Saturday, December 30, 2000 Associated Press

COLUMBIA - Problems with a pump at the V.C. Summer nuclear station in Fairfield County were not as serious as originally thought, regulators said Friday. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission in Atlanta said last month the problems with a steam-driven emergency feedwater pump at the reactor were considered a "yellow" issue. Friday, the agency said the fact that an improper valve setting left the pump inoperable for 48 days earlier this year was a "white" issue. The NRC ranks problems as green, white, yellow or red, depending on seriousness. The change came after additional information provided by South Carolina Electric & Gas Co. was evaluated, NRC spokesman Ken Clark said. The Summer plant has two electric motor-driven emergency feedwater pumps, and another which is steam-driven, for use if the usual feedwater flow is interrupted. There was no problem with the regular flow to the three steam generators during the period.

http://www.charleston.net/pub/news/state/nucl1230.htm

-- Doris (nocents@bellsouth.net), December 30, 2000