ML051100092
| ML051100092 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Millstone  |
| Issue date: | 04/20/2005 |
| From: | Office of Public Affairs Region I |
| To: | |
| References | |
| Press Release-I-05-022 | |
| Download: ML051100092 (2) | |
See also: see also:Press Release-I-05-022
Text
NRC NEWS
U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
Office of Public Affairs, Region I
475 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, Pa.
Web Site: http://www.nrc.gov/OPA
No. I-05-022 April 20, 2005
Contact:
Diane Screnci, 610/337-5330
E-mail: opa1@nrc.gov
Neil Sheehan, 610/337-5331
NRC BEGINS SPECIAL INSPECTION AT
MILLSTONE UNIT 3 NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has begun a special inspection into an April 17th
shutdown of the Millstone Unit 3 nuclear power plant that led to the declaration of an Alert, the
second-lowest of four levels of emergency classification. The inspection was initiated today at the
plant, which is located in Waterford, Conn., and operated by Dominion Resources.
Consisting of four full-time and three part-time inspectors, the NRC team will be tasked with
evaluating the circumstances surrounding the event. The review will, among other things:
independently review the initiating cause(s), including any relation to previous maintenance, equipment
issues or precursor events; independently evaluate equipment performance deficiencies and operator
response during the event; and assess compliance with the plants technical specifications and
emergency action level entry conditions. Dominions root cause analysis report will also be reviewed
by the NRC team once it becomes available.
An inspector from the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection is expected to
participate in the inspection as an observer.
At 8:29 a.m. on April 17, the Millstone Unit 3 reactor experienced an automatic shutdown from
full power. The event also involved the activation of one of two safety subsystems. As the reactor was
shutting down, multiple steam line safety valves lifted and at least one main steam safety valve
appeared to remain open. It was the failure of the valve to reclose that resulted in the declaration of an
Alert at 8:42 a.m.
Initial NRC response to the event involved headquarters and regional staff, including the
agencys on-site inspectors for Millstone, who monitored the shutdown of the plant. Regional staff and
the on-site inspectors continued to monitor activities to place the reactor in its current cold shutdown
condition.
No injuries resulted from the event and preliminary evaluations indicate there were no releases
of radioactivity above allowable levels.
2
The team will document its findings and conclusions in a report to be issued within 45 days
after an exit meeting with company officials at the end of the inspection.