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 ReactorEvent 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)

UnitSCRAM CodeRX CRITInitial PWRInitial RX ModeCurrent PWRCurrent RX Mode
1NN0Refueling0Refueling
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
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

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?
 



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

Japan conglomerates seek to merge loss-making nuclear fuel operations: sources
 Thu Sep 29, 2016 | 6:19am EDT
TOKYO Three Japanese conglomerates are in talks to combine their loss-making domestic nuclear fuel operations, people with direct knowledge of the matter said, as the outlook for restarts of reactors following the Fukushima nuclear crisis remains bleak.
Hitachi Ltd (6501.T), Toshiba Corp (6502.T) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd (7011.T) aim to merge the operations as early as spring 2017, one of the people said, declining to be identified as the discussions were confidential.
The person added that the three companies may eventually consider merging their nuclear reactor businesses, although nothing specific has been discussed so far.
Only three of Japan's 42 reactors are currently operating after they were idled in the wake of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that destroyed Tokyo Electric Power Co's (9501.T) Fukushima Daiichi power station. Public opposition, safety and other regulatory obstacles has made the outlook for further restarts extremely unclear.
The move has also likely been encouraged by General Electric's (GE.N) growing interest in the market for fuel for pressurized water reactors (PWRs), said an executive at a Japanese utility. GE has a controlling stake in a joint venture with Hitachi and Toshiba called Global Nuclear Fuel, which provides fuel for boiling water reactors (BWRs).
The traditional dividing line in the U.S. nuclear industry with GE specializing in fuel for BWRs and Toshiba's Westinghouse focusing on fuel for PWRs is no longer applicable, he said.
"The merger of Japan's nuclear fuel businesses will to a large extent take its cues from GE," said the executive, declining to be identified as he was not part of the discussions.
PWRs have been growing in popularity, particularly in emerging economies like China. As of December 2015, PWRs accounted for more than 80 percent of 66 nuclear reactors under construction.
The three Japanese conglomerates are aiming to reach a preliminary agreement by the end of the year, the person with direct knowledge of the matter said.
The companies said they were considering options for their domestic nuclear fuel businesses but no decisions had been made.
The conglomerates are likely to first form a joint holding company for their fuel businesses before merging them into one entity, the Nikkei business daily reported.
Industry sources said the government has been pushing the firms to integrate their fuel businesses, raising the chances that any merger plan will not run into any anti-trust issues.
Until the Fukushima disaster, the nuclear fuel business had been a stable source of profits for the domestic nuclear power industry.
Toshiba, which has overseas nuclear fuel operations through its U.S. unit Westinghouse, forecasts that fuel will generate 17 percent of the estimated 870 billion yen ($8.56 billion) in revenue from its nuclear power business for this financial year.
Hitachi has a global nuclear power alliance with General Electric Co (GE.N) while Mitsubishi Heavy has one with France's Areva SA (AREVA.PA).
Hitachi's shares gained 2.4 percent and Mitsubishi Heavy advanced 2.3 percent on Thursday. Toshiba's stock rose 0.2 percent while the broader market climbed 1.4 percent.
(Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki and Kentaro Hamada; Additional reporting by Tim Kelly in Tokyo and Diptendu Lahiri in Bengaluru; Editing by William Mallard and Edwina Gibbs)






Thursday, September 29, 2016

Junk Plant Wolf Creek:Three Security Violations

We are seeing a great decline building up here?
WOLF CREEK GENERATING STATION, NRC SECURITY INSPECTION
REPORT 05000482/2016408
Dear Mr. Heflin: 
On July 27, 2016, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed a security
inspection at the Wolf Creek Generating Station. The NRC inspectors discussed the results of this inspection with Mr. S. Smith, Plant Manager, and other members of your staff. The inspectors documented the results of this inspection in the enclosed inspection report.
The NRC inspectors documented three findings of very low security significance (Green) in this report. These findings involved violations of NRC requirements. In addition, the inspectors documented one violation that was determined to be Severity Level IV under the traditional enforcement process. Further, inspectors documented a licensee-identified violation which was determined to be of very low safety significance in this report. The NRC is treating these violations as non-cited violations (NCVs) consistent with Section 2.3.2.a of the Enforcement Policy.
If you contest the violations or significance of the non-cited violations, you should provide a response within 30 days of the date of this inspection report, with the basis for your denial, to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, ATTN: Document Control Desk, Washington, DC 20555-0001, with copies to the Regional Administrator, Region IV; the Director, Office of Enforcement, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; and the NRC resident inspector at the Wolf Creek Generating Station.
Cross-cutting aspects were assigned to three of the findings in the areas of problem
identification and resolution, evaluation (P.2) and self-assessment (P6) (assigned to two of the findings). If you disagree with the cross-cutting aspect assignments in this report, you should provide a response within 30 days of the date of this inspection report, with a basis for your disagreement to the Regional Administrator, Region IV, and the NRC resident inspector at the Wolf Creek Generating Station.

Junk Plant Grand Gulf: Delay Startup to Fix Safety Culture

Update 9/30:

It is utterly not safe with the apathy shown by the Louisiana newspapers over Entergy's nuclear plant's such as River Bend and Waterford. It shows you how wrapped up Entergy got the news media in that region and the south. 

"Operational performance concerns"...the most important group at the plant.
September 29, 2016 
PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE - PNO-IV-16-003 
This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of POSSIBLE safety or public interest significance. The information is as initially received without verification or evaluation, and is basically all that is known by the Region IV, Arlington, Texas staff on this date.
Facility: Grand Gulf Nuclear Station
SUBJECT: GRAND GULF EXTENDED PLANT SHUTDOWN TO ADDRESS OPERATIONS
PERFORMANCE 
DESCRIPTION: 
On September 27, 2016, Grand Gulf Nuclear Station plant management notified the NRC of their intent to delay start-up of the plant, following a forced outage, to implement corrective actions to assess and resolve operational performance concerns. The plant completed a 16 day forced outage to replace a residual heat removal pump on September 24, 2016. Two separate operational performance issues occurred during startup preparation. Plant operators identified four valves that were inappropriately closed, rendering the alternate decay heat removal system inoperable. That system was required to be available while workers replaced a safety-related pump on the residual heat removal system. Additionally, plant operators opened a main feedwater isolation valve prior to securing the condensate system from a configuration that resulted in a rapid and unanticipated reactor vessel level increase from 33 inches to 151 inches. The timeline for a plant restart is under review by plant leadership while they determine a path forward.
NRC Region IV management received notification of this plan by a telephone call from Grand Gulf plant management at about 3:00 p.m. (CDT) on September 26, 2016. 
This preliminary notification is issued for information only and no further action by the staff is anticipated. 
The State of Mississippi has been notified. 
The information presented herein has been discussed with the licensee and is current as of  9:30 a.m. (CDT) September 29, 2016.
ADAMS ACCESSION NUMBER: ML16273A330
CONTACT: Greg Warnick at (240) 704-5884

Friday, September 23, 2016

Hinsdale, NH Heroin: The Dominican Silk Road To Springfield, Ma

I would consider all illegally entered Dominicans into the USA as enemy combatants. All considered guilty until proven innocent.

Basically the Dominican Republic has a non functioning national government.
Feds bust 'large-scale' heroin mill responsible for putting lethal 'Hollywood' label on the streets

SPRINGFIELD — Members of a DEA joint task force broke up a Dominican Republic-to-Western Massachusetts heroin trafficking ring with 14 arrests on Friday morning and large drug seizures from three separate sites across the city.

Agents began tracking the "Alberto Marte Drug Trafficking Organization" in early January, according to an affidavit filed in U.S. District Court.

Marte, of 75 Tyler St. in Springfield, is the lead defendant in the case. Court records say he was responsible for peddling the particularly lethal batch of "Hollywood" heroin that claimed the lives of eight local residents in December and January.

The spate of overdose deaths prompted law enforcement agencies everywhere to publicly warn heroin addicts to stay away from the label. The sworn statement filed late Thursday by DEA Agent John Barron noted the deadly effects of the batch across the region.

A police photo of a batch of heroin seized in January 2016. Federal agents on Friday arrested a number of men in connection with what they say is a "heroin mill" that put bags of the drug labeled "Hollywood" on the streets.Springfield Police Department

"Our investigation has also shown that Marte is responsible for distributing heroin labeled with a 'Hollywood' stamp. This brand of heroin has been connected to numerous fatal overdoses in the New England area that occurred in late 2015 and early 2016," the affidavit reads.

The statement says Marte had drug connections in New York and the Dominican Republic, where additional raids took place this morning.

Records show agents followed various members of the operation around Springfield and other local communities, tapped their phones, and sifted through garbage bags the suspects tossed in dumpsters behind a mobile phone store and the Holyoke Mall in June.

"I then met with (other investigators) in a side lot of the mall and opened the trash bag retrieved from the Dumpster. We immediately observed a very large quantity of materials, which, based on our training and experience, we knew to be heroin packaging materials," the affidavit states.

Inside several trash bags, investigators found glassine baggies labeled "Donald Trump," plastic bags filled with heroin residue, hundreds of elastics, drug ledgers and packaging materials, according to the statement.

Chicopee responds to 8 heroin overdoses, 4 deaths in 4 days

At least two of the deaths were tied to the potent "Hollywood" heroin found in Western Massachusetts.

Barron states Marte had a "stash/mill house" at 152 Lebanon St. in Springfield.

A home at 152 Lebanon St. in Springfield was being used by a heroin distribution ring as a "stash/mill house," according to investigators. Federal agents made over a dozen arrests Friday in connection with the alleged drug operation, which had ties to the Dominican Republic, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court.Stephanie Barry / The Republican

According to his affidavit, Connecticut State Police seized $50,000 from a plastic bag delivered from Marte's residence to one of his runners on June 9. Another member of the Marte organization, Carlos Rivera, was specifically used as quality control for specific batches of heroin, Barron says.

"Rivera is known to test Marte's heroin for him upon Marte's receipt of a shipment," the statement reads. "Typically Rivera rates it at a number, between one and 10 ... Marte then typically report's Rivera's findings back to his sources of supply, and depending on the reported quality of the heroin, keeps the heroin for distribution or returns it to his sources of supply."

Another member of the heroin ring was Julian "Gordo" Declet, who sold heroin out of "AJ Buy & Sell," a glorified pawn shop at 895 Carew St., according to investigators.

In addition to Marte, Rivera and Declet, arrested Friday morning were Marcos Pena, William Brantley, Jovanni Rodriguez, Diolfi Antonio Marte Vasquez, Jose Miguel Ramos, Anthony Patino, Mirelvy Vasquez, Pablo Rosario, Anyuly Tavarez and Eduardo Fernandez. They all were charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin.

Agents recovered at least three kilos of heroin from an SUV parked in Marte's driveway, and found Fernandez at 152 Lebanon St. nearby a "large amount of heroin" in various stages of packaging for "retail distribution," court records state.

"Agents observed that the apparent sole purpose of the 152 Lebanon St. (property) was that of a heroin mill as it contained virtually no furnishings other than several cots in the living area," the affidavit states. "Agents also observed several hidden locations which were used to secret heroin."

Federal prosecutors are seeking to detain all the defendants pending trial. Hearings will be ongoing in U.S. District Court Friday afternoon.

Springfield police in early January seized 9,000 bags of heroin bearing the "Hollywood" stamp and arrested four men on trafficking and distribution charges.

The suspects in the January arrests were charged in Springfield District Court.