[Powderworks] NMOC: Planned restart of Browns Ferry NPP Unit #1
Michael Devall
mdevall1@nc.rr.com
Tue, 13 Aug 2002 04:33:43 -0400
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Some of you Powderworkers living in the Deep South may already know =
about this, but for others who don't, there are plans in the making of =
possibly restarting Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant Unit #1 in Alabama =
which has been idle since 1985. Listed below are some facts about this =
facility:
1. Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant is a three unit facility located =
near Decatur, Alabama which is about 35 miles southwest of Huntsville, =
Alabama. It is owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority =
(TVA).
2. Unit #1 was the site of a significant fire in 1975 which disabled =
the automatic emergency systems for both Units #1 and #2. A partial =
meltown came close to occuring at Unit #1 but with some quick thinking, =
the reactor was able to be shut down manually. Unit #1 was restarted =
within a couple months after making necessary repairs. For a detailed =
story of the incident please visit www.ccnr.org/browns_ferry.html. =20
3. All three units were shut down in 1985 due to design basis problems. =
Both Units #2 & #3 were restarted in the mid 1990's after updates were =
made. Unit #1 remains shut down. There is a possibility that there may =
have been other problems occurring at Unit #1 which made TVA decide to =
keep it idle.
4. It has been stated that no maintenance of any kind has taken place =
at Unit #1 since it became idle in 1985, which means that parts could =
have aged and possibly become worn. There have not been any recorded =
inspections at Unit #1 since 1985, so it cannot be proven that there has =
not been any kind of maintenance done at Unit #1 since it became idle. =
It is known though that Unit #1 still does not meet current NRC =
standards.
5. TVA currently has plans to meet with the Nuclear Regulatory =
Commission (NRC) and talk about the issue of restarting Unit #1. The =
company states that it will cost $1.2 billion to bring Unit #1 up to =
current standards and get it ready for restart.=20
Do you think it is a good idea to restart this unit? I would like to =
hear other people's input on this subject. Remember that Unit #1 has =
been idle for 17 years and probably hasn't been maintained. Although =
TVA plans to update the facility and bring it to current standards, =
there is always a possibility that they could overlook something which =
may cause a problem in the future when it is operating. Due to stricter =
safety regulations by the NRC I don't expect another Three Mile Island =
type incident, but unfortunately the possibility is still there. Also, =
is that unit really worth spending $1.2 billion dollars on just to =
restart it? I believe there are better ways of spending that amount of =
money. Then again, I've seen that kind of money spent on much dumber =
things. We'll just have to wait and see what happens I guess. TTFN...
Michael
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<DIV><FONT size=3D2> Some of =
you Powderworkers living=20
in the Deep South may already know about this, but for others who =
don't,=20
there are plans in the making of possibly restarting Browns Ferry =
Nuclear Power=20
Plant Unit #1 in Alabama which has been idle since =
1985. Listed=20
below are some facts about this facility:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>1. Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant is a three =
unit</FONT><FONT size=3D2> facility located near Decatur, =
Alabama which=20
is about 35 miles southwest of Huntsville, Alabama. It is owned =
and=20
operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>2. Unit #1 was the site of a significant fire =
in 1975=20
which disabled the automatic emergency systems for both Units #1 and =
#2. A=20
partial meltown came close to occuring at Unit #1 but with some quick =
thinking,=20
the reactor was able to be shut down manually. Unit #1 was =
restarted=20
within a couple months after making necessary repairs. For a =
detailed=20
story of the incident please visit <FONT color=3D#006600><A=20
href=3D"http://www.ccnr.org/browns_ferry.html"><FONT=20
color=3D#0000ff>www.ccnr.org/browns_ferry.html</FONT></A>. =20
</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#006600 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>3. All three units were shut down in 1985 due =
to design=20
basis problems. Both Units #2 & #3 were restarted in the mid =
1990's=20
after updates were made. Unit #1 remains shut down. There is =
a=20
possibility that there may have been other problems occurring at Unit #1 =
which=20
made TVA decide to keep it idle.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>4. It has been stated that no maintenance of =
any kind=20
has taken place at Unit #1 since it became idle in 1985, which means =
that parts=20
could have aged and possibly become worn. There have not been any =
recorded=20
inspections at Unit #1 since 1985, so it cannot be proven that there has =
not=20
been any kind of maintenance done at Unit #1 since it became idle. =
It is=20
known though that Unit #1 still does not meet current NRC=20
standards.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>5. TVA currently has plans to meet with the =
Nuclear=20
Regulatory Commission (NRC) and talk about the issue of restarting =
Unit=20
#1. The company states that it will cost $1.2 billion to =
bring Unit=20
#1 up to current standards and get it ready for =
restart. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Do you think it is a good idea to restart this =
unit? I=20
would like to hear other people's input on this subject. Remember=20
that Unit #1 has been idle for 17 years and probably hasn't =
been=20
maintained. Although TVA plans to update the facility and bring it =
to=20
current standards, there is always a possibility that they could =
overlook=20
something which may cause a problem in the future when it is=20
operating. </FONT><FONT size=3D2>Due to stricter safety =
regulations by the=20
NRC I don't expect another Three Mile Island type incident,=20
but unfortunately the possibility is still there. Also, is =
that=20
unit really worth spending $1.2 billion dollars on just to restart=20
it? I believe there are better ways of spending that amount =
of=20
money. Then again, I've seen that kind of money spent on much =
dumber=20
things. We'll just have to wait and see what happens I =
guess. =20
TTFN...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Michael</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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