Troubled Perry atomic reactor suffers yet another incident, but NRC refuses to lower its safety status designation

NRC's file photo of the Perry nuclear power plant on the Lake Erie shore.FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company's (FENOC) Perry atomic reactor on the Lake Erie shore of northeast Ohio near Cleveland -- named after an American War of 1812 commodore who captured the British navy two centuries ago in a decisive battle at Port Clinton, Ohio -- was already on the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) short list of worst-run reactors in the country.

Just several days ago, NRC issued a press release admitting that, even though its regulations require it to lower Perry's safety status designation yet further, thus increasing the agency's regulatory oversight, it had chosen not to. Perry has had ongoing problems with worker radiological safety, but recently also experienced a security problem that NRC has described as more than minor in significance ("greater-than-green" in obscure NRC Nukespeak). As is its habit, NRC has invoked "safeguards information," and has refused to divulge any more information about the security breach. All this should have resulted in NRC lowering Perry's safety status from "Column 3" to "Column 4," thus increasing inspections. But NRC attempted to justify its decision to deviate from regulations, by pointing out that the worker radiation protection problems are supposedly on the mend.

Ironically, late last night, Perry experienced an incident that deepens public concern about reactor risks at the troubled plant. An NRC "Current Event Notification" published today describes Emergency Core Cooling System injection, Reactor Protection System actuation, High Pressure Core Spray system actuation and injection, and Reactor Core Isolation Cooling system actuation and injection, all in order "to maintain reactor coolant level" upon low reactor water level indications. This all took place while the reactor was operating at full power.

In addition to Perry, FENOC also owns and operates two reactors at Beaver Valley nuclear power plant in Shippingport, PA, as well as one reactor at Davis-Besse nuclear power plant near Toledo. Beyond Nuclear has worked with an environmental coalition for over two years to resist the 20-year license extension rubberstamp sought by FENOC from NRC at Davis-Besse.