nuclear-news

In closed meeting of nuclear trade group, NRC warns on safety issues

NRC chair warns nuclear industry against complacency, says it must resolve long-running issues Washington Post, By Ray Henry, Associated Press,  November 10 ATLANTA — The country’s top nuclear safety regulator warned power companies against complacency Thursday and said the agency must push ahead with new rules prompted by a nuclear crisis in Japan while also resolving long-running issues involving fire protection and a new analysis of earthquake risks.

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissioner Gregory Jaczko made the remarks
at a meeting of industry leaders after what has been a turbulent year
for the nuclear power sector. ….

Jaczko singled out four nuclear plants cited for safety trouble and
added that the NRC has conducted more special inspections in the past
year than at any time in recent memory.

“These developments, of course, are concerning for the specific plants
involved, but we all should be on guard to the possibility that they
could be indicative of broader issues for the industry,” Jaczko said
in his address to the Atlanta-based Institute of Nuclear Power
Operations. His speech was closed to the public at the request of the
trade group…….

Jaczko told reporters that the NRC will make a decision in the coming
months on whether to approve the latest design of Westinghouse
Electric Co.’s AP1000 nuclear reactor. Once that reactor is approved,
the commissioners could then decide whether to allow the Atlanta-based
Southern Co. to build two AP1000 reactors at Plant Vogtle near
Augusta. SCANA Corp. is also seeking permission to build two AP1000
reactors at Plant Summer in Jenkinsville, S.C.

If approved, those projects would become the first nuclear plants to
win permission to build in a generation.

Following the disaster in Japan, Jaczko said he hopes the commission
will examine whether to plan for wider evacuation zones outside
nuclear plants in case of a crisis. Currently, power companies and
government officials only drill for a 10-mile evacuation area. During
the crisis at Fukushima Dai-ichi, the NRC recommended that Americans
within 50 miles of the plant evacuate.

Jaczko said evacuating people in a 50-mile radius around the plant
could be done when questioned on whether it was possible since it is
not practiced.

“It certainly could be done better if it was exercised and planned,” he said.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/industries/nrc-chair-warns-nuclear-industry-against-complacency-says-it-must-resolve-long-running-issues/2011/11/10/gIQAq32l9M_story.html

November 11, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, USA