Senate Panel Seeks Y2K Nuke Plant Contingency Plans

-- Anonymous, November 13, 1999

Answers

Apparently, so does the NRC!!

-- Anonymous, November 14, 1999

I am confident in the nuclear power industries efforts in Y2K and in the NRC oversight of the process. I am a bit mystified at Bennetts' inquiry however, what in the world did he expect to accomplish at this late date? This whole thing looks like he just want window ddressing for appearances sake, so they can say "we looked further into the matter". Basically, he asked for a fluff ball, got one and is quite happy with it. Our tax dollars at work.

From: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/19991116/ts/yk_nuclear_1.html [Posted as Educational Fair Use]

Tuesday November 16 5:31 PM ET Nuclear Agency Maintains All Plants Y2K Clear WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) reassured concerned lawmakers on Tuesday that the nation's 103 nuclear power plants will see no disruptions as a result of the millennium rollover.

NRC stressed in a letter to Utah Republican Sen. Robert Bennett, chairman of a Senate Y2K select panel, that since Nov. 4, all commercial reactor sites have been completely prepared for the potential Year 2000 computer bug known as Y2K.

``The commission is confident...that the potential for Y2K-related disruptions have been addressed by NRC licensees,'' the NRC said in the letter.

On Nov. 1, Bennett's Senate Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem, wrote to NRC Chairman Greta Joy Dicus, asking nuclear regulators to provide better information on reactor safety and contingency plans before the new year.

Computer systems which read only the last two digits of a year may experience faults on Jan. 1, 2000, reading the new year as 1900 instead of 2000. Experts fear massive problems when the new year begins if systems are not fixed.

Bennett, in a statement, said he was pleased with the agency's response to the committee's questions.

``The NRC has responded to our concerns in a detailed and candid fashion, and I am increasingly confident that plants will be safe,'' Bennett said.

``Voluntary measures by the industry, such as increased emergency fuel supply and additional staffing, will provide an additional level of assurance.''

NRC was asked to inform the committee on the process it took to independently validate plant Y2K readiness, the availability of emergency fuel supplies, plant shut-down criteria and minimum safety standards.

NRC said there are no requirements that plants have a 30-45 day supply of emergency diesel generator fuel, nor do they believe additional supplies are necessary.

The agency based its assumptions on the reliability of the power grid and past successes at sustaining safety systems during events such as hurricanes, that typically demand a six to seven day supply of diesel fuel.

Some plants are undertaking voluntary efforts to ``top off'' supplies, increase staffing and conduct additional monitoring and inspection.

Under the existing regulatory framework, the NRC will not shut down any plants unless specific criteria are met, which may include situations in which ``systems or components are inoperable due to a Y2K deficiency.''

NRC also said it plans no suspension of technical regulations during the millennium rollover, the panel said.

``The nuclear power industry, like many others well-prepared for Y2K, is a closely regulated and highly monitored industry that is intimately familiar with the danger of failure and the safety risks involved,'' said Bennett.

NRC went to great lengths to demonstrate each reactor's Y2K compliance was reviewed by an independent industry source.

``Industry audits included 56 audits by utility quality assurance departments, 36 cross-utility audits and 46 third-party industry audits,'' NRC told the Senate panel.

``In short, all reactor sites have received at least one independent industry audit of their Y2K program.''

Anti-nuclear groups have said repeatedly that industry preparedness was tainted by the lack of outside reviews. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------

-- Anonymous, November 20, 1999