Hollywood, Alabama - Bellefonte Nuclear Facility, Briefing and Announcements, July 30, 2018 -- Update - August 4, 2018: A Question of Nuclear Reliability - May 6, 2021 - Update and Documents Review

Bellefonte Nuclear Facility near Hollywood, Alabama July 30, 2018, lots of talk today and promises. Interviews reveal no completion of financing or sale; however, all said the sale will be complete by the November 2018 deadline. (photo by G. Morgan)

Bud Cramer, former U.S. Congressman for our area, now works for Nuclear Development LLC. Cramer stated, no foreign money involvement (see UPDATE below), DOE grant in final stage says Cramer, grant level at $5 billion dollars. On schedule for sale finalization by November 2018.

MAY 6, 2021 - REVIEW AND UPDATE OF DOCUMENTS AND STATUS OF THE BELLEFONTE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2

Documents indicating violations of law, regulation and policy -  

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

 DOCKET NOS. 50-438 and 50-439

Expert Testimony and Declarations (link) 

https://cleanenergy.org/wp-content/uploads/BLN12DeclarationGundersen050609.pdf

Quote Regarding the Bellefonte Nuclear Plant Cannibalization: "Dr. Bob Doggart, a former senior engineering specialist at TVA who now serves as the managing lead assessor for the British Institute of Nondestructive Testing LLC said. “To allow outsiders to come in and remove key equipment for virtually nothing was unbelievably foolish.” Chattanooga Times Free Press on March 29, 2009"

Quote (pg14): ". . . licensure and operation of TVA’s Bellefonte Units 1 and 2 pose a grave risk to public health and safety without an entirely new construction permitting process, Quality Assurance Program, and environmental data analysis. . . "

CURRENT NRC STAUS AND DOCUMENTATION ON THE LICENSE TRASFER

Link: https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/bellefonte-constr-permits.html

ALL THINGS RELATED TO BELLEFONTE NUCLEAR POWER FACILITY ON THIS BLOG LINK:

https://arklite.blogspot.com/search/label/Bellefonte%20Nuclear%20Power%20Plant 

UPDATE - A question of nuclear reliability

Wall Street Journal Article regarding alleged questionable foreign financing in violation of the Atomic Energy Act from Qatar involving President Trump's contacts and Nuclear Development LLC.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/top-trump-donor-agreed-to-pay-michael-cohen-10-million-for-nuclear-project-push-sources-say-1533245330?mod=hp_lead_pos4 

More Updates, this one from Alabama Media Group, al.com 

More on corruption associated with Franklin Haney and Bellefonte - "You got trouble Alabama and its' name is Haney" - https://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2018/08/you_got_trouble_alabama_and_it.html#incart_river_index

Corruption, Bellefonte and Haney - Nuclear Development,LLC

Preston Swafford, SNC Lavalin, former TVA, stated cost would be at approximately $3 billion dollars to complete Unit 1; a low ball estimate, more in the line of $5 billion to complete Unit 1. Operations for power delivery estimate to begin in 2024 according to Swafford. Costs of the Bellefonte facility in 2010 were $8 Billion  to complete both Unit 1 and Unit 2. Current costs are estimated for Unit 1 (55% complete) completion $5 billion; Unit 2 completion (35% complete) cost estimates $ 8-9 billion. 10 year inflation costs are at 65-70%. Every month, every year which passes costs increase.  (photo by G. Morgan)

Jackson County Economic Development Authority CEO Shelia Shepard opened the briefing today. 

AGENDA and SNC Lavalin Press Statement

(Click on image for an expanded view.)

Chattanooga Times Free Press article from today by Dave Flessner:   https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/breakingnews/story/2018/jul/30/haney-outlines/475955/   Quote -""TVA began gutting key components out of the Bellefonte reactors a decade ago whenTVA first decided to abandon the original Bellefonte units in favor of next generation nuclear power. TVA later reversed that decision but then ultimately gave up on any of its plans for Bellefonte as demand for additional electricity has stagnated in the Tennessee Valley. Critics of the Bellefonte plant contend that the integrity of the plant safety systems was jeopardized when steam generators and other equipment was removed. . .We don't believe that Bellefonte could ever meet the safety standards that the NRC would require because it was put outside of the nuclear quality and assurance standards and we've seen no credible program to bring it back into those requirements," said Stephen Smith, executive director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, which has long opposed the completion of Bellefonte.""

History Links regarding the Bellefonte Nuclear Facility near Hollywood, Alabama

Power Technology: https://www.power-technology.com/projects/bellefontenuclearpla/

WIKI Referenced Info on Bellefonte: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellefonte_Nuclear_Generating_Station

BIZJOURNAL reports this info regarding Bellefonte: 

"A private engineering consultant with an office in Birmingham has been enlisted to help complete work on a nuclear power plant in Jackson County.  Enercon Services Inc. signed a memorandum of understanding with Montreal-based SNC-Lavalin to help complete work on the Bellefonte Unit 1 Nuclear Generating Station in the Alabama town of Hollywood."   https://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/news/2018/06/28/georgia-firm-to-help-build-nuclear-power-plant-in.html

Chattanooga Times Free Press article from June 8, 2018:    https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/business/aroundregion/story/2018/jun/08/haney-signs-agreement-canadifirm-finish-belle/472720/  Note previous TVA employees involved in this firm. 

VIDEO of Bellefonte Nuclear Facility Briefing and Announcements, Monday July 30, 2018

TVA, Tennessee Valley Authority, 1st Quarter 2017 Board Meeting, 2016 Financial Overview, Presidents Report, November 10, 2016 at Blairsville Georgia.

TVA graphic, Power Fist, Fair Use for non-profit news reporting and commentary. 

Union County Schools Auditorium

TVA Meeting place, nice facility. Fair Use for non-profit news reporting and commentary, Union County Georgia Schools photo.

             TVA Board Meeting 

                                              Agenda
                                              Presentation

11-10-16 Blairsville, Georgia TVA Quarterly Meeting, Citizen Input from SACE

11-10-16 Blairsville, Georgia TVA Quarterly Meeting. Part 1 is TVA's Financial Report for FY 2016.



11-10-16 TVA Board Meeting Part 2 Blairsville, Ga. - People & Performance Committee Report



November 10, 2016 Blairsville, Georgia TVA Board Meeting, Part 3 President's Report


11-10-16 Blairsville, Ga. TVA Board Meeting, Nuclear Oversight & External Relations Committee

TVA Watts Bar Nuclear Plant - A Chilled Work Environment - Failed Safety Culture or NRC Lip Service? UPDATE - November 10, 2016 Falsification and Destruction of Fire Watch Records at Watts Bar Nuclear Plant - NRC Says Low Severity? Retaliation??

TVA, Tennessee Valley Authority, has boasted about the first new nuke plant in many a year. Actually it isn't new and it cost about 7 billion dollars to complete over 43 years. There are other costs, a "chilled work environment," contributing factor, STRESS to get the plant on line. The question - has safety been compromised? Photo by TVA - Fair Use for non-profit news reporting and commentary.

UPDATE - NOVEMBER 10, 2016

FALSIFICATION OF RECORDS, NRC SAYS LOW SIGNIFICANCE?? WATTS BAR NUCLEAR PLANT - NRC INTEGRATED INSPECTION REPORT 05000390/2016003, 05000391/2016003 AND NOTICE OF VIOLATION AND OI REPORT NUMBER OI-2-2015-039

ADAMS Accession No. ML16315A344 (It will take a few days for this document to be posted on the NRC's info library.) ADAMS Reference link: http://adams.nrc.gov/wba/  or http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/

Document Date: November 10, 2016

This report released today after the "Chilled Effects" meeting last Thursday, Nov. 3, 2016 regarding the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant. Low significance?? Notice of Violation for willfully falsifying Fire Watch Records and destroying said records.  There may have been retaliation by a contractor involved in this incident regarding an employee refusing to sign a falsified report.

Quote: "Severity Level IV. The NRC identified a Severity Level IV violation of 10 CFR 50.9 "Completeness and Accuracy of Information," for the failure to maintain continuous compensatory fire watch information that was complete and accurate in all material respects. The licensee’s actions of creating falsified fire watch completion records...(from page 6 under Findings) "According to the testimony received by the NRC OI, on the morning of April 28, 2015, the licensee contract fire watch foreman attempted to persuade four fire watch laborers to sign fire watch records indicating that they performed the missed fire watch from the day before. Three of the individuals each signed the fire watch turnover records. However, one fire watch laborer refused to sign the fire watch turnover records. A meeting was held with the contract fire watch foreman, the contract fire protection specialist, and the TVA fire protection foreman. When it became clear that one individual would not sign the fire watch turnover record, the contract fire watch foreman disposed of the paperwork. The missed fire watch was reported to management, prompting investigations about the root causes of the missed fire watch. The licensee initiated condition report 1019953. The falsified fire watch record was never recovered." 

The NRC fined TVA $70K for falsifying Fire Watch Records at the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant, op-ed from Pam Sohn back in April of this year.

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/opinion/times/story/2016/apr/08/sohn-regulators-ice-tvchilling-effect-letter/359272/ 

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, NRC, March 23, 2016

NRC to TVA

As discussed during the public meeting held on March 22, 2016 in the RII office(ML16083A403), we initiated a review in late 2015 at the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant into the environment for raising and addressing safety issues. We began this review in light of information received through our inspection and allegations process associated with the Safety Conscious Work Environment (SCWE) within the Operations Department and its influence onthe safe operation of the plant. Our review includes information received through allegations, inspections, and interviews of your staff over the past few months. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, NRC, has concluded that a Chilled Work Environment exists in the Operations Department because of a perception that operators are not free to raise safety concerns using all available avenues without fear of retaliation. We have not identified any serious safety violations or instances involving significant plant safety issues, but the information gathered has led to concerns about the impact the work environment is having on plant operations raises

questions about your commitment to emphasize safety over competing goals to ensure protection of people and the environment. We want to ensure that TVA has a clear understanding of the scope of our concerns and to communicate specific requests and expectations for your response.

The Safety Culture Policy Statement (76 FR 34773; June 14, 2011) sets forth the Commission's expectation that licensees establish and maintain a positive safety culture commensurate with the safety and security significance of their activities and the nature and complexity of their organizations and functions. The NRC defines nuclear safety culture as the core values and behaviors resulting from a collective commitment by leaders and individuals to emphasize safety over competing goals to ensure protection of people and the environment. A safety conscious work environment is defined by the NRC as an environment in which “employees feel free to raise safety concerns, both to their management and to the NRC, without fear of retaliation” and is one trait of a strong safety culture. NRC Regulatory Issue Summary 05-018, “Guidance for Establishing and Maintaining a Safety Conscious Work Environment,” dated August 25, 2005, further describes the NRC’s expectations in this area. More on this letter: http://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1608/ML16083A479.pdf

News Links and Reports

1) March 2016  "TVA addresses ‘chilled’ work environment at Watts Bar" http://archive.knoxnews.com/business/tva-addresses-chilled-work-environment-at-watts-bar-2ea58296-1aaa-7e48-e053-0100007f1279-373126401.html

2) April 2016  "Watts Bar received more safety complaints from employees this year than any other U.S. plant" http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/business/aroundregion/story/2016/apr/06/watts-bar-faced-more-safety-complaints-employees-2015-any-other-us-plant/359170/

3) May 2016  "TVA vows to thaw chilled atmosphere, better handle employee safety concerns" http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/business/aroundregion/story/2016/may/25/tvtries-thaw-chilled-atmosphere-employee-conc/367469/ 

4) September 2016  "TVA OIG Report on Work Environment for Nuclear Oversight"  The bottom line of the OIG report regarding nuclear oversight -  Employees should "feel free to raise concerns without fear of retalliation." http://oig.tva.gov/reports/16rpts/2016-15398.pdf

5) Public Meeting Scheduled in Athens, Tn. regarding the Chilled Work Environment at Watts Bar Nuclear Plant on November 3, 2016, videos listed below.

The Problem With The Regulator, NRC, and the Nuclear Industry

Failures of nuclear safety culture are not enforceable actions. Comprehensive report on Safety Culture: 

http://allthingsnuclear.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/20130900-blanch-regulatory-compliance-report-.pdf

"Nuclear professionals, members of the public, Congress, Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), and concerned non-industry stakeholders agree on one issue: nuclear plant safety is paramount and must be the number one priority. However, the actions, and inactions, of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), and nuclear plant owners, have led to financial considerations taking priority over nuclear safety. The current focus on nuclear safety via what the industry and its regulator call “safety culture,” unless redefined and clarified, is a dead end. To truly achieve nuclear safety, “regulatory compliance and enforcement ” must be the frame used to gauge Nuclear Safety Culture." Paul Blanch (PE) Energy Consultant, author of the linked report.

Part 1 Selected Citizen Comments - The NRC would not disclose any retaliation events or occurrences. An employee states she has witnessed retaliation in the work place and discriminatory activity. Ann Harris, Retired TVA Employees who worked at Watts Barr for many years, describes her experiences in this video.  

Part 2 All Worker and Citizen Comments


Part 3 NRC Opening and Comments


Part 4, TVA Comments


Part 5 NRC Closing

THE NUCLEAR SCAM - October 10, 2015

Duke Energy's Brunswick Nuclear Power Facility ( Fair Use Rights, Duke photo, for non-profit news reporting and criticism.)

https://www.duke-energy.com/power-plants/nuclear/brunswick.asp 

More on Duke Power's nuclear cancellations - http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/energy/duke-energy-to-cancel-proposed-levy-county-nuclear-plant-fasano-says/2134287

Duke Power's plans include sucking money out of ratepayers and taxpayers for the sole purpose of generating capital, not economical, clean, reliable, safe electrical power. This is the purpose of the nuclear power scam.  http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/energy/after-long-love-affair-with-nuclear-power-duke-energy-hints-romance-is/2249034

Quote from the article about Duke Power’s nuclear scam: "Duke is pursuing the Lee plant just as it did the Levy plant in Florida, spending lots of money (much of it charged to ratepayers) in preliminary work on the planned sites, seeking a federal license, but never officially committing to build the facilities."

Think about it, if a private citizen promised an investment of billions upon billions of dollars, but in reality the citizen never intended on building anything, it was just a scheme to defraud the public for the purpose of receiving tax and citizen dollars, private citizens would be put in prison for each person they committed fraud against; according to our laws, aren't corporations people? Hold their executives and puppet politicians accountable for “ripping off” hard working Americans in the nuclear power fraud scheme.

NUCLEAR STOCK SCAM - One company and its executives pay the price - "Law360, New York (July 17, 2015, 4:30 PM ET) -- An Idaho federal judge on Thursday agreed to drop the remaining charges against an energy company and its CEO two months after finding them liable in a securities fraud case involving the financing of a $10 billion nuclear power plant. . . The SEC said the penalties, including nearly $15 million in disgorgements, imposed by U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge on Alternate Energy Holdings Inc. and its former CEO Donald L. Gillispie when he granted summary judgment to the agency in May are enough punishment." http://www.law360.com/articles/680226/sec-drops-remaining-claims-in-idaho-nuclear-power-co-suit  --- Department of Justice: Eagle Nuclear, stock scam - Former Executives Of Nuclear Power Company Indicted | USAO-ID | Department of Justice

Bellefonte Units 1-4 TVA's Dream and ratepayers nightmare. Fair Use Rights for non-profit news and criticism. TVA photo in Bellefonte's Unit 3-4, Environmental Report

Look across our nation, particularly in the TVA area (Bellefonte, Alabama – Billions of dollars have been sunk into the zombie plant and proposed future construction which will never be accomplished, currently costing TVA rate payers $65 million per year for maintenance. Yellow Creek, Phipps Bend, Hartsville are all nuclear plants partially built without a need for them.  $20 billion dollars of TVA’s $25 billion dollar long term debt is because of the unnecessary nuclear construction.); 97 plus plants listed, this does not count the current ones being planned.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_canceled_nuclear_plants_in_the_United_States

Nuclear Weapons Cost - Today’s report is an update to the cost study that CBO released in December 2013, which put the anticipated price tag for U.S. nuclear forces between FY 2014 and FY 2023 at $355 billion.  https://www.armscontrol.org/blog/ArmsControlNow/2015-01-22/CBO-Nuclear-Weapons-Still-Expensive  Costs of disposal - https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/the-explosive-cost-of-disposing-of-nuclear-weapons/2013/07/03/64f896e0-e287-11e2-80eb-3145e2994a55_story.html

DECOMMISSIONING TAKES DECADES AND EXCEEDS $1 BILLION DOLLARS -- The nuclear power vicious circle, front end costs are extreme - end of cycle decommissioning costs are rising, a vicious circle of continuing expense for taxpayers and ratepayers. Today, decommissioning costs on the downside will be $500 million to over $1 billion dollars to clean up the contamination and secure the nuclear power facilities. http://thebulletin.org/rising-cost-decommissioning-nuclear-power-plant7107   

This fraud scam scenario is repeated over and over again, currently and historically across our nation. In order for the fraud scam to work our government's politicians and officials at all levels must participate. Costing rate payers and taxpayers hundreds of billions, upon hundreds of billions of dollars. Nuclear power and the nuclear weapons death industry is a trillion dollar multinational scheme to provide capital to corporate entities and their political puppets who deceive the public about nuclear reliability, costs, cleanliness and purpose; it is time to end the biggest scam of all time, nuclear power and the international nuclear weapons death scheme madness.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission 2014 Performance Report on TVA's Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant May 14, 2015

TVA's Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant - Fair Use Rights for non-profit news reporting. Picture credits "wiki" and "NRC."

NRC conducted a Public Meeting May 14, 2015 to discuss NRC’s 2014 Assessment of Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant. The annual assessment letter  for the Browns Ferry plant, as well as current performance information for Unit 1, Unit 2 and Unit 3 is available on the NRC website.

Assessment Letter -  http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/LETTERS/bf_2014q4.pdf  

Unit 1  http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/BF1/bf1_chart.html

Unit 2  http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/BF2/bf2_chart.html

Unit 3  http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/BF3/bf3_chart.html

Press Report - Al.com: "...The NRC will continue to monitor [the] utility's ability to sustain quality performance and the inspection emphasis in the coming year will include a focus on what TVA is doing toward ensuring its long-term performance."
http://www.al.com/news/huntsville/index.ssf/2015/05/browns_ferry_nuclear_plant_giv.html

NRC Performance Report - TVA's Reply

Public Comment Part 1


Public Comment Part 2

NRC Public Meeting at Athens, Tennessee, March 26, 2015 on TVA's Watts Bar Nuclear Power Reactor Unit 2

TVA Watts Bar (photo by TVA, fair use rights for non-profit news reporting)

 Info on Watts Bar Unit 2

This writer and others, including scientists, engineers and health care professionals believe that TVA's claims that nuclear power is clean, safe and reliable is not true. It is important to point out that Watts Bar is not the 21st Century's first "new" reactor. It is TVA in the 21st century's completing an old mid 20th century's nuclear project with a 300% plus cost over-run, continuing to place the TVA in a precarious financial situation. Total cost of the Watts Bar Unit 2 - 40 year plus construction will be over $7 billion, $7,000,000,000.00. Including the interest on this amount will bring the total costs near $13 billion dollars.

TVA LINK to  INFO & SPURIOUS CLAIMS on WATTS BAR UNIT 2

http://www.tva.gov/power/nuclear/wattsbar_unit2.htm

Athens, Tennessee March 26, 2015 - NRC Public Meeting on the Watts Bar Unit 2 nuclear reactor at the McMinn County High School in Athens, 22 miles from Watts Bar, located in Rhea Co. Tn, TVA and NRC makes their presentation with public input. Our environmental groups participated in a one and a half hour discussion on items of  concern with the NRC prior to the public meeting.

TVA's and NRC's summary is presented with BEST/MATRR's expressed concerns about cancer as a community health issue and how radioactive emissions effect community health.  

CART BEFORE HORSE RELIABILITY FAILURE - ACRS ( Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards) RECOMMENDS ISSUING OF LICENSE WITH INCOMPLETE INSPECTIONS AND THOROUGH SAFETY REVIEW, NO CONSIDERATION TO PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS. THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO RUN A REGULATOR AND INDICATES A SERIOUS DEFECT IN THE APPROVAL PROCESS -  A HUMAN RELIABILITY FAILURE. 

There are concerns and positive points to be made - TVA and the NRC at this point refuses to consider community health relating to high cancer incidence rates in Rhea County Tennessee. For more info on hazards of ionizing radiation go to http://radioactivepoison.blogspot.com/ It is also apparent that the NRC is not paying attention to the lessons of Fukushima and reactor aging issues regarding Watts Bar. Unit 2, now 42 years of age, even with updated systems. These issues were brought forward in a private meeting with the NRC prior to the public meeting. Information on Cancer Incidence Rates is taken from the National Cancer Institute's, part of the CDC, state cancer maps and tables.  Health concerns video - https://youtu.be/V8rtl2SFsNQ

Dave Lochbaum,Director of Nuclear Safety, Union of Concerned Scientists comments in "All Things Nuclear - What I saw during the plant tour was impressive. But what I’ve seen during the CAP meetings has been far more impressive. TVA has been exceedingly forthcoming. CAP members can propose items to be discussed during the next meeting and can (and do) ask questions during the meetings."  http://allthingsnuclear.org/watts-bar-community-action-panel/  Mr. Lochbaum expressed concerns to the NRC regarding the aging of structures on the 40 year plus Watts Bar Unit 2  nuclear reactor.  https://youtu.be/VJlFRpA2wOY

All video links to this series as shown below: 

1) Dave Lochbaum - https://youtu.be/VJlFRpA2wOY

2)  Don Safer- https://youtu.be/YGSkeEAMEOI

3) Sandy Kurtz and, Sara Barzack - https://youtu.be/0R8Jk-VWFOA

4) Garry Morgan - https://youtu.be/V8rtl2SFsNQ

5) TVA - NRC Summary - https://youtu.be/fJ1CQnzs5QY

VIDEO PRESENTATIONS

TVA's and NRC's summary with BEST/MATRR's expressed concerns

Dave Lochbaum, Director of Nuclear Safety, Union of Concerned Scientists


Don Safer, Tennessee Environmental Council, BEST/MATRR, discusses nuclear waste and nuclear system resilience. 

Presentation of  Sandy Kurtz, BREDL/BEST/MATRR, and Sara Barzack, SACE - phone webinar participant, discussion on earthquakes and nuclear system resilience.


 Presentation by Garry Morgan Director of the BEST/MATRR Public Health and Radiation Monitoring Program.


SACE Blog articles on the issue of licensing TVA's Watts Bar Unit 2 Nuclear Reactor
TVA’s Watts Bar — the last old reactor of the 20th Century  and  What have we learned in the four years since the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan?

TVA Decreases Current Debt but Proposes Future Debt Increase - TVA Board of Director's Report 3rd Qtr. 2014 - Energy Efficiency Slashed in Budget by 25%

Big News: TVA decreases its overall debt by $1.05 billion dollars for FY 2014,  but the board approved a $3 billion increase in Power Bond sales - 2015 budget, $1 billion in nuclear power debt; a rate increase was approved at 1.5% ; energy efficiency budget slashed by 25%.

KEY PRESENTATION POINTS - TVA BOARD APPROVED:

1) a $10.7 billion budget for fiscal 2015; 2)  a rate increase was approved at 1.5%; 3) increase debt by $3 billion-power bond sales; 4) TVA will spend $3.5 billion on new projects in fiscal 2015 -- the highest capital budget in TVA's history. 5) $1 billion approved for 2015 nuclear expansion; 6) TVA's debt increase by $1 billion next year, this will  increase TVA's total debt obligations above $28 billion. TVA has a $30 billion statutory debt limit. 7) TVA will have eliminated 2000 jobs by September of 2014. 8) Reduce energy efficiency measures by 25%. This resulted in a comment from board member Dr. Marilyn Brown, an Energy Efficiency Expert from Georgia Tech. She said: "TVA Energy efficiency provides a significant benefit to TVA and its customers and I believe this cut is a reflection of a false economy, it is penny wise and pound foolish...co-generation and combined heat to power is an untapped asset." 

Dr, Marilyn Brown

Although Dr. Brown raised questions, there was no stand for what is right. Justifying bad decisions with a speech does not provide confidence in the TVA Board. It is not Dr. Browns fault, at least she spoke up, all bare responsibility. Folks, slashing that which saves money for rate payers in order to make TVA Executives feel good is ridiculous and a dangerous precedent for those who are suppose to govern the TVA. This confirms the notion of "rubber stamp decision making," all has been discussed and approved before hand.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY GETS THE AX!

Why do leaders on this board, who should know better, vote for that which benefits executives instead of the people whom they serve. Did the CEO or any executive agree to cut their pay and bonuses by 25%???

                                          TVA CEO

 2015 PRIORITIES as expresed by TVA's CEO/President Bill Johnson

(CLICK ON IMAGES BELOW FOR AN EXPANDED VIEW)

OLD STORY FOR TVA

TVA rate increases were a primary reason for the closing of the Revere Copper Brass and Aluminum facility in Scottsboro, Alabama and the subsequent Scottsboro Aluminum. TVA refused to negotiate with the company, they closed their doors.

""Charles Chapman, group manager of energy and reliability at the Dalton, Ga. -based Shaw Industries, said TVA rates are higher for Shaw than those of Southern Co. or Duke. Shaw operates about 50 plants nationwide, including more than 30 in the Southeast. Three years ago, Shaw moved a plant three miles to relocate from TVA to Southern's territory to save more than 25 percent on its energy costs.In the past, TVA had more competitive rates, but we've seen a substantial ebb up over the past eight or nine years," Chapman said. "Bill Johnson has done a great job, but we'd like to see more.""  http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2014/aug/22/tva-cuts-staff-spending-but-boost-rates-15/

                                             TVA FINANCES

From the Chattanooga Times Free Press (link above)

 By the numbers - TVA 2015 Budget

* $10.7 billion - Budget for fiscal 2015, down from the $11.2 billion budget in the current fiscal year when cold winter pushed up sales

* $199 million - Increase from 2 percent wholesale rate increase (1.5 percent at the retail level)
* $3.5 billion - Capital budget, the highest in TVA history
* $1.02 billion - Increase in TVA debt
* $500 million - Amount of annual operating expenses cut from TVA's budget compared with three years ago
*$594 million - Projected net income
Source: Tennessee Valley Authority

Outstanding - the $634 million excess in the cash flow was utilized to pay down the debt.

TVA PENSION WOES

TVA pension plan is $4 billion  short:  http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2014/jun/28/tva-ends-traditional-pension-for-new-hires/

ENERGY ASSET BREAKDOWN

TVA "nuclear dog" is the cause of TVA's debt. TVA plans for additional nuclear expansion by borrowing $1 billion in power bond sales.

TVA BOARD MEETING August 21, 2014

Power Point slides link: Presentation

VIDEO OF CITIZEN PRESENTATIONS AND BOARD MEETING

On-demand video

BREDL/BEST/MATRR Member Sandy Kurtz Presentation

NRC Performance Assessment of TVA's Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant on May 21, 2014 - Public Comments and Questions

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) held the 2013 Safety Performance and  Regulatory Performance Public Meeting regarding TVA's  Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant on Wednesday, May 21, 2014 at Calhoun Community College near Decatur, Alabama, approximately 10 miles from the Browns Ferry nuclear plant. There are 3 defective GE Mark 1 nuclear reactors operating at Browns Ferry. The same model of reactor which exploded and melted down at Fukushima Daiichi Japan.

VALVE ISSUES DANCE - My question - "Have the valve problems been fixed as identified in the 2010 INPO Browns Ferry Report and the 95003 Red finding?" NRC- "...that is impossible to answer...we can't tell you if the valve problems in the INPO report have been fixed...we are required to review the report...we will get back to you...no safety issues were brought to the NRC by INPO...we had already reviewed the issues..."



Video Presentations of the Meeting

Decatur, Al., Calhoun College, May 21, 2014 Browns Ferry 2013 Annual Performance Assessment by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Part 1


Decatur, Al., Calhoun College, May 21, 2014 - Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Browns Ferry 2013 Annual Performance Assessment - TVA 's reply, Part 2 - Regulatory Performance Public Meeting


Citizen Presentations and Questions
May 21, 2014 Calhoun College near Decatur, Al., Part 3 NRC Regulatory Performance Public Meeting Citizen Comments-Questions, presentation by Mr. Henry Jones


May 21, 2014 Calhoun College near Decatur, Al., Part 4 NRC Regulatory Performance Public Meeting Citizen Comments- Questions, presentation by Ms. Gretel Johnston.


May 21, 2014 Calhoun College near Decatur, Al., Part 5 NRC Regulatory Performance Public Meeting Citizen Comments-Questions, presentation by Mr. Garry Morgan. The NRC could not say that the multi unit valve failure safety issues and problems identified in the INPO report have been resolved. Although it is required that when INPO identifies safety issues they are required to notify the NRC, the NRC officials present stated they have not seen the INPO 2010 Browns Ferry Report. Reference: Blog article on the INPO report:  http://arklite.blogspot.com/2014/04/browns-ferry-disclosures-shhh-secrets.html


May 21, 2014 Calhoun College near Decatur, Al., Part 6 NRC Regulatory Performance Public Meeting Citizen Comments- Questions, presentations by Ms. Nancy Muse; Mr. Don Safer-telephone; Ms. Jackie Posey.


Browns Ferry Performance Assessment report by Al.Com's Brian Lawson
"Members of the public who attended the meeting urged the NRC to remain vigilant in scrutinizing TVA operations. Those who spoke questioned Browns Ferry's wind rating and vulnerability to tornado conditions, whether the identification of individual problems at the plant are seen by regulators as unique events or signs of increased overall risk, how TVA's aging analog components are compatible with new digital systems and why the plant continues to suffer from power source problems...One of the last people to speak told McCree that Browns Ferry employees should be given a realistic description of what happened to the Fukushima plant in Japan in 2011 and the effect the disaster had on the people and economy of the region. Much of the plant melted down after an earthquake and tsunami."

"McCree said he spoke to Polson before the meeting and Polson agreed to show Browns Ferry workers a recently produced NRC film about a visit to Fukushima."

NRC VIDEO


"It can happen" - Nuclear Melt Downs! Not one person from the NRC in the video could say what actually happened - 3 nuclear reactors melted down. "Don't allow this to happen...this happened...something happened...unanticipated events, the accident" say the regulatory officials. Don't allow what to happen, what accident? Is the NRC afraid to say 3 nuclear melt downs occurred in 3 GE Mark 1 Nuclear Reactors where engineers said this could not happen.  Browns Ferry contains 3 defective GE Mark 1 Reactors; is the NRC as our regulator in denial that a nuclear reactor can meltdown in the United States of America?

TVA Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant - The continuing Saga: When did the NRC and the TVA Know about the Defective Valves and Management Failures? Did the NRC Intentionally Deceive the Public

 

When and how long had the Tennessee Valley Authority's, TVA, Browns Ferry been experiencing degraded conditions as a result of failed valves? Was there an intentional cover-up by the TVA and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, NRC? Do nuclear Peer Review organizations such as WANO, World Association of Nuclear Operators, or INPO, Institute of Nuclear Power Operations, have a moral, ethical and legal responsibility to disclose the existence of serious issues which may jeopardize public health and welfare of the public relating to nuclear power operations?

 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

 

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (NRC) 

BRIEFING ON BROWNS FERRY UNIT 1

OCTOBER 18, 2011

9:O0 A.M.

TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS

Public Meeting

Link: http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/commission/tr/2011/20111018.pdf

 

All the players were present, the NRC Commissioners and TVA Senior Executives. Quote from page 1 of the report -

"CHAIRMAN JACZKO: Good morning, everyone. The Commission meets today to discuss the safety challenges experienced by the Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant and the steps being taken to strengthen safety at the plant.  In particular, in May 2004, Brown's Ferry Unit 1 was placed in Column IV of the  Reactor Oversight Process Action Matrix after it received a "Red" finding when a  reactor core cooling valve failed." Is that an error?

 

In the next paragraph Commissioner Jaczko goes on to say:

"This is not the only significant issue the Browns Ferry plant has experienced in recent years. In 2003, all units at Browns Ferry were placed in Column III after receiving a "Yellow" finding for fire protection issues. Given this recent history of issues, I'm sure that we can all agree that we want to see the plant perform more safely. To achieve that, there needs to be a strong commitment from the licensee’s entire organization, from its senior leadership to its frontline engineers to do what needs to be done for safety."

 

Had the plant actually received "Red finding" in 2004, or was this an error on the part of the NRC Chairman, Commissioner Jaczko? Attention to detail is important for the nuclear industry. The report continues; BILL BORCHARDT's comments on page 4 of the PDF linked: "...Browns Ferry Unit 1 entered Column IV of the Action Matrix in the fourth quarter of 2010." VICTOR MCCREE's comments on page 5: "...Unit 1 was assessed as being in the multiple repetitive degraded cornerstone, or Column IV, of the Reactor Oversight Process Action Matrix. Unit 1 was placed in this cornerstone column due to a "Red" finding in the mitigating systems cornerstone...On October 23rd, 2010, operators of Browns Ferry Unit 1 attempted to place Loop II of the residual heat removal low pressure coolant injection, or, RHR LPCI system in service to support refueling activities."

 

Maybe Commissioner Jaczko misspoke about the 2004 "Red Finding. Meanwhile, according to the NRC, the "Red Finding" is lifted and Browns Ferry Unit 1 is returned to the "Green" operating column stating, "The results of the inspection indicated that Browns Ferry was being operated safely." NUCPRO's listing of the Browns Ferry Assessment Letter: March 10, 2014 http://www.nucpros.com/content/browns-ferry-annual-assessment-letter

 

When did TVA and the NRC know there were valve problems at Browns Ferry?

Nuclear facilities have the privilege of receiving Peer Review Inspections by two separate groups of nuclear engineers. One of the groups is WANO, World Association of Nuclear Operators. Another group is INPO, Institute of Nuclear Power Operations. Unfortunately for the public, when the INPO or WANO reports are issued  they have a statement that they are restricted from public view.  The TVA claims that the public is not entitled to see the reports nor entitled to a copy of the report for proprietary and financial reasons. TVA's position is highly suspect and reflective of TVA's attempt to continue with cover-ups and secrecy involving its nuclear program failures. However, the WANO and INPO groups themselves mark the reports as restricted.

 

The restrictive markings, when covering up serious safety issues which reflect negligent actions on the part of management of nuclear power plants, are effectively covering up issues which are of grave public concern. In the case of the Browns Ferry GE Mark 1 Nuclear plants the issues covered up, if not corrected, place the public at a higher risk of physical injury as a result of TVA negligence and a failure to correct the negligent actions by the regulator, the NRC.  

 

The WANO and INPO reports contain information that should be and must be made public. There is an ethical, moral and legal responsibility of the government agencies and the professional nuclear engineering organizations to make public those defective items identified which may in fact cause a catastrophic failure thus endangering the public. Such is the case of multiple defective valves which insure a nuclear reactor is cooled properly in the course of normal operations and emergency events.

 

The reports contain information regarding the safety of operating nuclear reactors. In the case of the Browns Ferry Nuclear Facility the INPO report dated July 2010 indicates the TVA, and presumably the NRC knew of the repetitive valve failures at all of the 3 Browns Ferry Units going back to 2006. On pages 30 and 31 (of 83pages) all 3 Browns Ferry Units experienced various valve failures.

The following photo of the pages are hereby listed as news, criticism and educational use, this posting is a not for profit listing under the Fair Use Rule of Section 107 of United States Law.

 

This listing also casts grave doubt on the inappropriate classification of such documents and the Federal Government's and the INPO/WANO institutions responsibilities to divulge such information to the public. The INPO report discloses long time safety failures at Browns Ferry and brings to light the regulators failure, NRC, as well as the TVA's failure as to safety culture and executive management. This failure extends to the NRC having access to such reports and keeping the reports restricted. The restriction of the reports are immoral, unethical, and possibly illegal, as they disclose serious public safety hazards regarding nuclear reactors at the TVA Browns Ferry nuclear facility. 

 

Nuclear Power Plant Safety and the protection of the publics health and welfare should be a TEAM PROCESS to protect the public. Not a process of cover-ups and secret documents to protect the nuclear power industry, executives, defective systems and incompetent managers. 

 

The INPO report began its description as Follows for the defective valves at Browns Ferry on page 28: "High and Low Pressure Injection systems have experienced repeat and age related failures." It goes on to describe management failures and "insufficient actions to prevent reoccurrence of equipment failures." The exact findings are hereby submitted as a "Fair Use Right" for the purpose of news reporting, education, criticism and the exposure of systemic negligence in a safety culture involving nuclear power use by the TVA.

 

Click on images for an expanded view.

 

 

Due to the seriousness of the issues involved and the appearance of a cover-up and or negligent activities on the part of the NRC and the TVA in this matter, the INPO report relating to valve failures at the TVA Browns Ferry GE Mark 1 Nuclear Facility is disclosed.

 

The July 2010 INPO report goes on to describe other equipment failures as a result of a failed safety culture and management neglect.

 

Nuclear Engineer Henry Jones discusses the existence of Peer Review Reports and their implications.