Press Release-I-03-049, NRC Special Inspection Team to Review Shutdown of Salem 1 Plant

Press Release-I-03-049: NRC Special Inspection Team to Review Shutdown of Salem 1 Plant

ML032300235
Person / Time
Site:	Salem
Issue date:	08/18/2003
From:	Office of Public Affairs Region I
To:
Category:Press Release
References
Press Release-I-03-049
Download: ML032300235 (1)

Text

NRC NEWS U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs, Region I 475 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, Pa. 19406 www.nrc.gov No. I-03-049 August 18, 2003 CONTACT: Diane Screnci, 610/337-5330 Email: opa1@nrc.gov Neil Sheehan, 610/337-5331 NRC SPECIAL INSPECTION TEAM TO REVIEW SHUTDOWN OF SALEM 1 PLANT The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has sent a special inspection team to the Salem 1 nuclear power plant to review the facilitys response to a July 29th shutdown.

At 1:30 p.m. on July 29, a breaker malfunctioned in a switchyard at the site, causing an automatic trip of the Salem 1 reactor and the partial loss of off-site power to the Salem 1 and 2 units. (Nuclear power plants transmit power to the electrical grid but also receive power back from the grid for operational purposes.) The Salem 1 electrical system did not respond as expected, in that equipment did not reconnect to another off-site power supply that was still available. However, emergency diesel generators started as designed and provided the necessary power to key systems. An Unusual Event - the lowest of four levels of emergency classification

- was declared by plant operators in response to the event.

The purpose of the special inspection will be to monitor and assess PSEG Nuclears root-cause evaluation of the event and corrective actions, independently evaluate the risk significance and determine possible generic implications.

Once the inspection is completed, the special inspection team will document its findings and conclusions in a report that will be issued within 45 days of an exit meeting with plant managers.