In a press release issued today, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said it
will conduct additional inspections at the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant, operated by Entergy Nuclear and located in Vernon, Vt. Through enhanced specialized inspections, the NRC will oversee Entergy’s efforts to address groundwater contamination at the site and to review and assess the company’s response to an NRC Demand for Information (DFI) issued in early March.
In January, Entergy notified the NRC that it had received positive sample results for tritium from a groundwater well at Vermont Yankee. The NRC has been closely monitoring Entergy’s actions to identify, mitigate, characterize and remediate the source of the contamination. The NRC’s Resident Inspectors and regional specialists continue to provide oversight of the company’s actions through direct observations and independent assessments.
Both NRC and Entergy continue to maintain that the “tritium contamination does not pose any health or safety concern for members of the public or plant workers”.
NRC has continued this stance in spite of the extensive release of thousands of gallons of tritiated water and research by reputable scientists who contend that NRC does not adequately address the health effects of tritium.
California and Colorado have set significantly more stringent tritium release standards of 400 pico curies per liter in California and 500 pico curies per liter in Colorado compared with the NRC standard of 30,000 pico curies per liter before even requiring reporting of tritium, and EPA requires a limit of 20,000 pico curies per liter for drinking water. See original document below:
… “half-assed, marginally competent inspections”?
… “minimum-wage, former fry-cook inspections?”
… “don’t ask, don’t tell?”
You know, I kind of assumed that the NRC might be conducting the strictest possible inspections as a matter of course — not just when a plant operator has a lengthy record of bumbling and deception.
NRC vows to put toothpaste back in tube.
NRC vows the check is really in the mail.
NRC vows it will never let dog eat it’s homework again.
At this point, does the NRC have any understanding of what “Regulate” or “Inspect” means? They may believe those words mean “Use PR noises to undercut annoying critics,” just as their corporate masters do.
all they will be doing is generating and shuffling around more paperwork to avoid engaging.