Thursday, 05/24/07

Leak forces shut down of newly restarted reactor at Browns Ferry

By JAY REEVES
Associated Press Writer

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Operators shut down a newly restarted reactor at the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant early today after a leaky pipe burst, spilling about 600 gallons of non-radioactive fluid inside a building housing generating turbines.

The accident — which occurred just two days after the restart of the long-dormant Unit 1 reactor at Browns Ferry near Athens — did not pose a public safety threat, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The Tennessee Valley Authority restarted Unit 1 early Tuesday after a 22-year shutdown prompted by concerns over safety and management at Browns Ferry, located on the Tennessee River about 95 miles north of Birmingham. The reactor is not generating power during testing, but the other two reactors at Browns Ferry remain on line.

NRC reports and a spokesman said two maintenance workers were trying to fix a leak in a hydraulic line on a turbine control system shortly after 2 a.m. CST when the pipe burst, spraying fluid on them and covering the floor with liquid.

"The fluid is corrosive, so they were taken to a hospital as a precaution. But they weren't injured," said Ken Clark, a spokesman with the regulatory agency in Atlanta.

The reactor was shut down manually without problem, according to an NRC document.

The accident occurred outside the part of the plant housing radiation and did not pose a safety problem, Clark said.

"It's not expected, but it's the kind of operating problem that can occur," he said. Shutting down the reactor was "the right thing to do," Clark said, and it shouldn't cause a lengthy delay in the restart.

The TVA did not immediately return telephone calls seeking comment.

TVA restarted the Unit 1 reactor after a five-year, $1.8 billion renovation. The three-reactor plant was idled in 1985 amid safety concerns, but the Unit 2 and 3 reactors were restarted in the 1990s after extensive work.

The NRC granted approval to restart Unit 1, and TVA says the system is safe. Critics question whether such an old plant can be operated safely.