Vt Gov Shumlin a Patsy to Entergy

Nov 1, 2010
Some time before the election Entergy knows the area around the radioactive waste building is independently contaminated and schedules to drill a sampling well after the election. They know the election is a squeaker...they know the bad news would give the elected to Shumlin. Entergy is gaming and spinning information...withholding information hoping to drive a outcome to protect profits.

Nov 2, 2010
Gov Shumlin gets elected.

Nov 7, 2010
My “Advice for Gov Shumlin”:
“Remember Charlie Crist: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Crist
He crossed the republicans with his decision on their PSC or PUC...the utilities and their buddies then ripped him to shreds. Many think it was over the Florida new nukes. The got a tea bragger to run against him and withdrew campaign monies. They viciously threw him under the bus.
So yes, there is Pilgrim, Indian Point, Oyster Creek plus Vermont Yankee on the line.
I think the utility and nuclear folks would want to make a example of you...to send a message to all politicians around the NE nuclear plants. It is my judgment these gangs of utility boys are going to weaken and sabotage your administration from the first days of your governorship. These guys, as you know, are extraordinarily powerful.
Matter of fact, I’ll bet you they twist the VY issue in anyway they can think of, in order weaken and destabilize your administration, draw you attention away from the duties of the state helping the middle class an the poor.
They will use any arm of the utility sector to get you in trouble. It is common knowledge the utility sector has veto power over the success of a governorship. I bet you they put the VY issue in newspapers every day...constant drama and turmoil...they will want you consumed by the VY issue and utilities issues.
They are going to do you a Obama... slit your throat...intent to destroy and weaken you from day one.
You are going to be a example to everyone else!”

Nov. some date 2010
The well, which was dug in November, had shown only minimal levels of contaminated water, less than 2,500 picocuries per liter, until Jan. 17, Irwin said. It is located in the vicinity of the radioactive waste building, which was one of the areas investigated when the January 2010 leak was discovered.

How much less than 2,500 picocuries per liter? The Comcast emergency alert tone buzzer should have been going on in the top VY and Entergy offices...they should have gotten a full irritating 5 alarm Comcast tv buzzer blast for an hour.

Anything between 500 and a 1000 pCi/L should indicate a leaking pipe and a emergency...

Nov 18, 2010
Pumping from ground stops ...”Groundwater Extraction Terminated On November 18, Entergy Vermont Yankee officials told the Health Department that the 300,000 gallon objective for groundwater remediation had been met, and groundwater extraction has been terminated. Why didn't Shumlin stop it on Nov 18”...

Dec 3, 2010
Tritium in a drinking well near the COB building... “More Tritium Contamination Detected in Deeper Groundwater Monitoring Wells
Vermont Yankee notified the Health Department late afternoon on Dec. 3 about high concentrations of tritium detected in samples taken Nov. 29 from two of its nine newest groundwater monitoring wells. Both are deeper wells, about 60 feet below ground level and just above bedrock:GZ-12D, located near the Containment Access Building (CAB), measured tritium concentration at 65,000 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) GZ-22D, located near the Construction Office Building (COB), measured tritium concentration of 500,000 pCi/L

Dec 6, 2010
...the only sample from well GZ-24S that was provided by Vermont Yankee to the Department of Health Laboratory for analysis tested at less than the lower limit of detection (LLD).

Dec 7, 2010 Gov Elect Shumlin demands Entergy resume pumping tritium from the aquifer.

Dec 17, 2010
Gov elect Shumlin visits the Vermont Yankee site and gets a detailed briefing about the tritium issue from VY and Entergy experts.

Dec. middle something 2010
“Sheehan said Vermont Yankee has conducted several tests from the well, showing increasing levels of tritium. In December, the well showed 2,400 picocuries per liter, he said. At least two more tests were done this past Monday and Thursday, reaching 9,200 picocuries, he said.”

Dec 17, 2010
Gov Elect Shumlin request and gets Entergy to resume pumping tritium from the aquifer.

Late Dec 2010
Said by the VDOH on Jan 21: “According to information provided to the Department of Health today by Entergy Vermont Yankee, the concentration of tritium in GZ-24S has been trending upward since late December” At that time, a sample taken from well GZ-24S tested at a concentration of approximately 2,500 picocuries per liter (pCi/L).

The VY Root Cause Analysis Page 3 –declares their AOG leak started off at “705 pCi/L; This was slightly higher than Teledyne Brown’s minimum detectable activity of ~230 pCi/L” then ramped up to 17,000. 1000 pCi/L should have been confirmation that a leak is right here.

Dec 28, 2010
Disclosed in the media on Jan 29 2011: "So therefore the samples were unable to be analyzed until January 11 of 2011 when the machine was repaired. So that accounts for the delay in reporting that."
The radiological analyzing device or counter was found to be broken around this date that measures tritium.

Jan 6, 2011
Peter Shumlin was sworn in as Governor of Vermont.

Jan 6, 2011
mike mulligan wrote (Jan 6 message 10):

“I just see it as Entergy throwing a slow pitch at gov Shumlin...giving the gov a opportunity to hit the ball out of the park. Are they already in cahoots? Entergy is signaling to Shumlin...play our ball, and you can expect to hit a lot of home runs.”

(This is about the whole deal of stopping the pumping, then a letter from Shumlin demanding a restart of pump, then Shumlin prancing around the plant on a tour and a full and comprehensive brief on conditions.)

Jan 11, 2011
Disclosed in the media on Jan 29, 2010; "So therefore the samples were unable to be analyzed until January 11 of 2011 when the machine was repaired. So that accounts for the delay in reporting that."
The radiological analyzing or counter was made to be fixed on this date that measures tritium.

Jan 11-14 2011
Lawyers, consultants wrangle over ‘root cause’ of Yankee leaks
In the hearings, lawyers for the New England Coalition, the Conservation Law Foundation, Vermont’s Agency of Natural Resources, and Vermont’s Department of Public Service cross-examined Entergy experts about written testimony they had submitted regarding the leaks, their causes, what was released, and what is being done to prevent future leaks.
The “root cause” of the leaks was the most contentious issue.
Margolis asked Trask if identifying holes in the pipes as a “contributing cause” meant that Entergy’s root cause analysis did not need to evaluate whether similar plant pipes were developing holes. Trask replied that Entergy is “already constantly looking for where that is occurring in the plant.”
CLF:
"Do you know if there's any percentage that remain uninspected or untested?" asked John Burke of the Public Service Board.
"I can't give you the specific percentage," answered Timothy Travis of Entergy Nuclear.
"Can you give me a ballpark as to what percentage may remain uninspected or untested?" Burke asked.
"I guess I'd like to answer that in-- no, I cannot. However-- need to look at what the definition of what 'inspected' is," Travis answered.
"The question was asked a few times-- have you done a root cause evaluation of the actual cause of the leaks in the pipes? And they haven't. And that's really what we're asking about-- shouldn't you be asking about where else this is occurring around the plant? Shouldn't you be inspecting the pipes to make sure other pipes aren't leaking?" said Jared Margolis of the New England Coalition.
"We're looking at buried and underground piping, we're monitoring and using the latest technology, whether it's guide wave technology, whether it's visual inspection of piping, whether it's looking at increased barriers-- we're looking at more ways to identify piping," said Larry Smith of Entergy.

Jan 17, 2011
Said Jan 22, 2010 by Reformer...“The well, which was dug in November, had shown only minimal levels of contaminated water, less than 2,500 picocuries per liter, until Jan. 17”

Jan 18, 2011
Sent my petition to the NRC: “Subject: 10 C.F.R. § 2.206 Emergency shutdown of Vermont Yankee and requesting a NRC OIG investigation of the NRC behavior surrounding inspecting activities associated with the AOG piping tritium leak and its Vermont Yankee Root Cause Analysis. Entergy and the NRC gamed the RCA and inspection activates in order to try to influence the 2010 election of the Governor of Vermont...with their intent to save the life of Vermont Yankee no matter what it took.”

Jan 20, 2011
A sample from that well taken January 20, 2011, had a concentration of about 9,000 pCi/L...

Jan 21, 2011 (Friday12:03:18pm)
From: Michael Mulligan steamshovel2002@yahoo.com
My back door channel to Entergy?
Sent: Fri, January 21, 2011 "12:03:18". “Organizational Control of Investigation Methods”...I don’t see any evidence that AOG tunnel was ever a radioactive designed and engineered barrier. If it wasn’t engineered, designed and maintained to be a rad barrier...how could it be the number one causal factor in the uncontrolled release of radioactive to the environment?
Like where did the activated hydrogen (tritium) gas go too, that is a major function of the AOG system to combine the gas into water. The leak occurred before the recombiners. What if we assume all of it, and the other gaseous and particulate activity, and whatever else went through weep hole, then escaped from the butler building.

Jan 20, 2011
From the VDOH page wrtten on late Jan 21, you see how fast they can get a sample..."A sample from that well taken January 20, 2011, had a concentration of about 9,000 pCi/L. Jan 21 2011."

Jan 21, 2011
Multiple Media outlets came out late Friday afternoon informing us of new leak.

Jan 21, 2011
Disclosed on Jan 29 Rutland Herald by Susan Smallheer...Vermont's rad officer admitted he discovered on Dec 21 he discovered the tritium detector broken from Dec 28, 2010 to Jan 11, 2011.


January 21, 2011
Investigation Update (Came out late Friday!)
The Department of Health was notified this morning by Entergy Vermont Yankee officials that a sample taken from groundwater monitoring well GZ-24S has been confirmed as being contaminated with tritium.
Groundwater monitoring well GZ-24S is a newer well completed and first sampled last November. GZ-24S is located 150-200 feet north of the bulk of the plume released from the Advanced Off-Gas (AOG) Building. ( Map )
The source of this tritium contamination is not yet known. Entergy Vermont Yankee is investigating possible sources of any new leaks, including four drain lines from the reactor and turbine building ventilation system, and one drain line from the AOG Building. Plant officials are also investigating whether other plant structures might serve as "conduits" of tritium contaminated water away from the estimated AOG plume area.
According to information provided to the Department of Health today by Entergy Vermont Yankee, the concentration of tritium in GZ-24S has been trending upward since late December. At that time, a sample taken from well GZ-24S tested at a concentration of approximately 2,500 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). A sample from that well taken January 20, 2011, had a concentration of about 9,000 pCi/L. On December 6, 2010, the only sample from well GZ-24S that was provided by Vermont Yankee to the Department of Health Laboratory for analysis tested at less than the lower limit of detection (LLD).
Entergy Vermont Yankee officials report that its on-site laboratory has not detected tritium above the LLD at groundwater monitoring wells near GZ-24S. However, a sample from well GZ-6 independently analyzed by the Department of Health Laboratory as well as by Entergy Vermont Yankee’s contract laboratory has tested for tritium slightly above the LLD. ( Health Department Lab Analyses )
Entergy Vermont Yankee is now sampling well GZ-24S daily. The Department of Health has requested split samples of GZ-24S to be provided weekly for analysis.

Jan 22, 2011
Most Vermont newspapers carried follow-ups concerning Jan 21 disclosure of new leak
“Officials investigate possible new leak at Vermont Yankee”
You can’t trust Irwin to correctly warn us of the risk and announce a troubling anomaly...Irwin is the chief minimizer.
“The well, which was dug in November, had shown only minimal levels of contaminated water, less than 2,500 picocuries per liter, until Jan. 17, Irwin said.”

Jan 29, 2011: I will just say 2500 picocuries is way sufficient to declare a rad leak and start spending money on trying to detect and stop it. Irwin should know this.

January 24, 2011
Monday, The NRC called today to set up a meeting with me on this Thursday Jan 27. It will be about the VY Root Cause Analysis. The are going to have the NRC inspectors and inspection RCA report writers at the teleconference. The NRC Section Chief and others will be in the conference.
I am concerned about what are the NRC standards with Root Cause Analyses, both for the NRC and a licensee.
Emergence Shutdown of Vermont Yankee 2.206
I got another message talking about setting up the 10 CFR.2.206. It will occur on Feb 3, 2011 between 9 and 10AM.

January 25, 2011
Tuesday, 12 noon today...Hmm, called Dr Irwin of the Vermont Department of Health, their Radiological officer.
He says they are waiting for VY water sample results from the rad waste well. He tells me they are going to be sampling on a daily bases...then Irwin is going to get them and post them on their internet site.
I get from Dr Irwin, I seen your latest 2.206, man you name is all over Vermont Yankee documents. I'd also seen you at a bunch of VY and NRC meetings. I wonder if he remembers me making a jerk out of myself in front of chairman Jazcko last summer in Bratt. We talk a litttle about my history...he seems to be really up on nuclear submarine history.
He says the process pipe from the AOG building to the stack goes right through the area of the rad waste well. The is a lot of rad pipes in that area. You got those sampling tanks near by and they can be hot.
My scenario for a new well, it takes a lot of withdrawing of water, so that you pull far off contamination into the well to be sampled. He thinks it is a brand new leak and he fears it is going to get a lot higher.
Dr Irwin thinks the first negative sample...no tritium...was a legitimate sample. Entergy has a company come in to gather and measure the water radiation, then splits the sample with Vermont...they are the ones who disclose the count level. Then Vermont counts their half on their own. He just doesn't see how that first sample could have been doctored.
Dr Irwin implied, they should have begun excavating...

January 27, 2011
Washington Snow Storm  I would be surprised if the NRC could keep their date with me for our teleconference with the DC snow.
....rescheduled for tomorrow at 1pm
4:00pm: Fascinating isn't it...The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurred on January 28, 1986...

Jan 27, 2011
Disclosed Rutland Herald Susan Smallheer Jan 29
Sheehan said, noting Entergy held a conference call Thursday (Jan 27) with NRC officials to go over their investigation into the possible new underground leak.

Jan 28, 2011
Right off the bat I thought it was rude of them not saying anything about the RCA inspector not being available for my questioning. I thought they would make a simple excuse, sorry the RCA inspection writer can't be here because they are stuck in a snow bank. Do these people think I am that stupid?
I pick up right away this was a ceremonial meeting...this meeting was a show meeting for talking about it in the 2.206. I could tell they both were all hyped up and something was going on behind the scenes....they were defensive and evasive as heck.
Well, if they want to play that game, then I am spending a lot of time lecturing them both. I talk big time about the Challenger explosion, I tell them what I think is behind all of these institutional accidents, the accident initiates from a language problem. People start using weaselly words and phrases, they get away with it, then everyone does it. In a wide spread manner people default into a inaccurate language...basically the definition of words and concepts lose their definitions. Everyone goes by their own definition of a word or phrase...the game becomes evasion and not truth telling. I told them, there has been nothing going on here but evasion with you two.
Further I said, as in engineering ethics you own me the whole truth on what is going on here. Do you throw out the code of engineering ethics when you become a government official? That is when they closed the meeting and hung up the phone. They were polite though.
It just irks the heck out of me, I am thinking about Egypt here, they are using the NRC codes and regulations to be evasive and give a small proportion of the truth to me. I just think that is degusting, a federal official can use the tools of government to be dishonest to members of the public. It is so offensive to democracy.
The meeting started at 1PM and ended promptly at 1:30.
The dance with the snow and cancelling the meeting yesterday looks suspicious to me.
Another Well At Yankee Contaminated With Tritium
Friday, 01/28/11 12:04pm
Do you think this was really true?

Jan 29, 2011
VY continues to look for source of tritium
By BOB AUDETTE / Reformer Staff
BRATTLEBORO -- Technicians are still looking for the source of tritiated water that was discovered in a well about 150 feet north of a plume of contaminated groundwater that originated in Vermont Yankee's advanced off gas system.
That leak was discovered Jan. 10, 2010, and stopped later in March.
Last week, Yankee revealed a groundwater monitoring well, GZ-24S, had tested positive for tritium at a level of 9,200 picocuries per liter, which is more than 20,000 picocuries lower than the reporting level required by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The Environmental Protection Agency's limit for tritium in drinking water is 20,000 picocuries.
No deep wells, the source of drinking water in the area around Yankee, have shown detectable levels of tritium.
In a sample taken on Jan. 26, 1,024 picocuries per liter were discovered in a well, GZ-6, which is near GZ-24S.
On Jan. 26, a sample from GZ-24S showed a drop in tritium levels to 8,139 picocuries per liter...
Vermont Yankee reports tritium in new well near last week's
By Terri Hallenbeck, Free Press Staff Writer • Saturday, January 29, 2011
"Vermont Yankee officials had reported no elevated levels of tritium in GZ-6 last week, but an independently analyzed sample by the state Health Department tested slightly above the lowest limit of detection. Smith said Vermont Yankee's tests found slightly elevated levels for the first time this week."
Rutland Herald Susan Smallheer Jan 29
Irwin said the failure of the test equipment was disturbing.
They told me about the liquid scintillation counter being down and that was the cause of the delay. Irwin said, I figured like most labs, they would get the instrument repaired relatively quickly but for some reason that did not the case.
Irwin said that he only found out about the equipment failure last Friday (Feb 21), when he asked why the test results form the first well were so late.
Sheehan said, noting Entergy held a conference call Thursday (Jan 27) with NRC officials to go over their investigation into the possible new underground leak.

Jan 30, 2011

2.206 liquid scintillation counter evacuation delay
I request a immediate emergency shutdown of Vermont Yankee because of the unreliability of their radiological and emergency plans for a indeterminate amount time. The liquid scintillation counter was broken between Dec 29, 2010 and Jan 11, 2011. That makes the radiological procedures inoperative or severely degraded in this time frame. Not having a backup liquid scintillation counter would make the emergency evacuation plans unreliable. If a nuclear power plant doesn’t have the capability to make reliable their evacuation plans, then they shouldn’t be licensed to operate a nuclear plant.
1) I request a NRC OIG and congressional investigation with why the NRC didn’t immediately notify the community that the Vermont Yankee radiological procedures and evacuation plans were not functional during these dates.
2) Request a investigation, in making sure that all radiological capabilities at the nuclear plants are reliable and durable with sufficient back ups in order to be able to carry out their emergency plans. Request all USA plants have sufficient back up liquid scintillation counter capabilities.
3) Request a information notice to given to all plants about this.
4) Request a disclosure of all delays with getting any radiological measurements that effected any normal or emergency requirement

Feb 2, 2011
Gov. Peter Shumlin calls for Vermont Yankee Reliability Oversight Committee, citing tritium leaks
MONTPELIER – Gov. Peter Shumlin, citing the on-going discovery of tritium leaks at the plant, instructed the Vermont Department of Public Service to appoint a Vermont Yankee Reliability Oversight Committee.
“I've asked the Department of Public Service to organize a Reliability Oversight Committee to provide, in these coming critical months, additional expertise on oversight of Vermont Yankee issues within the state's jurisdiction,” Gov. Shumlin said. “I am deeply concerned with Vermont Yankee’s lack of transparency about serious problems that continue to be discovered around the plant.”
Shumlin continued, “I learned two weeks ago about another well with a tritium hit, and this one is not near the plume we already knew about, but 150 feet away. Then, last Friday, I was told that yet another well had a tritium hit. Vermont Yankee had the samples pulled that showed the new tritium hits, but didn't test those samples for a few weeks because a piece of equipment was broken.”

Feb 3, 2011
"All of a sudden I hear a click, I hear the snippet "and have a little fun", then I hear the talking of all the NRC officials, then the "welcome to this 2.206 petition...". All the background chatter of the officials stops...then we are off to the races with the 2.206 processes. From this point on everything is recorded in the NRC ops center and it is transcribed for addition into the public record...
...The chairman of the petition board pops up on the phone connections explaining, "I was introducing a new NRC official to the petition board and I was telling her to have a little fun as she participates and listens to your review board" concerning tritium and root cause analyze issues at Vermont Yankee."