NRC: Pilgrim Did Not Follow Correct Procedures During Start-Up

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a 37-page report on an automatic shutdown that occurred at Pilgrim Nuclear Plant May 10, during after a refueling and maintenance outage.

A preliminarily inspection that was done by NRC investigators found that Pilgrim control room operators failed to implement "conduct of operations and reactivity control standards and procedures during the reactor startup," NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan wrote in an email. The report has been determined to be of low-to-moderate safety significance.

Pilgrim and Entergy may receive additional scrutiny from the NRC if the commission finds the final report to be of the same seriousness.

"We would perform additional inspections at the plant to ensure that the company fully understood the root causes of the issues and had implemented lasting and meaningful corrective actions," Sheehan wrote.

Entergy will have the option of requesting a Regulatory Conference to discuss the preliminary finding with NRC staff or may respond to it in writing.

Entergy is in the process of renewing it's operating license for another 20 years. The 39-year-old plant has been open since 1972 and will continue operations under its current license until June 2012.

Pilgrim Watch, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley and others have asked for additional studies to be done on whether the plant can safely operate for another 20 years, as well as the plant's impact on the environment and Plymouth's water supply.

Plymouth Patch will have more on this story in the next few days, including local reaction.