 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
Nuclear plant passes annual test by agency
By ALEX LEARY
© St. Petersburg Times, CRYSTAL RIVER -- Florida Power's nuclear plant "operated in a manner that preserved public health and safety and fully met all cornerstone objectives," according to an annual review published Thursday by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The favorable evaluation, which covered the period between April 2, 2000, and March 31, 2001, was in line with a majority of plants in the southeast, said Len Wert, an NRC official in Atlanta. No plants in Florida warranted additional scrutiny, he said. Dale Young, the facility's vice president, said: "By assigning the plant only baseline inspections, the NRC has concluded that we identify and correct issues at the plant and that we conduct our day-to-day activities in a safe manner." The solid review came amid a two-week shutdown. The facility has not produced power since May 18, after a fire protection system malfunctioned. As the plant was returning to full power, another problem surfaced: water containing radioactive particles was leaking from a faulty valve at a rate of 6 gallons per minute. The water cools the nuclear reactor and helps prevent serious problems. No employees came in contact with the water, which was collected through a drain and treated, said spokesman Mac Harris. The valve was repaired in September, but the recent shutdown apparently caused "thermal stress" and it got worse, Wert said. "They are addressing the leak this time with a much more substantial repair effort," Wert said. "They are performing a modification to the valve; they are not just stopping the leak with a temporary fix." Harris said the plant is expected to be back in operation today. The NRC Web site contains an updated quarterly report of the Crystal River plant. Again, the overall performance was deemed satisfactory. But the plant was faulted for failing to request proper identification from two NRC regulators making an inspection. "The finding was of very low safety significance because, although the identification information was not verified as required prior to access, the individuals granted access met all requirements for authorization for unescorted access," the report said.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
|
Citrus Times |
