Wppss Reactor Ranked 2nd Worst Commercial Plant No. 2 Reactor Among 25 ‘Nuclear Lemons’ On Nader Group’s List

A nuclear power plant in Richland ranks second on a list of the 25 worst commercial plants issued Wednesday by a consumer group that accuses federal regulators of “callous disregard” for public health and safety.

The Critical Mass Energy Project, an arm of Ralph Nader’s Public Citizen consumer advocacy group, characterized the 25 reactors on its “nuclear lemons” list as disasters waiting to happen.

“With so many aging, deteriorating nuclear facilities threatening public health and safety, the (Nuclear Regulatory Commission) should be closing the most dangerous plants and moving aggressively to improve the remaining reactors,” said Joan Claybrook, president of Public Citizen.

NRC spokesman William Beecher said all the nuclear plants operating in the United States are safe.

“The NRC would not allow a dangerous plant to remain on line,” he said. “If we feel that a plant is dangerous, we make sure they are not operating.”

Public Citizen’s rankings for the nation’s 110 commercial nuclear reactors were based on safety violations, employees’ exposure to radiation, emergency shutdowns, operating costs and other government and industry data for the three-year period studied, from 1993-95.

New Jersey’s Salem No. 1 plant heads the list.

The Washington Public Power Supply System’s No. 2 plant achieved its overall rating largely because of the amount of radiation workers were exposed to during the study period and the high breakdown rate for plant systems and procedures, the report said.

In fact, the WPPSS plant ranked No. 1 in worker exposure over the period, with a total of 592.3 rems. That is more than twice the industry average of 197.8 rems total, the report said.

A rem is a measurement of radiation. The NRC standard for acceptable individual exposure is 5 rems.

The numbers in the report are the collective total for all workers at the plants and lacking the number of employees, do not indicate average exposure per worker.

“The Supply System considers the safe operation of Plant 2 its No. 1 priority,” WPPSS spokeswoman Mary Ace said Wednesday night. “Plant 2 is operating safely, efficiently and cost-effectively for the needed generation of electricity in the Pacific Northwest. Our plant is considered to be a showpiece for the industry.”

Ace said the plant’s exposure rates were high because the plant is refueled on an annual basis while most others on the list are refueled on 18- to 24-month cycles.

The WPPSS plant fared well in some categories, including capacity - the percentage of time a reactor is off line due to abnormal conditions. WPPSS was off line 6.6 percent of the time, compared with an industry average of 7.63 percent.