Environmentalists alarmed by new problems at Oyster Creek

Nov 15 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Bob Vosseller Asbury Park Press, N.J.

Cracks detected in the Oyster Creek nuclear power plant's reactor and problems with its water intake system during superstorm Sandy have some environmental groups calling for the 43-year-old facility to shut down earlier than scheduled.

"Exelon is not considering closing any of its nuclear plants, including Oyster Creek," said Suzanne D'Ambrosio, spokeswoman for the nuclear power plant in Lacey. "We continue to target (December) 2019 for closing Oyster Creek."

A special inspection team from the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission is examining the circumstances surrounding an "alert" issued by Exelon, Oyster Creek's parent company, on Oct. 29, as Sandy blasted the Jersey Shore. NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan said federal inspectors arrived at the plant Tuesday.

During the storm, as water increased in the plant's water intake structure, operators declared an "unusual event" -- the lowest of four levels of emergency classification used by the NRC -- at about 6:55 p.m., when the level topped 4.5 feet above mean sea level.

At about 8:45 p.m., an "alert" was declared when the water level was 6 feet above mean sea level at the structure. An alert is the second-lowest level of emergency classification. The water level rose due to a combination of a rising tide, wind direction and storm surge.

Richard Webster, an attorney for the firm Public Justice who represents a coalition of environmental groups, said Exelon reported the existence of deep cracks within the reactor to the NRC on Nov. 7.

"These cracks were not caused by Hurricane Sandy but developed over years," Webster said, adding the cracks developed from fatigue that the coalition had maintained existed for years.

Problems with the plant's water intake system and newly discovered reactor cracks could trigger a decision to close the plant earlier than 2019 to avoid further expense at Oyster Creek, Webster said.

Arnie Gundersen, an expert in nuclear power plant operations, is the coalition's hired consultant. He said superstorm Sandy's impact went beyond the plant's design specifications.

The plant was shut down during the storm as part of a refueling period.

Had the plant's reactor been operational, Gundersen said: "There could have been a disaster. It would have been really bad if it had been operational."

He said the refueling period, which was to last about 21 days, has been delayed now due to the problems discovered.

Even with the plant's reactor being dormant, Webster said: "The fuel pool there is the most densely packed of any plant in the world." He said had the intake vale problem worsened, "there would have been potential for a fuel pool fire."

Bob Vosseller: 732-557-5623; rvosseller@njpressmedia.com