Browns Ferry nuke plant hit with first 'red' level violation for TVA

[doeriver]

Browns Ferry nuke plant hit with 'red' level violation
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110511/NEWS/305110072/2288/NLETTER01/TVA-nuke-plant-hit-with-violation?source=nletter-news
4:20 AM, May. 11, 2011
Written by
ANNE PAINE | The Tennessean



The Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant was flagged by federal authorities with a “red” level violation, the highest in terms of safety significance, for a cooling system valve that failed, which will mean closer scrutiny of the TVA operation.

The problem was discovered last fall, has been fixed, and the public was never in jeopardy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff said.

However, the valve, which is part of the system ensuring against a core meltdown, might not have been working since March of 2009. That’s the last time the Tennessee Valley Authority could be sure it was operating properly, according to the NRC.

TVA’s three-reactor Browns Ferry plant, 100 miles south of Nashville, has had a series of chronic breakdowns with valves related to another part of its cooling system, one that pulls and returns water to the Tennessee River. It was cited in 2008 for repeated Band-Aid solutions that didn’t right the situation.

“The previous problems were a factor in our finding that TVA failed to implement an acceptable testing program that would have identified the failed valve,” said Joey Ledford, an NRC spokesman in Atlanta.

One of the coolant valves at reactor Unit 1 was discovered not to work during refueling, and TVA blamed defective manufacturing, saying tests show it would have opened within at least a few minutes.

TVA argued in a meeting last month with NRC officials against the red level finding for the malfunctioning valve.

“We’re evaluating our options, and one of them might be to appeal the finding by the NRC,” said TVA spokesman Ray Golden.

“We’ll continue to work with the NRC to identify their issues and work to resolve them.”

The control panel for Brown Ferry Unit 1 showed that the valve was open, but no water was flowing. After 90 seconds, staff had shifted to an alternate system. Tests that have since been run in a lab that indicate it would have opened...

[tnlefty]

1. I can't wait 'til something happens at Sequoyah ! and 2!!

:sarcasm: if needed.

Brown's Ferry had a shutdown from lack of cooling during the tornado outbreak. Meanwhile Sequoyah ! and 2 leak into the TN river, and people wonder from the coal ash spill to knowing that TVA's reactors are leaking into the river why I won't eat fish from around here, and I won't go into the water.