azstarnet.com
Saturday, 4 September 1999
N-plants Y2K-ready, Feds say
Some need noncritical fixes
Stories by David Wichner
The Arizona Daily Star
Federal regulators say America's nuclear power plants will operate safely through the transition to 2000, though about one-third of the plants are still finishing some noncritical Y2K fixes.
Of the 103 plants regulated by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 74 report their systems are fully Y2K-ready, NRC spokesman Victor Dricks said.
Among those plants reporting they are Y2K-ready is the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station near Phoenix, the nation's largest nuclear plant. See accompanying article.
The other 29 have completed work on operational and safety systems, but are still working to test and fix ancillary systems, such as record-keeping software, Dricks said.
``None of the required work on these 29 plants would affect the ability to operate or shut down the plants safely,' he said, adding that the NRC will issue its latest nationwide status report within a week or two.
``The bottom line is, the plants can operate safely and they can shut down safely.'
The Y2K problem stems from the fact that some computer systems, as well as microprocessors embedded in some devices, may fail or malfunction Jan. 1 because they are unable to process the new date.
Congressional auditors and nuclear activists have voiced concerns over Y2K readiness at America's nuclear power plants.
In February, a report by the Senate Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem said nuclear plants were ``lagging behind other electric facilities' in their Y2K testing and repairs, and urged the NRC to step up plant reviews.
Mary Olson, Y2K project coordinator at the Nuclear Information Resource Service (NIRS) in Washington, D.C., said the NRC has failed to mandate specific Y2K testing, instead relying largely on operators to develop Y2K test plans.
In turn, some plant operators reportedly are relying on assurances of Y2K compliance from equipment vendors.
``They have protocols that recommend (testing), but part of the protocols are these vendor certifications,' she said, adding that such vendor assurances often are false.
The NRC last week denied three NIRS petitions that would have stiffened Y2K requirements.
The NRC's Dricks said the age of the technology used in most plants eliminates the potential for many Y2K-related problems.
``Most of the nuclear plants in the country were built in the '60s and the '70s and most do not use embedded chips for controls,' he said.
In its petitions to the NRC, the NIRS wanted the agency to close nuclear plants and related facilities that aren't fully Y2K-ready by Dec. 1, require plants to hold full-scale Y2K emergency drills, and require operators to stockpile 60 days' worth of fuel for backup generators. Nuclear plants require off-site power to operate.
The NRC denied all three petitions, based on its belief that operating and safety systems at all plants are Y2K compliant and that current emergency-drill and backup power requirements are adequate, Dricks said.
In early August, the NRC issued an open-ended policy: It would take any necessary action to ensure compliance or to shut down unprepared plants well before January.
Dricks said the NRC rejected the backup-power mandate proposed by the NIRS because the nuclear plants already are required to have well-maintained backup power systems. Some plants also have made arrangements for backup fuel beyond the normally required seven-day supply, he said.
But the NIRS' Olson said nuclear plants frequently have problems with backup diesel generators and a seven-day backup fuel supply may be inadequate.
Olson said she doesn't expect a nationwide power failure come Jan. 1, but power fluctuations alone may be enough to cause serious outages that could jeopardize safety at U.S. nuclear plants.
Except for reactors shut down for non-Y2K related repairs or refueling, nuclear plants will operate straight through Jan. 1, partly to keep power supplies steady during the date rollover, Dricks said. Nuclear plants supply about 20 percent of the nation's electrical power.
``Their continued performance is important for regional stability,' Dricks said.
Dricks said the NRC plans to monitor an industrywide Y2K-readiness drill next week, and in October the agency plans to oversee a nationwide test of Y2K-contingency plans at the nuclear plants. |
