Thursday, March 26, 2009

Dominion nuke plant safety violation found

By Staff ReportsPublished: March 26, 2009

WATERFORD, Conn. -- Federal regulators are calling a piping system problem at a Connecticut nuclear power plant owned by Richmond, Va.-based Dominion Resources Inc. a "more than minor" safety violation.

But the Nuclear Regulatory Commission says there are no public safety issues, because the owner of the Millstone nuclear power plant in Waterford fixed the problem during routine maintenance in October.

NRC officials say some gas got trapped in pipes designed to deliver cooling water to one of two operating reactors at the plant. Regulators were concerned that the gas could affect the operation of pumps in an emergency.

Millstone workers installed a valve to prevent gas buildup.

A spokesman for Dominion says the company found the problem in its own inspection.

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