Officials urge NRC to close plantDec 19 - Angeljean Chiaramida The Daily News of Newburyport, Mass.Officials and residents attended the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's meeting last night, bringing scientists, technical statements, and impassioned pleas, in hopes of persuading the federal agency in charge of the nation's nuclear industry not to extend the license of the Seabrook nuclear power plant, due to a concrete problem currently under investigation -- and to shut down the plant now. The meeting was intended to update residents in the region on the alkali-silica reaction (ASR) which has caused the degradation of concrete at more than 100 locations throughout the many, 2-foot thick reinforced walls at the NextEra Energy Seabrook nuclear power plant. ASR is a slow chemical reaction between the alkaline cement and reactive silica found in some aggregates used to make concrete that happens when moisture is present. Commonly found in dams and bridges, ASR forms a gel that expands, causing micro-cracks that affect concrete properties, but which can take five to 15 years to show up. In June 2009, NextEra identified areas of ASR in subterranean structures at the power plant and reported the findings to the NRC. Initially found in the reinforced concrete walls in the plant of an electrical tunnel about 40 feet below ground, after further investigation it was determined that ASR is present throughout the power plant. The NRC has repeatedly -- including last night -- assured the public that the ASR has not affected the safety of Seabrook Station. The plant and its walls are still structurally sound, NRC officials said, because the parts of the 2-foot thick walls affected still meet federal standards for load-bearing capacity due to the lattice of steel rebar within the walls. But ASR is a major concern for many antinuclear advocates, local, state and federal officials. That's especially true since NextEra filed an application in 2010 with the NRC requesting a 20-year extension of its operating license from 2030 to 2050. State Sen. Kathleen O'Connor Ives, D-Newburyport, said she spoke for herself and state Rep. Michael Costello, D-Newburyport. Their concern, she said, is that the move to relicense the plant is premature. "The purpose of relicensing is to assess the plant's systems and determine any issues or needed upgrades for continued operation," she said. "This simply cannot be done 20 years in advance." O'Connor Ives also said that she believes NextEra's ASR testing being done at the University of Texas is insufficient. "NextEra's methodology to assess conditions for its long-term safety is fatally flawed by using replicated, fabricated samples and conditions," she said, referring to a recent report by Newburyport-based Seabrook Station watchdog group C-10. Given the problem with ASR and the fact that its long-term impact on the plant is yet to be determined, O'Connor Ives called on the NRC to close the plant, drawing applause from many Newburyport residents in the room. "With the facts before us, it is the position of Rep. Costello and me that, far from considering the relicensing of Seabrook (Station), the NRC should begin the process of decommissioning this plant to ensure public safety," she said. "The time to end Seabrook (Station's) relicensing process is now. This plant should be shut down." Several Newburyport city councilors who attended the meeting agreed. Newburyport City Councilor Barry Connell wanted to know why the NRC believes Seabrook Station is still structurally sound, given the ASR issue. Senior Reactor Analyst for NRC's Region 1 Division of Reactor Safety William Cook said that, even with the ASR present, the plant is safe due to the significant margin of safety built into the plant when it was constructed. Cook was the team leader on two intensive inspections of Seabrook Station since the discovery of ASR. Connell, countered that, if the ASR issue at the plant progresses "it begs credulity" for the NRC to consider extending its license. How is it that the NRC doesn't shut down the plant now, he asked. Connell added that there is a "perceived legacy of deceit" within his community toward the NRC. David Lew, NRC deputy regional administrator stressed that based on current testing and inspections, the plant is still operating well within safety margins, and is structurally sound. The testing in Texas is intended to indicate the long-term impact ASR has on the structural integrity and safety of the plant, Lew said. And the determination concerning a license extension won't be made until NextEra's Texas testing is completed, probably sometime in 2015, he said. After that, the NRC will review the result, not only concerning what the long-term testing shows, but also the validity of the testing model itself, he said. Also set to speak last night were C-10's Sanda Gavutis and Dr. David Wright of the Cambridge-based Union of Concerned Scientist (UCS), both of whom carried statements concerning problems they believe exist in the testing model being used at the University of Texas. With the help of UCS, C-10 hired materials expert Dr. Paul Brown of Penn State University, to analyze the Texas testing program. According to Wright's statement, Brown took issues with some of the methods being used. Also calling for the NRC to shut down NextEra Energy Seabrook's nuclear power plant because of the discovery of ASR is Bruce Skud of No More Fukushimas. http://www.energycentral.com/functional/news/news_detail.cfm?did=30983456& |