Just a week before Georgia Power witnesses are set to testify before the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) on the 13th semi-annual Vogtle Construction Monitoring report, significant project management changes and major cost increases were announced that will negatively impact customers for the already over budget two nuclear reactors under construction at Plant Vogtle near Waynesboro along the Savannah River.
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Alert declared after smoke detected at Harris Nuclear Power Plant — WTVD
Officials at Harris Nuclear Power Plant declared an alert Saturday at 10:16 a.m. after smoke was detected in plant electrical equipment… “This standard line where they claim there was no danger to the public, they have not issued enough information to back that up at this point,” said Jim Warren who runs the nuclear watchdog group NC WARN.
Shutdown brings furloughs to Nuclear Regulatory Commission — WTVD
The latest casualty of the federal shutdown means furloughs for thousands of workers at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Harris Plant operating at reduced capacity following equipment malfunction — WNCN
The Harris Nuclear Plant is operating at a reduced output after an early morning malfunction on the non-nuclear side of the facility Thursday.
NRC still seeking why spot missed at Shearon Harris plant — News and Observer
An outside contractor hired to look for flaws in a Duke Energy nuclear reactor near Raleigh last year missed a quarter-inch spot of corrosion and cracking near the reactor core that forced a full shutdown last month after new eyes reviewing year-old data found the problem, federal regulators said Thursday. … The plant returned to full power Sunday. … Inspectors said they’re still trying to figure out why a pair of expert-level outside analysts independently failed to spot the problem, and why the spot wasn’t caught by later reviews of the data last year. A final NRC inspection report will be released by July 11.
Reactor Crack at Shearon Harris Raises Questions — News Advisory
At a public meeting this evening, NC WARN will seek clarification on a number of questions regarding revelations that Duke Energy’s Harris nuclear plant operated for over a year with a quarter-inch crack in the reactor vessel head. Here are four good TV news stories on the May 15 shutdown of the Shearon Harris nuclear power plant:
Harris plant neighbors seek answers over nuclear shutdown (WNCT)
Wake County nuclear plant shut down (WTVD)
‘Flaw’ forces shutdown of Harris nuclear plant (WNCN)
Crack forces shutdown of nuclear reactor at Shearon Harris (WRAL)
UPDATE June 13: NRC still seeking why spot missed at Shearon Harris plant (AP)
Harris plant neighbors seek answers over nuclear shutdown — WNCT-TV
Neighbors in Holly Springs grilled federal regulators and Duke Energy executives at a nuclear safety forum Monday night. More than 50 people attended, with many wanting to know why a quarter-inch flaw in a reactor at Harris Nuclear Plant went unnoticed for a year.
Wake County nuclear plant shut down — WTVD
Duke Energy Progress shut down the Shearon Harris nuclear plant near Jordan Lake in southern Wake County Wednesday after an inspection revealed early signs of corrosion and cracking in the reactor vessel – which contains the plant’s nuclear fuel.
‘Flaw’ forces shutdown of Harris nuclear plant — WNCN
“It’s premature for the company to assure the public that there was no safety hazard at this point. This is a reactor vessel that has very high pressures pushing outward,” said NC WARN’s Jim Warren. Warren said the plant being shut down could cost Duke Energy $1 million a day. Warren believes Duke Energy will put the bill on its customers.
Crack forces shutdown of nuclear reactor at Shearon Harris — WRAL
“To have a crack in a reactor vessel head that went undetected for at least a year, that’s very troubling,” said Jim Warren, executive director of utility watchdog NC WARN, a frequent critic of Duke and Progress.