Sept. 12th at 6 PM Eastern, NRC will hold a public meeting on Palisades' (lack of) safety culture. For those unable to attend in person, there is a toll-free call-in number.

On Thurs., Sept. 13th, at 7:30 PM Eastern, Beyond Nuclear's Kevin Kamps will speak at Kalamazoo Peace House about "The Catastrophe Waiting to Happen at Palisades, and What You Can Do to Prevent It."

On Mon., Sept. 17th, and continuing through Fri., Sept. 28th, a team of NRC inspectors will descend on Palisades for a "IP95002 supplemental inspection." Last Valentine's Day, when NRC designated Palisades as one of the four worst-run atomic reactors in the U.S., it generously allowed Entergy as long as it needed to get back to it as to when it would be ready for a supplemental inspection. Thus, it took Entergy seven months to "clean house." This is but the latest amongst multiple probes, investigations, and inspections taking place at the problem-plagued Palisades atomic reactor.

NRC's Nuke Waste Confidence EIS will delay reactor licenses for at least two years!

Cover of Beyond Nuclear's pamphlet "A Mountain of Radioactive Waste 70 Years High"The five Commissioners who direct the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) have just ordered NRC Staff to carry out an expedited, two-year long Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process to revise the agency's Nuclear Waste Confidence Decision (NWCD) and Rule. Critics have charged the NWCD is a confidence game, which for decades has prevented environmental opponents of new reactor construction/operation licenses, as well as old reactor license extensions, from raising high-level radioactive waste generation/storage concerns during NRC licensing proceedings, or even in the federal courts. This EIS process and NWCD revision will thus delay any final NRC approval for new reactor construction/operation licenses, or old reactor license extensions, for at least two years.

The Court's ruling mandated that NRC give a "hard look" at the safety, security, and environmental risks and impacts of extended (not years or decades, but centuries or even permanent) storage of high-level radioactive waste at reactors sites, in pools and/or dry casks.

The "Mountain of Radioactive Waste 70 Years High" conference in Chicago Dec. 1-3 will serve as a launch pad for generating public comments to NRC on this EIS, as well as to push back against the nuclear establishment's backlash proposals to begin "Mobile Chernobyl" irradiated nuclear fuel shipments by road, rail, and waterway to "consolidated interim storage." See Beyond Nuclear's pamphlet on high-level radioactive waste (cover reproduced at left). More.