FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 8, 2004 |
CONTACT:
Louis Zeller (704) 756-7550
Janet Zeller (336) 982-2691 |
BREDL’s
Lawsuit Against Duke’s Plutonium Fuel Tests
Wins Full Hearing
Today the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense
League announced that it will present detailed
arguments against plutonium fuel tests at Duke
Power reactors near Charlotte. In a ruling by the
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Atomic Safety and
Licensing Board, the three-judge panel agreed to
hear three specific objections to the
experimental project: that Duke failed to account
for differences between conventional and
plutonium nuclear plant fuels on both plant
safety and environmental impacts, and that Duke
did not consider alternative sites for the use of
plutonium fuel.
The specific language of the order states:
| 1) The LAR (License Amendment
Request) is inadequate because Duke has
failed to account for differences in MOX
[mixed oxide] and LEU [low enriched
uranium] fuel behavior (both known
differences and recent information on
possible differences) and for the impact
of such differences on LOCA [loss of
coolant accidents] and on the DBA
[design-based accident] analysis for
Catawba. 2) The LAR [License
Amendment Request] is inadequate because
Duke has (a) failed to account for the
impact of differences in MOX [mixed
oxide] and LEU [low enriched uranium]
fuel behavior (both known differences and
recent information on possible
differences) on the potential for
releases from Catawba in the event of a
core disruptive accident, and (b) failed
to quantify to the maximum extent
practicable environmental impact factors
relating to the use of the MOX [mixed
oxide lead test assemblies] at Catawba,
as required by NEPA [National
Environmental Policy Act].
3) The Environmental Report is
deficient because it fails to consider
Oconee as an alternative for the MOX LTAs
[mixed oxide lead test assemblies].
|
BREDL’s safety concerns
are based on evidence that plutonium fuel rods
fail at far lower temperatures 400 to 570
degrees-F lower than conventional uranium fuel
rods. Also, the metal sheath, or cladding, which
holds the fuel rod together may form balloons
which block cooling water, leading to an
uncontrolled core meltdown. In addition, the
three-judge panel ruled that Duke must consider
other reactors for the lead test assemblies such
as the Oconee plant near Greenville, SC.
BREDL’s Executive Director Janet Zeller
said, "We are pleased to have the
opportunity to demonstrate what the people of
Charlotte and Rock Hill know alreadythat
weapons-grade plutonium fuel is too unpredictable
and too dangerous to use in Duke’s
reactors."
A full judicial hearing on BREDL’s
challenges could be held as early as mid-May in
Charlotte. A detailed schedule of hearings on
these contentions and BREDL’s challenges on
security problems will be agreed on soon by all
parties.
-end-
More info:
Read NRC Atomic
Safety and Licensing Board ruling (.pdf)
SOUTHERN ANTI-PLUTONIUM CAMPAIGN
|
