Van Dell: "We're right now standing in one of the diesel-generator compartments of the plant. These are very reliable. These are the same ones that are used down on the railroads. They're General Motors' diesels, they're some of the best made. These are as about as good as you can get, there wouldn't be anything finer." (Russell Van Dell is the Manager of Computer and Information Systems at NSP's Monticello plant.) For example:
Indian Point, New York: August 31, 1999 www.tmia.com/Indianp83199.html Reactor scram with complications. One complication was the failure of an emergency diesel generator circuit. Auxiliary feedwater pumps had no electricity and switched over to steam turbine pumps for feedwater.
Cooper, Nebraska: August 31, 1999 www.tmia.com/Cooper83199.html Emergency diesel generator declared inoperable due to service water flow problem.
Yankee, Vermont: August 25, 1999 www.tmia.com/Yankee82599.html During an emergency diesel generator test, three unexpected valve actuations of the high pressure coolant injection system occurred.
Hope Creek, New Jersey: August 18, 1999 www.tmia.com/HopeCreek81899.html Emergency diesel generator inoperable due to fuel oil storage tank being cleaned.
South Texas, Texas: August 12, 1999 www.tmia.com/STexas81299.html Emergency diesel generator inoperable for 3 days in July 1999.
Cooper, Nebraska: August 12, 1999 www.tmia.com/Cooper81299.html Degraded backup power supply batteries.
Millstone, Connecticut: August 11, 1999 www.tmia.com/Millstone81199.html Diesel generator degraded for 32 days. Company was aware of suspected low voltage problem but mistakenly believed it was acceptable. Then, on 8/17/99 the company retracts the event once again saying the voltage was set high enough.
Nine Mile Point, New York: August 11, 1999 www.tmia.com/NineMileP81199.html During troubleshooting of a speed control problem the diesel generator experienced an inadvertent start- up .
Nine Nuclear Plants: August 5, 1999 www.tmia.com/NLI8599.html Manufacturer reports a premature overvoltage protection actuation during diesel generator loading which could affect 9 plants.
Cook, Michigan: July 27, 1999 www.tmia.com/Cook72799.html All four diesel generators are declared inoperable but still functional. Discovery of condition which could leave EGDs inoperable following a tornado.
Beaver Valley, Pennsylvania: July 16 - 17, 1999 www.tmia.com/Beaver716.html Diesel Generator fails during test due to voltage and current problems. Battery chargers become inoperable. Generator restart faulty. Batteries are inoperable. Plant shutting down. Pumps inoperable briefly.
Pilgrim, Massachusetts: July 16, 1999 www.tmia.com/Pilgrim716.html An existing modification of the circuit logic would prevent bus from energizing properly from diesel generators.
Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, Idaho: July 12, 1999 www.tmia.com/Idaho71299.html (not a commercial power reactor) Two diesel generators fails following a fire at substation. No fuel from Three Mile Island remains onsite.
Pilgrim, Massachusetts: July 5, 1999 www.tmia.com/Pilgrim7599.html Both diesel generators for Unit 1 outside design basis due to high room temperature..
Cook, Michigan: June 25, 1999 www.tmia.com/cook625.html Diesel generator oil lubrication valve installed backwards. Uncertainty about the ability to operate for 7 days has caused the EDG to be declared inoperable
Kewaunee Wisconsin: June 14, 1999 www.tmia.com/Kewaunee61499.html Diesel generator declared inoperable due to misadjusted speed sensor. This event report was later retracted.
Ginna, New York: June 10, 1999 www.tmia.com/Ginna610.html Both diesel generators inoperable. There would have been an inability to automatically respond to an event coincident with a loss of offsite power.
Summer, South Carolina: May 5, 1999 www.tmia.com/Summer5599.html Faulty circuit breaker identified as substantial safety hazard used with diesel generators.
Six Nuclear Plants: April 28, 1999 www.tmia.com/CooperE42899.html Manufacturer reports a potential defect in connecting rod assemblies, which are components of diesel generator systems.
Nine Mile Point, New York: April 24, 1999 www.tmia.com/NineMP42499.html Reactor scram. Diesel Generator starts but fails to load. Partial loss of lighting in the control room. Loss of lighting in turbine building. Loss of site perimeter lighting. Natural circulation of coolant.
Arkansas Nuclear, Arkansas: April 23, 1999 www.tmia.com/Arkansas427.html During Y2K testing, would not properly load. Only 500 Kw, instead of its expected load of 4400 Kw.
Point Beach, Michigan: April 20, 1999 www.tmia.com/Pointbeach42099.html Design defect could have disabled diesel generators.
Susquehanna, Pennsylvania: April 17, 1999 www.tmia.com/Susquehanna41799.html Operator switching error causes diesel generator to be inoperable.
Beaver Valley, Pennsylvania: April 9, 1999 www.tmia.com/Beaver4999.html Following instructions in operator's manual could have caused diesel generators to fail.
Ginna, New York: April 9, 1999 www.tmia.com/Ginna4999.html Missing oil drain port could have caused serious diesel generator damage.
Cook, Michigan: April 7, 1999 www.tmia.com/Cook4799.html Design defect could cause long-term operational failure of diesel generator following a seismic event.
Seabrook, New Hampshire: March 31, 1999 www.tmia.com/Seabrook33199.html Defective relay might not have allowed bus to load to diesel generator.
Grand Gulf, Mississippi: March 25, 1999 www.tmia.com/Grandgulf32599.html Diesel Generator declared inoperable due to leaking oil. The event was later retracted when it was discovered that it was not necessary to declare it inoperable
South Texas, Texas: March 12, 1999 www.tmia.com/SouthTexas31299.html Diesel Generator output circuit breaker failed to close.
Pilgrim, Massachusetts: February 25, 1999 www.tmia.com/Pilgrim22599.html Temperature of diesel generator building fell below design due to winter storm.
Wolf Creek, Kansas: February 18,1999 www.tmia.com/WolfCreek21899.html Improper switching could have caused fire and loss of diesel generators
River Bend, Louisiana: February 2, 1999 www.tmia.com/RiverBend2299.html The NRC proposes a $55,000 fine for the company's failure to correct deficiencies in the compressed air system that controls the emergency diesel generators.
San Onofre, California: February 1, 1999 www.tmia.com/Sanonofre2199.html Diesel generator started but did not complete circuit due to relay lockout
Fitzpatrick, New York: January 21,1999 www.tmia.com/Fitzpatrick12199.html Emergency diesel generators may have failed to energize emergency buses.
Hope Creek, New Jersey: January 20, 1999 www.tmia.com/Hopec12099.html Incorrect resistor could effect speed switch on diesel generators. This manufacturer defects also could effect 8 other US nuclear plants at Hatch, Fermi, Millstone, Beaver Valley, Limerick, Callaway and Wolf Creek which might have the same defect.
Duane Arnold, Iowa: January, 20 1999 www.tmia.com/DuanArnold12099.html Forced reactor shutdown after both standby diesel generators failed test to reach required voltage and frequency within the required time.
Grand Gulf, Mississippi: January 13, 1999 www.tmia.com/Grandgulf11399.html Diesel generator degraded due to output transformer leaking.
North Anna, Virginia: January 5,1999 www.tmia.com/Northanna1599.html Spillway emergency diesel generator declared inoperable during test. This was done in error as it was not necessary to declare it inoperable. The event notification was retracted.
"In addition, the audits found at some plants, such as Brunswick in North Carolina, are relying on vendors to certify the Y2k readiness of their products, while others such as Hope Creek in New Jersey have found such vendor verifications to be unreliable." (Congressman Ed Marcy)
NSP's Van Dell: "They'll be ready to go. If there is a problem either within our plant or outside of the plant, they'll be ready to go...just like any other day of the year. They're ready to perform their function and keep the core safe."
" Just like any other day of the year...? " Spooky....huh?
Kathryn Herzog: "The Monticello plant currently has a seven-day fuel supply and Van Dell says there are no plans to bring in any backup power source."
In light of the above reports...a profoundly smart
decision. Unfortunately, when dealing with nuclear reactors, there is
no margin
for error. NIRS officials are concerned that not enough time remains
between the
dates given and the end of the year to test the systems to be sure
sufficient
repairs have been made. "The NRC's program is
unacceptable," said NIRS'
executive director Michael Mariotte. "It's what we feared all along --
this
agency is waiting until the last minute and then just hoping that
everything
will work out OK. But with nuclear reactors, there is no margin for
error.
Simply hoping for the best is a sure indication that the worst can
happen."
-- steve (WhoCares@nymore.Right?con), January 29, 2000.