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The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has begun a special inspection into
the rupture of an 8-inch drain line that led to a manual shutdown of the
Hope Creek nuclear power plant on October 10. The inspection got under
way today at the plant, which is located in Hancock Bridge (Salem County),
N.J., and operated by Public Service Electric & Gas (PSEG).
There are five full-time and three part-time members on the NRC inspection
team, which will be tasked with evaluating the circumstances surrounding
the Oct. 10 event. The review will include an assessment of whether the
steam pipe failure could have been prevented and an independent evaluation
of equipment and human-performance issues that complicated the shutdown.
In addition, the inspection will assess the adequacy of PSEG’s root-cause
evaluation of the event and its plans for corrective actions.
Between about 6 p.m. and 6:14 p.m. on Oct. 10, the plant’s operators
reduced power and then manually shut down the reactor in response to indications
of a steam leak in the turbine building. The leak was isolated shortly
thereafter when the operators shut the main steam valves. While subsequently
cooling down the plant, the operators experienced difficulties in efforts
to maintain appropriate reactor vessel water levels. However, the plant
maintained adequate safety margins throughout the event, backup safety
equipment was available if needed, and the shutdown was successfully carried
out. A small release of radioactivity occurred, but it was well below
allowable federal limits.
The team will document its findings and conclusions in a report to be
issued within 45 days after an exit meeting with the utility at the inspection’s
conclusion.
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