nuclear-news

More than a month ago, Mary Lampert, a Duxbury resident and director of Pilgrim Watch, contacted both the governor’s office and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission with the request for an outside expert who would represent the interests of the public.

Others have followed Lampert’s lead with their own emails.

The upcoming site visit marks the third and final inspection in a three-phase process that began in January as part of the effort by federal regulators to increase oversight at the 44-year-old, problem-plagued plant. A year ago, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission categorized Pilgrim among the three worst performers in the nation — one step from mandatory shutdown.

Entergy Corp. owns all three of the reactors in that lowest category.

While federal regulations allow the governor’s office to appoint a representative to tag along, during past inspections the state has used its longtime appointed liaison with the NRC, John Giarrusso, a Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency employee, whose background is limited to site security at nuclear plants.

MEMA spokesman Christopher Besse said the agency has been contacted and plans to send Giarrusso.

“MEMA stresses that it has neither been invited to participate as an active participant in the inspection process, nor does it have the requisite expertise or experience in nuclear power plant operations to inspect and evaluate plant operations and capabilities,” Besse wrote in an email. “MEMA’s expertise is on off-site emergency preparedness and coordinating response operations.”

Giarrusso’s presence doesn’t fill the need for an independent nuclear engineer, Lampert said. “The role taken by state engineers is to have a dialogue with the inspectors to represent the interests of the public,” she said. “This is not an examination of emergency planning.”

Gov. Charlie Baker’s office has not responded to requests from Lampert and other nuclear watchdogs looking for some knowledgeable and independent eyes watching out for their safety.

After phone calls and emails from the Times, Brendan Moss, the governor’s spokesman, simply wrote back Thursday: “We haven’t made a decision on the role yet.” Moss did not respond to requests Friday for further information.

The NRC has been given no indication on whether a state-appointed nuclear engineer is being considered by Baker, said NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan.

Time for action is running out…….

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has assigned 20 inspectors from around the country to the Plymouth plant for the upcoming inspection. In his response to Lampert, Raymond Lorson, the NRC’s director of reactor safety for the Northeast, said the inspection would be thorough and unbiased.

But Heather Lightner, president of Concerned Neighbors of Pilgrim, said watchdogs want someone outside of the federal team.

“The request for an independent observer to join the NRC on its upcoming inspection of Pilgrim was made because the public does not trust the NRC,” Lightner said. “Allowing an individual to accompany the NRC could be seen as an admission that the NRC’s credibility is in question; perhaps that is why the governor’s office has been slow to make the appointment.”…..

Lampert said Massachusetts should have a nuclear engineer, both while Pilgrim remains operating and after it shuts down in 2019. “The fact we don’t have a nuclear engineer is absurd,” Lampert said. “Where has been the voice of the Commonwealth through all the problems we’ve had?” http://www.capecodtimes.com/news/20161118/pilgrim-baker-pressed-to-name-independent-nuclear-inspector