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The biggest construction project in Southeast Tennessee will take longer and be more expensive than originally forecast.

The Tennessee Valley Authority disclosed Friday that finishing the second reactor at its Watts Bar Nuclear Power Plant will take at least a year longer than the five years planned for the project. In its quarterly financial filing, TVA also said the Watts Bar project likely will cost significantly more than the $2.5 billion price tag put on finishing the reactor when TVA directors approved the project in August 2007.

TVA officials blamed the delays on the sluggish pace of...

MSNBC

A worker was leaning over to retrieve a flashlight when he lost his balance and fell into a reactor pool at the San Onofre nuclear power plant last week but he did not receive a significant dose of radiation, Southern California Edison officials said on Friday.

The worker was wearing a life preserver when he fell into a pool more than 20 feet deep that holds water that circulates through the reactor core.

He received 5 millirems of radiation, Gil Alexander, a spokesman for plant operator Southern California Edison, told the North County Times.

PURPOSE

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing this information notice (IN) to inform addressees of recent operating experience related to seismic concerns. The NRC expects recipients to review the information for applicability to their facilities and consider actions, as appropriate, to avoid similar problems. Suggestions contained in this IN are not NRC requirements; therefore, no specific action or written response is required.

DESCRIPTION OF CIRCUMSTANCES

WNYC News

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced Wednesday that nuclear reactors in parts of the United States might be more vulnerable to earthquakes than previously thought.

The closest reactor to New York City is the Indian Point nuclear plant in Westchester County; neighboring New Jersey has three additional plants...

"During a recent refurbishment of a Control Rod Drive (CRD) performed by GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) for a domestic customer a 360 degree failure of the collet retainer tube fillet weld was identified. This weld is part of the CRD 919D258G003 Cylinder, Tube and Flange (CTF) assembly. The collet retainer tube fillet weld was performed in 1983 and subsequently assembled into a Group 003 part number 919D258G003 CTF. This G003 CTF assembly was assembled into a CRD in 1995 and placed into service in 1996. GEH continues to investigate the cause(s) of the failed fillet weld. Once the cause of the fillet weld failure is determined, GEH will review the extent of condition of this failure as well as the consequences to determine if a reportable condition exists.

"There were no adverse effects on the CRD's operation observed due to this failure.

"This 60-day interim notification, in accordance with 10CFR Part 21.21(a)(2), will be sent to all BWR/2-6 plants that utilize CRDs equipped with either 919D258G002 or 919D258G003 CTF assemblies."

The affected plants are: Nine Mile Point 1-2, Fermi 2, Columbia, Grand Gulf, River Bend, Fitzpatrick, Pilgrim, Vermont Yankee, Clinton, Dresden 2-3, LaSalle 1-2, Limerick 1-2, Oyster Creek, Peach Bottom 2-3, Quad Cities 1-2, Perry 1, Duane Arnold, Cooper, Susquehanna 1-2, Brunswick 1-2, Hope Creek, Hatch 1 - 2, Browns Ferry 1-3, Monticello, and Millstone.

News 88.9 Radio

FREDERICTON - A recent heavy-water spill at New Brunswick's Point Lepreau nuclear power plant could have been avoided if changes had been made after similar incidents almost 17 years ago, a new report says.

The NB Power report, obtained by The Canadian Press, says heavy water entered a gas monitor three times during a shutdown in 1995, but the design was never changed.

(Picture: The exterior of the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating station is pictured on Monday Nov. 29, 2010, in Lepreau, N.B. A report into a recent heavy-water spill at New Brunswick's Point Lepreau nuclear power plant says the event could have been avoided if changes had been made after similar incidents almost 17 years ago. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Kevin Bissett)

It states that documentation wasn't updated to require a particular valve to be closed.

"A contributing factor was that the previous similar occurrences in 1995 ... did not result in actions to address this issue," the report says.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Feb 01, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Babcock & Wilcox Company (B&W) confirmed today that it plans to apply for a Public-Private Partnership through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the development of small modular reactor (SMR) technology. A draft Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) issued by the DOE outlines a plan to provide investments to private industry to support the design, licensing and manufacturing of SMRs.

"B&W is positioned to deliver a compelling response to the FOA," said Christofer M. Mowry, President of Babcock & Wilcox Modular Nuclear Energy. "The B&W mPower SMR program is well-defined and on an aggressive schedule for deployment."

The B&W reactor is designed to be passively safe and generate 180 MWe. Extensive testing on a prototype is beginning at the Integrated System Test facility to verify the reactor's design and safety performance. Data collected from the testing program will be used to validate the design and support licensing activities with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

About B&W

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., The Babcock & Wilcox Company is a leader in clean energy technology and services, primarily for the nuclear, fossil and renewable power markets, as well as a premier advanced technology and mission critical defense contractor. B&W has locations worldwide and employs approximately 12,700 people, in addition to approximately 10,400 joint venture employees. Learn more at www.babcock.com .

SOURCE: The Babcock & Wilcox Company

San Onofre's steam generator tube leak was on a new steam generator. The leaking steam generator were replaced last fall on this unit. The steam generators were manufactured and delivered by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) of Japan.

(Picture: Southern California Edison chief nuclear officer Joe Sheppard briefs visiting press on installation of giant steam generators at San Onofre nuclear plant. JEBB HARRIS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER)

Notification Date: 01/31/2012
Notification Time: 22:58 [ET]
Event Date: 01/31/2012
Event Time: 17:30 [PST]
Last Update Date: 01/31/2012

Feb 1 (Reuters) - EDF Energy, Britain's biggest nuclear power producer, stopped its 480-megawatt nuclear reactor at Hinkley Point B-7 on Wednesday for planned maintenance.

"We took the decision to take unit 7 at Hinkley Point B power station offline today (Wednesday, 1 February) at 0230hrs for planned maintenance," a spokeswoman said, declining to give a restart date. (Reporting by Oleg Vukmanovic; Editing by Jason Neely)