New Plant Watts Bar 2 Tried To Restart from Collapsed Condenser, Then New Scram

This is a very troubled site. Systemic NRC safety culture problems, poor quality equipment and severe capacity factor problems.

Facility: WATTS BAR Region: 2 State: TN Unit: [ ] [2] [ ] RX Type: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP NRC Notified By: BRIAN MCLINAY HQ OPS Officer: VINCE KLCO Notification Date: 07/25/2017 Notification Time: 11:07 [ET] Event Date: 07/25/2017 Event Time: 04:28 [EDT] Last Update Date: 07/25/2017 Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A) - VALID SPECIF SYS ACTUATION Person (Organization): ALAN BLAMEY (R2DO) Unit SCRAM Code RX CRIT Initial PWR Initial RX Mode Current PWR Current RX Mode 2 M/R N 0 Hot Standby 0 Hot Standby Event Text MANUAL REACTOR TRIP DUE TO ROD POSITION INDICATION SYSTEM BEING INOPERABLE "On July 25, 2017, at 0428 Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) Watts Bar Nuclear Plant (WBN) Unit 2 was in Mode 3, beginning a Reactor Startup. While in the initial phase of withdrawing the first of four Control Rod banks, the two associated group demand position indicators deviated greater than 2 steps from each other. In accordance with Technical Requirement 3.1.7, Position Indication System, Shutdown, with one or more group demand position indicators inoperable, the reactor trip breakers are to be opened immediately. Operations personnel opened the reactor trip breakers immediately by initiating a manual trip of the Reactor Protection System (RPS). The Auxiliary Feedwater system was in service and controlling Steam Generator water levels at the time of the event and did not receive any valid actuation signals. No other system actuations occurred as a result of this reactor trip and all systems operated as designed. "The cause of the position indication system inoperability is currently under investigation. "NRC Resident Inspector has been notified."

Dominion Begs Proverty on Millstone: Governor Orders Study on Viability

Will the study end up having a national scope. This is in the top 3 most expensive state electricity in the nation...what about the less expensive electricity states?

Can Millstone Survive Natural Gas? Malloy Orders State Review

Stephen SingerContact Reporter

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy on Tuesday ordered a state review of whether the Millstone nuclear plant can continue operating in energy markets that increasingly rely on natural gas.

The executive order he signed directs an assessment of the Waterford plant, evaluating the “current and projected economic viability” for its continued operation.

Dominion Energy Inc., Millstone’s parent company, has broadly hinted it would close the plant without legislation it sought rewriting the state’s energy rules giving it broader access to Connecticut’s power markets.

Critics scoffed at Dominion’s threat, citing ISO-New England, the region’s power grid operator, that said the next opportunity to retire Dominion will not be until 2022.

Malloy’s order follows the failure, for the second year in a row, of the legislation Dominion sought. The Richmond, Va.-based energy company said the measure was needed to help compete with abundant and relatively cheap natural gas. Several nuclear plants nationwide have closed recently as natural gas overtakes nuclear energy as the preferred source of power.

Critics of the legislation said rewriting the law to benefit Millstone would have driven up electricity costs for residents and businesses.

Opponents also said Dominion, which refused to make its financial records public, failed to prove it needs special assistance from the state. Malloy’s order authorizes the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and Public Utilities Regulatory Authority to use the best available information, including audited financial statements, “and such other financial data that is reasonably requested.”

Malloy’s order directs the two agencies to review the role of nuclear generating plants and large-scale hydropower and measures used to reduce demand, promote energy storage and emissions-free renewable energy.

The agencies are directed to determine the best way to ensure continued progress toward interim and long-term carbon and other emissions targets.

The governor’s directive says a review must consider the compatibility of efforts to reach those targets with competitive wholesale and retail electricity markets and their effect on ratepayers.

Sen. Paul Formica, R-East Lyme, and co-chairman of the legislature’s Energy and Technology Committee, said a study is “is just one step forward, but we also need action.”

“It’s apparent that there is a problem in the market. Given the many nuclear facility closings around the country, it’s clear we need to act now before we become the next state where such a closure occurs,” he said.

The legislation approved by the Senate on the final day of the General Assembly June 7 authorized the state to decide whether to select one of two competitive procurement processes for nuclear power-generating facilities and in some cases, large-scale hydropower plants. The measure died in the House of Representatives.

Malloy’s order cites the lack of adequate natural gas pipeline capacity in New England, the “critical role” of emissions-free sources of electricity such as nuclear and Millstone’s importance to Connecticut’s economy.

A study commissioned in October by Dominion said Millstone generates $1.47 billion in annual economic impact and employs more than 1,000 workers. It accounts for 59 percent of the power consumed by Connecticut utility customers, Dominion said.

Three nuclear plants operate in New England: Millstone, Pilgrim in Massachusetts and Seabrook in New Hampshire. Nuclear power accounted for 30 percent of energy generated in the region in 2015, down from 34 percent the previous year, according to ISO-New England.

The agencies are directed to determine the best way to ensure continued progress toward interim and long-term carbon and other emissions targets.
The governor’s directive says a review must consider the compatibility of efforts to reach those targets with competitive wholesale and retail electricity markets and their effect on ratepayers. 

Sen. Paul Formica, R-East Lyme, and co-chairman of the legislature’s Energy and Technology Committee, said a study is “is just one step forward, but we also need action.” 

“It’s apparent that there is a problem in the market. Given the many nuclear facility closings around the country, it’s clear we need to act now before we become the next state where such a closure occurs,” he said. 

The legislation approved by the Senate on the final day of the General Assembly June 7 authorized the state to decide whether to select one of two competitive procurement processes for nuclear power-generating facilities and in some cases, large-scale hydropower plants. The measure died in the House of Representatives.
Malloy’s order cites the lack of adequate natural gas pipeline capacity in New England, the “critical role” of emissions-free sources of electricity such as nuclear and Millstone’s importance to Connecticut’s economy. 

A study commissioned in October by Dominion said Millstone generates $1.47 billion in annual economic impact and employs more than 1,000 workers. It accounts for 59 percent of the power consumed by Connecticut utility customers, Dominion said. 

Three nuclear plants operate in New England: Millstone, Pilgrim in Massachusetts and Seabrook in New Hampshire. Nuclear power accounted for 30 percent of energy generated in the region in 2015, down from 34 percent the previous year, according to ISO-New England.

Junk Plant Grand Gulf: Last 100% Was 11 Days Ago

Today was 80%. This is the rest: 80%, 65, 59, 53, 74, 67, 52 64, 64, 82% and 100%

Junk Plant Waterford and Severe Continued Capacity Factor Problem With Entergy's Southern Fleet.

My bad, the DGs operated as designed. It would be a blackout if the DGs didn't startup. They just lost off site power...depended on internal power.

Junk Plant Waterford and Severe Continued Capacity Factor Problem With Entergy's Southern Fleet.

The idea this didn't get into a anticipatory ALERT is ridiculous. Something is wrong with the Emergency Classification system.

A LOOP is a big deal. Can you even imagine this in a Cat 4 hurricane.  

The isobus leak is a common issue coming from poor maintenance. The idea of possibly the isobus leak and some maintenance thing preventing the DGs not starting is chilling...two failed components showing up in one accident. This condemns Entergy's maintenance on the southern fleet.

I think this all stems from Arkansas Nuclear One. They had to divert monies from the fleet in order to recover from everything discovered in the stator drop accident.

Wonder what the power lever is a Grand Gulf?    

Power Reactor Event Number: 52863 Facility: WATERFORD Region: 4 State: LA Unit: [3] [ ] [ ] RX Type: [3] CE NRC Notified By: MICKEY FOLSE HQ OPS Officer: HOWIE CROUCH Notification Date: 07/17/2017 Notification Time: 17:37 [ET] Event Date: 07/17/2017 Event Time: 16:17 [CDT] Last Update Date: 07/17/2017 Emergency Class: UNUSUAL EVENT 10 CFR Section: 50.72(a) (1) (i) - EMERGENCY DECLARED 50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) - RPS ACTUATION - CRITICAL 50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A) - VALID SPECIF SYS ACTUATION 50.72(b)(3)(v)(A) - POT UNABLE TO SAFE SD Person (Organization): THOMAS HIPSCHMAN (R4DO) MICHAEL F. KING (NRR) BRIAN HOLIAN (NRR) KRISS KENNEDY (R4RA) JEFF GRANT (IRD) Unit SCRAM Code RX CRIT Initial PWR Initial RX Mode Current PWR Current RX Mode 3 A/R Y 100 Power Operation 0 Hot Standby Event Text UNUSUAL EVENT DECLARED DUE TO LOSS OF OFFSITE POWER During a rain and lightning storm, plant operators observed arcing from the main transformer bus duct and notified the control room. The decision was made to trip the main generator which resulted in an automatic reactor trip. The plant entered EAL SU.1 as a result of the loss of offsite power for greater than fifteen minutes. Plant safety busses are being supplied by both emergency diesel generators while the licensee inspects the electrical system to determine any damage prior to bringing offsite power back into the facility. Offsite power is available to the facility. No offsite assistance was requested by the licensee. During the trip, all rods inserted into the core. Decay heat is being removed via the atmospheric dump valves with emergency feedwater supplying the steam generators. The main steam isolation valves were manually closed to protect the main condenser. There were no safeties or relief valves that actuated during the plant transient. There is no known primary-to-secondary leakage. Reactor cooling is via natural circulation. All safety equipment is available for the safe shutdown of the plant. The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and the local Parish emergency management agencies. Notified DHS SWO, FEMA, DHS NICC, FEMA National Watch Center (email) and Nuclear SSA (email). * * * UPDATE ON 7/17/17 AT 2007 EDT FROM MARIA ZAMBER TO DONG PARK * * * This notification is also made under 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(v)(D). "This is a non-emergency notification from Waterford 3. "On July 17, 2017 at 1606 CDT, the reactor automatically tripped due to a loss of Forced Circulation, which was the result of Loss of Offsite Power (LOOP) to the electrical (safety and non-safety) buses. Both 'A' and 'B' trains of Emergency Diesel Generators (EDGs) started as designed to reenergize the 'A' and 'B' safety buses. The LOOP caused a loss of feedwater pumps, resulting in an automatic actuation of the Emergency Feedwater (EFW) system. "Prior to the reactor trip, at 1600 CDT, personnel noticed the isophase bus duct to main transformer 'B' glowing orange due to an unknown reason. Due to this, the main turbine was manually tripped at 1606 CDT. Following the turbine trip, the electrical (safety and non-safety) buses did not transfer to the startup transformers as expected due to an unknown reason. "The plant entered the Emergency Operating Procedure for LOOP/Loss of Forced Circulation Recovery. "At 1617 CDT, an Unusual Event was declared due to Initiating Condition (IC) SU1 - Loss of all offsite AC power to safety buses [greater than] 15 minutes. "All safety systems responded as expected. "The plant is currently in mode 3 and stable with the EDGs supplying both safety buses and with EFW feeding and maintaining both steam generators. Offsite power is in the process of being restored." The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and the local Parish emergency management agencies. * * * UPDATE FROM ADAM TAMPLAIN TO HOWIE CROUCH AT 2203 EDT ON 7/17/17 * * * The licensee terminated the Notification of Unusual Event at 2056 CDT. The basis for terminating was that offsite power was restored to the safety busses. The licensee has notified Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, St. John and St. Charles Parishes, Louisiana Homeland Security Emergency Preparedness, and will be notifying the NRC Resident Inspector. Notified IRD (Stapleton), NRR (King), R4DO (Hipschman), DHS SWO, FEMA, DHS NICC, FEMA National Watch Center (email) and Nuclear SSA (email).

Junk Plant Browns Ferry Junk Safety Relief Valves

A host of precious metal coating on seats and ending in platinum...now two delaminated with platinum and some spring is sprung. I is bad when two component are broken.    

July 7, 2017

Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Unit 2 Renewed Facility Operating License No. DPR-52 NRC Docket No. 50-260

https://adamswebsearch2.nrc.gov/webSearch2/main.jsp?AccessionNumber=ML17188A157

Subject: Licensee Event Report 50-260/2017-004-00

On May 8, 2017, the Tennessee Valley Authority was presented with as-found testing results indicating that four of th hirteen Main Steam Relief Valves (MSRV5) from Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Unit 2, were outside the +/- 3 percent setpoint band required for their operability. Troubleshooting determined that three MSRVs exceeded their setpoints when their valve discs failed by corrosion bonding to their valve seats. The valve discs were previously platinum coated to prevent this, but the valve seat's rough Stellite surface caused the coating to delaminate. This was the first Unit 2 MSRV service interval to implement the improved surface treatment since a resolution to the delamination issue was identified in 2015. The valve which failed below its setpoint band was determined to have a faulty pilot spring.

Ihese four MSRVs were found to have been inoperable for an indeterminate period of time between April 9, 2015, and February 25, 2017, and longer than permitted by Technical Specifications. The affected valves remained capable of maintaining reactor pressure within American Society of Mechanical Engineers code limits. Additionally, the valves' ability to open under remote-manual operation, activation through the Automatic Depressurization System, or MSRV \utomatic Actuation Logics were not affected. The valves remained capable of performing their required safety unction…

Horrendously Continued Grand Gulf Capacity Issue

Beginning today: 52, 64, 64, 64. Sixty one percent capacity factor...

It's getting worst. They spent a  lot of money on fixing equipment, incompetent operators and retraining employees in the last year, and one voluntary four month safety shutdown.

Obama, Exelon, Utilities and the NRC: "The Beat Goes On"!!!

So why didn't all his voters throw in a few bucks each to build his political mausoleum? These utilities and their executives hold so much sway over our elections. Both Democrats and Republicans. Effectively the utilities are so powerful, they have veto power over the politicians and who becomes a politician. The politicians couldn't govern without the utilities, as they know our political system so well. They usually become the top aids of the politicians.

I don't hold these people as much accountable, as the public in general. You all just can't govern your selves anymore in so many ways. You keep scapegoating the politicians, you keep voting for over and over again the same style politician, or just didn't vote. All we do is vote form the least worst politician.

We are all so damaged by our political system!!!!

Obama Center Adds Exelon to top Donor List

Manya Brachear PashmanContact ReporterChicago Tribune

Technology and energy corporations have joined the list of top donors to the Obama Foundation, which on Friday made public the names of more than 700 patrons from the last three months.

Exelon and Microsoft have given more than a million dollars to the foundation, which was founded in 2014 but boosted its fundraising efforts after President Barack Obama left the White House

The list of new donors also includes at least one anonymous contributor who directed more than a million dollars through a donor-advised fund managed by The New York Community Trust and another who gave a half-million dollars through the Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

Chicago's billionaire Crown family gave between $250,001 and $500,000. Meanwhile, the family foundation of investor Andrew Hauptman, owner of the Chicago Fire, has brought its cumulative contribution closer to the million dollars it has pledged.

In addition to Hoffman and wife Michelle Yee, two other philanthropists who previously donated have now given more than $1 million: billionaire David Shaw and wife Beth, who advised Obama on financial capability; and through their family foundation, Debbie and Glenn Hutchins, who co-founded a private equity firm specializing in technology and technology-enabled companies such as Skype.

Every three months, the foundation posts the names of those who have contributed more than $200 and their gifts, listed in a range of dollars. The quarterly postings lack the specificity of Federal Election Commission filings, which give the exact contribution to candidates for federal office. FEC reports also give information about donors, including their address, employer and occupation.

The Obama Presidential Center is slated to open in Chicago's Jackson Park in 2021. While the foundation declines to provide a cost estimate, the George W. Bush library and endowment broke records at more than $500 million.

mbrachear@chicagotribune.com

Arkansas Nuclear One: Extraordinary NRC Hand Holding And Little Self-Direction

This is the roadmap of a horribly defective and unsafe organization. We still don't know what drove it. It condemns the NRC oversight and the value of the ROP. Once again a terrible accident, a humongous surprise, in this killing one and injuring eight. Outside the trigging event, we find a horrendous boatload of violations and organization chaos never addressed by the NRC and licensee prior to the accident. Why even have regulations if your don't enforce them. It is the accident that uncovers the never addressed violations. It is the total breakdown on the on site NRC inspection. A good NRC would have observed the darkening storm clouds, hit the plant with enormous resources like just like occurred after the drop accident. The politicians have made the NRC inspectors blind and reactionary...not anticipatory.  I am sure there are many plants out there with multitudes of known unaddressed violation just like ANO pre stator drop accident  waiting for a big accident...waiting for the accident to exposed the whole rotten show. I guarantee you, another accident in another plant, will soon show up and model this ANO even.

I am sure once the NRC drops their intensive inspection activities, this is what the function of this inspection...the progress will quickly decay away. They just don't  have enough funding for upkeep for all their plants

I see chaotic conditions and poor capacity all across Entergy's southern regulated fleet. In propping up ANO, they stole funding from the remaining southern fleet. I am shocked the NRC can't see this association.

I doubt ANO will ever have the capacity factor they had before the stator drop accident... obviously the NRC and licensee corruption was propping up capacity and profits...

***That man wouldn't be dead if the NRC didn't have a regime of not violating all violation. The system would have picked up the disorder and cleared it before the stator drop.  

July 14, 2017

EA-14-008 EA-14-088 EA-16-124

SUBJECT: ARKANSAS NUCLEAR ONE – NRC CONFIRMATORY ACTION LETTER (EA-16-124) FOLLOW-UP INSPECTION REPORT 05000313/2017011 AND 05000368/2017011

Junk plant Grand Gulf Capacity Factor and Entergy's Southern Fleet

Entergy's southern fleet is in big trouble. They are not preforming enough maintenance to maintain capacity factor

So Grand Gulf power today is 65% and River Bend is 82% power. Waterford had capacity factor issues coming out of the last outage. Remember ANO 2 just completed the longest refueling in the world.

June 28, 2017
Mr. Eric Larson Site Vice President Operations Entergy Operations, Inc. Grand Gulf Nuclear Station P.O. Box 756 Port Gibson, MS  39150
SUBJECT: ASSESSMENT FOLLOW-UP LETTER FOR GRAND GULF NUCLEAR STATION
Dear Mr. Larson:
As a result of our continuous review of plant performance the NRC updated its assessment of Grand Gulf Nuclear Station.  The NRC’s evaluation consisted of a review of performance indicators and inspection results.  This letter informs you of the NRC’s assessment and its plans for a future inspection at your facility.  This letter supplements, but does not supersede, the annual assessment letter issued on March 1, 2017 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML17059D517).
The NRC’s review of Grand Gulf Nuclear Station identified that the Unplanned Power Changes Per 7,000 Critical Hours performance indicator has crossed the Green-to-White threshold.  The performance issues included in this performance indicator were associated with three unplanned downpower events that occurred in the second quarter of 2016 due to operator actions to reset turbine stop valves, an unplanned downpower and shutdown required by technical specifications that occurred in the third quarter of 2016 due to a failure of residual heat removal subsystem A, and an unplanned downpower that occurred in the first quarter of 2017 due to condensate booster pump seal degradation.
The NRC determined the performance at Grand Gulf Nuclear Station remains in the Regulatory Response Column of the Reactor Oversight Process Action Matrix following a second White performance indicator input in the Initiating Events cornerstone beginning in the fourth quarter  of 2016.  Therefore, the NRC plans to conduct a supplemental inspection in accordance with Inspection Procedure 95001, “Supplemental Inspection Response to Action Matrix Column 2 Inputs” due to the Uplanned Power Changes Per 7,000 Critical Hours performance indicator.  Additionally, the NRC previously indicated our intent to perform a supplemental inspection in accordance with Inspection Procedure 95001 due to the Unplanned Scrams Per 7000 Critical Hours performance indicator crossing the Green-to-White threshold in the third quarter of 2016 as indicated in a letter sent on November 8, 2016 (ADAMS Accession No. ML16313A169). As of the date of this letter we have not been notified that you are ready for this inspection.   The objectives of the supplemental inspection are: (1) to assure that the root causes and contributing causes of significant performance issues are understood, (2) to independently... 

82, 96, 81, 62%, 100, 100, 100, 100, 100, 100, 100, 100, 90, 91, 91, 80, 74 81, 50, 3, 0 (6/25)

There is 21 days of RB capacity factor. I get on average about a 70% capacity. RB has had terrible capacity factor for years. It goes way beyond insufficient maintenance...they have had procedure and training problems with the ops people.

Maybe they got all the money in the world...but they don't have the expertise to plan and schedule the kinds of maintenance to maintain decent capacity factor...  

The Columbia Experience: Training and Procedure Problems are Now Epidemic in Nuke Industry

Just Google my articles on the horrendous training and procedure problems at Grand Gulf as seen in their pathetic capacity problems in the last few years...

July 6, 2017 

EA-17-028 

Mr. Mark E. Reddemann Chief Executive Officer Energy Northwest P.O. Box 968 (Mail Drop 1023) Richland, WA  99352-0968

SUBJECT: COLUMBIA GENERATING STATION - FINAL SIGNIFICANCE DETERMINATION OF A WHITE FINDING, NOTICE OF VIOLATION, FOLLOW-UP ASSESSMENT LETTER, AND NRC INSPECTION REPORT 05000397/2017009

Dear Mr. Reddemann:

This letter provides you the final significance determination of the preliminary White finding discussed in our letter dated April 10, 2017, which included Special Inspection Report 05000397/2016009 (Agencywide Document Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession ML17100A499).  The finding involved the failure to ensure that the contents of a radioactive waste container did not exceed the radiation level requirements for shipping. 

A regulatory conference was held on May 2, 2017, to discuss your views on this issue.  During the meeting, your staff described your assessment of the significance of the apparent violation and associated corrective actions, including the root-cause evaluation.  Specifically, your staff stated that the root cause was that station procedures to implement spent fuel pool clean-up activities and the associated radioactive waste surveys, processing, and shipping activities were not sufficient to ensure compliance with all requirements.  Additionally, your staff identified contributing causes of inadequate management oversight and non-conservative decision-making.  Your staff indicated that the corrective actions included developing and issuing an updated procedure to implement the clean-up activities and that key personnel had been trained to provide increased and more effective oversight...

Was The Mississippi KC 130 Marine Crash Related to the USS Fitzgerald Collision?

Having the FBI on a domestic military plane crash is highly abnormal. Are we on a special alert, as if we had other terrorist events that are ongoing. Has the USS Fitzgerald collision flipped into a terrorism investigation based on developed information?

Marine aircraft disaster: FBI seeks answers in Mississippi crash that killed at least 16

The FBI reportedly has joined local and state agencies to investigate what caused a U.S. military plane to corkscrew out of the sky and into a Mississippi field on Monday, killing at least 16.

A KC-130, used as a refueling tanker, "experienced a mishap" when it spiraled down about 4 p.m. into a soybean field, about 85 miles north of Jackson, the Marine Corps said. The aircraft's debris scattered in a radius of about 5 miles.

Leflore County Sheriff Ricky Banks told The Associated Press that officials were continuing to look for possible survivors. Banks earlier told the Greenwood Commonwealth 16 people were believed to be on board, but would not confirm that information to The Associated Press.

"We're still searching the area," Banks said. "It's hard to find bodies in the dark."

Holy Crap: ANO 2 Restarted After World's Longest Outage

MSNBC Morning Tweet: It Was a Deep National Security "Madman Theory" Operation

You people are so unsophisticated. Trump is sabotaging his reputation in the hopes of preventing a war. It's is the classic Nixonian crazy president Madman Theory' philosophy.  

I heard poorly rated @Morning_Joe speaks badly of me (don't watch anymore)," Trump tweeted. "Then how come low I.Q. Crazy Mika, along with Psycho Joe [Scarborough,] came to Mar-a-Lago 3 nights in a row around New Year's Eve, and insisted on joining me. She was bleeding badly from a face-lift. I said no!"

Madman theory

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

  

The madman theory was an important part of Richard Nixon's foreign policy

The madman theory was a feature of Richard Nixon's foreign policy. He and his administration tried to make the leaders of hostile Communist Bloc nations think Nixon was irrational and volatile. According to the theory, those leaders would then avoid provoking the United States, fearing an unpredictable American response.

Nixon's Chief of Staff, H. R. Haldeman, wrote that Nixon had confided to him:

I call it the Madman Theory, Bob. I want the North Vietnamese to believe I've reached the point where I might do anything to stop the war. We'll just slip the word to them that, "for God's sake, you know Nixon is obsessed about communism. We can't restrain him when he's angry—and he has his hand on the nuclear button" and Ho Chi Minh himself will be in Paris in two days begging for peace.^[1]

USS Fitzgerald To Return to U.S. for Extensive Repairs...NOT!!!

The home shipyards are going to be fight to do the expensive repair job. To minimize the heat from the public and politicians, they are saying its going to be repaired. This is the attack submarine USS Miami model damaged in a NH shipyard fire. They knew it was destroyed. They wasted $50 to $75 million dollars at a shipyard investigating to see if it could be repaired. The Navy decided it is too expensive to repair a year or two after the fire. It's a 22 year old ship and it was in terrible material shape before the terrorism event. Its obsolete. Its dead right now and the Navy knows it. 

USS Fitzgerald to return to U.S. for extensive repairs

Kyodo

• Jun 30, 2017 

YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA PREF. – The U.S. Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald will return home for repairs following its fatal collision last month with a Filipino freighter south of Tokyo Bay, a naval official said Friday.
Seven crew members died in the collision on June 17. Whether the crew of the vessel will also return home remains undecided, the official said, adding that the United States will continue to cooperate with Japanese authorities to shed light on the incident.
According to the official, the U.S. side will share information such as the accounts of the crew members.
Once the 8,315-ton warship goes back, the Japan Coast Guard, which is investigating the accident, will be unable to assess the damage.
The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, equipped with the state-of-the-art Aegis missile defense system, sustained heavy damage to its starboard side near the bridge. The bodies of the seven sailors were found in their flooded cabins.
The damaged destroyer is currently berthed at Yokosuka naval base. The extent of the damage will be assessed after it is moved to a dock at the base early this month. The navy will then decide whether it can sail on its own or require towing by other vessels...

What Is Going On In The Harris Nuke Plant With The NRC???

This is highly unusual, it seems like the NRC wiped out the current staff. Why are two new inspectors going to the plant.  

NRC Announces Resident Inspectors at Harris Nuclear Plant

Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials in Atlanta have announced that John Zeiler is the agency’s senior resident inspector and Andy Patz is the resident inspector at Duke Energy’s Harris nuclear power plant, located near New Hill, N.C., about 20 miles southwest of Raleigh.

US Navy Institute Procedings: USS Fitzgarald

You got to give them credit, they didn't remove my comment.

Fitzgerald: When A Big Ocean Gets Small

steamshovel2002 • 18 hours ago

(second) One more. Why didn't the Fort Worth investigation include the question of the "extent of cause and condition". An ethical investigation of the Forth Worth based on the security of the USA would have posed this difficult question (siloing information). Did the "Fat Lenard" scandal impair the maintenance and upkeep of the pacific fleet in anyway. I would think that is a serous continued headwind today and the future?steamshovel2002 • 19 hours ago

(First) Check out the pictures of the Fitzpatrick. The Fitz is a rust bucket before the accident. Why wasn't her paint job perfect. She represent the great USA all over the world. The Fort Worth combining gear report might give us a clue with what occurred. The crew demoralized, maintenance issues all around...an indifferent senior staff ashore. The crew was severely impaired. Priorities and resource limitations of any kind are always, always, always immoral. These burdens always on the weak and poor disproportionally. I think the Fitzgerald had severe maintenance issues and many on board components degraded or broken. Too heavy a ops tempo for resources we send them. Not enough Navy ships for the condition of the world. God help us all and our children we send to the fleet, if a prolonged and worldwide war breaks out with our exhausted and broke current fleet? The war clouds are building all around us. Mike Mulligan, Hinsdale, NH USS Lipscomb SSN 685

reply

dantheman steamshovel2002 • 13 hours ago

"Crew demoralized;" "indifferent senior staff ashore"; "I think the Fitzgerald had severe maintenance issues and many on board components degraded or broken;" "Our exhausted and broke current fleet;" "Severe maintenance issues, many on board components degraded or broken."
Harsh statements indeed, Steamshovel. How do U know the crew was demoralized? How do U know senior staff was indifferent? How do U know their are severe maintenance issues? What makes U say the fleet is exhausted and broke?
Are U sane?

Holy Shit, I Know What The Russians Are Doing

reposted from 6/26

The 2.206 administrator says the NRC fixed the problem with her not being able to click on my blog. 

Two problems here.

1) Her integrity is in trouble.

2) The NRC comes to a problem, they fail to fix it emediately.

3) I think she is overloaded and heading to bigger personal problems.


reposted from 6/24

update June 26

I wonder to what extent the Russians can dominate our airways with stories like this. How many secret internet time bombs they got planted all over our government and corporations. 

CNN: Government websites in 3 states hacked with ISIS messages

Did the Russians do this for the ISIS? 

The websites of Ohio Governor John Kasich and other state government agencies were hacked on Sunday with a posting professing love for the jihadist group Islamic State.Ten state websites and two servers were affected, and they’ve been taken off line for an investigation with law enforcement into how the hackers were able to deface them, said Tom Hoyt, a spokesman for the Ohio Department of Administrative Services.

reposted from 6/23

Are the Russian reading my blog and thumping the west's nose? 

British Parliament Hit by Cyberattack, Affecting Email Access

By STEVEN ERLANGERJUNE 24, 2017

LONDON — The British Parliament was the target of a cyberattack that left many legislators unable to connect to their email on Saturday as remote access to accounts was disabled as a security measure.

Legislators were made aware of the problem on Friday night, and Chris Rennard, a Liberal Democrat member of the House of Lords, publicized the problem in a Twitter message on Saturday, saying those with “urgent messages” should text him.

Last week, there were reports in The Times of London that the passwords of British cabinet ministers, ambassadors and senior police officers were being sold online after Russian hacking groups gained access.

According to The Times, the stolen data revealed the private login details of 1,000 British members of Parliament and parliamentary staff, 7,000 police employees and more than 1,000 Foreign Office officials.

The National Cyber Security Center, which was set up to protect the country against cyberattacks, said that it would reissue guidance to government departments after being presented with the findings.

The parliamentary authorities are also working with the center to protect the network and ascertain the scale of the damage, according to a spokeswoman for the House of Commons, who did not provide a name by British convention.

In a statement, the spokeswoman said that “the Houses of Parliament have discovered unauthorized attempts to access parliamentary user accounts. We are continuing to investigate this incident and take further measures to secure the computer network, liaising with the National Cyber Security Center.”

The parliamentary authorities are also working with the center to protect the network and ascertain the scale of the damage, according to a spokeswoman for the House of Commons, who did not provide a name by British convention.

“those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety”.

SIEGEL: So far from being a pro-privacy quotation, if anything, it's a pro-taxation and pro-defense spending quotation.

The predicate here is, the government cybersecurity protections assumes I am very destructive Russian internet terrorist on incomplete information with knocking on the NRC’s IT door.  They have to have triplicate proof I am safe. There is very little differentiation between me (being a US citizen in good standing) and an internet terrorist. This thing is only get worst and increasingly prevent good citizens from participating in my government. You know, based on incomplete information, we are just going have to block you from participation. The cyber protection schemes are shredding democracy in the name of safety and protection. We got to be bigger than this.  

Mike Mulligan <steamshovel2002@gmail.com>	June 23 12:10 PM (5 minutes ago)
to NRC

Mrs. Warnek, 

Again, I am always the dummy in the room. Why am I obsessed with trying to figure out the big picture? Why are the circuits in my brain so screwed up? Why can’t I lead a normal life? I know what the Russians are up to.

Though a spasm of cyber security protection needs for survival, the government is blinding its outside view of the world and cyber security protection is disconnecting the peoples from government. The Russians and other internet terrorist are severely disrupting communication channels between the peoples of a nation and government itself through a spasm of excessive government cybersecurity protection. The Russians are seriously interfering with my participation in government. Somebody has to bring this up to high NRC officials. It’s a national and global imperative to figure this out and create workarounds.  Can you even imagine the magnitude of this problem though all US agencies and all levels of government? Massive cyber security protection levels are being jacked up all across our government.

You got to game this out. What if the Russians are increasingly disconnecting us from our government? I am certain we are disconnecting the Russian peoples from its government in a similar way or worst way. What is the world going to look like with two nations spinning around with its people being disconnected from its government? This is not a dialectic issue between two nations…it is going on across ever advanced nation. How is the world going to look like with most of the advanced nations being disconnected from its people?

This began today as an innocent discussion between the 2.206 coordinator and me. We just backed into three cyber security protection issues that impaired my participation in communicating with my government. You need to talk to her about our discussion today. You know, outside this issue, she impressed me. We had a free and open discussion within rules about the security…

She was blocked from going onto my blog

The yahoo reputation problem

 A warning my response has to be checked out by cyber security people

Now the reason why I am communicating with you.  Would you send her this below?

http://steamshovel2002.blogspot.com/2017/06/more-on-belguim-nuclear-reactor-vessel.html

“More On Belgium Nuclear Reactor Vessel Cracks”

"However, a French newspaper revealed last week that metal specimens harvested from the Flamanville Unit 3 reactor pressure vessel, and subjected to shock resilience testing, fell dramatically below regulatory performance standards. A newly surfaced memo (jn French) from a leading safety physicist at the prestigious Institute of Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety said that, if subjected to violent pressure-thermal shock, the EPR reactor pressure vessel could shatter. Such a rupture could lead to a major loss of coolant accident and subsequently a nuclear meltdown."

I am so sorry for being an asshole!

Sincerely,

Mike Mulligan

Hinsdale, NH

1603336830

Kiss TMI Goodby

Owner of Three Mile Island nuclear plant notifies 2 agencies of intent toclose 

The owners of the financially failing Three Mile Island nuclear plant are taking official steps to pursue their previously announced plans to close the Dauphin County facility 15 years before its license expires.

Exelon recently sent letters to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the PJM Interconnection grid operator, officially notifying the two entities of  plans to shut down TMI.

Ex-Tepco execs to go on trial over Fukushima disaster

Three former Tokyo Electric Power Co. executives are set to stand trial this week on the only criminal charges laid in connection to the 2011 Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant disaster, as thousands remain unable to return to their homes near the shuttered facility.
The hearing on Friday comes more than a year after ex-Tepco chairman Tsunehisa Katsumata, 77, former vice presidents Sakae Muto, 66, and Ichiro Takekuro, 71, were formally charged with professional negligence resulting in death and injury.
The tsunami-sparked reactor meltdowns at the plant set off the worst nuclear accident since 1986’s Chernobyl incident.
“We hope the trial will shed light on where the responsibility for this accident … lies,” Ruiko Muto, who heads a group that pushed for the trial, said. “The accident hasn’t been resolved. There is nuclear waste from the cleanup efforts everywhere in Fukushima and there are still many unresolved problems.”
The trial follows a prolonged battle over whether or not to indict the Tepco executives.
Prosecutors had twice refused to press charges, citing insufficient evidence and little chance of conviction.
But a judicial review panel composed of ordinary citizens ruled in 2015 — for the second time since the accident — that the trio should be put on trial.

There Junk Plant Grand Gulf Goes Again and Entergy's Poor General Reliability

Grand Gulf is at 61% today.

River Bend had recent turbine electronic problems causing a scram (June 23) and are slowly coming up to full power today or stuck at 81%.

Hell, I am on a role. Waiting for the preventable scram or huge down power on Arkansas Nuclear one Unit 1...

Junk plant and Extremely Unreliable Grand Gulf: A Solid Month of Operation

At A boy!

Junk Arkansas Nuclear Plant 2: A Secret Permanent Shutdown

Do they have one of them deals where if both units are shutdown, they are required to work on one at a time.

Unit 2 had feedwater heater leaks for most of the year. Then they shutdown on March 20th. What is that coming up to, three months and ten days shutdown. This is a extremely long outage.

Collectively this two plant facility, one of the most safety degraded facilities in the nation, has a horrendous and extremely unprofitable plants issue.

Its a regulated plant. What the hell, the ratepayer pick up the tab in this very pro nuclear plant state.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/poll-shows-us-tumbling-in-worlds-regard-under-trump/2017/06/26/87a4f1bc-5857-11e7-840b-512026319da7_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_worldpoll-806pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.6b5a193c4839

Poll shows U.S. tumbling in world’s regard under Trump

The inside track on Washington politics.

By Isaac Stanley-Becker and Scott Clement By Isaac Stanley-Becker and Scott Clement

World

June 26 at 8:00 PM

BERLIN — President Trump has alarmed citizens of the nation’s closest allies and others worldwide, diminishing the standing of the United States in their eyes, according to a wide-ranging international study released Monday.

But in the survey of 37 countries, Russia is a bright spot for Trump. As beleaguered as the president is at home, a majority of Russians say they have confidence in him. And Russians’ attitudes toward the United States have improved since Trump took office.

Elsewhere, though, and with remarkable speed, Trump’s presidency has taken a toll on the United States’ image abroad…

USS Fitzgarald: The Immorality of the Navy With This Line

Would you even want to be in that Navy if they would leave you behind a flooding hatch unless they have 500% you were dead.  Somebody was saying another sailor rescued 20 sailors in those flooding compartment. Does it even matter if they were dead or alive, if you didn't have 100% proof everyone was dead.  

 

New details emerge in USS Fitzgerald collision investigation

By CNN Published: June 26, 2017, 9:09 pm

(CNN) — Five of the seven Navy sailors who died aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald when it collided with a cargo ship off the east coast of Japan may have been almost instantly “incapacitated” and died quickly, according to a preliminary Navy analysis, a defense official told CNN.

That assessment is based on an examination of the point of impact and the berths in which the sailors were likely sleeping.

The two ships collided on the Fitzgerald’s starboard side directly next to the berthing area, where sailors sleep. The impact ripped the Fitzgerald open and caused water to pour in.

The official also noted the Navy is trying to corroborate accounts which suggest that the two sailors who weren’t almost instantly “incapacitated” attempted to help the other five escape the incoming water.

“But at some point the ship somehow lost communication,” with the two sailors and they also perished, according to the official. All seven were found dead in the flooded area…

A Quick Retrospective On The Obama's Presidency: He Was A Traitor To The USA's Greater Interest.

Grave war clouds were approaching our nation. All he was interested in was a so called fair elections and the middle of the road politics. The old no drama Obama. All the politicians can be seen in the same vein. He should have been preparing the nation for war no matter what is did to this election cycle or any . He shouldn't have cared if it ruined his popularity or legacy. That is called being a patriot.

I have always been with disgusted with extremist right wing government hating politicians.

Can you see it ready, Trump must have trumped up this war. Even before the war, it was illegitimate in the eyes of the citizens. We are going to have no cohesion.

This is what extreme partisan politics has brought us.

USS Fitzgerald: ACX Crystal's Bridge Was Manned?

I don't believe this captain and flashing of the lights was recordable. He might have a point if the bridge voices was recorded.

These ship owners have gotten pretty smart. They get the lawyers involved in ship construction. I doubt the auto pilot manual inputs get recorded on liability issues. Why record information that would damn you in court?  

Did the NYT's article force ACX Crystal's owner's hand to disclose? 

Report: US warship was warned of collision

A U.S. warship that collided with a container vessel earlier this month was reportedly warned ahead of the collision.

An incident report by the ACX Crystal's captain said the Philippine cargo ship flashed lights warning the USS Fitzgerald was on course to cross its path, Reuters reported.

Will NRC's Svinicki Get Renominated

Update 6/27

She is in. What about the other two positions. 

Friday is the drop dead date.

Her current term is set to expire Friday, which would leave the NRC one seat shy of a quorum on the five-seat commission. Catherine Douglas Moran will cover

The gutless democrats will renominate her just because she is a women. Remember all the talk about obstructing Trump. If they don't vote on her she is out of the NRC.

Svinicki's confirmation vote set for today

Sam Mintz, E&E News reporter

Published: Monday, June 26, 2017

Kristine Svinicki could be reconfirmed to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission as soon as this evening, with the Senate set for a final vote on her nomination.

US Needs to Declare War, Put Nation On The Highest War Footing and Declare Devcon1

This is the real shape of the Navy. Seen in every ship in the USA and implicated in the USS Fitzgerald. Are we really ready for global war??? Competent Navy and Congressional investigators would demand a fleet wide investigation to see if similar issues there when this was written. 

Subj: COMMAND INVESTIGATION INTO THE COMBINING GEAR CASUALTY ON BOARD USS FORT WORTH (LCS 3) ON 12 JAN 16 

2. As with most mishaps, a series of factors often contribute to failure. This mishap is no different. A fundamental lack of procedural compliance was the principal cause but contributing factors included: a lack of effective leadership; a culture of complacency and overconfidence by some members of Crew 101 combined with a lack of experience and expertise; and a systemic failure to effectively arid completely resolve deficiencies. The investigation, supplemental investigation and endorsements adequately capture the proximate issues and co11'ective actions.

3. Several key senior-level leadership oppmtunities to intervene were either missed or poorly executed. Although intervention by leadership above the unit level might not have prevented this incident, leadership should have recognized and addressed the following shortcomings: failure to follow the governing instruction for Crew tumover, specifically not executing the necessary underway demonstration; lack of involvement by LCSRON ONE and DESRON SEVEN in the material assessment during the Exchange of Command; lack of evaluation or certification for the LCSRON ONE Engineering Training Team in accordance with the LCS Training Manual; failure of Crew 101 to complete Engineering Assessments- Pacific's recommended actions prior to conducting Exchange of Command as well as Crew 101 's failure to successfully complete full deployment certification. Perhaps most importantly, both the parent ISIC and the operational !SIC recognized they had a Crew whose perfmmance was below that expected of a deployed unit and little to no mitigating actions were taken. It was not an issue of recognizing the performance but more of taking effective action to correct it. These 63 FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

Subj: COMMAND INVESTIGATION INTO THE COMBINING GEAR CASUALTY ON BOARD USS FORT WORTH (LCS 3) ON 12 JAN 16

opportunities were largely missed due to organizational issues above the LCS unit level. Clear, unambiguous command and control functions—who owns what, when —above the unit level are mtssmg.

It's a national disgrace. This is telegraphing to us how startling tight the USA's military resources are. Why didn't we have a spare ship to take over the Fitz's job...  

Cease all commercial shipyard work and focus it on fleet maintenance and rebuilding our navy.  

Hmm, a Russian inspired proxy war with North Korea could take out the USA, the western world and China. How would a global collapse favor the Russian authoritarian regime?    

Remember Obama's silence on Russia's meddling in our election. They are all the same.  

CNN:Trump Risk Stumbling Into War

Trump doesn't have a Choice. Our adversaries perceived us as weak and politically in the ditch. The citizens hates and mistrust its government. Chances are if war was started, our financial system and nation in general will splinter. The western economies will collapse and humongous terrorism. The natural result of this is the west will be forced into interment camps in most nations. This is the best bet in a hundred years to knock the USA off world stage permanently.    

The writing is on the wall, global war has already started. The fuse has been lit. It can't be reversed. 

Its now time to hit first and attack!!!

I am putting up at USA flag on my front door in full support of my nation and to support of our military!!! It's time for everyone in the USA as a gesture of full support to put a US flag up in our yards and front doors..

A nation full of cars with USA bumper sticker!!!

Grand Gulf's Southern Polar Vortex In Their Spring

Update:

Don't forget the historic unreliability of the whole Entergy's fleet of nuclear plants!!!!

Check out all the grid and plant issues that conspired to create a grid emergency. Grand Gulf had horrendous grid availability for the last few years

Patton also noted that the transmission and generation outages and extreme weather in the South led to 22 days of conservative operations in load pockets and three days with maximum generation alerts in April. An emergency maximum generation event on April 4 was spurred by the loss of a large nuclear unit, apparently Entergy’s Grand Gulf 1 in Mississippi, which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission reported going out of service because of a condensate leak.

The Real Fitzgarald Story

Tells with why the accident occurred in this picture. Do not look in the accident area.

Trump lives in an symbolic and impeccable $100 million dollar palaces and resorts. The image boost his statue. Check out the beautiful and impeccable images of the Capital and White House. The image of this ship is seen throughout the world. The ship represents the statue, reach and power of the of the USA, This guy is a disgraceful rust bucket. Why isn't the outside paint job maintained impeccable.

We are talking about grossly defective Navy priorities and massive resource limitations. The key word is sequestration... 

Bet you the hidden crew culture-safety culture and inside maintenance, components and electronics, their reliability, looks and acts like the outside rust bucket. Bet you the Navy ships and this guy are operating at 50% reliability and combat effectiveness.       

Another key phrase, USS Fort Worth combining gear failure report. A abysmal crew culture based on indifferent Admirals and out of the loop. The on shore Navy senior staff was incompetent and distracted. I'll bet you they were feeding shipyard profits on the new build by throttling resources to the fleet. Widespread Navy corruption based on the "Fat Lenard" model stateside. The Navy is riddled with fraud and corruption and the 4th estate is asleep at the switch.