Indian Point: Violation in May transformer fire
USA, New York: It was revealed that a fire protection regulation has been violated at Indian Point after a transformer fire in May, inspectors said Thursday.
USA, New York: It was revealed that a fire protection regulation has been violated at Indian Point after a transformer fire in May, inspectors said Thursday.
The nuclear power plant in Buchanan failed “to promptly identify, report and correct a condition adverse to fire protection,” the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission stated in the agency’s first report in the investigation of the fire on May 9. On that day about 11,400 litres of oil leaked into the Hudson River.
The solenoid valves are programmed to open and release water in the event of a fire. After a transformer caught fire at the plant’s Unit 3, they opened and released water but they did not close. Water spilled from a floor drain and almost half an inch (0.5 in = 1.27 cm) of water covered the floor of the electrical switchgear room, officials said.
The plant’s operator Entergy had knowledge of the problem since April 2011, according to the report. Entergy replaced the valve but only after the May fire did they discover a clogged drain which was the actual cause of the problem, the NRC said. It was a non-cited violation, which is of “low safety significance” and requires correction but no enforcement action by the NRC.
According to the NRC the water that spilled on the floor of the switchgear room did not hamper the safe shutdown of the plant during the fire. Employees were able to properly isolate the source of the spill, which was prevented from impacting the equipment’s operation, the NRC said.
The NRC investigation of the transformer failure continues. The first findings are expected to be released in August. The agency is also working on a Maintenance Rule inspection of the transformer and a Problem Identification& Resolution inspection of transformer issues at Indian Point since 2007.
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