Junk Plant ANO Unit 1 Trips Too

See! How overloaded is Entergy with both plants tripped?

Power Reactor	Event Number: 53793
Facility: ARKANSAS NUCLEAR Region: 4     State: AR Unit: [1] [] [] RX Type: [1] B&W-L-LP,[2] CE NRC Notified By: SEAN DAVIS HQ OPS Officer: DONG HWA PARK	Notification Date: 12/18/2018 Notification Time: 15:40 [ET] Event Date: 12/18/2018 Event Time: 00:00 [CST] Last Update Date: 12/18/2018
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) - RPS ACTUATION - CRITICAL 50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A) - VALID SPECIF SYS ACTUATION	Person (Organization): RYAN ALEXANDER (R4DO)

Unit

SCRAM Code

RX Crit

Initial PWR

Initial RX Mode

Current PWR

Current RX Mode

1

A/R

Y

100

Power Operation

0

Hot Standby

Event Text

AUTOMATIC REACTOR TRIP - LOSS OF NON-VITAL BUS "On December 18, 2018 at 1126 CST, Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 1 (ANO-1) reactor automatically tripped due to a loss of the A-1, non-vital 4160V bus. All control rods fully inserted. Loss of the A-1 bus resulted in de-energizing A-3 vital 4160V bus. Emergency Diesel Generator #1, K-4A, started automatically and is currently powering A-3 vital bus. Non-vital buses A-2, H-1, and H-2 and vital bus A-4 transferred power automatically to the Startup Transformer #1. Off-site power remains energized and available for ANO-1. The reason for loss of A-1 bus is unknown at this time. Currently, ANO-1 has stabilized in Mode 3, Hot Standby." Decay heat is being removed by the main condenser using the turbine bypass valves. The loss of the A-1, non-vital bus, is under investigation. The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector and the state.

Great Netflix Australia TV Series...Much Better Than Homeland

How Australia, China and the USA does the lying intelligence deep state. The crux of the series is everyone lies their ass off...all the politicians of these nations, the intelligence communities and the local people lie their ass off for national and local ends. Of course, Australia and the USA are best friends. It is interesting and entertaining to see how their media sees the USA through the Australia's lens. The issues developed in these tvs series could pop right out of the news next week.

"Pine Gap" is a joint gigantic satellite intelligence facility deep in the interior of Australia. This site is not fictional...there is actually a real site like this. One of our largest intelligence sites. Man, is Austria scenery really beautiful.

"Secret City" is a political thriller based in the capital city of Canberra surrounding Australia, the USA and China buying huge resources in Australia. Australia has strict national security laws.

Australia has been taken over by extreme conservatives much like our nation. The got a wild man Trumpian figured being portrayed in Pine Gap...

I wonder what Australia is working through with these kinds of shows? Internal politics?  

Junk Plant Grand Gulf Christmas Season Scram

Update Dec 18

update 3pm. The NRC just called me up about my concern. They informed me Grand Gulf's incomplete daily event report is under investigation. The NRC feels it was grossly incomplete and insufficient too. 

The NRC said, the condensate and feedwater system is also under investigation for not functioning right. This is the normal way to keep the core cool. You see what is am saying, the normal way to keep the core cooled failed, there is no mention of this in first daily event report or the update. It almost looks like if it failed, we just don't have to report it.

The NRC says Entergy is spending a tremendous amount of money to upgrade the plant. They are happy with the effort. Well, to me they say it is safe and making a effort, but the agency knows the plant is a day. They can't put as much new gear into the plant, but it is a organizational problem. The people and relationships aren't fixed...  

Reposted...Originally posted on 12/13/2018

Mike Bowling, Entergy communications manager for the utility nuclear region, said plant operators manually took the plant offline at 1:51 p.m. last Wednesday after a turbine bypass valve was opening and oscillating.

Hmm,it looks like the NRC has a beef with the manual shutdown. I doubt this was according to procedure. The safe and conservative thing to do was scram the reactor. A cycling turbine bypass valve places a plant in a unbelievably unstable condition. How do you really know what is broken or degraded...you can a conservative determination that it is only going to get worst. In recent years, to minimize reporting bad information to outsiders, they defer to a slow manual shutdown than at scram. Did they take the slow shutdown solely to minimize reporting requirements to outsiders? These guys have all sorts of special inspections for scrams and  huge down powers in recent years. This kind of behavior ends in downgrading grades of a plant. This is the worst preforming plant in the nation. Downgrading the scores of a plants means more inspections and they are very expensive. Maybe management's strategy to the ops department was it is cheaper to take a manual shutdown than a scram. Maybe saving money was the watchword than being safe and conservative.          

SO Grand Gulf was "shutdown". I am not sure if it was a slow normal shutdown or a scram. see how poor the wording is with it being a normal shutdown or a scram? 

What concerns me magnitudes more than all the broken and degraded equipment, the horrendous profitability and being unsafe is the extremely skimpy information in the first daily event reports. It prettifies the event by only telling us the equipment that worked at the plant. They are sterilizing the bad information coming out of the plant. I just gave  call to Mr. Dricks. Check out the new information in the special inspection notification.

This plant shouldn't be at power in this condition. The NRC should require to plant stay shutdown until the report comes out. That is what they do in Europe...a kind a incentive to keep your organization coherent or we will put you in the sidelines.

As a cautionary note, I think the NRC thinks this is a emergency situation. In recent years, they notify the outside a special inspection is coming 1 to 2 months after the plant shreds the bad information and they got a good coverup story going. In recent years, the NRC has drastically cut back doing special inspection and similar inspection. I don't think the on site inspectors were really doing their jobs.        

December 18, 2018 Contact: Victor Dricks, 817-200-1128that   

NRC Begins Special Inspection at Grand Gulf Nuclear Power Plant 

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has begun a special inspection at the Grand Gulf nuclear power plant to review events that led to, and occurred following, an unplanned shutdown on  December 12. The plant, operated by Entergy Operations, is located in Port Gibson, Miss. The plant was operating at full power when operators noticed an unexpected increase in reactor power and decided to shut down as a precautionary measure. The reactor was safely shut down but some equipment issues occurred that the agency wants to better understand. The two-member NRC team will spend about a week on site developing a chronology of the event, and evaluating the licensee’s cause analysis and the adequacy of corrective actions. An inspection report documenting the team’s findings will be publicly available within 45 days of the end of the inspection.

Honestly, can we afford a nuclear plant meltdown or nuclear industry shattering event in our current national tribulations? 

Did anyone notice how long it takes to fix a declining and dangerous plant? It takes many many years like: Pilgrim, ANO and Grand Gulf. 

So it is a coverup. Again where is the feed system. From a professional's perspective, not notifying the NRC properly and incorrectly filling out the paperwork is a direct indication how incompetent these guys are. These guys in recent years was required to stay shutdown for 6 months, basically because their licensed operators were unsafe and incompetent. Entergy brought nuclear experts from far and wide in the USA to analyzed what is wrong with the organization and high intensity retraining for the control room operator. Missing the checkmarks in the paperwork is a indication these guys where in a rattled state.

I have been monitoring the nuclear area of LinkedIn. The headhunters are always advertising about getting professional(college degreed)staff to work in their southwest nuclear plants. It is unbelievable how short staffed they are with these people. It is more about not getting the professional people to work at the plant, than not getting enough college educated people to come to their plant. And by no means is getting degree people to come to the plant is sufficient to keep a plant safe. It takes a tremendous amount of training to bring these degreed people up to speed.        

Power Reactor	Event Number: 53788 ting
Facility: GRAND GULF Region: 4     State: MS Unit: [1] [] [] RX Type: [1] GE-6 NRC Notified By: GERRY ELLIS HQ OPS Officer: JOANNA BRIDGE	Notification Date: 12/12/2018 Notification Time: 17:29 [ET] Event Date: 12/12/2018 Event Time: 00:00 [CST] Last Update Date: 12/14/2018
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 50.72(b)(2)(iv)(A) - ECCS INJECTION 50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) - RPS ACTUATION - CRITICAL 50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A) - VALID SPECIF SYS ACTUATION	Person (Organization): NICK TAYLOR (R4DO)

Unit

SCRAM Code

RX Crit

Initial PWR

Initial RX Mode

Current PWR

Current RX Mode

1

M/R

Y

100

Power Operation

0

Hot Shutdown

Event Text

EN Revision Imported Date : 12/17/2018 EN Revision Text: MANUAL REACTOR SCRAM DUE TO FAILED OPEN TURBINE BYPASS VALVE "At 1351 CST, the reactor was manually shutdown due to 'A' Turbine Bypass Valve opening. The Main Steam Line Isolation Valves were manually closed to facilitate reactor pressure control. Reactor level is being maintained through the use of Reactor Core Isolation Cooling System, Control Rod Drive System, and High Pressure Core Spray System. High Pressure Core Spray System was manually started to initially support reactor water level control. Reactor Pressure is being controlled through the use of the Safety Relief Valves and the Reactor Core Isolation Cooling System. The plant is stable in MODE 3. "The cause of the 'A' Turbine Bypass Valve opening is under investigation at this time. "The NRC Resident Inspector has been notified." * * * UPDATE ON 12/14/18 AT 1140 EST FROM GERRY ELLIS TO TOM KENDZIA * * * "This is an update to EN # 53788 to correct an error on the event classification block of the form. The original notification did not have the block for 8 hour notification for Specified System Actuation checked. The actuation of Reactor Core Isolation Cooling System was discussed in original notification." The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. Notified R4DO (Taylor).

Update

Remember, River Bend and Grand Gulf by the USC are considered unprofitable. See, Entergy doesn't want to spend enough money to keep the nuclear industry respectable.   

This already looks like a coverup. They doing a lot less public reporting than just a few years ago. The Core Spray system was terribly unreliable as far as a few years ago. What would happen if the high pressure core spray system would have failed yesterday. It already looks like a tremendous quantity of equipment  failed yesterday. 

"High Pressure Core Spray System was manually started to initially support reactor water level control."   

This is very problematic. Why didn't the normal feedwater system work? This is the normal way to feed the core. What is wrong with the normal reactor feed system. So the turbine control system failed...why is Do this guys have a HPCI system. These guys are notorious for poorly training their employees and maintaining the their safety equipment. Did they initially only have Core Spray to feed their vessel?      

***I am convinced all these scrams, down powers and startups are setting up the nation for a reactor accident we never seen before.   

Well, since the beginning of Nov 2018, I have been looking for a scram. Here it is. River Bend had the last Christmas scram. So far this is the Christmas season scram. There is plenty of time left for a Christmas day scram. 

These guys are notorious for extremely slow startups to full power. Usually equipment troubles causing it. Going to watch them closely this startup.   

There is a high probability we could get two scrams. Everything has changed, as news media and the state grid regulators have been highly sensitized over poor capacity factor.

Basically this is where financial and southern business ideology override the facts and engineering. This is the limited money we apportion to a plant, we don't care how erratic the plant has become. We got captured the local news media, the politicians, the local regulators and Feds, they don't give a shit how erratic our plant becomes.  

Power Reactor	Event Number: 53788
Facility: GRAND GULF Region: 4     State: MS Unit: [1] [] [] RX Type: [1] GE-6 NRC Notified By: GERRY ELLIS HQ OPS Officer: JOANNA BRIDGE	Notification Date: 12/12/2018 Notification Time: 17:29 [ET] Event Date: 12/12/2018 Event Time: 00:00 [CST] Last Update Date: 12/12/2018
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 50.72(b)(2)(iv)(A) - ECCS INJECTION 50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) - RPS ACTUATION - CRITICAL	Person (Organization): NICK TAYLOR (R4DO)

Unit

SCRAM Code

RX Crit

Initial PWR

Initial RX Mode

Current PWR

Current RX Mode

1

M/R

Y

100

Power Operation

0

Hot Shutdown

Event Text

MANUAL REACTOR SCRAM DUE TO FAILED OPEN TURBINE BYPASS VALVE "At 1351 CST, the reactor was manually shutdown due to 'A' Turbine Bypass Valve opening. The Main Steam Line Isolation Valves were manually closed to facilitate reactor pressure control. Reactor level is being maintained through the use of Reactor Core Isolation Cooling System, Control Rod Drive System, and High Pressure Core Spray System. High Pressure Core Spray System was manually started to initially support reactor water level control. Reactor Pressure is being controlled through the use of the Safety Relief Valves and the Reactor Core Isolation Cooling System. The plant is stable in MODE 3. "The cause of the 'A' Turbine Bypass Valve opening is under investigation at this time. "The NRC Resident Inspector has been notified."

Junk And Dangerous Plant Grand Gulf Is Restarting?

Update Dec 24

98% power

Once they got past the three day delay at low power, then not a bad startup. We still could have a Christmas scram? A host of agencies and news sources are closely watching these guys over poor power operation, I hope they don't take chances to "look good" for their audiences.      

Update Dec 21

That is more like it. 78% power

Update Dec 20

Check out this new LER? These guys have what we call a ground detector monitor. They can measure any ground on the plant whether large or small in the control room. Many junk plants have many grounds that just show up. They have so many, they just ignore the grounds. Did Grand Gulf have any abnormal indications on the ground meter?  

Basically stuck in the low twenties percent power for three days. Like I said, a very non professional startup. Most plants can get to the high 90% percent in two or three days. I guess they are changing a flat while the plant is up at power. I am convinced it is the condensate and feed system or turbine control that is sticking point. In my days, per NRC approved procedures, you had a long list of systems and components on a official paperwork. All these systems needed to be tested and found fully functional. If you put any checkmark on the list indication problems on any component or systems, it was illegal to startup the plant. In the old days, plant management would startup a plant with a host of equipment broken, degraded or undergoing maintenance. They were intending to repair the equipment at power. The plants went crazy with this unsafe and non conservative. You know, only a few outlier bad plants with malicious practices ruin it for the rest of the good plants. That is how we got that list forcing us to startup with a clean plant. Tons of over regulation occur because these few bad operators.           


Update 19

See what I am saying? Stuck at 18%. It looks like they knowingly started up the plant with components of condensate and feed system broken. Hoping they would fix it at power.

And one plant in ANO tripped. 

Power Reactor	Event Number: 53793
Facility: ARKANSAS NUCLEAR Region: 4     State: AR Unit: [1] [] [] RX Type: [1] B&W-L-LP,[2] CE NRC Notified By: SEAN DAVIS HQ OPS Officer: DONG HWA PARK	Notification Date: 12/18/2018 Notification Time: 15:40 [ET] Event Date: 12/18/2018 Event Time: 00:00 [CST] Last Update Date: 12/18/2018
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) - RPS ACTUATION - CRITICAL 50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A) - VALID SPECIF SYS ACTUATION	Person (Organization): RYAN ALEXANDER (R4DO)

Unit

SCRAM Code

RX Crit

Initial PWR

Initial RX Mode

Current PWR

Current RX Mode

1

A/R

Y

100

Power Operation

0

Hot Standby

Event Text

AUTOMATIC REACTOR TRIP - LOSS OF NON-VITAL BUS "On December 18, 2018 at 1126 CST, Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 1 (ANO-1) reactor automatically tripped due to a loss of the A-1, non-vital 4160V bus. All control rods fully inserted. Loss of the A-1 bus resulted in de-energizing A-3 vital 4160V bus. Emergency Diesel Generator #1, K-4A, started automatically and is currently powering A-3 vital bus. Non-vital buses A-2, H-1, and H-2 and vital bus A-4 transferred power automatically to the Startup Transformer #1. Off-site power remains energized and available for ANO-1. The reason for loss of A-1 bus is unknown at this time. Currently, ANO-1 has stabilized in Mode 3, Hot Standby." Decay heat is being removed by the main condenser using the turbine bypass valves. The loss of the A-1, non-vital bus, is under investigation. The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector and the state.

Update Dec 18

Sorry Pathetic pace at 18% in one 24 hours. Pathetic pace at 4% yesterday, 18% today...  It reminds me of a newly licensed car driver who drives ridiculously showed in order for him to compensate for his poor driving skills.

Brand new problem identification inspection report. The NRC system is fundimentally a bureaucratic absolution system. The plant does a sin, everyone does a ton of paperwork including the NRC, but no fundamental change. They are dinging these guys with harmless papercuts...

The inspectors observed meetings of the station’s Plant Health Committee (PHC) on  October 22 and November 5, 2018.  According to the licensee’s governing  Procedure EN-DC-336, “The primary mission of the PHC is to identify, prioritize, and drive resolution of issues challenging unit reliability,” by focusing on things such as, “safety system health and “organizational alignment . . . to resolve equipment reliability issues.”  The procedure further provides that the PHC meetings should be, “action oriented and results driven, rather than weighted more to status / update / discussion.”  While this PHC process is not a safety-related or quality process as is the CAP, it serves an important oversight function of problem identification and resolution processes, particularly for ensuring appropriate attention and resources are focused on broad challenges that are evidenced by a series of more discrete issues that may be documented and addressed in the CAP.  The inspectors observed that contrary to PHC goals and procedural direction, discussions at the meetings were focused almost entirely on what actions had been complete, rather than proactive discussions of strategies for issue resolution.

***I doubt this will be a professional startup...

4% power today???