Corrosion Cause of N.Y. Plant Leak

March 7, 2000
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has determined the cause of a radioactive leak at the Indian Point 2 power plant last month.

Highly pressurized, superheated water that corroded a nickel-alloy tube from the inside was probably what caused a radioactive leak at the Indian Point 2 power plant last month, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan emphasized that an official finding is weeks away and "there are other pieces of that puzzle that we still have to look at."

However, based on a videotape from a remote-controlled camera sent into the tube, "it's probable that this was stress corrosion cracking," Sheehan said Thursday.

An minute amount of radioactive steam escaped into the atmosphere Feb. 15, when radioactive water from one of the reactor's 13,000 tubes contaminated the clean water that is turned to steam to drive turbines.

No one was injured at the plant 35 miles north of New York City that is owned and operated by Con Edison. It was the worst accident in its 26-year history.

If it is concluded that corrosion was the cause, it could raise questions about the industry's inspection practices.

An inspection at the plant in 1997 showed no sign of a crack in the tube that leaked, according to Con Ed.

Con Ed had gotten NRC permission to postpone a scheduled 1999 inspection because the plant was out of service for parts of the intervening two years.

NRC investigators told Con Ed that if the crack could appear, deepen and break open between inspections, the inspection schedule might have to be tightened.

Con Ed Vice President Stephen Quinn said a decision on more frequent inspections should be made on "sound, technical knowledge" and should await the completion of the investigation.

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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