Duke Energy Nuclear Plant Under Increased NRC Oversight
NRC said in April, an electrical component on a Catawba Unit 2 emergency diesel generator failed during a scheduled test. NRC said its inspectors reviewed the event and determined that the plant staff had failed to adequately develop and adjust preventive maintenance activities using operating experience, maintenance history, and performance records.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced last week that it has determined an inspection finding at Duke Energy's Catawba nuclear power plant near York, S.C., has low to moderate safety significance, and as a result, the plant will be under increased NRC oversight until the agency is satisfied that the issue has been appropriately addressed.
The agency had concluded that the plant failed to adequately develop and adjust preventive maintenance activities, which allowed "a condition adverse to quality to remain uncorrected," according to an Oct.16 letter from NRC to Duke's Tom Simril, site vice president at the two-unit power plant.
NRC said in April, an electrical component on a Catawba Unit 2 emergency diesel generator failed during a scheduled test. NRC said its inspectors reviewed the event and determined that the plant staff had failed to adequately develop and adjust preventive maintenance activities using operating experience, maintenance history, and performance records. NRC preliminarily characterized the finding as white, or having low to moderate safety significance, and after reviewing Duke Energy's response to the issue, the agency finalized the white finding. The increased oversight resulting from the finding will include a supplemental inspection to ensure Duke Energy fully understands the issue and has taken appropriate corrective actions.
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