Incident Timeline

Philadelphia Electric's (PECO) applied for a license to operate the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station in late-July, 1960. The application was approved by the Atomic Energy Commission. Peach Bottom was a 40 megawatt, High Temperature Graphite Moderated reactor that operated from 1966-1974. Peach Bottom 2 & 3 , are 1,065 megawatt Boiling Water Reactor designed by General Electric and engineered by Bechtel. Both reactors began operation in July, 1974, but had their licensees extended by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and are expected to operate though 2034.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Institute for Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) have clearly demonstrated that Philadelphia Electric's (PECO), renamed Exelon in 2000, performance has historically been lackadaisical and sub-par. In order to put Peach Bottom's operating history into perspective, it is necessary to review PECO's plant legacy.

Peach Bottom Chronology.pdf

Peach Bottom Chronology.pdf

TMIA's Testimony, Peach Bottom License Extension, (9:12:19).pdf

TMIA's Testimony, Peach Bottom License Extension, (9:12:19).pdf

This chronology does not include the cost to the rate payer to build Susquehanna-1 and -2. PP&L asked the Public Utility Commission (PUC) for $315 million to recover the cost of building Unit-1. The PUC granted $203 million on August 22, 1983, or a 16% increase to the customer. The company asked for $330 million for Unit-2 but was allowed $121 million in April, 1985; an 8% increase to rate payers. In addition, PP&L consumers have “contributed”  approximately $4.6 million annually (since 1985) to the decommissioning fund. (Also,  refer  to  May  15  and  August  13,  1998,  for  information  on  “stranded  costs” passed on to  “hostage” PP&L  rate payers.)

Moreover, in the Winter 1999/2000, PPL unilaterally devaluated the combined PURTA and Real Estate tax assessments for the SSES. Prior to the Negotiated Settlement, the nuclear power generating stations were assessed by PP&L at approximately $1 billion. PPL is now claiming that the the SSES is only worth $74 million or the same amount as the valuation of the Columbia Hospital. If PPL prevails, the Berwick School District and Luzerne County will experience revenue shock. PPL is not paying or escrowing any moneys they owe to Luzerne County and the Berwick School District.

Berwick Susquehanna Steam Electric Station Chronology.pdf

Berwick Susquehanna Steam Electric Station Chronology.pdf

March 28, 1979, 4:00 a.m. - Beginning of the Three Mile Island (TMI) Unit-2 loss-of-coolant, core melt accident. The plant came within 30 minutes of a full meltdown. The reactor vessel was destroyed, and large amounts of unmonitored radiation was released directly into the community.

TMI Chronology.pdf

TMI Chronology.pdf

Greetings,

On July 21, 2014, the Waste Confidence Directorate provided the Commission with the draft final documents for the Continued Storage rulemaking (formerly Waste Confidence).  These documents are called “draft” final documents because until the Commission reviews and approves them for publication, they are not truly final—the Commission could approve, modify, or disapprove these documents.  These documents are not for public comment, however, the NRC is releasing them to the public in accordance with Commission procedures.  The draft final rulemaking documents can be accessed in the Agencywide Documents Access Management System (ADAMS):

· SECY-14-0072: Final Rule: Continued Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel (RIN 3150-AJ20) – ADAMS Accession No. ML14177A474  à http://pbadupws.nrc.gov/docs/ML1417/ML14177A474.pdf

· Final Rule:  Continued Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel (Federal Register notice) – ADAMS Accession No. ML14177A477  à http://pbadupws.nrc.gov/docs/ML1417/ML14177A477.pdf

· NUREG-2157, Generic Environmental Impact Statement for Continued Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel – Final Report – ADAMS Accession No. ML14188B749  à  http://pbadupws.nrc.gov/docs/ML1418/ML14188B749.pdf

All three documents can also be accessed on the Waste Confidence website homepage:

http://www.nrc.gov/waste/spent-fuel-storage/wcd.html

Please note that in response to public comments, the NRC staff is proposing to change the title of the rulemaking from Waste Confidence to Continued Storage.  For an explanation of this proposed change, please see Section IV, Issue 4, in the draft final Federal Register notice, or Section D.2.1.4 in Appendix D of the draft final NUREG-2157.  Similarly, we direct you to Appendix D for information about how the staff proposes to respond to comments received on the proposed rule and draft generic environmental impact statement.

These documents are not for public comment.

Thank you,

Staff of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Waste Confidence Directorate

Incident Chronology at TMI from NRC: 1979-2014

March 28, 1979, 4:00 a.m. - Beginning of the Three Mile Island (TMI) Unit-2 loss-of-coolant, core melt accident. The plant came within 30 minutes of a full meltdown. The reactor vessel was destroyed, and large amounts of unmonitored radiation was released directly into the community.

March 28, 1979, 4:30 p.m. - Press conference of Lt. Governor William Scranton:
This is an update on the incident at Three-Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant today. This situation is more complex than the company first led us to believe. We are taking more tests. And at this point, we believe there is still no danger to public health. Metropolitan Edison has given you and us conflicting information. We just concluded a meeting with company officials and hope this briefing will clear up most of your questions. There has been a release of radioactivity into the environment. The magnitude of this release is still being determined, but there is no evidence yet that it has resulted in the presence of dangerous levels. The company has informed us that from about 11 a.m. until about 1:30 p.m., Three-Mile Island discharged into the air, steam that contained detectable amounts of radiation.

March 30, 1979 - Governor Richard Thornburgh recommended an evacuation for preschool children and pregnant women living within five miles of the plant. Out of a target population of 5,000, over 140,000 Central Pennsylvanians fled the area. Schools in the area closed...

The U.S. House of Representatives committee examining reporting information during the accident concluded:

The record indicates that in reporting to State and federal officials on March 28, 1979, TMI managers did not communicate information in their possession that they understood to be related to the severity of the situation. The lack of such information prevented State and federal officials from accurately assessing the condition of the plant. In addition, the record indicates that TMI managers presented State and federal officials misleading statements (i.e. statements that were inaccurate and incomplete) that conveyed the impression the accident was substantially less severe and the situation more under control than what the managers themselves believed and what was in fact the case.

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Incident Chronology at Susquehanna Steam Electric Station in Berwick: 2010- 2011

CHRONOLOGY of  PROBLEMS at the SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION
 
This chronology does not include the cost to the rate payer
to build Susquehanna-1 and -2. PP&L asked the Public Utility
Commission (PUC) for $315 million to recover the cost of
building Unit-1. The PUC granted $203 million on August 22,
1983, or a 16% increase to the customer. The company asked for
$330 million for Unit-2 but was allowed $121 million in April,
1985; an 8% increase to rate payers. In addition, PP&L
consumers have “contributed”  approximately $4.6 million
annually (since 1985) to the decommissioning fund.
(Also,  refer  to  May  15  and  August  13,  1998,  for  information
on  “stranded  costs” passed on to  “hostage” PP&L  rate payers.)
Moreover, in the Winter 1999/2000, PPL unilaterally
devaluated the combined PURTA and Real Estate tax
assessments for the SSES. Prior to the Negotiated Settlement,
the nuclear power generating stations were assessed by PP&L at
approximately $1 billion. PPL is now claiming that the the SSES
is only worth $74 million or the same amount as the valuation of
the Columbia Hospital. If PPL prevails, the Berwick School
District and Luzerne County will experience revenue shock. PPL
is not paying or escrowing any moneys they owe to Luzerne
County and the Berwick School District.

Download Document

Incident Chronology at TMI from NRC: 1979-2012

March 28, 1979, 4:00 a.m. - Beginning of the Three Mile Island (TMI) Unit-2 loss-of-coolant, core melt accident. The plant came within 30 minutes of a full meltdown. The reactor vessel was destroyed, and large amounts of unmonitored radiation was released directly into the community.

March 28, 1979, 4:30 p.m. - Press conference of Lt. Governor William Scranton:
This is an update on the incident at Three-Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant today. This situation is more complex than the company first led us to believe. We are taking more tests. And at this point, we believe there is still no danger to public health. Metropolitan Edison has given you and us conflicting information. We just concluded a meeting with company officials and hope this briefing will clear up most of your questions. There has been a release of radioactivity into the environment. The magnitude of this release is still being determined, but there is no evidence yet that it has resulted in the presence of dangerous levels. The company has informed us that from about 11 a.m. until about 1:30 p.m., Three-Mile Island discharged into the air, steam that contained detectable amounts of radiation.

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Incident Chronology at Susquehanna Steam Electric Station in Berwick: 2010- 2011

CHRONOLOGY of  PROBLEMS at the SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION

This chronology does not include the cost to the rate payer to build Susquehanna-1 and -2. PP&L asked the Public Utility Commission (PUC) for $315 million to recover the cost of building Unit-1. The PUC granted $203 million on August 22, 1983, or a 16% increase to the customer. The company asked for $330 million for Unit-2 but was allowed $121 million in April, 1985; an 8% increase to rate payers. In addition, PP&L consumers have “contributed”  approximately $4.6 million annually (since 1985) to the decommissioning fund.

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Siren Problems at Three Mile Island
2001-2013
 
• October 5-9, 2001: “Licensee sirens in Lancaster County were inoperable October 5 through October 9, 2001, due to a radio transmitter being deenergized at the county facility. The transmitter is part of the siren actuation system. This issue is unresolved pending further investigation into the lines of ownership and maintenance of the actuation system.” (IR 50-289/01-07).

• January 11, 2002:  Siren testing at TMI encountered numerous problems: all sirens failed in York County and one siren failed in Lancaster County. AmerGen attributed to computer malfunctions.

• March 3, 2002: A siren malfunctioned in York County again. During TMI’s annual test on on January 30, 2002, all 34 sirens in York County, located within ten-miles of the plant, failed to activate.

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CHRONOLOGY of  PROBLEMS at the SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION
 
This chronology does not include the cost to the rate payer
to build Susquehanna-1 and -2. PP&L asked the Public Utility
Commission (PUC) for $315 million to recover the cost of
building Unit-1. The PUC granted $203 million on August 22,
1983, or a 16% increase to the customer. The company asked for
$330 million for Unit-2 but was allowed $121 million in April,
1985; an 8% increase to rate payers. In addition, PP&L
consumers have “contributed”  approximately $4.6 million
annually (since 1985) to the decommissioning fund.
(Also,  refer  to  May  15  and  August  13,  1998,  for  information
          on  “stranded  costs” passed on to  “hostage” PP&L  rate payers.)
Moreover, in the Winter 1999/2000, PPL unilaterally
devaluated the combined PURTA and Real Estate tax
assessments for the SSES. Prior to the Negotiated Settlement,
the nuclear power generating stations were assessed by PP&L at
approximately $1 billion. PPL is now claiming that the the SSES
is only worth $74 million or the same amount as the valuation of
the Columbia Hospital. If PPL prevails, the Berwick School
District and Luzerne County will experience revenue shock. PPL
is not paying or escrowing any moneys they owe to Luzerne
County and the Berwick School District.
    (See  April  23,  2001  and  July  13,  2003,  for  related  development).
The Susquehanna Steam Electric Station is owned by PP&L (90%)
and  the Allegheny Electric Cooperative (10%). The Allegheny Electric
Cooperative (AEC) is responsible for 10% of the cost of decommissioning.
PP&L’s consultant, TLG, estimated PP&L’s decommissioning share to be
$724 million. Therefore, the AEC is responsible for the remaining 10%, or
$79 million, of the $804 million projected funding  “target” for nuclear
decommissioning.

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