Two U.S. Nuclear Power Plants Had Leaks Today: Move along folks, nothing to see here!

[Better Believe It]

Peach Bottom nuclear station reports Sodium Hypochlorite leak at water treatment facility
January 25, 2011
By Dorothy Davis

In an Offsite Notification filing with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the Peach Bottom nuclear power station in Delta, Pennsylvania, reported the spill and release of Sodium Hypochlorite from a tank at the plant’s water treatment facility Monday morning.

According to the filing with the NRC the Peach Bottom nuclear station reported a spill and release of Sodium Hypochlorite from its water treatment plant’s Sodium Hypochlorite tank, which is currently in progress at an estimated rate of approximately 1 gpm to the surrounding soil area.

Sodium Hypochlorite is widely used for bleaching purposes, and to treat water and wastewater. Peach Bottom nuclear power station’s Unit 2 and Unit 3 use two General Electric boiling water nuclear reactors in which water, used as both a coolant and moderator, boils in the reactor core. The steam from the boiling water is then used to turn electrical turbine generators.

The leak began by entering the surrounding moat area and is believed to have subsequently impacted or potentially impacted the Susquehanna River due to release through a storm drain.


PEACH BOTTOM NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

http://www.pennenergy.com/index/power/display/1037705896/articles/pennenergy/power/nuclear/2011/january/peach-bottom_nuclear.html


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PPL Shuts Unit Of Pennsylvania Nuclear Plant After Steam Leak
DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
January 25, 2011

PPL Corp. (PPL) said it shut down a unit at its Susquehanna nuclear plant near Berwick, Pa., Tuesday morning after a "small" steam leak.

The company said Unit 1 of the plant shut down safely--with no injuries and all safety equipment functioning as designed--shortly after 6 a.m. EST after "operators made a conservative decision ... to make repairs following a small steam leak in a system that preheats water for the reactor," said PPL's Chief Nuclear Officer Timothy S. Rausch.

Rausch noted that PPL, which operates utilities and a wholesale power supply and trading business, will "make repairs promptly and return the unit to service in a safe and reliable manner."


SUSQUEHANNA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20110125-711578.html