nuclear-news

NRC sets meeting on Salem nuclear plant woes

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission plans a public meeting on Jan. 21 to review backup power problems at the Salem 1 nuclear plant in New Jersey along the Delaware River in 2005 and 2007. delawareonline The News Journal • January 15, 2009
Under NRC rules, the agency briefly gave plant owner PSEG Nuclear it’s second-worst “yellow” performance rating for reliability and availability of emergency power, a classification that was returned to normal status during the first quarter of 2008.

Inspectors designated a portion of Salem’s multi-part rating as “degraded” after diesel generators failed to start during three times during testing over 12 consecutive quarters.

The failures occurred in 2005 and twice again in 2007, but PSEG’s rating was returned to a “green,” or normal status in 2008 because the rating system takes into account only the past 12 quarters.

The plant’s backup power system includes three separate emergency generators. One of the three failed to start on three separate occasions.

NRC sets meeting on Salem nuclear plant woes | delawareonline | The News Journal

January 16, 2009 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized