NRC: Palisades should watch metal

COVERT TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) - The Palisades nuclear power plant near South Haven might have another shut down if it fails to properly monitor its aging reactor -- and this time, it could be permanent.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission says a Fukushima-type meltdown is possible -- though unlikely -- if the plant doesn't keep a close eye on metal used inside the reactor.
 
The NRC says problems with the metal inside the reactor could cause it to become unsafe. The power company that owns the plant has until 2017 to deal with it or shut the reactor down. Experts say a closure is highly unlikely.
 
"I am concerned all of my family lives within the shadow of that plant," said Catherine Sugas, an Otsego woman who is part of an anti-nuclear group called Beyond Nuclear.
 
She said she's concerned about others too.
 
"Just like we have old cars like I have right now," Sugas said. "They start breaking down, things start wearing out and that's what's happening at Palisades."
 
Palisades and the NRC agree, but say aging parts are nothing new or unexpected.
 
"There is no immediate concern regarding what we call pressurized thermal shock," said Scott Burnell of the NRC.
 
Burnell says the conditions that would lead to a meltdown are very unlikely.

First wold be some sort of incident that would require an emergency shut down, which rarely happens. In those circumstances, water floods the reactor to cool it. But if too much is released, the reactor vessel could sustain damage, which would cause pressurized thermal shock.

That pressurized thermal shock could crack the steal of the vessel, causing it to overheat. If all those things happened, then the plant would be on the path to Fukushima, but there would still have to be several more problems to lead to a similar disaster.
 
"This is not an issue that just applies to Palisades," said Terry Young, the Vice President of Nuclear Communications of New Orleans-based Entergy, which owns Palisades. "This is a generic issue for all of the nation's pressurized reactors."
 
Young said the plant is working to prevent a meltdown in the future.
 
"I think the key here is we have very, very rigorous inspection process on a regular basis," said Young. "Where we analyze, actually take samples of the reactor vessel metal to analyze it and determine it is still in good shape and it meets all the specifications of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission."
 
Entergy says the next inspection report will be done this fall.