Feds: Calif. nuke plant to remain shut for probe

democratherald.com ^ | March 27th, 2012 | Associated Press

[Razzz42]

The troubled San Onofre nuclear plant in Southern California will remain shut down while investigators try to solve a mystery inside its massive generators _ the rapid decay of tubing that carries radioactive water, federal regulators said Tuesday.

The announcement that formalized an agreement with operator Southern California Edison came on the same day that a report commissioned by an environmental group claimed the utility misled the Nuclear Regulatory Commission about design changes that are the likely culprit in excessive tube wear.

A four-page letter to Edison from NRC Regional Administrator Elmo E. Collins laid out a series of steps the company must take before restarting the seaside reactors located 45 miles north of San Diego, underscoring the concern over the unusual degradation in the tubes.

Elmo wrote that the problems in the generators must be resolved and fixed and "until we are satisfied that has been done, the plant will not be permitted to restart."

[Razzz42]

Roughly: The steam/heat exchanger(s) originally installed were to last the life of the plant's operation. They didn't, and were replaced with new contraptions (glorified radiators) that are failing within a couple years of operation. Big mystery why the failure(s) so soon after being installed. The two remaining Units out of three (one unit decommissioned) have these recent replacement 'steam generators' already failing.

[RitchieAprile]

chemistry will provide the answer. teflon coat everything.

[meatloaf]

I wonder where the steam generators were built. Since Westinghouse closed the Pensacola plant, I think steam generators are sourced from overseas. My guess is they’ve been finding leaks and plugging tubes at a rate that is unusual.

By now the utility should know to monitor and maintain the correct water chemistry.

[U-238]

It does prove that our system of nuclear safety works. Anywhere else in the world(with the possible exception of Europe), they would of stifled any problems.

[U-238]

Should they close the plant the answer is no. The plant provides 2000 megawatts of energy. You will have to find a generating facility to fill that gap. During the Great San Diego blackout, San Onofre was instermental at restoring power quickly to those customers in Orange County and Northern San Diego county.

[Shadowstrike]

The answer to the question is the lowest bidder, probably using sub grade pipe.

[Razzz42]

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/heavy-tube-wear-mystery-calif-225007321.html

The short answer is: “The steam generators were manufactured by Japan-based Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, according to company officials.”

[U-238]

The NRC makes sure that their contractors follow the regulations to the letter.

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/nuregs/contract/

[meatloaf]

If the water chemistry isn’t an issue, someone needs to examine all of the mill certs associated with the tubing and investigate all of the manufacturing processes involved.

[Shadowstrike]

the NRC is supposed to make sure the regulations are followed to the letter. Can we say "corruption"?

[Razzz42]

It takes two or three days to restart a fully functioning nuke plant.

Most of San Diego’s power already comes from outside the county borders, some even from Mexico.

If you read the article, power companies are looking to restart mothballed power plants to makeup the difference in San Onofre’s plant.

8.5 million people live in about a 50 mile radius of the quake prone plant area. I wouldn’t miss the plant for a second if the put a ‘Closed’ sign on it.

[U-238]

I do not think that their courrupt. If they were corrupt, you would probably see more problems at nuclear plants around the country. The big problem is security.At San Onofre, that is not a big problem because Camp Pendleton is several miles away. The big problem is the reactor faces the sea. Other reactors, you do need the security because they do store the waste on site.

[U-238]

My brother used to live within eyeshot of the reactor. The residents really do not care. Having the reactor on line provide businesses to thrive in the area.Many of the workers live in the area and the economy is not hurting in that area.

[U-238]

1.5 million people in the Northern San Diego and Southern Orange Country depends on the power from San Onofre

[U-238]

http://www.sce.com/PowerandEnvironment/PowerGeneration/SanOnofreNuclearGeneratingStation/default.htm?goto=songs

Facts on San Onofre

[U-238]

1.5 million people in the Northern San Diego and Southern Orange Country depends on the power from San Onofre

I should say, 1.5 million homes in the Morthern San Diego and Southern Orange County areas depend on the power.

[Domangart]

It sounds like cavitation caused the removal of lots of material.

[Kickass Conservative]

>”teflon coat everything”<

They would, but Obama has the worlds supply of Teflon wrapped up. Most of it stored in the NY Times Building and Rockefeller Center.

[Squantos]

Yep... Sacrificial zincs, salt water, electricity etc...

[Squantos]

An era of counterfeit parts should also be looked at ...