OT: NRC Daily Events Report #36599 Cook Nuclear Plant

greenspun.com : LUSENET : TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) : One Thread

Not sure where this fits but a potential crisis is a crisis. You may want to read today's NRC Daily Event Report, in particular event #36599. I hesitate to give them credit, but they found the problem and are apparently fixing it. Looks like a repair weld gave way in a containment liner during servicing. I found the statement by NRC interesting, "....a condition which was found while the reactor is shutdown, which had it been found while the reactor was in operation, would have resulted in the nuclear power plant, including it's principal safety barriers being seriously degraded or being in an unanalyzed condition that significantly compromises plant safety.."

Sorry, but I don't know who to link. But, some have linked it before, hopefully they can again. Maybe I'm reading it wrong.

-- Trish (adler2@webtv.net), January 18, 2000

Answers

NRC Event Reports

-- Forrest Covington (theforrest@mindspring.com), January 18, 2000.

The following text is a portion of a facsimile received from the licensee:

"This is ... American Electrical Power, D.C. Cook Plant Units 1 and 2 calling with a [4]-hour notification in accordance 10 CFR 50.72(b)(2)(i) of a condition which was found while the reactor is shutdown, which, had it been found while the reactor was in operation, would have resulted in the nuclear power plant, including its principal safety barriers, being seriously degraded or being in an unanalyzed condition that significantly compromises plant safety.

"During the ongoing In-Service Program inspection of the Unit 2 containment liner, an indication was found that appeared to be a weld repair. After surface preparation to allow for further inspection, it was determined that the indication was actually a previously repaired area on the liner plate, probably dating from construction. The mechanism used for surface preparation was a needle gun, and the force exerted by the needle gun dislodged the weld metal that had been deposited in the damaged area. The result was a through-liner hole approximately 3/16 of an inch in size that is roughly circular.

"Although the Unit 2 containment successfully passed its 10 CFR [Part] 50, Appendix-J, Integrated Leak Rate Testing in 1992, concern exists that under thermal stress of a postulated accident condition, the weld material could have become dislodged. This would potentially represent a containment leakage path and a degraded safety barrier.

"This hole will be repaired in accordance with ASME Section XI, Repair or Replacement Program, prior to startup."

The licensee stated that both unit are currently defueled. (sic)

The licensee notified the NRC resident inspector. +--------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------+

Compare to a pilot finding a problem at pre-flight. Kinda the reason they do a walk-around beforehand?

-- harl (harlanquin@aol.hell), January 19, 2000.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ