The probability of a nuclear accident is small but the consequences can be catastrophic. Our experts analyze nuclear safety issues from the past and present, making recommendations for a safer nuclear fleet.
August 23, 2018 6:00 AM EDT
Role of Regulation in Nuclear Plant Safety 9
The Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station in Delta, Pennsylvania is known for its tireless workers. They stop working long before getting tired and nap while on duty. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) treated the nuclear nappers as naughty in 1987 but as nice in 2007. The reason for such disparate handling of the same problem isn’t apparent. Maybe if I took a nap it would come to me in a dream. Read more >
August 16, 2018 6:00 AM EDT
Role of Regulation in Nuclear Plant Safety #8
In the mid-1960s, the nuclear safety regulator raised concerns about the reliability of the system relied upon to protect the public in event of a reactor transient. If that system failed—or failed again since it had already failed—the reactor core could be severely damaged (as it had during that prior failure.) The nuclear industry resisted the regulator’s efforts to manage this risk. Throughout the 1970s, the regulator and industry pursued non-productive exchange of study and counter-study. Then the system failed again—three times—in June 1980 and twice more in February 1983. The regulator adopted the Anticipated Transient Without Scram rule in June 1984. But it was too little, too late—the hazard it purported to manage had already been alleviated via other means. Read more >
August 13, 2018 6:00 AM EDT
The initial commentary in this series of posts described how a three-person panel formed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to evaluate concerns raised by an NRC worker concluded that the agency violated its procedures, policies, and practices by closing out a safety issue and returning the Columbia Generating Station to normal regulatory oversight without proper justification.
I had received the non-public report by the panel in the mail. That envelope actually contained multiple panel reports. This commentary addresses a second report from another three-person panel. None of the members of this panel served on the Columbia Generating Station panel. Whereas that panel investigated contentions that NRC improperly dismissed safety concerns, this panel investigated contentions that the NRC improperly sanctioned Cooper for issues that did not violate any federal regulations or requirements. This panel also substantiated the contentions and concluded that the NRC lacked justification for its actions. When will the injustices end? Read more >
August 9, 2018 6:00 AM EDT
Role of Regulation in Nuclear Plant Safety #7
Both reactors at the Surry nuclear plant near Williamsburg, Virginia operated at full power on December 9, 1986. Around 2:20 pm, a valve in a pipe between a steam generator on Unit 2 and its turbine inadvertently closed due to a re-assembly error following recent maintenance. The valve’s closure resulted in a low water level inside the steam generator, which triggered the automatic shutdown of the Unit 2 reactor. The rapid change from steady state operation at full power to zero power caused a transient as systems adjusted to the significantly changed conditions. About 40 seconds after the reactor trip, a bend in the pipe going to one of the feedwater pumps ruptured. The pressurized water jetting from the broken pipe flashed to steam. Several workers in the vicinity were seriously burned by the hot vapor. Over the next week, four workers died from the injuries. Read more >
August 8, 2018 6:00 AM EDT
There’s been abundant talk recently about obstruction of justice—who may or may not have impeded this or that investigation. Rather than chime in on a bad thing, obstruction of justice, this commentary advocates a good thing—obstruction of injustice. There’s an injustice involving the Columbia Generating Station in Washington that desperately needs obstructing. Read more >
