Mike Mulligan, Pilgrim decommissioning, NRC, Ma AG Healey: Truncated Adams Searches, erratic legal E-filing and Dead NRC OIG E-filing complaint system

What do you think, my timing of this is suspicious? 

Healey sues NRC over Pilgrim license transfer
By Colin A. Young / State House News Service

FridayPosted Sep 27, 2019 at 1:33 PM

BOSTON - Attorney General Maura Healey is suing the Nuclear Regulatory Commission over its recent approval of the transfer of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station license.

The attorney general lodged the suit Wednesday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit over the NRC’s decision last month to approve the transfer of Pilgrim’s license from Entergy to Holtec International.

Healey, Gov. Charlie Baker’s energy and environment secretariat and members of the state’s Congressional delegation mounted an effort to block the transfer unless the NRC held a full hearing on concerns over Holtec’s ability to safely decommission the nuclear plant, the company’s financial stability and its alleged involvement in a kickback scheme. No hearing was held before the NRC approved the transfer.

“The NRC has repeatedly rubber stamped Holtec’s plans, despite serious concerns about the company’s financial capacity, technical qualifications, and competency to safely decommission and clean up the Pilgrim site,” Healey said in a statement. “We are asking the Court to exercise its authority to vacate the NRC’s misguided and unsupported actions.”

The NRC declined to comment on Healey’s lawsuit. When the agency issued its order approving the license transfer, it refuted some of Healey’s arguments.

***Dear NRC Chairwomen Svinicki, 

I have gotten word the degraded operation(truncated searches)with the NRC Adams (public portal for all NRC documents) are related to the late e-filing by Attorney General Maura Healey surrounding Pilgrim's decommissioning. The e-filing system was degraded similar to Adams or components supporting the e-filing system and the NRC knew the e-filing system was degraded for months. The NRC intentionally lied to the Massachusetts Attorney General in a official decommissioning process or legal proceeding. Worst case, Holtec license could have been rescinded and another contractor could have replaced Holtec. I have talked extensively to AG Healey about this.

I request a independent comprehensive and historical investigation on the degraded e filing system and the NRC response to the late e-filing to Ma AG Healey?

I would asked did the NRC shutdown the e filing to do maintenance while you were submitting your legal document to do maintenance (when AG Healey was using the system)? Was it negligent the NRC employees or contractors didn't verify if somebody was on the e system or using it. 

Heavens help us all if NRC had a employee waiting in standby to sabotage Healey submittance??

This all began in the PDA department with Adams's truncated and inaccurate searches. You staff treated me in a unprofessional manner. I suspected a coverup with insufficient IT infrastructure or maintenance. Maybe not enough IT people or proper training to keep the system reliable. Check out my email stream to the PDR department? 

Ultimately unreliable Adams effected everyone who used Adams for months and obstructed and disrupted public participation!

Unbelievable! I can't believe this could get worst. It just did!  Your NRC IT system is on fire with unreliability. ON Sept 14,2019 at around 8:55am I attemped to submit a simular complaint to the NRC's OIG "on line" e-complaint form. The NRC OIG wouldn't accept my complaint and reject it. The below techical gibberish words is the message I recieved. Can you explain it? Could you please pass on my complaint to the OIG. Somebody needs to explain why this happened. I am terrified when I send this to you by normal e-mail my complaint it is going to get rejected by the NRC. I am going to need from you a verification message that my complaint was recieved by the NRC OIG because you system has become so unreliable.

"Access Denied

You don't have permission to access "http://www.nrc.gov/HTBIN/nrc_mail" on this server.

Reference #18.760f6168.1568465523.c4b1174"  

I am going to need a investigation from you on the below: 

1) The truncated document searches in Adams 

2) The erratic operation of the e-filing system with Ma AG Healey leading to a late filing on decommissioning.

3) The dead NRC OIG e-filing complaint form that occurred to me this morning.

                  

I never have any confidentiality or anonymity needs what so ever. 

Mike Mulligan

Hinsdale NH 

16032094206

Ma AG Healey Over Pilgrim's Decommissioning: The E-filing System Was Degraded or Erratic for Months Prior TO The Filing

I have gotten word the degraded operation(truncated searches)with the NRC Adams (public portal for all NRC documents) are related to the late e-filing by Attorney General Maura Healey surrounding Pilgrim's decommissioning. The e filing system was degraded similar to Adams or components supporting the e-filing system and the NRC knew the e-filing system was degraded for months. The NRC intentionally lied to the Massachusetts Attorney General in a official decommissioning process or legal proceeding. Worst case, Holtec license could have been rescinded and another contractor could have replaced Holtec. I have talked extensively to AG Healey about this.

I request a independent comprehensive and historical investigation on the degraded e filing system and the NRC response to the late e-filing to Ma AG Healey?

I would asked did the NRC shutdown the e filing to do maintenance while you were submitting your legal document to do maintenance (when AG Healey was using the system)? Was it negligent the NRC employees or contractors didn't verify if somebody was on the e system or using it. 

Heavens help us all if NRC had a employee waiting in standby to sabotage Healey submittance??      

Mike Mulligan

Hinsdale NH 

16032094206

Our Goverment Shouldn't Be Subsidizing Nuclear Plant Fuel?

It seems the free and competitive market is a thing of the past. 

Exelon’s Byron 2 Completes First Insertion of Westinghouse Accident-Tolerant Fuel

Exelon’s Byron Unit 2 nuclear power plant has completed installation of EnCore Fuel, Westinghouse Electric Co.’s accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) solution, marking the start of the first test of uranium silicide fuel pellets in a commercial nuclear reactor.

The installation, completed during the plant’s scheduled 18-day spring refueling outage this April, but publicly announced on Sept. 5, marks a major milestone for Westinghouse’s development of the new fuel, which is part of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Accident Tolerant Fuel Program, an industry-led effort to deliver the new family of robust fuels to market by 2026.

ATF is an industry concept used to describe new technologies—in the form of new cladding and/or fuel pellet designs—that further enhance the safety and performance of nuclear materials. While ATF technologies have been under development since the early 2000s, they have received a marked boost in the wake of the Fukushima accident in March 2011 as the DOE aggressively implemented plans under its congressionally mandated EATF program to develop ATFs for existing light water reactors. The program today casts a wide net of collaboration that includes several U.S. utilities, universities, and the Electric Power Research Institute, and under it, two vendors have already installed ATF concepts at two U.S. reactors.

A First for Uranium Silicide Pellets

The Byron 2 installation involved insertion of two lead test assemblies that contain chromium-coated zirconium cladding for enhanced oxidation and corrosion resistance, higher density ADOPT pellets—which is a chromia (Cr2O3) and alumina (Al2O3) doped UO2 pellet—for improved fuel economics, and uranium silicide pellets, Westinghouse said on Sept. 5.

According to Westinghouse, EnCore Fuel has the “game-changing” potential to significantly increase public safety through revolutionary new materials, while at the same time improving the economics of plant operation through longer fuel cycles and enhanced flexible power operation capability.

Westinghouse’s, which is seeking a grant totaling more than $93 million from the DOE to develop EnCore Fuel, plans to deploy the new fuel to market in two phases...

Prairie Island Steam Generator Comes from Saint Marcel and Might Be Defective

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-edf-safety/frances-asn-boss-says-at-lest-five-edf-nuclear-reactors-affected-by-anomalies-figaro-idUSKCN1VX0N7

France flags welding fault at five or more EDF nuclear reactors 

PARIS (Reuters) - At least five nuclear reactors operated by French utility EDF might have problems with weldings on their steam generators, a fault which has raised fears of closures, France’s nuclear regulator was quoted as saying.

State-controlled EDF, whose shares were down 0.9% on Thursday, had said on Tuesday it had identified issues with weldings of some existing reactors, sparking a stock price fall of nearly 7%.

France has the world’s second-largest fleet of nuclear reactors behind the United States, but a spate of technical problems, coupled with hitches at reactors under construction, has tarnished EDF’s image as a leader in nuclear technology.

EDF has exported to China, Finland, South Africa and South Korea, with Britain also set to use its equipment.

“At least five nuclear reactors are affected by this problem,” Le Figaro newspaper quoted Bernard Doroszczuk, head of the ASN regulator, as saying.

“EDF has advised that in around a week it will give an exact number of facilities affected,” Doroszczuk added.

https://www.montelnews.com/en/story/at-least-5-french-reactors-affected-by-weld-issues--report/1042135

At least 5 French reactors affected by weld issues – report 

(Montel) At least five French nuclear reactors are affected by a welding fault in steam generators, the head of France’s ASN nuclear safety authority told French daily Le Figaro late on Wednesday.

"EDF has said it will give more details on the number of components concerned in a about week… so it’s not over,” said Bernard Doroszczuk.

The comments came after operator EDF said on Tuesday that “several” French reactors were affected by substandard welding on some of their steam generators and that it was investigating the matter.

20 generators
The ASN said on Tuesday that “potentially” 20 steam generators were concerned by the faulty welds manufactured by Framatome at its Saint Marcel factory in the south of France since 2008, adding it would release more information in “the coming days”.

An official at France’s IRSN, the technical arm of the ASN, told Montel EDF and Framatome were confident that inspections on steam generators would reveal they were safe.

Steam generators are key components that convert water into steam from heat produced in a reactor core. Each of France’s 58 reactors typically holds between two and four steam generators.

The latest welding problems comes amid concern about other substandard welding at EDF’s new-generation European pressurised reactor (EPR) being built in Flamanville. 

https://www.energy-reporters.com/industry/edf-admits-to-reactor-welding-issues-in-france/

EDF admits to reactor welding issues in France 

By Energy Reporters  | 12.09.2019  | Industry

The French state-run electricity provider EDF has admitted to possible weaknesses with components, including improper welding, used in reactors in France.

Shares slumped in EDF, which said Framatome, a company partially owned by EDF that supplies atomic equipment, had reported the issues.

The French Nuclear Safety Authority said around 20 reactors built after 2008 might be affected.

The authority reported that test results appeared to have been falsified and it had alerted prosecutors to possible fraud.

An EDF spokesman said it was too early to say if any of its 58 reactors would close. He said the safety authority had been informed this week.

He added that Framatome said it had not used the same welding technique in all of the reactors.

A factory making steam generators used in nuclear reactors had purportedly failed to follow standard procedures on the welds, EDF said.

The power giant said Framatome warned of “a deviation from technical standards governing the manufacture of nuclear-reactor components”.

“Post-Fukushima, safety rules are so stringent that unplanned halts are becoming more and more frequent,” said Tancrede Fulop, a Morningstar analyst. “That is undermining the nuclear case for a low-cost, base-load production of low-carbon electricity.”

The IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) said last year that 71.7 per cent of France’s electricity came from nuclear sources, the world’s highest proportion.

Framatome’s factory in Saint-Marcel, central France, supplies heavy equipment for the sector, providing components for 106 reactors around the world.

EDF said the problem concerned components already installed in reactors and items being prepared for future installation.

“EDF, along with Framatome, has been conducting in-depth investigations to identify all affected components and reactors, as well as to ascertain their fitness for service,” EDF announced.

In 2016 EDF checked almost a third of its nuclear reactors after finding manufacturing problems in components made by Framatome, then called Areva, at its factory in Creusot.

That forced longer-than-anticipated maintenance outages, reducing EDF’s output.

EDF has recently had to delay the launch a new-generation nuclear reactor. The Flamanville reactor in Normandy is now not due to begin operations until 2022, a decade behind schedule.

The utility is leading the controversial £19.6 billion project to build two similar reactors at Hinkley Point in Somerset on the southwestern English coast. They are due to begin operation in 2025.

More Manufacturing Problems with Steam Generators and Reactor Vessels

Update Sept 13

Burnell, Scott

Thu, Sep 12, 11:55 AM (19 hours ago)


to me, OPA


Hello Mike;

The NRC continues await more information on the issue, so it would be premature for the agency to draw any conclusions. To this point no vendor has filed a Part 21 report regarding Framatome’s statement. Thank you.

Scott Burnell

Public Affairs Officer

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Mike Mulligan <steamshovel2002@gmail.com>

Thu, Sep 12, 7:18 PM (12 hours ago) 

to Scott

That is a blatant copout. You could make a request on a regulator to regulator bases to get information about this.

***EDF/ Framatome Saint Marcel factory SG Problem

Mike Mulligan <steamshovel2002@gmail.com>

11:25 AM (1 hour ago)

to OPA

OPA Resource <OPA.Resource@nrc.gov>

To:steamshovel2002@yahoo.com

Sep 11 at 10:18 AM

Mr. Douglas, 

Could we get a public notification and a explanation surrounding the Saint Marcel manufacturing problems with SGs and other large components? I am thinking on your web page and Facebook. Could I speak to a expert concerning this? Could this be going on at other SG manufacturing facilities throughout the world for US plants? I know Prairie Island's SG's came from Saint Marcel and it fits the time frame. Could we get a list of US plants and components that came out of Saint Marcel factory? I hope the NRC has notified the appropriate plants they may defective SGs and other components in their plants? With the Areva  hydrogen flaking with vessels and now this, it questions the quality of components coming from Framatome.

I screwed up. I gave you the wrong e-mail address. Well actually your NRC'c virus protection won't accept some yahoo emails because of credibility issues...spam. Instead of using steamshovel2002@yahoo.com would you use steamshovel2002@gmail.com from now on.

I just want to thank you for being a US government employee during these tumultuous times in our nation's history. Keep holding your head up high? 

Mike Mulligan 

Hinsdale, NH

16032094206      

***Made at the Saint Marcel factory in France? 

The ASN was not immediately available for comment, but Frederic Menage, head of nuclear safety at ASN’s technical arm IRSN, told Reuters the weldings problems affected mainly EDF reactors whose steam generators had been replaced since 2008, notably its older 900 megawatt reactors.

I don't know what "notably its older 900 megawatt" means. I read it as saying their older reactors at around 900 megawatts. There is no doubt Framatone would do everything they could to not get their American SGs involved unless it was pried out of them. They are differently not saying there is no American SGs involved. That is why we must get the NRC involved. All I want them to say is no American SGs are involved...

Update: Vogtle 3 and 4 SGs didn't get produced by Framatone. 

  

(Vogtle 3 and 4: AP1000)

...EDF warns of problems with nuclear reactor components

The energy giant didn’t, however, say if any of the reactors will have to be halted 

By Priyanka Shrestha
More Articles

Wednesday 11 September 2019

Image: Olrat/Shutterstock

French energy giant EDF has warned several of its nuclear reactors may have problems with weldings and other components.

In a statement published on its website, EDF said nuclear reactor company Framatome – formerly called AREVA – informed it of a “deviation from technical standards” in the manufacturing of certain components on reactors that are currently in operation.

EDF holds a majority stake in Framatome, which owns a factory that supplies heavy equipment for the French nuclear industry and has provided components for 106 reactors worldwide.

The energy giant didn’t, however, say if any of the reactors will have to be halted.

The statement adds: “Relating to standards associated with the manufacturing process, the deviation concerns an excursion from temperature ranges in certain areas during manufacturing operations, more specifically involving detensioning heat treatment on some steam generator welds.

“It concerns in-service components as well as new components which have not yet have been installed on any sites.”

Reports suggest the news has sparked the biggest daily fall in the company’s shares in nearly two years.

More than 71% of the electricity production in France comes form nuclear power plants, according to statistics from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) last year.

EDF is currently leading a project to build reactors at the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset in the UK.

Browns Ferry: Operators Denied Access To Safety Systems

Well, this is what you would see in a EMP bomb?

Power Reactor	Event Number: 54266
Facility: BROWNS FERRY Region: 2     State: AL Unit: [1] [2] [3] RX Type: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4,[3] GE-4 NRC Notified By: RYAN GRIMME HQ OPS Officer: THOMAS KENDZIA	Notification Date: 09/11/2019 Notification Time: 03:10 [ET] Event Date: 09/10/2019 Event Time: 19:34 [CDT] Last Update Date: 09/11/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 50.72(b)(3)(ii)(B) - UNANALYZED CONDITION	Person (Organization): FRANK EHRHARDT (R2DO)

Unit

SCRAM Code

RX Crit

Initial PWR

Initial RX Mode

Current PWR

Current RX Mode

1

N

Y

100

Power Operation

100

Power Operation

2

N

Y

100

Power Operation

100

Power Operation

3

N

Y

100

Power Operation

100

Power Operation

Event Text

UNANALYZED CONDITION DUE TO LIGHTNING STRIKE "A lightning strike occurred at approximately 1502 CDT on 09/10/2019, and a resulting power surge damaged some of the security door card reader system equipment. However, this did not affect access to plant areas for personnel who were already within protected area. At 1830 on 09/10/2019, it was discovered that some of the oncoming night shift personnel could not access particular areas that required the use of security card readers. Extent of condition check at 1934 on 09/10/2019 determined that access to 1A and 3A Electric Board Rooms, which contain remote shutdown panels and Fire Safe Shutdown equipment. was prohibited for the night shift personnel. This condition is reportable under 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(ii)(B) - Any event or condition that results in the nuclear power plant being in an unanalyzed condition that significantly degrades plant safety. Access was restored to all plant areas at 2106 on 9/10/2019. No plant events occurred during the time frame that the 1A & 3A Electric Board Rooms inaccessible that would have required access to these areas. "The NRC Resident Inspector has been notified."