nuclear-news

NRC chief Allison Macfarlane cautious about San Onofre nuclear plant restart

Regarding the future of the San
Onofre plant, NRC regulators will not allow the reactors to restart
until they are convinced the plant is safe, she said.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission chief visits Diablo Canyon, The Tribune
January 15, 2013 Chairwoman discussed seismic safety issues with plant
managers during her first tour of the local facility By David Sneed
Allison Macfarlane, chairwoman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
was in San Luis Obispo on Tuesday to tour Diablo Canyon nuclear power
plant and meet with local elected officials, plant managers and
community activists.

This was Macfarlane’s first visit to Diablo Canyon since being
appointed chairwoman by President Barack Obama in July. On Monday, she
toured the troubled San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station in Southern
California, which is idled because of problems with its steam
generators.

Macfarlane is a geologist and an expert on nuclear waste, two issues
of intense interest at Diablo Canyon. In an interview with The
Tribune, Macfarlane said she discussed seismic safety issues with
plant managers but did not go into detail.

Earthquakes are just one of many natural hazards nuclear plants must
be prepared for, she said. Others include tornadoes, flooding, drought
and tsunamis.
“There are a lot of earth processes that need to be taken into
account, and we are constantly reviewing them,” she said. “They are
constantly evolving.”

She deflected several questions about the impact of the state Coastal
Commission’s denial of PG&E permits to conduct high-energy seismic
surveys off the coast of Diablo Canyon….

Before being named to the commission, Macfarlane served on the Blue
Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future, a panel convened by
Obama to examine options for storing the nation’s high-level nuclear
waste now that the administration has rejected plans to store the
waste at Yucca Mountain in the desert of Nevada.

Speaking as a former member of the Blue Ribbon Commission and not
chairwoman of the NRC, Macfarlane said one or more geologic or
underground repositories for the spent fuel are possible. She referred
questions about timelines and other details to the White House.

“The NRC does not make policy,” she said. “We license facilities.”
Macfarlane’s visit to Diablo Canyon was the first visit by an NRC
chairman to the plant since 2005….. Regarding the future of the San
Onofre plant, NRC regulators will not allow the reactors to restart
until they are convinced the plant is safe, she said.

Read more here:
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2013/01/15/2358028/nuclear-regulatory-commission.html#storylink=cpy

January 17, 2013 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | general