Unplanned Shutdown & Elevated Radioactive Levels at Ameren Missouri’s Callaway 1 Nuclear Reactor Containment Building
2 days ago
St. Louis, MO:
Earlier today, the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) issued an event notice for the unplanned shutdown of
the Callaway 1 nuclear reactor, which is owned and operated by Ameren
Missouri. The NRC notes that radiation is above normal in the
containment building.
Today is the third time the Callaway 1 nuclear reactor has undergone
an unplanned shutdown within the last two years; on July 26, 2013 there
was a fire near a turbine and on December 23, 2014 the turbine tripped.
The Callaway 1 nuclear reactor also leaked radioactive Tritium and
Colbalt-60 above the Environmental Protection Agency’s drinking water
guidelines within the last year.
“We expect unplanned shutdowns and other problems to increase as the
nuclear reactor ages much like you expect your car to have more problems
as it ages,” said Ed Smith with the Missouri Coalition for the
Environment. “The event today appears to be part of a trend, which we
would expect from an aging nuclear reactor or any other type of aging
complex machinery.”
NRC Event Notice: http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/
INITIATION OF PLANT SHUTDOWN DUE TO RCS LEAKAGE
“On July 23, 2015 at 0115 [CDT], Callaway Plant initiated a shutdown
required by Technical Specifications (TS). At 2139 [CDT] on July 22,
2015, TS 3.4.13 Condition A was entered due to unidentified RCS leakage
being in excess of the 1 gpm TS limit. The leak was indicated by an
increase in containment radiation readings, increasing sump levels, and
decreasing levels in the Volume Control tank (VCT).
“A containment entry identified a steam plume; due to personnel
safety the exact location of the leak inside the containment building
could not be determined.
“At this time radiation levels inside [the] containment are stable
and slightly above normal. There have been no releases from the plant
above normal levels.
“The [NRC] Senior Resident Inspector was notified.”
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