NRC TO PRESENT PRELIMINARY FINDINGS OF MILLSTONE 3 SPECIAL INSPECTION
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The preliminary results of an NRC special inspection conducted following an April 17^th shutdown of the Millstone Unit 3 nuclear power plant will be presented at a meeting of Connecticut’s Nuclear Energy Advisory Council (NEAC) on Wednesday, May 18. The session is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at Waterford Town Hall, at 15 Rope Ferry Road in Waterford, Conn.

Members of the public are invited to observe the NRC presentation. Prior to adjournment, attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions of NRC staff regarding the special inspection preliminary results.

The Millstone 2 and 3 nuclear power plants are located in Waterford and operated by Dominion Resources. During the April 17^th event, the Millstone 3 unit experienced an automatic shutdown from full power. The event also involved the activation of one of two safety subsystems. As the reactor was shutting down, multiple steam line safety valves lifted and at least one main steam safety valve appeared to remain open. It was the apparent failure of the valve to reclose that resulted in the declaration of an "Alert" – the second-lowest of four levels of emergency classification. Subsequent review determined that the valve did in fact close.

There were no injuries due to the event and any releases of radioactivity were small and well below allowable federal limits.

An NRC special inspection team, consisting of four full-time and three part-time inspectors, was dispatched to the site on April 20 to evaluate the circumstances surrounding the event. After presenting its preliminary findings on May 18, the team will document its findings and conclusions in a report to be issued within 45 days.

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Thursday, February 22, 2007