The Popperville Town Hall

Tuesday, November 01, 2016

Junk Watts Bar: Substantial Safety Culture Weakness

I suggested the plant be shutdown for a year: clean out management and retrain their employees...

NRC inspection finds 'substantial weaknesses' in TVA safety culture at new nuclear plant

The Tennessee Valley Authority has improved the environment for workers to raise safety concerns at its newest nuclear plant, but a new regulatory review of TVA's work environment at the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant concludes the utility still is not maintaining an adequate safety culture.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission met with 136 workers in 17 focus groups at Watts Bar this summer after concluding in March that TVA had "a chilled work environment" at the Spring City, Tenn., plant that could discourage employees or contractors from raising safety concerns.

"Focus groups within and outside of the operations department indicated the existence of broader, previously unrecognized challenges to the maintenance of a positive safety culture, which continued to challenge the safety conscious work environment," Alan Blamey, branch chief of reactor projects in the Atlanta office of the NRC, said in a letter to TVA last week. "The (NRC inspection) team identified substantial weaknesses in various attributes which were found to be pervasive across various work units."

Blamey said nearly half of those interviewed by the NRC at Watts Bar "believed retaliation was a potential outcome for raising concerns."

"In addition, most employees did not believe that concerns were promptly reviewed or appropriately resolved, either by their management or via the corrective action program," Blamey told the TVA.

The NRC has asked Watts Bar officials to respond to ongoing concerns that managers don't want to hear or don't adequately respond to employee concerns at Watts Bar. The NRC has asked TVA to explain how it will ensure workers voice safety concerns without retaliation during a meeting set for 6 p.m. Thursday at the Comfort Inn in Athens, Tenn.

"The NRC has determined that, given the current state of the site's safety culture, you are not meeting the Commission's expectation that licensees establish and maintain a positive safety culture and safety conscious work environment," Blamey said in a letter to TVA's head of regulatory licensing last week.

In March, the NRC issued a letter to TVA expressing concern that some operations employees may not have felt comfortable raising safety concerns at the plant, especially among operators who were running Watts Bar Unit 1 while TVA crews were finalizing work on a second reactor at Watts Bar.

TVA, which began operating Unit 1 at Watts Bar in 1996, began power generation at Watts Bar Unit 2 on a limited basis in May and declared Unit 2 a commercial reactor last month.

In the 1980s when Watts Bar was first being built, whistle blowers raised questions about the installation of electric cables and other plant equipment, ultimately forcing a lengthy and costly review and rework of some plant systems that helped delay the completion for the plant or another decade. At the time, TVA also created a new employee concerns program to independently receive and review safety concerns raised by workers.

In March of this year as TVA was finalizing plans to activate Unit 2, the NRC expressed concern that some licensed operators may have been unduly influenced by TVA managers outside the control room. Those influences could cause what is described as a "chilling effect" on the plant's work environment.

"Our goal in this ongoing effort is to ensure that all nuclear power plant employees always feel free to express concerns about safety issues within their organization and to the NRC directly without fear of retaliation," said Cathy Haney, the region administrator for the NRC office in Atlanta.

At Thursday's meeting, TVA is expected to provide an update on its corrective actions related to the work environment at the plant. NRC officials will discuss the agency's plans to continue to provide oversight regarding how TVA allows and responds to employee concerns.

NRC spokesman Roger Hannah said regulators have seen progress by TVA, "but obviously for something involving the work culture we need to see improvements sustained over time."

TVA spokesman Scott Brooks said utility employees have indicated their willingness to raise their concerns "and we're working to make sure that they understand that they are supported and are able to raise their issues" about any safety concerns about the plant or its operations.

"We are still working on building and improving trust among our employees," Brooks said. "We've made improvements in our work environment, but we obviously have some more work to do because it takes time."

Monday, October 31, 2016

Troubled Entergy's Nuclear Fleet: Waterford Junk And Grand Gulf's Special Inspection

So Waterford is up to 13% power from late last night from some mysterious shutdown. This sounds like the equivalent to the Grand Gulf new special inspection. These guys over the last two years got a terrible capacity factor.

Waterford was shutdown mysteriously around Oct 25...

Power Reactor Event Number: 52321

Facility: WATERFORD
Region: 4 State: LA
Unit: [3] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [3] CE
NRC Notified By: RYAN TREGRE
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF HERRERA Notification Date: 10/27/2016
Notification Time: 08:26 [ET]
Event Date: 10/27/2016
Event Time: 00:21 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 10/27/2016

Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(v)(A) - POT UNABLE TO SAFE SD
50.72(b)(3)(v)(D) - ACCIDENT MITIGATION Person (Organization):
THOMAS FARNHOLTZ (R4DO)

Unit SCRAM Code RX CRIT Initial PWR Initial RX Mode Current PWR Current RX Mode

3 N N 0 Hot Standby 0 Hot Standby

Event Text

LOSS OF CHARGING AND LETDOWN SYSTEMS FROM THE REACTOR COOLANT SYSTEM

"At 0021 [CDT] on 10/27/16, Waterford 3 (WF3) experienced a loss of the charging and letdown systems from the Reactor Coolant System (RCS). Technical Specification (TS) 3.0.3 was entered due to the loss of all three charging pumps. Charging Pump AB was restored and aligned to replace Charging Pump A and WF3 exited TS 3.0.3 at 0055 on 10/27/16.

"The cause of the loss of charging pumps was due to Refueling Water Storage Pool to Charging Pumps Suction Isolation, CVC-507, not opening as expected following a loss of Static Uninterruptible Power Supply (SUPS) 014AB during electrical troubleshooting. The cause of CVC-507 not opening is being investigated. Power was restored to SUPS 014AB at 0022.

"WF3 is currently stable in Mode 3 with decay heat being removed by the Steam Bypass Control System. Pressurizer Level was maintained throughout the event. WF3 was previously shut down for reasons unrelated to this event.

"The NRC Resident Inspector has been notified."

Valve CVC-183 closed when the power supply was lost. CVC-183 is the Volume Control Tank outlet isolation valve. Waterford 3 will remain in mode 3 until the issue has been corrected.

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

The Heroin Based Dominican Gangs in New England

These guys are soulless killers. I was told if they needed a hit job (murder)in the USA, they would just drag a young kid out of the Dominion Republic ghettoes. Put him on a plane and give him drugs...he kill anyone the gang wanted. After the murder, they just abandon the kid in the USA. These guys don't play around. They are vicious killers.

Anyone in Southeast NH and Ma knows about these guys. I wrote in the recent past how into heroin the Dominicans are. These gangs are all huge throughout New England. The problem is, they got 100,000 ghettoes thugs to replace this gang. Maybe another heroin competitive gang took out these guys to drum up new business...

Feds dismantle multi-million dollar heroin ring, 27indicted

By PAT GROSSMITH
New Hampshire Union Leader
CONCORD -- An 18-month investigation uncovered a multi-million dollar heroin ring that has operated for three years supplying kilograms of the deadly drug across northern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire, authorities said Wednesday.

Twenty-seven people have been indicted for participating in the drug trafficking operation, which allegedly also dealt in fentanyl and was headed mainly by individuals from the Dominican Republic who would imported drugs from Mexico.

Eighty percent of the heroin distributed in New England comes from the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico, according to Michael J. Ferguson, Drug Enforcement Administration Agent in Charge, New England Field Division. He said the heroin being sold can be up to 94 percent pure, making it deadly, but it becomes deadlier yet when cut with the powerful painkiller fentanyl.

"Two milligrams of fentanyl is like two grains of salt and is enough to kill you," said Ferguson.

U.S. Attorney Emily Gray Rice said it has yet to be determined how many of the hundreds of drug overdose deaths in New Hampshire could be attributable to these traffickers.

Ferguson said the drug operation was in business to make money.

"They don't care that people are dying," he said. "They don't use it themselves. If it wreaks harm, then so be it."...

Confirmation Entergy And Grand Gulf Is Junk

In my discussions with the NRC over Grand Gulf, they admitted collectively Entergy's Nuclear Fleet as a whole is under special and intense added scrutiny over a host of operational shortcomings...

Power Engineering

Grand Gulf staying offline until January

Meanwhile, Entergy officials said during the call that the regulated Grand Gulf nuclear plant in Mississippi probably won’t return to service before early 2017.

The unit was shut down Sept. 9 because it wasn’t measuring up to Entergy’s internal standards for “operational excellence,” company executives said during the call.

The Grand Gulf maintenance outage was chiefly trigged by a pump repair, and the plant will take extra time before reconnecting to the grid to evaluate operations, an Entergy spokesperson noted following the call.

Over the past calendar year, Grand Gulf has experienced outage several times for required maintenance. “Before ending the current maintenance outage, plant employees and leadership will take a deliberate and thorough review of processes, procedures and protocols to ensure we are operating to high standards,” the spokesperson said.

“The decision will ensure the needed maintenance and repairs can be fully made, and that worker knowledge and training are at high levels before returning to full operations. To provide the time we need to undertake this process, we anticipate that the unit will not return to service before mid-January 2017,” the Entergy spokesperson went on to say.

During the call, Denault said Entergy is increasing its investment in certain nuclear facilities in order to improve performance and improve the plants’ performance in the eyes of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Terrifying New Iron Beam Crack On The Route 119 Brattleboro Bridge.

10/26 update

I called the NHDOT office this morning. Told the lady to tell Doug to look at my blog. I got pictures of the crack there.

***I had a errand in Brattleboro. So I parked my car in dirt parking area in NH. I love to walk across, inspect and assess the bridge just for fun. I protested to build the new bridge for three years. I had my signs up all over the place on the New Hampshire side. I was a real pest over this. While protesting, I kicked a wooden plank on the walkway and noticed it moving. I discovered the plank screws had all corroded. Nothing was attaching the wooden planks to the bridge and I considered it dangerous. I notified the NHDOT and Hinsdale police. They seemed to ignore my concerns. I barricaded both

???

Seeing how I was convicted with damaging the same bridge a few years ago, I bet you some people are thinking what is that scheming Mike Mulligan up too? Did he create the crack in the bridge to get even with the police, courts and system? Did he damage the bridge again? Everyone already thinks I am crazy.

ends of the walkway for safety. Then pulled up about twenty planks up and threw them overboard into the river. I called the police within a hour...told them what I did. The police charged me with one felony, two big class A misdemeanors and littering with my signs. I plead guilty to a class C misdemeanor. I got fined about $1500 and I was prohibited from being anywhere near the bridge for

I took pictures up and down the bridge in the area two or three years ago. I took pictures of all the big flaws in the bridge. There was no cavernous iron beam crack back there then. I am absolutely positive of it. I concede it either could be an old crack or a new crack. The crack might not have been detectable by eyesight from a distance. But what is undisputable is the gigantic gape of the edges of the gape now. It today seems like the edges of the gape aren’t now paralleled to each other. The edges of the crack are pulling apart and the outer beam is twisting as it goes.

a year. Two hundred and sixty three days later, the NHDOT did about a $30,000 walkway wooden plank replacement job. It was all a attention getting tactic by me to build a replacement bridge. About a year after of my conviction, the legislators funded a $ 40 million dollar new bridge. This now rickety and dangerous bridge was built in the early 1920s. They are beginning to dig dirt in 2017 for the new bridge. Many think I energized the local population in order for them to demand this bridge replacement. I wish they would name the new bridge the "Mike Mulligan" memorial bridge :)

I inspected this bridge thoroughly, completely pictured up this disgusting bridge and placed them on my blog. You can do a goggle search on Mike Mulligan, Hinsdale NH...see the media articles on

I first called the "Brattleboro Reformer" and explained what I'd seen. They emediately said we'll send a photographer. Met them at the bridge in about 10 minute.

I next called the local NHDOT. They referred me to the main NHDOT headquarter's maintenance department. I assume where the NHDOT bridge inspection department is located. The lady made a electronic report with the bridge number...We went over the location three times making absolutely we got the right bridge and location. Told her the "Brattleboro Reformer" took pictures and if you call them they might send you their pictures.

my arrest and the NHDOT replacing the wooden planks. I use to paraded around bridge in a angel get-up and people called me the "bridge angel guy". The iron beam crack is very new. The NHDOT did a thorough bridge inspections this early summer. Did they miss the crack in the inspection or did it occur after the inspection? I consider the terribly underfunded NHDOT as corrupt as hell and in the bridge inspection falsification game based on insufficient funding...

My cell phone camera doesn't do justice to this dangerous crack. This is a critical bridge. It means one iron beam snaps, then the whole bridge can collapse. It is a very poorly engineered bridge in today's eyes. New bridges are designed to allow one or more beams to snap and the rest of the bridge iron beams safely picks up the load. It is so sick as a society. We got 80,000 pounds or more tractor trailers pounding over this 1921 bridge and the bridge in held together by rivets. Remember the Titanic...

Here below is a rather close-up of the new crack. It looks like a fatigue crack from the flexing of the bridge. A fatigue crack in itself is not a big deal. What frightens the hell out of me is the tremendous forces that are separating apart both sides of cracked and disconnected iron beam. I worry about there being much more dangerous unseen damage below the roadbed causing this broken iron beam. I would prohibit any traffic on this bridge until a thorough inspection is completed and evaluated.

It is about in the middle of the bridge. I am trying to give you a clue where the cracked beam is in the below. If you follow down to below the wooden walkway planks you will fine it.

About ten more feet towards the Brattleboro side is where the crack is from the white spray painted spot.

(new)In 2014 I marked this area with the white spray paint because of the severe corrosion under the road bed. Throughout my protest people would ask me to show them my examples of the worst corrosion. In the beginning, I would have to hunt back and forth to find the spots. Eventually I marked my examples with this white spray paint. Look directly below this white spot for my example. So today's cracked bridge bracing is about 10 feet more toward the Brattleboro side.

Somebody even numbered the area.

Friday, October 21, 2016

Election Night

Will there be historic high or low voter turnout this cycle?

What if it is historic high voter turnout and many people can’t vote because of the long lines throughout the night. How will that play into Trump’s it is a rigged system?

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Junk Arkansas Unit 2:Power Plant Maintenence Incompetence

incompetence

I talked to the NRC inspector on this. This is called gross maintenance incompetence. They did a 24 hour test on the DG around Sept 14. The test failed. Then they had 14 day before they had to shutdown according to TS. Fourteen days then came and gone, that is what forced them to shutdown. Basically another 20 days passed to today. They are still shutdown...

Its crazy...

Power Reactor

Event Number: 52267

Facility: ARKANSAS NUCLEAR
Region: 4 State: AR
Unit: [ ] [2] [ ]
RX Type: [1] B&W-L-LP,[2] CE
NRC Notified By: ALBERT MARTIN
HQ OPS Officer: STEVE SANDIN

Notification Date: 09/28/2016
Notification Time: 09:46 [ET]
Event Date: 09/28/2016
Event Time: 07:45 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 09/28/2016

Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(i) - PLANT S/D REQD BY TS

Person (Organization):
JEREMY GROOM (R4DO)

Unit

SCRAM Code

RX CRIT

Initial PWR

Initial RX Mode

Current PWR

Current RX Mode

2

N

Y

100

Power Operation

65

Power Operation

Event Text

UNIT 2 SHUTDOWN REQUIRED BY TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS DUE TO INOPERABLE DIESEL GENERATOR

"On September 16, 2016, at 0036 [CDT], during a 24-hour Technical Specification (TS) endurance run, the Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 2 (ANO-2) red train Emergency Diesel Generator (EDG) became inoperable when its inboard generator bearing failed. ANO-2 TS 3.8.1.1, 'AC Sources', requires an inoperable EDG to be restored to service within 14 days or actions to place the unit in a shutdown condition initiated.

"It has been determined that repair options cannot be completed within the Allowed Outage Time (AOT) due to unforeseen circumstances which evolved during recovery efforts. At 0745 [CDT], ANO-2 initiated plant shutdown due to the inability to restore the red train EDG. ANO-2 will be shutdown and cooled down to Mode 5."

The licensee informed the NRC Resident Inspectors.

Entergy’s New Nuclear Philosophy: Two Broken Plants, Just Fix One At A Time

Unit 1: temporally shutdown due to crack in one-inch pipe.

Unit 2: normal refueling. All work now stopped on unit 2.

So just think how costly this is. We are talking about a million to two million dollars a day shutdown cost let alone the other cost on one plant. They must have to extend the outage on unit 2. This is a terrible sign of corporate financial weakness...

They stopped all refueling activities on unit 2 to focus all their resources on getting unit 1 back on the line. Entergy doesn’t have the resources to do two simultaneous shutdown maintenance periods at the 2 unit ANO? Yep, cooper is in outage? These two plant have the worst record in the industry?

Junk Plant Arkansas 1?

So Grand Gulf, Arkansas 1&2 are currently in shutdown. The only one in a legitimate scheduled outage is Arkansas 2?

Come on, they been shutdown for almost three weeks for a leak in a tiny "one" inch line??? What else did they find?

9/30/2016

Power Reactor Event Number: 52271

Facility: ARKANSAS NUCLEAR
Region: 4 State: AR
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] B&W-L-LP,[2] CE
NRC Notified By: MARK GOHMAN
HQ OPS Officer: STEVE SANDIN Notification Date: 09/30/2016
Notification Time: 04:01 [ET]
Event Date: 09/29/2016
Event Time: 21:00 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 09/30/2016

Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(v)(B) - POT RHR INOP Person (Organization):
WILLIAM COOK (R1DO)
CHRIS MILLER (NRR)

Unit SCRAM Code RX CRIT Initial PWR Initial RX Mode Current PWR Current RX Mode

1 N N 0 Refueling 0 Refueling

Event Text

UNISOLABLE LEAK ON DECAY HEAT REMOVAL PIPING DUE TO WELD FAILURE ON A 1" COMMON PIPE

"At 2100 CDT on 09/29/16, while in Mode 6, both trains of Decay Heat (Residual Heat Removal) were declared inoperable due to a cracked weld on a 1" common pipe. The leak developed in a USAS B31.7, Class1 pipe at a weld upstream of pressure indication isolation valve DH-1037. The leak is not isolable from the common 8-inch Decay Heat piping and encompasses approximately 1/3 [one third] of the pipe circumference.

"At the time of discovery, the unit was in Lowered Inventory with both Loops of Decay Heat in service. Subsequently, one train of Decay Heat has been secured to reduce the likelihood of crack propagation. One Train of Decay Heat remains in service providing the function of removing Decay Heat and the other train is readily available. The leakage impacts redundant equipment required to fulfill a safety function. In the current condition, both trains are required to be operable to meet Technical Specification LCO 3.9.5, Decay Heat Removal (DHR) and Coolant Circulation-Low water Level.

"This condition is reportable per 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(v)(B) for any event or condition that results in a loss of Safety Function associated with the Decay Heat System (Residual Heat Removal System).

"The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector."

The leak is approximately 0.25 gallons per minute and pipe pressure is 140 psi. Compensatory measures are in place and include an individual posted to watch the pipe in case plugging is necessary. Repairs to the pipe will be completed once pipe is able to be drained.

Junk Grand Gulf Licensed Operators and Capacity Factor

(when they ever going to restart)

Amy Wold,

River Bend, Waterford and Grand Gulf nuclear plants are a mess. The Entergy Southern plants are really in trouble. What is wrong with Grand Gulf recently besides the plant being grossly not profitable with all the down powers and shutdowns??? I believe the NRC recently ask them to stay

(Sept 29) “Junk Plant Grand Gulf: Delay Startup to Fix Safety Culture”

shutdown because the control room employees were unsafe…this is unprecedented. Grand Gulf recently made a public notification they are going to shutdown because they no longer trust their “control room” employees to be safe??? Give the resident Grand Gulf NRC inspector a call and ask them why they are shut down?

Are our efforts to make Entergy spend big bucks on Vermont Yankee, Indian Point, Fitzpatrick and Pilgrim financially starving Grand Gulf, Waterford and River Bend? Is it A war between Entergy’s regulated and non-regulated plants?

Mike Mulligan

Hinsdale, NH

16032094206

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Junk Cook Plant Engineering Assumption

God help us all if all their engineering assumption are as inaccurate as this. The industry is riddle with not conservative engineering assumptions.

Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant Unit 2

LICENSEE EVENT REPORT 316/2016-001-01

Manual Reactor Trip Due to Moisture Separator Heater Expansion Joint Failure

ROOT CAUSE

The Root Cause was determined to be an organizational failure to recognize the risk significance of, and to adequately correct or mitigate, previously identified vibration issues with the Unit 2 B Right MSR crossover expansion joint tie rod and bellows in a timely fashion.

CONTRIBUTING CAUSES

Tack welds were inappropriately applied to nuts on the tie rod areas under tensile load. This was inconsistent with the intent of the Engineering Change which installed the threaded tie rods and was the result of poor communication between engineering workgroups. These tack welds on ASTM A 193 B7 material created stress risers which accelerated tie rod high cycle fatigue failure.

The B crossover lines are subject to higher levels of vibration than the A and C crossover lines. The vibration amplitudes produced stresses in the B tie rods that led to the tie rod high cycle fatigue failure.

The B crossover line vibration issue was removed from the plant high priority list following U2C22 before the vibration condition was resolved. Unit 2 returned to service and operated for several months with elevated vibration levels on the MSR B crossover lines before vibration amplitudes were addressed. Since the issue was no longer on the plant high priority list, the issue was no longer a station priority and workgroups lost focus on the issue.

Indian Point Junk Maintenence

Pathetic

Licensee Event Report# 2015-001-01, "Technical Specification (TS) Prohibited Condition Due to an Inoperable Containment Caused by a Service Water Pipe Leak with a Flaw Size that Results in Exceeding the Allowed Leakage Rate for Containment" Indian Point Unit No. 2 Docket No. 50-247 DPR-26

The direct cause was corrosion. The apparent cause was the length of time to implement a modification to replace the FCU motor cooler copper-nickel piping identified in 2009 per the SW mitigation strategy. An engineered clamp was installed over the pipe defect. The pipe and affected elbow were replaced in accordance with the requirements of ASME Section XI Code during the spring refueling outage in 2016. A modification to replace piping will be processed for funding. The event had no significant effect on public health and safety.

Sunday, October 09, 2016

Hurricanes and Zika Mosquitoes

10/9

Well, we had our Florida Hurricane. Hurricane Mathew raked the east coast of Florida mostly missing Mimi.

Originally posted om 8/20/16

8/25

Can tropical systems influence the spread of the Zika virus?

By Katy Galimberti, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer

August 25, 2016; 10:11 AM ET

Experts say that hurricanes and tropical storms could influence the spread of the Zika virus.
With a brewing system in the Atlantic that could impact the Bahamas and Florida, tropical activity could lead to a wider spread of the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.
Jason Rasgon, associate professor of entomology and disease epidemiology at Penn State University, told AccuWeather that there are multiple methods in which hurricanes and tropical storms can spread mosquitoes, including those carrying Zika...

As example in our recent hurricanes, strange moths had been seen.

“Hurricane winds and flooding can carry in new insects and seeds, ushering in new season-long battles and making growing season the next year a challenge.”

Wednesday, October 05, 2016

Major Restructuring Going On At The NEI

By Timothy Cama - 10/04/16 12:12 PM EDT

The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) has tapped Maria Korsnick, a veteran of the nuclear industry, to be its new CEO.
Korsnick, currently the chief operating officer at NEI, will start her new role Jan. 1, when Marv Fertel, the current CEO, retires.

She has previously held executive positions at Constellation Energy Nuclear Group and Exelon Corp.“Maria is highly regarded for her strong leadership skills and exceptional technical expertise,” Dan Brandt, chairman of NEI’s board and CEO of Pinnacle West Capital Corp., said in a Tuesday statement announcing Korsnick's promotion.
“As proven by her success as NEI’s chief operating officer, she will provide the vision and guidance that will drive the organization’s effectiveness,” he said.
“I couldn’t be more proud to have the opportunity to lead NEI and advance nuclear energy,” Korsnick said in the statement. “The nuclear industry is facing challenges, and I’m looking forward to help strengthen the policies, regulations and public support that will ensure it has a robust future.”
Fertel’s retirement, announced in August, came along with a major shakeup in leadership at NEI. The top lobbying and communications officials at the group are leaving, and NEI is looking for one person to replace them in a newly combined role.
The changes come at a crucial moment for the nuclear sector. Numerous plants are expected to close in the coming years amid competition from cheap natural gas and renewables, and increasing safety and security requirements.
A small handful of new plants or reactors are under construction domestically as well.
NEI is working on various major policy priorities, like getting a tax credit renewed for newly built plants, trying to get the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste site built and reforming the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Monday, October 03, 2016

Exelon's Nuclear Plants Removing Handguns From All Security Guards To Boost Profit

Update

http://www.whec.com/nys-exposed/security-changes-ginna-nuclear-power-plant/4280162/?cat=11217

*We reached out to Exelon, the company that owns Ginna to find out how the changes will impact security. In a statement, the company says in part:

"Our nuclear facilities are secure. Our security officers remain heavily armed and ready to defend the facility. Handguns were one option for a weapon, but were never required by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)... Over the past ten years, we have spent millions of dollars continually fortifying nuclear power plants. With these improvements, handguns are no longer required."

According to internal emails and a newsletter that News10NBC obtained, Exelon and management at Ginna also say this change will save money. We went to Ontario Town Supervisor John Smith who says he supports the change, especially if is saves money.

"I would applaud the power plant realizing the position they are in and they have a lifeline -- fortunately from our ratepayers -- to sustain Ginna, and other upstate New York power plants," says Smith. "Anywhere they would trim costs to reduce dependency would be a smart more. I am very comfortable with that."

*Statement from Exelon:

Our nuclear facilities are secure. Our security officers remain heavily armed and ready to defend the facility. Handguns were one option for a weapon, but were never required by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

The nuclear industry in conjunction with the NRC closely monitors evolving security threats, and reviews and adjusts protection strategies accordingly. Over the past ten years, we have spent millions of dollars continually fortifying nuclear power plants. With these improvements, hand guns are no longer required.

Well-trained security forces, robust physical barriers, intrusion detection systems, surveillance systems, and plant access controls are just some of the measures designed to protect the public, employees and the plant. Overlapping layers of physical, human and electronic security make the plant secure.

The nuclear energy industry’s security programs are highly regulated by the federal government, ensuring nuclear power plants are among the best protected private sector facilities in the nation.

This change was thoroughly evaluated by industry experts who found that eliminating handguns would have no impact on the current security strategy, given the other barriers, weapons and detection systems already in place.

My analysis of this event...it is the test case for nuclear industry/NEI's 30% budget reduction program nationwide. They think gov Cuomo is in a terribly weak position with his corruption issues, thus they chose NY for the test case. I think the industry wants to remove handguns nationwide from nuclear guards as a money saving policy.

I can't believe the "power that be" didn't evaluate the optics of removing handguns from the security force. The idea they didn't disclose this to outsiders before they tried to implement it

This has been approved by the NRC. This is my case for the fallacy of security secrecy always protects our nation. The CIA director this weekend in the news shows saying the stability of the world is in the worst shape in 50 years.

I bet you one of the risk perspectives says having poorly paid and disgruntled security officers running around with live handguns is a humongous risk for the plant. The nightmare is a security officer with a handgun strapped on his waist coming into the control room killing all the control room employees with his gun. Or he participating in a outside terrorist attack while he is inside the plant with his live gun...

This guy might be in a lot of trouble. He has outed the approved security stance in a nuclear plant without prior approval. He could have used the NRC's allegation process if he had too. I doubt Allegation would rule in his favor.

These are idiots here. Idiots follow the rules to their own demise. This is a radicle change in nuclear plant security posture, why didn't they have a public meeting over this as a means to cover their butts.

NYS Exposed: Security changes at Ginna Nuclear Power Plant

October 03, 2016 06:27 AM

A nuclear power plant in our area is trying to cut costs by making security changes. These changes could be putting people living nearby in danger.

News10NBC received a phone call from a concerned employee at the Ginna Nuclear Power Plant. The employee says the security force at Ginna is going to be getting rid of all hand guns onsite.

The man that reached out to us has worked at Ginna Nuclear Power Plant for a number of years as a security officer. He says as of http://www.whec.com/nys-exposed/security-changes-ginna-nuclear-power-plant/4280162/

NYS Exposed: Security changes at Ginna Nuclear Power Plant

October 03, 2016 06:27 AM

A nuclear power plant in our area is trying to cut costs by making security changes. These changes could be putting people living nearby in danger.

News10NBC received a phone call from a concerned employee at the Ginna Nuclear Power Plant. The employee says the security force at Ginna is going to be getting rid of all hand guns onsite.

The man that reached out to us has worked at Ginna Nuclear Power Plant for a number of years as a security officer. He says as of October 12, security officers will no longer be carrying hand guns. Riffles will still be on site for some officers to carry, and others to use in case of an emergency, but this man says this change is putting people in danger.

Amanda Ciavarri: If someone were able to get into the reactor, what kind of havoc could they cause?

Securuty officer: From what we are trained in, it is sickness, death. You are talking about 15,000 people surrounding that area getting very sick or dying. And it is my job to protect them.

Amanda Ciavarri: Can you do your job with this change?

Security officer: I don't know. I don't feel very confident, I can tell you that.

According to a company newsletter that News10NBC obtained, it is a move that Exelon, the company that owns Ginna, says will save money. But does it compromise security?

Security Officer: I think the public should have a say if they are going to make major security changes, and they aren't giving the public that option, and they are paying for it.

The plant is funded in part by RG&E customers, who pay a fee every month that goes to run Ginna. On News10NBC at 5 and 6, we will look into how this change will impact safety. Also, if it is saving money, does that mean you will be paying less for utilities? The answers we find may shock you.

October 12, security officers will no longer be carrying hand guns. Riffles will still be on site for some officers to carry, and others to use in case of an emergency, but this man says this change is putting people in danger.

Amanda Ciavarri: If someone were able to get into the reactor, what kind of havoc could they cause?

Security officer: From what we are trained in, it is sickness, death. You are talking about 15,000 people surrounding that area getting very sick or dying. And it is my job to protect them.

Amanda Ciavarri: Can you do your job with this change?

Security officer: I don't know. I don't feel very confident, I can tell you that.

According to a company newsletter that News10NBC obtained, it is a move that Exelon, the company that owns Ginna, says will save money. But does it compromise security?

Security Officer: I think the public should have a say if they are going to make major security changes, and they aren't giving the public that option, and they are paying for it.

The plant is funded in part by RG&E customers, who pay a fee every month that goes to run Ginna. On News10NBC at 5 and 6, we will look into how this change will impact safety. Also, if it is saving money, does that mean you will be paying less for utilities? The answers we find may shock you.

Sunday, October 02, 2016

HBO’s Newsroom 2016: All I Did Is Cry Through It Today

I love this series. Hated it at times. I just love a liberal or altruistic happy ever ending story. It certainly doesn’t come from the democrats. It just don’t happen anymore. This afternoon, I was looking around for a TV program to watch. I came to the HBO list of series, I knew I had to watch something in Newsroom. I ended up watching the last program. I surprisingly teared and cried throughout the whole program. Post the show’s ending in Dec 2014, how do you think the USA has progressed since then.

I am seriously thinking of becoming voter terrorist…I am going to vote for trump. The FBI should pay me a visit me “again”. They should put me in Guantanamo and throw away the keys. The reason why I am voting for trump is I want him to "blow up" the USA. As Ralph Nader chewed us out for in another election, I am going to vote for the "least worth choice" again. I am going to vote for what I think is in the best interest of our nation. I think quickly "blowing up the USA" would create less damage in the long term, than continuing in our current trajectory.

I feel so sad for me…

Our news media is broken...

Go watch this HBO program again in the light of our crazy and crazier political season...

Any good American should be crying for "you"...

Junk Toshiba Nuclear Fuel Factory in South Carolina

How in the world could you trust Toshiba to own a nuclear fuel factory in the USA?

2015 accounting scandal[edit]
Toshiba announced in 2015 that it was investigating an accounting scandal.^[25] Toshiba said that it might need to mark down profits for the previous three years.^[26]
On 21 July 2015, CEO Hisao Tanaka announced his resignation amid an accounting scandal at the company that Tanaka called "the most damaging event for our brand in the company's 140-year history." Profits had been inflated by $1.2 billion over seven years.^[27] Eight other senior officials also resigned, including the two previous CEOs.^[28] Chairman Masashi Muromachi was appointed acting CEO.^[29] Following the scandal, Toshiba Corp. was removed from a stock index showcasing Japan's best companies. That was the second reshuffle of the index, which picks companies with the best operating income, return on equity and market value.^[30]
In September 2015, Toshiba sales fell to their lowest point in two and a half years. The firm said in a statement that its net losses for the quarterly period were 12.3 billion yen ($102m; £66m). The company noted poor performances in its televisions, home appliances and personal computer businesses.^[31]
In December 2015, Muromachi said the episode had wiped about $8 billion off Toshiba's market value. He forecast a record 550 billion yen (about US $4.6 billion) annual loss and warned the company would have to overhaul its TV and computer businesses. Toshiba would not be raising funds for two years, he said. The next week, a company spokesperson announced Toshiba would in early 2016 seek 300 billion yen ($2.5 billion), taking the company's indebtedness to more than 1 trillion yen (about $8.3 billion).^[32]

No doubt they have been throttling funding to the SC fuel factory in order to save Toshiba and it caused the employees to be

Japan conglomerates seek to merge loss-making nuclear fuel operations: sources (Toshiba, Hitachi and Mitsubishi)

There just is no doubt congress and political contributions sets up the NRC to be reactionary, not proactive. It intimidates all good employees caught up in the corruption's wake.

I have to disabuse you of the idea today this has anything to do with American JOBs. It is all controlled by foreign governments. Westinghouse is owned by the very untrustworthy Japanese giant Toshiba and most of the actual source fuel(>95%)comes from Russia and other countries.

It sounds like a whistleblower provoked the reporting?

Columbia nuclear incident prompts federal warning

By SAMMY FRETWELL
sfretwell@thestate.com

COLUMBIA, SC The recent discovery that radioactive material had built up in a Columbia nuclear fuel factory has prompted federal warnings to other plants about the hazards of failing to properly monitor their facilities.
In a public notice issued this week, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said accidents can occur when uranium is allowed to accumulate in fuel plants over time.

The agency urged other fuel factory operators to “consider actions, as appropriate, to avoid similar issues.’’ The NRC’s notice said the “long-term accumulation of uranium’’ has been a recurring issue in the nuclear fuel industry.
The notice went to about a half-dozen plants across the country, a day after the NRC held a public meeting in Columbia to discuss an investigation of the Westinghouse factory southeast of town.
“Other licensees need to know about this,’’ NRC spokesman Joey Ledford said.

At Tuesday’s meeting, NRC regional administrator Catherine Haney called the uranium buildup at Westinghouse a “serious event.’’ Top Westinghouse officials conceded the company had fallen down on the job in not properly keeping track of the uranium.
Over the summer, the NRC learned that uranium had accumulated in an air pollution control device, called a scrubber, to levels three times the federal safety standard. The agency and Westinghouse found other buildups inside the plant after looking more carefully.
Low-enriched uranium, like that used at Westinghouse, is not considered as dangerous as highly enriched uranium, but it can still be hazardous if not properly monitored.
When uranium accumulates to levels that exceed the safety standard, it increases chances of a “critical’’ event, a nuclear accident that can send out a burst of radiation. In the Westinghouse case, nearby workers could have been injured from the uranium buildup, agency officials said in a preliminary investigation report this past week.

Among the fuel factories notified of the Westinghouse problems were facilities near Wilmington, N.C. and Richland, Wash., both of which also make atomic fuel for commercial nuclear power plants.
A spokesman for the Wilmington-area plant said it has not had buildups of uranium above federal safety limits, but the facility’s owner was aware of the problems in Columbia and has taken steps to make sure similar problems do not occur in North Carolina.
“As soon as we learned about the events there, we conducted a self-assessment related to this specific area and found that all controls are working as expected,’’ Jon Allen, a spokesman for G.E. Hitachi Nuclear Energy, said in an email.
Westinghouse officials said this week they are taking steps to improve safety at the plant. The company has brought in new personnel, instituted new safety procedures and updated equipment to help, among other things.

While the company works to address the issue, it has shut down part of its production line and temporarily laid off more than 100 workers. The plant, between Congaree National Park and Interstate 77, employs about 1,000 people. Nuclear fuel assemblies are sold worldwide to power plants.
“Our leadership and workforce intend to earn back the trust and confidence of the NRC, the community and our customers,’’ company executive Michele DeWitt said.
The federal safety notice, issued Wednesday lays out new details in the unfolding Westinghouse story.
Westinghouse has had buildups of material in air pollution scrubbers since at least 2002, but the company did not accurately document how much uranium was in the material, according to the NRC. As a result, it is difficult to say whether Westinghouse exceeded safety limits in the past, an agency official said Friday.
The NRC information notice also said that for seven years prior to this year’s discovery of excessive uranium, the company did not thoroughly inspect and clean parts of the scrubber system. Some problems appear to have continued this year.
After Westinghouse analyzed the material from the scrubber, one division of the company learned that uranium levels exceeded the safety limit. But that division did not immediately share the information with the Westinghouse safety staff, said Omar Lopez, a NRC inspector who led the probe in Columbia.
“There was a break in communications between the operations group and the safety department,’’ he said.