Decommissioning Zion NPP

The long-awaited decommissioning of the Zion Nuclear Plant finally is scheduled to begin in the next few weeks following the announcement the other day that its owner, Exelon Corp., has reached agreement on a decade-long, $1 billion cleanup. This is nearly the same plan the utility announced three years ago, but was sidetracked because of the economy. It is a solid first step in returning the Zion lakeshore to what it was before the facility first began using nuclear energy to generate electricity in 1973, during the heyday of Illinois’ nuclear power industry. The plant, once Zion’s largest employer and tax-revenue producer, sits on 257 acres of prime lakefront property. It has been an idle behemoth since 1998.

But the Exelon plan, approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, to transfer the station’s federal license next month to a Utah nuclear services company, leaves one huge problem to contend with during the cleanup: What to do with the hundreds of spent nuclear rods currently swimming in a pool yards from Lake Michigan. EnergySolutions, the company that will tackle the largest nuclear plant dismantling ever undertaken in the United States, will haul low-level radioactive waste from the site to its facility in Utah.

The plan currently is to keep the used nuclear fuel on the property under Exelon’s care in a secure facility once the decommissioning process is completed. That is because the Obama administration has decided to stop funding the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste depository in Nevada. We’re still waiting for the administration’s future plan on what to do with the rising amount of spent fuel produced by the 104 commercial nuclear generating units in the United States, which provide 20 percent of the nation’s electricity.

Those concerns aside, the razing of the twin cooling towers and dismantling of the facility means an injection locally of 200 skilled workers with a peak workforce of 400 employees. The Zion job is but one of 101 projects Chicago-headquartered Exelon is launching in a $4.6 billion spending spree across Illinois. Other work includes equipment upgrades at the company’s six nuclear plants in the state to produce more carbon-free megawatts.

Exelon’s nuclear president, Michael Pacilio, called the capital spending “our own economic stimulus program for Illinois.” Indeed, many believe that private investment will ultimately bring the nation out of the Great Recession.

Considering that the total allocation under federal stimulus funding for Lake and the other collar counties, Cook County and Chicago is $3.6 billion, it would appear Exelon is doing its share to aid the economy. That begins with jobs and work in Zion.

Source: Suburban Chicago News

Exelon to decommission Zion station as part of ‘Massive Spending Program’

Exelon Corp. says it’s set to begin a “massive spending program” in Illinois that includes the decommissioning of the already-closed Zion Station in Lake County.

Exelon Nuclear said in a statement Monday that the $4.6 million planned program should create more than 4,200 jobs in Illinois over the next five years. The program also includes equipment upgrades at six nuclear plants.

The Zion Station decommissioning is to begin in September as a $1 billion, 10-year project.
Exelon says it expects to transfer the station’s license to a Utah company that will take plant materials to a waste facility. Once that process is finished, Exelon says it will retake responsibility for the station and it will be available for commercial use.

The 200-acre Zion Station is 40 miles north of Chicago on Lake Michigan.

Source: Fox News / AP

Electrical problem at Braidwoon NPP triggers shut down

An electrical problem in the Unit 2 main generator of Exelon’s Braidwood plant is being blamed for the shutdown early Monday morning of the plant’s two nuclear power units.

The problem, registered at 2:06 a.m., automatically shut down the Unit 2 turbine followed 13 minutes later by the shutdown of the Unit 1 reactor. It also led to a release of steam over a 26-hour-period ending at 4:25 a.m. Tuesday. The steam release was seen and heard by area residents.

Samples of the steam released show no signs of containing radioactive tritium, said Neal Miller, communications manager for Exelon Nuclear Neal.

By way of example, Exelon explained in its release that a person could stand “within the visible water vapor for the entire 26 hours” that steam was released “without having any measurable dose of radioactivity.”

“We are now doing tests to determine what piece of equipment caused the fault and then to make repairs,” Miller said during a telephone interview Tuesday.

“Both units remained off line Tuesday morning.

Work crews are also replacing a small section of metal siding used to cover an outside walkway on the Unit 1 containment building. The siding was affected by the release of steam from the plant.

Both units tripped off line early Monday morning. The Unit 2 turbine automatically tripped off line about 2:06 a.m., followed 13 minutes later by a shut down of the Unit 1 reactor.

Source: The Daily Journal
Featured Image: NRC/Exelon

NRC begins special inspection at Braidwood Nuclear Power Plant

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has dispatched a special inspection team to the Braidwood Nuclear Power Plant to review the circumstances surrounding the dual unit shutdowns that occurred on August 16. The incident did not affect public health and safety and both units remain safely shut down. The plant is operated by Exelon Generating Company LLC and is located in Braceville, Ill., 20 miles southwest of Joliet.

“The purpose of the special inspection is to better understand the sequence of both reactor events and the apparent unexpected system interactions,” said NRC Region III Administrator Mark Satorius.

The four-member team will evaluate the events and circumstances surrounding the shutdowns and subsequent equipment issues. Initial special inspection activities began with a team member the same day of the shutdowns. Unit 2 shut down due to a main generator fault. All systems operated as expected except one of the valves which control water flow to one steam generator. Specifically the valve became stuck in an open position, preventing the operator from using this valve to control water flow and caused the operator to use a backup valve. Approximately 13 minutes later Unit 1 also shut down, due to a loss of a secondary cooling system which helps cool a primary water system in the plant. This created a steam release and a loud noise which could be heard by residents living near the plant. The steam contained low levels of tritium which appear to be lower than the regulatory limits for the public.

Both NRC resident inspectors stationed onsite and regional experts have been closely following the events and actions taken by the utility.

The NRC special inspection team will review issues such as the chronology and causes of events, the circumstances surrounding the shutdowns, and the utility’s dose calculations of tritiated steam. The inspection report documenting the team’s findings will be publically available within 45 days after the completion of the inspection.

Source: NRC

Shutdowns at Braidwood nuclear plant probed

Exelon Corp. is investigating the cause of shutdowns Monday morning of two nuclear reactors at Braidwood Generating Station.

The Unit 2 turbine tripped offline at 2:06 a.m., followed 13 minutes later by a shutdown of the Unit 1 reactor.

With Unit 2, there was a problem with the path of the electrical current, which tripped the turbine and, in turn, the reactor, Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokeswoman Prema Chandrathil said.

With Unit 1, a secondary cooling system malfunctioned, which led steam to be released from the main release valve for cooling purposes, Chandrathil said. The unit was then manually shut down, she said.

“All of these steps went forward as designed, as engineered and as planned,” she said. “The utility and the NRC are investigating. We have to go ahead and try to determine what exactly happened there, and if (the two incidents) are connected.”

Chicago-based Exelon said environmental experts are testing condensate and water in the system for tritium — a radioactive form of hydrogen — which would have been released into the air with the steam. According to the NRC, tritium levels are likely to fall well below regulatory limits. The company said the shutdowns pose no threat to plant personnel or the public.

“As this happened overnight, we understand our neighbors may have heard the venting steam, and we want to make sure they know there is no cause for concern. We appreciate their patience,” Braidwood Station Site Vice President Amir Shahkarami said in a statement.

Tritium occurs naturally but is produced in greater concentration in nuclear reactors. The isotope can increase the risk of cancer but is considered one of the least dangerous radioactive substances because it leaves the body quickly, according to the U.S. Enivronmental Proctection Agency.

This March, Exelon agreed to pay more than $1 million to settle lawsuits filed by Attorney General Lisa Madigan after the company allowed radioactive tritium to leak outside three nuclear power plants.

Leaks of tritium-contaminated water seeped into the ground around the company’s Braidwood, Byron and Dresden plants and, under orders from the state, the company cleaned up contaminated groundwater, improved monitoring and ensured that wastewater was diluted enough to meet federal standards.

After the Braidwood contamination was revealed in 2006, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission cited Exelon for failing to respond properly to 22 leaks dating to 1996.

The nuclear plant is about 60 miles southwest of the Loop. At full power, its two reactors produce enough electricity to power 2 million homes. The NRC said the reactors will stay offline until the causes of the malfunctions are determined and fixed.

Source: Chicago Tribune

Exelon to test new sirens

Exelon Nuclear will begin the testing of new sirens that have been installed over the past few months.

The tests are part of a larger project to replace all 165 emergency sirens in the 10 miles around Limerick Generating Station with sirens that include battery back up. The first phase of the project began in September 2009.

The testing was scheduled to begin this week with sirens located in Chester County.

Testing will continue in September with sirens in Montgomery County and conclude in October with the sirens in Berks County.

The individual siren tests may be performed daily from the respective county start date until the end of November 2010.

The typical duration of the testing will be between 15 to 30 seconds and could occur several times in a row. Occasionally, siren activation may last the full three minutes. The siren acoustics will be similar to those of current emergency sirens.

Residents may contact the counties at the following numbers if they have concerns during testing:

Berks County 610-374-4800

Chester County 610-344-5000

Montgomery County 610-631-6530

The new and old sirens will be operable concurrently for a four-month period to ensure they operate properly. Completion of the project and removal of the existing sirens is scheduled for 2011.

This $3.8 million investment around Limerick is part of Exelon Nuclear’s commitment to replace and upgrade the emergency sirens at all of the sites in the mid-Atlantic including Three Mile Island, Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, and Oyster Creek Generating Station. This project will involve a total investment of more than $9 million and the replacement of 400 sirens.

“The sirens are an important part of our commitment to the safety of the public,” said Bill Maguire, Limerick site vice president. “This significant investment is part of our ongoing efforts to ensure that Limerick Generating Station remains a leader in the industry and the community.”

The warning sirens are one of several methods used by county emergency management authorities to provide notification of emergencies.

Individual counties may activate the sirens to warn the surrounding community of events such as fires, floods, tornadoes, hazardous material releases, or nuclear energy plant events.

Source: Montgomery Media

Three companies team up for Saudi nuclear projects

Shaw Group Inc., Toshiba Corp. and Exelon Nuclear Partners, a unit of Exelon Corp., will team up to pursue nuclear power contracts in Saudi Arabia as the kingdom invests to meet energy demand.

The group wants to provide engineering, procurement, construction and operations for Saudi nuclear power plants under the terms of the agreement, the companies said today in a statement released through Business Newswire.

Saudi Arabia is one of several Arab Gulf countries seeking to develop nuclear energy to meet rising electricity demand. Kuwait and France signed a civil nuclear-energy accord in April and the United Arab Emirates awarded a $20 billion contract in December to a group of companies led by Korea Electric Power Corp. to build four nuclear plants.

Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet gave permission on July 7 for a draft cooperation agreement with France for the development of peaceful uses of nuclear energy, the Saudi Press Agency reported, without giving more details.

Saudi Arabia, the Arab world’s largest economy, said in April it will start a civilian nuclear and renewable energy center to help meet increasing demand for power and to supervise its atomic-energy program. The kingdom will spend $80 billion to increase its power-generation capacity and transmission network in the next decade as demand rises to 65,000 megawatts in 2018, up from 41,200 megawatts last year.

The King Abdullah City for Nuclear and Renewable Energy will be built in Riyadh, the kingdom’s capital, the state-owned Saudi Press Agency said, citing a royal order from King Abdullah. The new center will draft a national policy for nuclear power use and supervise the kingdom’s atomic energy and nuclear waste. It will represent Saudi Arabia at the Vienna- based International Atomic Energy Agency.

Source: Bloomberg

Zion powers up for decommissioning

Forty miles north of Chicago, along the shore of Lake Michigan, gun-toting guards still warily prowl the grounds of the Zion Nuclear Power Station.

Inside, the control room remains staffed by engineers who check radiation levels throughout the plant. But their numbers are far fewer than before 1998, when the two reactors went permanently dark.

“A lot of people are surprised, because they think they’re going to find tumbleweeds and the place just falling apart,” plant manager Ron Schuster said.

Schuster stood in the shadow of the 10-story building, its outer wall made of reinforced concrete 3 feet thick, that houses one of the dormant reactors. Workers venture inside only about twice a month now, for inspections and maintenance.

A peregrine falcon swooped to the ledge of a nearby building where its family has nested for the past few years, a seemingly tranquil spot. But it’s about to get a lot more hectic for any wildlife or workers at the power station.

Exelon Nuclear faces a November deadline to transfer its U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission license to a Utah company called EnergySolutions, which will then begin the seven-year task of dismantling the plant piece by piece.

Although the timetable hasn’t been set, more than about 500,000 cubic feet of material will be moved, everything from concrete walls, pipes, wiring, machinery, even desks and chairs. Much of it is contaminated with low-level radiation. Enough to fill roughly 80 rail cars, it will be transported to EnergySolutions’ site 80 miles west of Salt Lake City.

It’s easier and cheaper than separating the contaminated material from the uncontaminated, officials said.

The plan to end forever the nuclear generation of electricity at Zion comes despite a nuclear renaissance of sorts. Some people including former opponents of nuclear power see it as cleaner and potentially cheaper than coal.

The NRC is reviewing applications that have been filed since 2007 for 22 new reactors at 13 sites across the country, none of them in Illinois. The flurry of interest follows a drought of nearly three decades since the last application had been filed, officials said.

Exelon officials say the cost is too great to even consider firing up Zion’s reactors again.

“Exelon has looked at restarting Zion on several occasions,” said Adam Levin, director of spent fuel and decommissioning strategy at Exelon. “Each time we’ve looked at it, we’ve decided that it just wasn’t feasible.”

EnergySolutions, based in Salt Lake City, is one of the few companies in the nation licensed for the monumental task of tearing down nuclear power plants.

The Zion plant, which sits on 257 acres sandwiched between the northern and southern stretches of Illinois Beach State Park, will be among its largest decommissioning projects, according to EnergySolutions spokesman Mark Walker.

The three years following the Zion plant’s dismantling will be spent restoring the site to a field of green.

Estimated cost: $1 billion. ComEd customers began paying into that fund in the late 1970s, a fee not removed from their bills until 2006.

The only remnant of Zion’s atomic past, and it’s a big one, will be an array of concrete casks that look like stunted farm silos, storing about 2.2 million pounds of spent nuclear fuel and another 80,000 pounds of highly radioactive material from the two reactors.

In March, the Department of Energy withdrew its request to store highly radioactive waste deep within Yucca Mountain, Nev.

Like nuclear power plants across the country that had been casting envious eyes on the western desert, Zion will be home for the foreseeable future to the radioactive fuel it consumed generating electricity from 1973 to 1997.

The spent fuel will be moved from a pool of crystal-clear water to the “dry storage” casks just south of where the twin reactor buildings now stand, and remain there until the federal government comes up with an alternative to Yucca.

“The NRC believes the fuel can be stored safely for at least 100 years in pools and casks. However, the ultimate disposition of the fuel is a national policy decision that is up to Congress and the administration,” said NRC spokesman David McIntyre.

When it powered up in 1973, Zion was the largest nuclear plant in the world, its reactors the first of a new generation designed to be bigger and safer.

But by the late 1990s, its owners struggled to keep the reactors online because of multiple structural and procedural problems reported by the NRC. ComEd, now a sister company of Exelon Nuclear, cited economics when it finally decided to pull the plug.

Shutting the reactors down siphoned off hundreds of jobs, and Zion Mayor Lane Harrison said the property’s tax value dropped by hundreds of millions of dollars between 1999 and 2004.

NRC officials note that ComEd wasn’t the first or last utility unable to generate profit with nuclear power. It will be up to the industry to determine whether nuclear power’s needle is now pointing toward the black side of the ledger book.

Zion had been licensed to operate through 2013, and might have been allowed to extend that permit another 20 years. But once ComEd decided it was a money-loser and removed nuclear fuel from the reactors, its license changed, allowing it only to store radioactive waste on site, officials said.

Source: The Hawk Eye / Chicago Tribune

Nuclear plant ordered to dig more test wells

The state on Thursday ordered the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station to drill new test wells, increase monitoring on existing wells and review its data on tritium contamination around the Lacey Township plant.

The tests are part of a new monitoring plan ordered by Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin, who has been pushing Exelon Generation Co., the Illinois-based owner of the electrical generating facility, to expedite a cleanup of the tritium pollution discovered more than a year ago. Exelon had been consulted before the directive was issued and has agreed to the plan, the DEP said.

“We have given Exelon very specific directions and they have agreed to cooperate and move quickly to comply,” Martin said in a prepared statement. “We need prompt action to prevent the continuing spread of the radioactive substance and to ensure it never gets near the region’s potable water supplies. This requires immediate attention and Exelon has committed to move as fast as safely possible.”

A spokesman for Exelon did not immediately return telephone calls for comment.

Tritium is a byproduct of nuclear generation, and the groundwater contamination at Oyster Creek was first detected on April 9, 2009. At least 180,000 gallons of tainted water were released through two small holes in separate, underground pipes, and some of the contamination is 50 times higher than permitted under federal health standards.

Last fall, authorities said it reached the Cohansey aquifer, a drinking water source for much of South Jersey. That threat enabled Martin on Thursday to invoke a state statute called the “Spill Act” to make demands on Exelon, which is generally regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Source: North Jersey

Oyster Creek annual meeting focuses on tritium leak

The issue of tritium-contaminated water that leaked from the Oyster Creek nuclear generating station in Lacey dominated the annual briefing Tuesday night of the plant’s safety performance.

The May 14 discovery of water containing tritium — a weak radioactive isotope that is a byproduct of nuclear fission — has been of especial interest to environmentalists and other plant critics, who attended the meeting conducted by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Exelon Nuclear, which operates the plan, has said the water was residue from a July 2007 leak from pipes in an underground vault. The NRC is in the process of verifying that statement.

“The outstanding question, which we hope will be clarified, is whether the NRC helped Exelon to hide the truth from the public” regarding the May 14 discovery, Richard Webster, legal director of the Environmental Law Center, said prior to the assessment meeting held at the Toms River Holiday Inn.

During the session, NRC Director of Reactor Safety Darrell J. Roberts said that an onsite inspector would be at Oyster Creek during the first week of June to verify whether the tritium found on May 14 was from 2007.

“Their (Exelon’s) explanation appears plausible,” Roberts said.

Ronald Bellamy, regional branch chief in the NRC’s division of reactor projects, asked Oyster Creek Plant Manager Pete Orphanos and Site Vice President Michael J. Massaro about Exelon’s plans to put pipes that carry tritium-laced water to an above-ground vault.

Orphanos said that the company would complete the work by Dec. 21.

On April 15 and on Aug. 25, 2009, the plant reported tritium leaks from aging pipe systems at the plant. Those incidents raised concerns by residents fearing the radioactive material could accumulate and enter drinking water through its migration underground.

Massaro said that the company has spent $17 million in recent years on an improved security system and $9 million on a clean water supply tank that was completed last March.

Alison Lemke of Lacey brought up concerns about the sufficiency of an evacuation route to be used in the event of an accident at the plant. The evacuation plan includes a road which is a designated detour for a bridge that is being replaced in the Forked River Beach section.

Source: APP.com

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