Press Release-II-06-017, Note to Editors: Clarification of April 7th NRC News Release Announcing Special Inspection at Hatch Nuclear Plant

Press Release-II-06-017: Note to Editors: Clarification of April 7th NRC News Release Announcing Special Inspection at Hatch Nuclear Plant

ML061000704
Person / Time
Site:	Hatch
Issue date:	04/10/2006
From:	Office of Public Affairs Region II
To:
Category:Press Release
References
Press Release-II-06-017
Download: ML061000704 (1)

Text

NRC NEWSUNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSIONOFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, REGION II61 Forsyth Street SW, Atlanta GA 30303Web Site: www.nrc.govNo. II-06-017 April 10, 2006CONTACT: Ken Clark (404)562-4416 E-mail: OPA2@nrc.govRoger Hannah (404)562-4417NOTE TO EDITORS: CLARIFICATION OF APRIL 7 TH NRC NEWS RELEASEANNOUNCING SPECIAL INSPECTION AT HATCH NUCLEAR PLANT On April 7 th, the NRC issued a news release (No. II-06-016) announcing a special inspection atthe Hatch nuclear power plant, operated by Southern Nuclear Operating Company near Baxley, Ga., to assess the circumstances surrounding an unplanned reactor shutdown at Hatch Unit 2 on April 5. This news release clarifies some information in that earlier news release.In the April 7 th news release, certain information regarding main turbine "testing" and theoperation of "some automatic equipment" was discussed, including that "some automatic equipment had not been repaired after the last refueling outage." The NRC currently believes that there was only one piece of equipment involved and that it was repaired during the refueling outage, but failed sometime after that outage. Also, that NRC release stated that the shutdown was initiated by a maintenance error during "testing" on the Unit 2 turbine generator. The maintenance error actually occurred during calibration of a generator recording instrument. The special inspection team will develop a more precise understanding of all the issues involved as a part of its efforts.The two inspectors involved in the special inspection are the NRC Senior Resident Inspector atthe Hatch plant and a Senior Resident Inspector from another plant. The two inspectors are expected to complete their on-site review this week and the results of the inspection will be issued within 45 days of its completion.