NRC releases docs on San Onofre design flaws

[bananas]

Source: Fox 5 San Diego

Documents that show Southern California Edison and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries knew about design flaws in steam generators installed at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station as early as 2005 were released Friday by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

READ THE DOCUMENTS

According to Friends of the Earth, an anti-nuclear group fighting plans to start one of the reactors at the plant on the northern San Diego County coastline, the documents demonstrate that the utility and Tokyo-based manufacturer of the steam generators failed to fix the problems in an effort to avoid going through a lengthy license amendment process.

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“Edison clearly knew about design problems with the San Onofre replacement steam generators yet failed to take corrective action,” said Damon Moglen, FOE energy and climate director. “Instead Edison gambled with the safety of millions of Southern Californians.”

He called the documents a “bombshell” and said it undermines the utility’s case to restart the reactor that was undergoing maintenance when the leak occurred in the other unit. The NRC is scheduled to rule on the proposed restart plan in late April or May.

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Read more: http://fox5sandiego.com/2013/03/08/nrc-released-docs-on-san-onofre-design-flaws/#axzz2N0gtnUU2

[bananas]

1. Reuters: NRC releases Mitsubishi report on San Onofre nuclear problem

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/08/utilities-nuclear-edison-sanonofre-idUSL1N0C0DWS20130308

NRC releases Mitsubishi report on San Onofre nuclear problem

HOUSTON, March 8 | Fri Mar 8, 2013 5:15pm EST

(Reuters) - Nuclear regulators on Friday released a report from the manufacturer of steam generators installed in Edison International's shuttered San Onofre nuclear plant in California that plant critics said shows the utility was well aware of problems with the generator design.

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A redacted 135-page version of the "root cause analysis" submitted by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission states that a design team of plant operator Southern California Edison (SCE) and Mitsubishi employees recognized the design for the replacement generator tubes raised an issue not seen in previous steam generator designs.

Further modifications to address the consequences were not pursued, in part, because of the possibility the altered design would trigger a "license amendment proceeding" requiring additional review by the NRC and the public, according to the report.

Last month, California Senator Barbara Boxer and Representative Edward Markey of Massachusetts cited the Mitsubishi report in a letter to NRC Chairman Allison Macfarlane asking the agency to investigate whether SCE and Mitsubishi knew of the design problems before the steam generators were installed.

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[bananas]

2. The secret Mitsubishi report revealed: Key quotes and conclusions

http://www.foe.org/news/blog/2013-03-san-onofre-quotes-and-conclusions

The secret Mitsubishi report revealed: Key quotes and conclusions

Posted Mar. 8, 2013 / Posted by: Adam Russell

The just-released Mitsubishi Heavy Industries report on the San Onofre steam generators conclusively reveals that, as far back as 2005-2006, the joint Southern California Edison/Mitsubishi anti-vibration bar design team had identified worrisome problems with Edison’s proposed design for the steam generators MHI was contracted to build. The report confirms that Edison’s contract with Mitsubishi specified that the new, radically redesigned replacement steam generators meet the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s “like for like” standard (10 C.F.R. §50.59) thereby hoping not to trigger a license amendment. The report further reveals that while the design team considered significant design changes that might have addressed the void fraction/steam quality problem,, it was decided that the changes not be made. The specific and only reason for not making those changes cited in the report was Edison’s requirement not to trigger a license amendment process by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The MHI report therefore reveals that Edison was aware of the void fraction problem -- a problem which the utility itself has said is the basis for fluid elastic instability, which in turn is what they have told the NRC is the basis for the unusual wear and damage of the steam generators. This wear and damage led to the unprecedented thinning of thousands of tubes and release of radiation from Unit 3 -- the triggering event for the closure of both reactors, now in its 14th month.

Below is Friends of the Earth’s initial analysis of key points from the Mitsubishi report and related documents:

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[bananas]

3. KPBS: Feds Release Confidential Report On San Onofre Nuclear Plant

http://www.kpbs.org/news/2013/mar/08/feds-release-confidential-report-san-onofre-nuclea/

Feds Release Confidential Report On San Onofre Nuclear Plant

Friday, March 8, 2013
By Amita Sharma

The long-awaited Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Report was made public today and it confirms what two lawmakers announced last month.

The report shows Southern California Edison was aware of design flaws with its replacement steam generators years before they were installed at San Onofre nuclear plant. It says Southern California Edison and Mitsubishi's joint team of experts knew the steam generators could produce what's called void fraction that would lead to thinning of the tubes inside the steam generators.

It also indicates Edison considered making changes. But it shows Edison believed the changes carried unacceptable consequences, including a licensing amendment process with federal regulators. Edison installed the new generators in 2010 and 2011 without the fixes.

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The company wants to restart the plant at reduced capacity. After the report was made public, California Senator Barbara Boxer said the Nuclear Regulatory Commission should investigate whether Edison fully complied with its legal obligations at San Onofre.

"A full investigation is critical to any determination on whether it is safe to restart San Onofre Units 2 and 3,” Boxer said.

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[bananas]

4. "Statements from Boxer and Markey indicated that the unredacted version..."

http://www.sanclementetimes.com/blog/2013/03/08/songs-documents-mitsubishi-design-process-failed/

SONGS Documents: Mitsubishi Design Process Failed

EYE ON DP, EYE ON SC, EYE ON SJC, News Headlines | March 8, 2013 by Staff

By Jim Shilander

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Statements from Boxer and Markey indicated that the unredacted version of the document supported their concerns, but even the public version of the document contained information that should be of concern.

“These reports raise serious concerns about whether Southern California Edison and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries rejected safety modifications to avoid triggering the more rigorous license amendment and safety review process,” Boxer wrote.

“That is why it is essential that the NRC complete its expansive investigation into whether Southern California Edison fully complied with its legal obligations at the San Onofre nuclear facility. A full investigation is critical to any determination on whether it is safe to restart San Onofre Units 2 and 3.”

Markey sounded similar concerns.

“The documents released today show that Southern California Edison and Mitsubishi cut safety corners to avoid a new NRC licensing process. I urge the NRC to subject any plan to re-start these troubled reactors to the full and rigorous licensing process that should have occurred the first time around. We should not make the same mistake twice.”

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[SheilaT]

5. And I just got finished watching

The China Syndrome.

[bananas]

6. Several months before TMI melted down, one of the plant engineers told me...

they were having serious problems and he couldn't say if the plant was safe.

[SheilaT]

7. Interesting

I do recall TMI quite well.

[burrowowl]

8. K&R!!!!!