nrc's role in the davis bessie messie?

[Norman Cohen <ncohen12@comcast.net>]

Hi all

I asked Dave Lochbaum what he thought the NRC's role in the Davis Bessie Messie

was. I was wondering where the heck the resident inspectors were and what they

were doing, especially since the NRC recently released a report blaming the

messie on the utility. . Here's his answer. Comments from you all are welcome.



(still me writing) So are resident inspectors more than paper pushers? I was

amazed at the Salem Staem Generator public meeting that the steam generator

expert inspector said that he personally had never inspected a steam generator

tube at a nuclear plant, just inspected the results.



Is NRC leaving too much in the hands of the utilities?



Norm



Dave Lochbaum wrote:



> Hello Norm:

>

> NRC inspectors do eyeball work, but not as often as you'd think. I

> attended a conference at NRC Region I a few years ago. NRC told

> me that their average resident inspector spends 28 to 29 percent

> of his time inspecting the plant. The rest of the time is spent in meetings,

> writing reports, in training, taking vacation, etc.

>

> Of the time actually spent inspecting stuff, there are literally hundreds

> of workers conducting literally thousands of tests each year. NRC can't

> look over everyone's shoulder.

>

> It would have been nice if the NRC resident inspector at Davis-Besse

> had discovered the damage. But I cannot fault him for not having done

> so given the many other things going on.

>

> But I can fault NRC HQ for allowing Davis-Besse to waive the year-end

> inspection last year. NRC knew that Davis-Besse was in a similar condition

> to five other nuclear plants. All five of those similar nuclear plants had

> inspected their CRDM nozzles and had found cracks. There was every

> possible indication that the CRDM nozzles at Davis-Besse would

> also be cracked. But NRC HQ allowed Davis-Besse to continue operating

> until mid-February. NRC HQ made the error, not the resident inspector.

>

> Thanks,

> Dave

>







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