Calvert Cliffs: This Is What an Ineffective Regulator Looks Like?

Honestly, threatening to shutdown early due to financial problem. I find it implausible all these equipment problems aren't coming from plant budget problems.

Any scram or LOOP with big equipment problems always puts a tremendous burden on the control room people. Safety is a scram or LOOP without equipment problems.

So here we sit, as example with recent Pilgrim, River Bend and Waterford plant scams and LOOPs with equipment breakdowns and bad employee responses...I think this all is a result of profound industry financial problem.   

Calvert Cliffs nuclear plant at risk for ‘early   retirement,’ report says

By Christopher GoinsChris@marylandreporter.com 

Calvert Cliffs nuclear power plant on the Chesapeake Bay in Lusby (photo by NRCGov on Flickr) 

Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant was listed as one of almost 40 nuclear reactors across the U.S. that is at risk of closing early, according to a new report from the Institute for Energy and the Environment at Vermont Law School. 

The lone commercial nuclear power plant in Maryland might be on its way to early retirement for primarily economic reasons, the report’s author said. No dates were given for any reactors on the list and the author insists he’s not making predictions. 

A spokeswoman for Constellation Energy Nuclear Group, the owner of Calvert Cliffs, said in response to the report that there are no plans to retire the plant early. The company brags on its website that the plant got a 20-year extension of its license in 2000 after replacing the steam generators. 

“It usually takes a precipitator to create the crisis,” said Mark Cooper, a senior fellow for economic analysis at the Vermont school’s energy institute. “Calvert Cliffs (reactors) have had some history of liability issues or safety issues and outages issues. It’s one of these reactors where the economic context is not very bright,” said Cooper. “And then the question is does something come along to put it off the edge?”

NRC Sends Special Inspection Team to Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Plant 

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has begun a special inspection at the Calvert Cliffs nuclear power plant to review issues during the unplanned shutdown of both reactors on April 7. The plant, which is operated by Exelon, is located in Lusby, Md. 

Calvert Cliffs, like all nuclear power plants, transmits power to the grid but also receives power back for operational purposes. A grid disturbance due the failure of a transmission line in Southern Maryland on April 7th caused both Calvert Cliffs reactors to automatically shut down as designed. 

Following the grid disturbance, one of Unit 2’s emergency diesel generators (which provide power to safety systems when off-site power is lost) started, but tripped after 11 seconds. This same diesel generator failed to start in 2010 after a loss of off-site power. In addition, one of three saltwater pumps on Unit 2 failed to automatically restart when power switched to the emergency diesel generators. Per procedure, operators manually started the pump, which provides cooling water to certain plant equipment. 

“While there was no impact on public health and safety, the issues with the emergency diesel generator and the saltwater pump warrant a closer look,” said Dan Dorman, NRC Region I Administrator. 

The three-member team that arrived on-site today is tasked with developing a sequence of events; reviewing and assessing equipment response to the event; reviewing operator performance; and assessing the effectiveness of Exelon’s response to this event. 

An inspection report documenting the team’s findings will be issued within 45 days of the end of the inspection.

From the 2010 NRC AIT inspection: Run to failure philosophy on DG Relay 

Preliminary White: The NRC identified an apparent violation of Technical Specification 

5.4.1 for the failure of Constellation to establish, implement, and maintain preventive maintenance requirements associated with safety related relays. The team identified that Constellation did not implement a performance monitoring program specified by the licensee in Engineering Service Package (ES2001 00067) in lieu of a previously established (in 1987) 1 O-year service life replacement PM requirement for the 28 EDG T3A time delay relay. As a consequence, the 26 EDG failed to run following a demand start signal on February 18, 2010. Following identification of the failed T3A relay, it was replaced and the 28 EDG was satisfactorily tested and returned to service. In addition, time delay relays used in the 1 Band 2A EDG protective circuits, that also exceeded the vendor recommended 1 O-year service life, were replaced. Constellation entered this issue, including the evaluation of extent-of-condition, into the corrective action program.

Rain Reboots At Calvert Cliff 

During a winter storm on January 21, 2014, the Unit 2 reactor at the Calvert Cliffs nuclear plant in Maryland automatically shut down from full power. That event should not have cascaded to cause the Unit 1 reactor to also shut down, but it did. 

At 9:25 pm on January 21, 2014, both of the pressurized water reactors (PWRs) at Calvert Cliffs were operating at full power. In PWRs, the heat produced by atoms splitting in the reactor core warms water to over 500°F. High pressure keeps this water from boiling as it leaves the reactor vessel and flows through tubes within the steam generator. Heat conducted through the thin metal walls of the tubes boils water. The pressurized water exits the steam generator and returns to the reactor vessel to be reheated. Steam flows from the steam generators through a turbine to generate electricity. 

When a reactor is operating at steady state, the energy produced by the reactor core is balanced by the energy carried away in the steam leaving the steam generators.

Our Takaway 

Weather caused water intrusion that shorted an electrical circuit, tripping one reactor. A design flaw allowed a ripple effect that tripped a second reactor at the plant. 

It happened on January 21, 2014, as described above. It also happened on February 18, 2010 as described in UCS’s first annual report on the NRC and nuclear plant safety.
Each time it happened, the NRC dispatched a special inspection team to investigate. The NRC’s SIT for the 2010 happening found that the owner violated federal regulations by failing to properly correct conditions revealed by water intrusion events in August 2009 and July 2008. 

The NRC’s SIT for the 2014 event found no federal regulations to have been violated. Apparently not even the one violated in 2010 due to recurring water intrusion events and inadequate fixes although this one also involved water intrusion.

Hinsdale, NH Route 119 Bridge Civil Protest.

I plead guilty to malicious destruction of property (class B misdemeanor) over getting this new wooden walkway fixed...got fined and required to not stop on the bridges for a year. Guess what, a year has come and gone, the dam bridge is still standing. I have no limitation with standing, stopping or being within 500 feet on any bridge what-so-ever now in the USA. I finally a free man! 

Our district court system sucks and it is severely under funded considering the increasing crime such as herion and young adult poverty and hopelessness. So many of our children our lost with no hope!!! If you have a shit family growing up, it means your whole life is suffering. Oh, a few will escape into the good life, but not many. The suffering will all cost us tremendously!!!  

You all better hope I don’t get bored this summer. I still got my halo hidden :) under the bed in our bedroom. My wife bought me a new expensive mountain bike if I promised to be a good boy for a year. On the whole, I made out. Last year beginning in Aug with my new bike, best biking year I ever had and that includes this cold winter. Been biking my ass off for for the last month. Life is a lot easier without two scowling faces looking constantly at you. The wife and daughter.   

You have no idea how sweet it is riding over this new wooden walkway. It was all a drive to get into better physical shape :) 

I still say if this bridge don't collapse on it own in the fifty years, you be still walking across my new wooden walkway I built last year

There is a lot of development going on Hinsdale in the next few years, it is more than even in Hinsdale's interest to replace these Bridges.

I am more than proud that you can't get elected selectmen without talking "replace those dam bridges"...the Reformer won't let the selectmen not talk about the bridge pre election

Reposted again from 6/18/2014

***Remember, 261 days from July 31, 2013 till the NHDOT replaced all the boards on both bridges.*** 

Originially posted July 31, 2013....

...I’d seem that in a “Law and Order” program. A white police car goes up and down the perps road in a show of the police force. They want to make him nervous. The Hinsdale police just slowly went up my street.

They know I am looking over my shoulder and at every car, just waiting for police to show up. I am damn close to being paranoid.

This tactic just drives a perp into the police station trying just to get the burden off his shoulders.

It is not easy breaking the law…

I almost bolted to the Hinsdale police station just a moment ago!

Maybe they are trying to help me in stages…where the arrest comes it won’t be so shocking if the day of reckoning arrives.

I got to calm down.

Lucky I don’t smoke, do drugs and drink booze. By the way, this house doesn’t have any guns in it and I don’t have a gun for decades. I am drinking tons of coffee and eating like a pig though. I am getting on my mountain bike in a soothing intention…

...I went down to the scene to take police barrier tape picture and investigation the NHDOT car. When I got down there about 10: 30 am, there was about 5 NHDOT vehicles and maybe eight employees. I got off my bike to take pictures at both ends. The employees were extremely nervous once they seen me. I made a comment about “now are all the boards nailed down, anymore loose ones” and a “what about doing the other bridge”. I’d seen cell phones going up to ears two or three times. No question their behavior changed once I appeared and they all got off the bridge to congregate near their vehicles. They almost ran to their vehicles and they were watching me like a nervous cat.

I wanted to talk to the leader. I thought I was nervous and angry about the whole situation…I figured I would talk in an excited tone. I didn’t want to frighten them in any more than I already did. You know, the crazy halo man at the bridge and him winging off  walkway wooden planks on an innocent bridge.

So I just headed back up the hill to go home. I surely expected to see a cop heading towards the bridge seeing all those cell phones getting next to ears. Not a one showed up.

They absolutely knew me…I talked to them this spring.


...Aug 1: So why didn't this happen yesterday morning? Why isn't my word good enough?

"He is looking at that big pile of planks somebody threw over the side?"

What do you say, $5000 worth of damage?

What about fixing that huge rusted truss right in front of you...

I gotta get a picture of the police tape at both ends of the bridge!

"Jesus, am I sore today from moving all them planks.

It is a metaphor with how you get a bridge fixed in dysfunctional NH.

The NHDOT job scoping guy was parked near the bridge at 7:30 AM this morning and a guy in a white hard hat was standing on the walkway with a extended tape ruler in his hand." 

July 31: The shutdown of the dangerous Route 119 Hinsdale bridge walkway by a concerned citizens ...

...At approximately 8 pm tonight I shut down the Hinsdale Route 119 bridge walkway. I shut it down base on my conscience and a severe and certain accident. It certainly would have created injuries and death. This came about from the direct negligence of the Hinsdale police department and the NHDOT. I placed the bridge walkway is a safe condition and force the state to deal with threat to limb and the preciousness of human life.

I rode my bike over these loose wooden planks for in excess of three years. I could hear the thump and clickety clacks of this planks. I have been protesting on this bridge and have intensified my activities for three year. Uncountable people have stopped and complained about the dangerous loose planks including people in wheel chairs.

This morning I remove unattached planks from the bridge metal structure. I took pictures of the results of my activities. After taking these pictures, I immediately reinstalled all the planks. I sent e- mails to an assortment of NHDOT officials’ with the pictures. I took my pictures to the Hinsdale Police station and made a “civil protest complaint” to the police lieutenant showing him the pictures. He said he would report it to the NHDOT.

Prior warnings and notifications:

1) July 23 letter titled "Brattleboro/Hinsdale Bridge" to NHDOT officials and the town of Hinsdale.

2) July 31 compliant made directly in the Hinsdale police station and pictures shown with missing wooden plants.

At about 8 pm tonight, I removed about 30 planks from the Hinsdale Bridge creating a huge hole in the walkway. I threw many of the planks into the Connecticut River and many more down the embankment to near the water line. I don’t think the NHDOT can recover these planks, certainly without a lot of timely work. I placed three two by sixes across the entrance and exit of the bridge for safety.

Most troubling, were the unattached planks who were vibrating towards the river side away from the 2 by 6 that was holding up the planks … we were heading for a catastrophe. All the planks I removed and discarded have corroded screws and nails...the planks were completely not attached to the bridge.

I called 911 and made a complaint about the dangerous missing planks. 911 directly connected me to the Hinsdale police. I told the Hinsdale police there was secured barriers placed at the entrance and exit. I reminded him the pedestrians will have to walk on the two lane roadbed without a safety breakdown lane. The Hinsdale police told me they were all tied up in town and overloaded. They called in the Brattleboro police to do the on scene investigation and write up a report. The Brattleboro police was onsite and investigating.

...Seems Hinsdale is sick and tired of talking about Mike Mulligan...I wouldn't be surprised if he blue off reporting this to NHDOT.
Phase II tomorrow if they dare ignored me...or if they renailed only 4 or 5 boards and left all the others loose...

To all the locale media:

From: Michael Mulligan
To: "info@wtsa.net"
Sent: Wednesday, July 31, 2013 12:48 PM
Subject: Earthquake: collaspe of Hinsdale's bridge walkway today.

I mean, how far down the river is the body? Old wooden planks all over the place!

OMG, somebody could get killed over this. Somebody is going to die over these dilapidated bridges one of these days.

Somebody should call the Hinsdale police about this dangerous behavior. Pictures of collapse bridge walkway...it looks like a 8.0 earthquake...did you feel it???

http://steamshovel2002.blogspot.com/

Mike Mulligan

(aka "halo guy")

Hinsdale, NH

16033368320

I mean, somebody can fall right thought the bridge deck and drown in the Connecticut River. This is a safety emergency!

The nails were completely corroded...that is why they are loose.

I went to the Hinsdale police with my pictures, the Lieutenant didn't know where they came from. I said this is a civil protest. He asked if it i still there and how long ago. I said about one half hour ago and somebody can fall in the drink! He said I will call the NHDOT....

Who ever intentionally did this should be immediately put in jail...some body could fall in the huge hole and die!

Go USA: NRC Commissioner Ostendorff is Going to Answer My Email

Seems Ostendorff made a mistake. Wonder how many eyes seen the letter before he sent it to me. 

Apr 8 at 2:45 PMReply, Reply All or Forward | MoreBozin, Sunnysteamshovel2002@yahoo.comToday at 11:32 AM 

The letter sent to you yesterday had a typographical error with respect to the date of the hearing. Attached is a letter reflecting the correct date of the hearing. A revised hardcopy will be mailed to you today

Now reads like this:

| received a copy of your March 28, 2015, email to the Chairman of the NRC related to concerns about a portion of my Congressional testimony at the March 4, 2015, Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development Hearing. 

WASHINGTON, DC. 20555-0001
OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER

April 8, 2015 

Mr. Michael Mulligan
P. O. Box 161 Hinsdale, NH 03451

Dear Mr. Mulligan, 

| received a copy of your March 28, 2015, email to the Chairman of the NRC related to concerns about a portion of my Congressional testimony at the March 24, 2015, Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development Hearing. 

In particular, you indicated a concern that I knowingly made a false statement regarding the number of deaths that have occurred as a result of the operation of a commercial reactor. I recognize that I could have been clearer in my communications if I had stated that no deaths have ever occurred as a result of radiation related to the operation of a commercial reactor. My statement was made in the context of the NRCs safety mission regarding US. civilian use of radioactive materials and the nature of the hearing. It was not my intent to imply that there has never been a death related to an industrial accident at a nuclear power plant, such as the death at Arkansas Nuclear One. 

In the future, I will be clearer in my communications. It would never be my intention to make a false or misleading statement or to disrespect the families who have lost loved ones. 

Sincerely, 

William C. Ostendorff
cc; Stephen G. Burns, Chairman

This explains his tricky lawyerly response to me?  

Commissioner William C. Ostendorff 

The Honorable William C. Ostendorff was sworn in for a second term as a Commissioner of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on July 7, 2011, to a term ending on June 30, 2016. His first term was from April 1, 2010, to June 30, 2011. 

Mr. Ostendorff has a distinguished career as an engineer, legal counsel, policy advisor, and naval officer. Before joining the NRC, Mr. Ostendorff served as the Director of the Committee on Science, Engineering and Public Policy and as Director of the Board on Global Science and Technology at the National Academies. 

Mr. Ostendorff came to the National Academies after serving as Principal Deputy Administrator at the National Nuclear Security Administration from April 2007 until April 2009. From 2003 to 2007, he was a member of the staff of the House Armed Services Committee. There, he served as counsel and staff director for the Strategic Forces Subcommittee with oversight responsibilities for the Department of Energy's Atomic Energy Defense Activities as well as the Department of Defense's space, missile defense and intelligence programs. 

Mr. Ostendorff was an officer in the United States Navy from 1976 until he retired in 2002 with the rank of Captain. During his naval career, he commanded an attack submarine, an attack submarine squadron and served as Director of the Division of Mathematics and Science at the United States Naval Academy. 

Mr. Ostendorff earned a bachelor’s degree in systems engineering from the United States Naval Academy and law degrees from the University of Texas and Georgetown University. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas.

This is why I think a professional nuclear plant employee would think "operation of a commercial reactor" means a reactor core and all the rest the plant.

Here it is in the NRC words on their oversight page. The agency "reactor" oversight actually means commercial nuclear power "plants" It means the "reactor" and all the rest of the "plant". 

Operating Reactor Oversight Power Reactors

The reactor oversight process for power reactors uses a variety of tools to monitor and evaluate the performance of commercial nuclear power plants. The process is designed to focus on those plant activities most important to safety.

In new reactor licencing, they just don't licence the reactor (core), they licence the reactor and the rest of the plant including the secondary system. 

...Right, generally the little people have access to high government officials…this is what this signifies to me.

Commissioner Ostendorff's office just gave me a call saying the commissioner is going to personally answer my concerns. 

NRC Commissioner Ostendorff: False Senate Statement AndIndicating He Is A Captured Regulator (loss of neutrality)

What if the world is the way it is, because vast the majority of us just doesn't participate in government…

I consider him a big man with just answering my tough accusation....

So here is the response.

http://steamshovel2002.blogspot.com/2015/03/nrc-commissioner-ostendorff-false.html  

NRC Commissioner Ostendorff: False Senate Statement And Indicating He Is A Captured Regulator (loss of neutrality)  

NRC Commissioner Ostendorff: False Senate Statement And Indicating He Is A Captured Regulator (loss of neutrality) 

Energy & Water Development Subcommittee: FY16 Nuclear Regulatory Commission Budget Hearing 

What Ostendorff actually said. 

Senate Hearing (1:58:00) 

Senator Alexander: "How many deaths have we ever had as a result of the operation of a Navy Reactor" 

Commissioner Ostendorff: "None" 

Senator Alexander: "How many deaths have we ever had as a result of the operation of a commercial reactor." 

Commissioner Ostendorff: "None".     

So here is the response.

WASHINGTON, DC. 20555-0001
OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER

April 8, 2015 

Mr. Michael Mulligan
P. O. Box 161 Hinsdale, NH 03451 

Dear Mr. Mulligan, 

| received a copy of your March 28, 2015, email to the Chairman of the NRC related to concerns about a portion of my Congressional testimony at the March 24, 2015, Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development Hearing. 

In particular, you indicated a concern that I knowingly made a false statement regarding the number of deaths that have occurred as a result of the operation of a commercial reactor. I recognize that I could have been clearer in my communications if I had stated that no deaths have ever occurred as a result of radiation related to the operation of a commercial reactor. My statement was made in the context of the NRCs safety mission regarding US. civilian use of radioactive materials and the nature of the hearing. It was not my intent to imply that there has never been a death related to an industrial accident at a nuclear power plant, such as the death at Arkansas Nuclear One. 

In the future, I will be clearer in my communications. It would never be my intention to make a false or misleading statement or to disrespect the families who have lost loved ones. 

Sincerely, 

William C. Ostendorff
cc; Stephen G. Burns, Chairman

NRC Commissioner Ostendorff: False Senate Statement And Indicating He Is A Captured Regulator (loss of neutrality)

It is like asking GM how many accidents have your cars been in the last year. They say "none". You find out a car accident according (the inside rules to report to outsiders) to GM means something from the engine coming back hitting or killing somebody in the car. Now you have to figure out what was GM's motivation with making this grossly inaccurate statement. You are puzzled by the response, as you know all of the accidents aren't the fault of GM. 

Mar 30, 2015

I pretty happy with this response...this speaks of many NRC people are considering it. This isn't your typical repeater acknowledgement response. They are considering my blog with increased activity.  

You notice nothing from Ostendorff office?  

CHAIRMAN Resource 

This is to acknowledge receipt of your communication to the Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Thank you. Office of the Secretary U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission To me Today at 10:58 AM This is to acknowledge receipt of your communication to the Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Thank you.
Office of the Secretary U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

March 29: 

Senator Alexander is the most prominent nuclear industry politician in the nation.

Just gets you to wonder, TVA owns Tennessee. Alexander is a Tennessee US senator. Sequoyah Nuclear Plant and Watts Barr are nuclear plants in Tennessee. Watt Barr II was abandoned decades ago and in the last few years they resurrected this plant from the dead. TVA is in the final process of getting a license and starting up this old dog plant old plant for the first time. They did the same thing Browns Ferry, when stated up they later discovered many deficiencies and they really have never recovered from this fiasco. The red finding was all about the inadequate job prestart-up. 

I think in the Senate hearing Senator Alexander was signaling TVA and TVA nuclear is big Tennessee business (Employment and associated business contributions) to the Senator, I am going hard on this issue to the NRC. Ostendorff was saying, don’t worry I will play ball with you and the NRC will follow me, you have nothing to worry about.

Ultimately I think Ostendorff and Senator Alexander were signaling to new construction Vogtle and the rest, that the NRC is automatically and hard in your corner. The game is rigged.

This all has sentiments of pre Fukushima and the nuclear village in the USA.

Does being pro nuclear and survival always mean squashing nuclear plant employees...    

March 28:

To Chairman@nrc.gov

CCCMROSTENDORFF@nrc.gov

Today at 12:44 PM

Dear Chairman Burns,

I am disappointed you or another commissioner didn't jump in to add to the testimony…give more complete information about industry deaths, given everyone is familiar with Arkansas Nuclear one death.

It gives the appearance the Nuclear Regulatory Commission isn't respectful to the families who lost love ones at these nuclear plants and it lends to the idea that the agency hasn't learned from the lessons of the past.

It troubles me greatly it appears there is agreement on one NRC commissioner can’t “step on” another Commissioner congressional testimony. I did catch it that the commissioners weren't sworn in.

You understand that at an operating nuclear power plant control room, within a proper safety culture, there is no rule or fear, it’s welcomed…it is acceptable behavior to respectfully “step on” or add your say to any discussion or conversation in a control room. It is a requirement that you do so.

I would hope the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in all it affairs or any commissioner would model proper control room conversational safety culture…

Respectfully,

Mike Mulligan

Hinsdale, NH

1-603-336-8320

Pandora's Promise (39:15) 

Gwyneth Cravens ”There has not been a single death from the operation of a commercial nuclear power plant in the USA…not a single death. Not one deaths in the history of nuclear power in the USA” 

Senate Hearing (1:58:15) 

Senator Alexander: "How many deaths have we ever had as a result of the operation of a Navy Reactor" 

Commissioner Ostendorff: "None" 

Senator Alexander: "How many deaths have we ever had as a result of the operation of a commercial Reactor." 

Commissioner Ostendorff: "None" 

Chairman@nrc.gov

Commissioner Ostendorff: False Senate Statement and indicating He Is a Captured Regulator (loss of neutrality)

Dear Chairman Burns,

I wish to make a fraud, waste abuse complaint concerning commissioner Ostendorff during a Senate subcommittee hearing over knowingly making a false statement. This questions if he could ever be trusted to tell truth in congress or in any future public statement. Commissioner Ostendorff behavior questions if he could be a neutral and independent US government regulator in the future.

Please include this complaint in the Adams docket. I have zero faith in the independence of the Office of Inspector General. Because the OIG basically works for you and this issues revolves high officials of the NRC, I think this investigation needs to go outside the NRC to ascertain the real integrity of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

I can hear the winds whispering around Diablo Canyon nuclear plant in the background?

  

The gist of what is going on here, corrupt utility pressure though a US senator and a unethical commissioner is attempting improperly to influence the internal deliberation of the NRC…to corruptly weaken oversight of all nuclear power plants.

NRC OIG: Responsible for investigative activities relating to NRC administered or financed programs and operations. Conducts and reports on investigations involving fraud, waste, and abuse to ascertain and verify the facts with regard to NRC employee and contractor misconduct and the integrity of NRC programs and operations.

So Ostendorff phraseology is taken right out of the fanatical pronuclear playbook. He is supposed to be neutral regulator for nuclear power…he should express the full facts on the deaths in the nuclear industry or any issue. He is not allowed to shade the fact for campaign contribution or for big buck later in the private sector. He should never be untruthful in a senate hearing and in all of his dealings being a NRC commissioner. How can anyone trust a word out of his mouth now?

I am just saying from a smart guy in the control room of a nuclear power plant …this is extraordinary safety intimidation by a NRC commissioner and the agency itself…these folks are educated enough to know the fatalities in the nuclear industry doesn't add up to these words spoken in a Senate hearing. How often has he spoken these words not recorded and what does he coach the nuclear industry behind the scenes. Seeing how this is repeatedly acceptable (not contested ethical lapse) behavior for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and within high halls of our political system, how can any employee feel safe to raise a safety problem with a commissioner who shows such a lack of integrity? How can any nuclear employee raise a troublesome safety problem with the agency and congress blatantly indicating such a lack of integrity?

   

If a commissioner can use openly in a Senate hearing inaccurate nuclear industry extremist and ideological phraseology without fear, extremist pro nuclear propaganda, then all of the NRC employees and industry people should fear him. He has the power to create a nuclear ideological lie at will…a wall of intimidation through using inaccurate information to the public…that means he can destroy anyone who crosses him through wrecking a career with a lie from an extraordinary powerful position. If commissioners are openly making ideological culture lies…that is giving permission to the all executives in the nuclear industry to use their position to suppress safety problems through their powerful position with lying and giving accurate information to the NRC, congress public. Really, has the pro nuclear propaganda extremist taken over the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and congress, which will lie through their teeth for survival? And this guy was a high Navy nuclear submarine officer…this behavior and untruthfulness have diminished the Navy and the United States Government.

I request that NRC Commissioner Ostendorff immediately resign his office or the president fire him.

  

Linkedin: “In 2013, the stator at Arkansas Nuclear One dropped while being removed. Pictures are in a file posted at:

http://allthingsnuclear.org/arkansas-nuclear-one-pictures-of-an-accident/”

David Lochbaum Director, Nuclear Safety Project at Union of Concerned Scientists

One crushed and 9 injured over not following company procedures. Basically three NRC yellow findings indicating nuclear safety systems were seriously impaired.

The below Conversion began about March 23, 2015

(protected contributor): Interesting when considering that the drop and landing of this large weight in itself caused a trip of the working nuclear reactor at full load! Yet some feel that this was simply an industial accident.
It's like saying the poisoning of the control room staff by an impromptu arrival of a birthday cake is just a catering issue !
Also as a link to nuclear safety culture the question is that exactly what jobs/projects/lifts etc are or should be included in the "nuclear safety culture" and when designing a nuclear power station should not all the design of everything and anything placed or used at a nuclear site be subject to the same nuclear safety culture to include the potential issues with maintenance, repair and replacement?
Even a broken down large vehicle passing through an emergency gate might contribute to an ineffective planned response to a nuclear accident resulting in an off-site nuclear incident that was preventable! 

(Mike Mulligan): One of the NRC commissioners at a senate hearing said no employees ever died at a USA nuclear plant?
(protected contributor): Mike,
Do you have a link to that statement? 

(Mike Mulligan): http://www.appropriations.senate.gov/webcast/energy-water-development-subcommittee-fy16-nuclear-regulatory-commission-budget-hearing Energy & Water Development Subcommittee: FY16 Nuclear Regulatory Commission Budget Hearing
It came from Ostendorff’s mouth in the Q and A.
The worst group of NRC commissioners I’ve ever seen.
With all the musical chairs going on in recent years, they set this up for the extended period of four NRC commissioners for the next two years. What chances you think they will get to nominate another commissioner in the political environment?
Oh please, please, please: don’t make me listen to this again. 

(Mike Mulligan): “How many deaths have we ever had from commercial nuclear power plant operation?” Ostendorff: “None”
Basically asked the same about navel nuclear reactor operation. Seeing how the back aft seawater system was solely controlled by Rickover… I would call the loss of the Threshers as emerging from navel nuclear plant operation.
At the 1 hour 58:15 minute point on the video
Basically asked the same about navel nuclear reactor operation. Seeing how the back aft seawater system was solely controlled by Rickover… I would call the loss of the Threshers as emerging from navel nuclear plant operation.
At the 1 hour 58:15 minute point on the video

(protected contributor): The affirmation that there have been no deaths from (U.S) naval nuclear operations may just be excessively cute, hairsplitting, and semantically deceptive.
Some fatal events arising from U.S. naval nuclear operations include:
Thresher
Scorpion
Greenville sinking of Ehime Maru
etc.
The affirmation that there have been no deaths from (U.S) commercial nuclear operations is demonstrably false.
Some fatal events arising from U.S. commercial nuclear operations include:
Surry pipe rupture
Calvert Cliffs asphyxiation
Palisades electrocution
Crystal River drowning
etc.
(protected contributor): If anyone who sees this has high level contacts at the NRC, would they be so kind as to provide a word to the wise?
Give them the link at
http://www.appropriations.senate.gov/webcast/energy-water-development-subcommittee-fy16-nuclear-regulatory-commission-budget-hearing Energy & Water Development Subcommittee: FY16 Nuclear Regulatory Commission Budget Hearing
(Mike Mulligan): It came from Ostendorff’s mouth in the Q and A.
At the 1:58:15 minute point on the video… 

(Mike Mulligan): ‘False Ostendorff Senate Confirmation Testimony in 2010’
http://steamshovel2002.blogspot.com/2012/08/false-ostendorff-senate-confirmation.html Do you think this NRC cutsie talk stops at senate hearing door?
In Ostendorff’s senate nomination hearing, he said there has never been a radiation release above 20,000 picocuries per liter of water in the USA. That was flat out inaccurate as Vermont Yankee had 100,000 and 1,000,000 pico curies per liter leaked into the ground. I e-mailed his office and he corrected the transcript record.
I think he said that intentionally signaling to the industry I’ll always be available to play footsie when necessary.

(Mike Mulligan): Nuclear insiders use the “no deaths ever’ in the nuclear industry all the time. They know it is literally is a false statement, it is more special signal or code word to indicate I am a member that belongs to a select group of nuclear insiders.
Maybe it is a statement of contempt to the politicians and media…they are so stupid about anything nuclear, I can feed them any old crap?
There is no question Ostendorff knows there is a double meaning with this code phrase.
Maybe it is a statement of contempt to the politicians and media…they are so stupid about anything nuclear, I can feed them any old crap?
There is no question Ostendorff knows there is a double meaning with this code phrase. 

(Mike Mulligan): Then there was SL-1?(protected contributor): SL-1 was military, not commercial.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SL-1 

(Mike Mulligan): Senator Alexander was doing the two step with Ostendorff in this Q & A exchange. I thought the SL-1 fits into the military category like the Navy nuclear powered ships. 

(protected contributor): Mike,
Thanks for the link to the hearing.
I took the time to view it all.
It gives a picture that is hard to get otherwise.
Are there any hearings that get to the real issues?
Thanks for the link to the hearing.
I took the time to view it all.
It gives a picture that is hard to get otherwise.
Are there any hearings that get to the real issues? 

(protected contributor) The hearing is at
http://www.appropriations.senate.gov/webcast/energy-water-development-subcommittee-fy16-nuclear-regulatory-commission-budget-hearing Mike gave the link above.
I would call it senatorial theater. 

(Mike Mulligan): What is really going on here is the committee blackmailing or intimidating the NRC with budget cuts if the Republicans don’t get their wish list…less regulations and oversight.
I just don’t think Senator Feinstein does a good job in the broader issues with the NRC. She comes from a big state and she just has too many other things to worry about.
The democrats just don’t have much focus with nuclear interest and they don’t get money or votes from the nuclear industry interest. The democrats are always missing from action as in these meetings. Only Feinstein showed up…the asterisk is who showed up for the meeting.
But you get an indicator of the problems with our political system when most of the subcommittee doesn’t show up.
Powerful Richard Durbin of Illinois has the largest concentration nuclear plants in the USA and he is always missing from action and this very particular.
The members must come to an agreement before the meeting on who is going to show up…

*Chairman Lamar Alexander
*Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein
Republican
Thad Cochran Mississippi
Mitch McConnell Kentucky
Richard C. Shelby Alabama
Susan Collins Maine
*Lisa Murkowski Alaska
Lindsey Graham South Carolina
John Hoeven North Dakota
James Lankford Oklahoma

Democrat
Patty Murray Washington
Jon Tester Montana
Richard J. Durbin Illinois
Tom Udall New Mexico
Jeanne Shaheen New Hampshire
Jeff Merkley Oregon
Chris Coons Delaware 

(Mike Mulligan): For the record this is copied over from another Linkedin discussion...
This is a quote from the Pandora’s Promise movie. It occurs at the 39:15 minute point. See how close this is to Ostendorff’s senate testimony. It is propaganda and clearly not true. Who even cares what the film maker says, it free speech, but it is propaganda and not accurate:

• Gwyneth Cravens ”There has not been a single death from the operation of a commercial nuclear power plant in the USA…not a single death. Not one death in the history of nuclear power in the USA” 

(Mike Mulligan): We were discussing the recent Senate NRC budget hearing …I complained about an inaccurate commissioner Ostendorff statement. This is an interesting thread at the end talking about this and a link to the senate hearing the at time point in the video of the offending commissioner’s statement.
An almost identical statement is in Pandora’s Promise. I live about 3 miles from the community in the background and I was at the protest that day. The statement in the movie is at the 39:15 minute point.
Here is the Ostendorff’s statement that irked me in the senate hearing at the 1 hour 39:15. It is almost identical to Pandora’s Promise.

• Senator Alexander : “How many deaths have we ever had from commercial nuclear power plant operations?” Ostendoroff: “None” (with a smirky face)”