Speak out @ 1/14 Palisades Mtg.!

Contact: Kevin Kamps, radioactive waste specialist, Beyond Nuclear, (240) 462-3216, [email protected]

Michael Keegan, co-chair, Don’t Waste Michigan, (734) 770-1441, [email protected]

PRESS ADVISORY: Jan. 14, 2025 NRC/Holtec Hybrid Meeting

on Palisades Atomic Reactor Restart Scheme

Environmental Watchdogs To Speak Out Against BAND-AID Shortcuts

on Severe Degradation of Safety-Critical Steam Generator Tubes

An environmental coalition (Beyond Nuclear, Don’t Waste Michigan, Michigan Safe Energy Future, Nuclear Energy Information Service of Chicago, and Three Mile Island Alert of Pennsylvania) has officially intervened against Holtec’s Palisades restart scheme, before an NRC Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel. The coalition’s expert, chief engineer Arnie Gundersen of Fairewinds, has prepared a backgrounder in advance of the meeting (linked here).

Gundersen’s backgrounder includes this passage:

Even though it was aware of the possibility of restarting Palisades since it acquired the facility, Holtec made no effort to protect vital systems from attack by corrosive chemicals in 2022 and into 2023. Now, in early 2025, Holtec comes before the NRC seeking approval and forgiveness for the damage its safety lapses have inflicted on the Palisades Steam Generators. Make no mistake: these safety flaws, and many others in additional equipment, were caused by Holtec’s gaffs and management blunders in 2022 and 2023.

“Gundersen says the steam generators must be replaced before any serious thought should be given to restarting Palisades. Replacement is a half-billion dollar undertaking, and is something that Holtec supposedly budgeted into its federal corporate welfare request. Holtec is once again cutting corners on public safety for the sake of sheer profit. We can’t rely on leak-before-break; Holtec must replace-before-restart,” said Terry Lodge, co-counsel for the environmental coalition.

Environmental watchdogs from across Michigan, the Great Lakes Basin, and beyond, plan to speak out at the January 14, 2025 meeting about their concerns regarding the reactor core meltdown risks of safety-critical pipe breaks, and cascading steam generator tube failure, at the severely age-degraded Palisades atomic reactor.

Holtec began inspections of the Palisades steam generators (SGs) on August 24, 2024. On September 3, 2024, via teleconference, Holtec provided NRC with an update on the severity of steam generator tube degradation revealed by its recent, ongoing inspection and analysis. NRC then published a rare Preliminary Notification of Occurrence (PNO) on September 18, 2024, citing “a large number of SG tubes with indications that require further analysis and/or repair.”

The in-person meeting location is: NRC [Headquarters] One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, HQ-OWFN-01F20, Rockville MD. (Be sure to leave plenty of time to clear security upon arrival.)

The meeting can also be attended, as by members of the public and news media, via webinar. Here is the webinar link (pre-registration is required): https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/9f3fda1c-dbd3-4f45-b782-f075f8816774@e8d01475-c3b5-436a-a065-5def4c64f52e

Here is additional information about the webinar:

Webinar Meeting Number: 247950710274
Webinar Password: gT7Lo6MQ

NRC also provided these additional comments about attending via webinar:

The meeting can also be attended by teleconference:

Bridge Number: (301) 576-2978
Passcode: 316526401#
Conference ID: 316526401

NRC has posted additional information about the meeting, including the following AGENDA:

Time                        Topic                                                                                            Speaker        

OPEN SESSION

1:00 to 1:10 P.M.     Introductions & Opening Remarks                                             NRC

1:10 to 1:50 P.M.     Primary Coolant System Leak-Before-Break Discussion     Holtec

1:50 to 2:30 P.M.     Steam Generator Sleeving Discussion                                     Holtec

2:30 to 3:30 P.M.     Public Questions and Comments                                              NRC & Public

3:30 P.M.                 Adjourn the Public Portion of the Meeting                              NRC

CLOSED SESSION

3:45 to 4:30 P.M.     Closed Portion of the Meeting                                                  Holtec

4:30 P.M.                 Meeting Adjourn                                                                           All

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