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The
Palisades
nuclear plant in Michigan shut down Sunday after workers noticed steam
leaking from a drain valve on the piping from one of the reactor’s two
steam generators. The shutdown was uneventful, and the NRC has no
immediate safety concerns with this issue.
Here’s what
happened:
The workers were touring the plant’s auxiliary building when they
noticed the leak early on Sunday. The leak was in the “secondary” part
of the steam generator, not part of the reactor coolant system.
Because
the valve could not be isolated from the rest of the steam generator
system, the steam generator had to be declared inoperable. The plant’s
technical specifications require the licensee, Entergy, to shut down the
reactor within six hours when a steam generator is inoperable. Plant
operators completed the procedure by 4:30 p.m., meeting this
requirement.
The
NRC’s resident inspectors responded to the site, observed portions of
the shutdown, and made sure there was no impact on other plant
equipment.
As
the plant cooled, pressure dropped within the steam system, and that
stopped the leak. The steam condensed, and the water was collected. It
contained small amounts of radioactive tritium, but at levels far below
regulatory limits. It will be disposed of as low-level radioactive
waste. After shutting down, plant operators vented steam from the same
system into the atmosphere through an established monitored release
path. This is a common procedure used to help the plant cool down in
order to begin repairs.
Palisades
remains in cold shutdown while Entergy workers repair the leaky valve.
NRC’s inspectors will monitor and assess the repairs, which are expected
to take a few days.
David McIntyre
Public Affairs Officer
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