Entergy Watch: NRC approves reduced inspections on troubled Vermont Yankee steam dryer

The Bathtub Curve (referring to the graph's shape) for Nuclear Accidents, by David Lochbaum of Union of Concerned ScientistsThe U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), which is supposed to protect public health, safety, and the environment, instead often prioritizes nuclear utility profits. As reported by the Rutland Herald, NRC has now approved Entergy inspecting its troubled Vermont Yankee (VY) steam dryer not once every 1.5 years, but rather once every 4.5 years. This, despite the fact that the steam dryer at VY has developed 65 cracks in the past 7 years alone, likely related to the 20% "power uprate" NRC has also rubberstamped there (this means that VY is being run at 120% hotter and harder than it was originally designed for, with consequently damaging vibrations). 

A decade ago at Exelon's Quad Cities nuclear power plant in Illinois, another NRC-approved power uprate's vibrations led to a steam dryer's failure, sending chunks of metal hurtling down steam lines -- some of which were never recovered, even though the reactor has been permitted to keep operating.

VY's steam dryer is not the only age-degraded system, structure, or component at the 41-year-old Fukushima Daiichi twin (a General Electric Mark I Boiling Water Reactor). Its condensor is also on its last legs, begging for replacement. Entergy seems in no hurry to pay the tens of millions of dollars for that repair, either -- and NRC is not requiring it of them.

The Bathtub Curve for Nuclear Accidents (above left) shows that age-degradation significantly increases "break down phase" reactor risks. NRC rubberstamped "power uprates" exacerbate those risks even worse.

Entergy Watch: Vermont Yankee

New England Coalition appealed to the State of Vermont's Supreme Court to order the shutdown of Vermont Yankee due its lack of a Certificate of Public Good from the State of Vermont's Public Service Board.

Entergy Nuclear's Vermont Yankee atomic reactor is a GE BWR Mark I, identical in design to Fukushima Daiichi Units 1-4.

More.

NRC staff will urge Commission to install radiation filter vents at flawed Fukushima-style reactors in US and industry will oppose

On November 30, 2012, the staff of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission will recommend to the five member Commission that all operators of the GE Mark I and Mark II boiling water reactors in the United States must install high capacity radiation filters on containment vents as already deployed throughout Europe.  In the staff’s judgment, if these Fukushima-style reactors are to continue to operate in the US, the NRC should order radiation filter vents be installed on the notoriously weak containment system. A filtered vent system would give operators more confidence to temporarily vent containment during a severe accident rather than hesitate and risk catastrophic explosions and the widespread uncontrolled release of radioactivity.  The nuclear industry is adamantly opposing spending money on the filtered vent system. The Commission will begin its deliberation process and is expected to vote in early 2013 whether to accept the staff recommendation or possibly take no action that would consider the main lessons of Fukushima Dai-Ichi; reactor fuel damage, containment failure and widespread radioactive contamination. The current NRC Order put into place March 12, 2012 for GE Mark I and II  operators does not require compliance unitl December 31, 2016 and more importantly does not require any actions or service to address the catastrophic consequences of a severe accident (fuel damage, hydrogen detonation and massive uncontrolled releases of radioactivity). Ironically,  the current staff recommendation for filtered vents was proposed in 1982, thirty years ago, for these same reactors and rejected by NRC.

The Massachusetts citizen group Pilgrim Watch has formally written to the Commissioners in an appeal that the NRC immediately issue a new order requiring the installation of radiation filtering vents on these unreliable containments. The public is encouraged to alert their elected officials and write the Commissioners (Office of the Secretary,  Annette.Vietti-Cook@nrc.gov  ) in support of the NRC staff recommendation and the Pilgrim Watch appeal for the stepped up action at vulnerable Fukushima-style reactors.

There are 23 Mark Is and 8 Mark IIs still operating in the U.S.

Vermonters urge State Public Service Board to deny Entergy Vermont Yankee a Certificate of Public Good

Entergy Nuclear's Vermont Yankee atomic reactor is a GE BWR Mark I -- identical in design to Fukushima Daiichi Units 1-4.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's outrageous rubberstamp of the Vermont Yankee atomic reactor's 20 year license extension, just days after the beginning of multiple meltdowns at reactors of identical design at Fukushima Daiichi, Japan, did not mark the end of the story for the people of Vermont. As the SAGE Alliance makes clear with a rally at the Vermont State House in Montpelier (pictured, left) on the 1st of every month, "We Are Not Going Away Until VT Yankee is Shut Down and Safely Decommissioned!"

And, with a rally at the State House on Sat., Nov. 17th, and state-wide public testimony to the State of Vermont Public Service Board (PSB) on Mon., Nov. 19th, the people of the Green Mountain State made clear their ongoing, strong opposition to any grant of a renewed Certificate of Public Good (CPG) to Entergy Nuclear for the continued operation of the Vermont Yankee atomic reactor. The grassroots efforts were organized by such groups as the SAGE Alliance, Citizens Awareness Network (CAN), and the Vermont Yankee Decommissioning Alliance (VYDA). More.

"Shut It Down!" affinity group members face jail and fine for Vermont Yankee arrests

Entergy Nuclear's Vermont Yankee atomic reactor is a GE BWR Mark I, identical in design to Fukushima Daiichi Units 1-4.

As reported by Eesha Williams in the Valley Post, six women, who are members of the "Shut It Down!" affinity group, will face trial, beginning at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, November 27th in downtown Brattleboro, VT, for their non-violent civil disobedience arrests at Entergy Nuclear's Vermont Yankee atomic reactor. If convicted of the misdemeanor trespassing charges, they could be sentenced to a year in jail, and a $500 fine, Williams reports.

The six defendants are: Hattie Nestel (age 73) of Athol, Massachusetts; Paki Wieland (age 68), Nancy First (age 82), and Frances Crowe (age 93) of Northampton, MA; Betsy Corner (age 64) of Colrain, MA; and Ellen Graves (age 69) of West Springfield, MA.

The "Shut It Down!" affinity group has been arrested nearly two dozen times at the VY reactor, or in related actions, as at other Entergy Nuclear offices. More.

Update on December 15, 2012 by admin

Judge refuses to send Vermont Yankee protestors to jail