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Local
Companies | Article published November 27, 2002
Nuclear plant test scheme outlined
Davis-Besse restart may hinge on
results
By MICHAEL WOODS
BLADE SCIENCE
EDITOR
ROCKVILLE, Md. - FirstEnergy yesterday
described plans to reload nuclear fuel into its Davis-Besse Nuclear
Power Station by February and conduct key tests that may decide when
the beleaguered facility can restart.
Davis-Besse has been
shut down since February because of leaks and rust that ate a hole
into the top head of its reactor pressure vessel.
Concerns
later arose about possible leaks and corrosion from channels that
penetrate the bottom of the vessel. The massive steel container
holds water heated by nuclear fuel to 600 degrees Fahrenheit and
pressurized to 2,000 pounds per square inch.
The channels, or
"nozzles," are about an inch in diameter and penetrate inside the
vessel. Instruments in the nozzles allow plant operators to monitor
conditions inside.
"We don’t believe that we have leakage,"
said Gary Leidich, executive vice president of FirstEnergy Nuclear
Corp., "but we’ve got to be sure."
Mr. Leidich and other
company officials spoke here at a meeting called by the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission to discuss the situation.
"If you find
a leak in one penetration, that opens a whole new can of worms,"
said Brian Sheron, of the NRC staff.
Mr. Sheron explained
that there are 52 nozzles, and that a leak in one would raise
concerns about the potential for leaks in others.
Leaks are
unacceptable for safety reasons, because they could lead to a
dangerous loss of the cooling water that prevents the reactor from a
meltdown.
Bob Schrauder, director of support services at
Davis-Besse, said other efforts to resolve concern about the nozzles
produced inconclusive results.
They include a careful visual
inspection of the nozzles and chemical tests on deposits found on
some of them.
FirstEnergy’s only option, he said, is to heat
and pressurize the reactor vessel to mimic conditions that exist
during routine operation.
Technicians then will use cameras
to visually inspect the nozzles for leaks.
Although nuclear
fuel will be reloaded, it will be kept inactive, rather than used to
create a chain reaction and produce heat. The reactor’s huge
electric coolant pumps will produce enough heat to raise the
temperature and pressure.
FirstEnergy said the fuel must be
in place for the coolant to circulate properly. NRC officials
agreed, and indicated that the testing procedure carried no unusual
risks.
The plant will remain at normal operating conditions
for seven days during the test run. It also will allow FirstEnergy
to check for leaks in other plant components.
Mr. Schrauder
described a contingency plan that First Energy would use if leaks
are discovered. It would involve removing and replacing defective
nozzles.
Experts estimated that repairing one defective
nozzle might require one week of work at the plant site. Additional
time would be needed to verify performance of the replacement
nozzle.
FirstEnergy has said it expected Davis-Besse to
resume commercial operation during the first quarter of 2003.
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