Thursday, May 30, 2013
The plant has been offline since April 14 for refueling, and a failed restart when a fire broke out May 21.
- POLICE & FIRE
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Thursday, May 30
Release from Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station Pilgrim Station returned to service today at 4:24 a.m. when control room operators reconnected the plant to the New England electric transmission grid ending its 19th refueling and maintenance outage. Pilgrim has been off-line since April 14 when it began the planned outage. Entergy Nuclear Site Vice President John Dent attributed the successful outage to the long-term planning and execution of outage tasks with a keen focus on safety along with the knowledge, skills and craftsmanship of all the outage workers. The work scope during the outage involved refueling the reactor, main turbine generator maintenance and overhaul, replacing the turbine auxiliary lube oil pump motor, transformer and …
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
The NRC says Pilgrim's medical examiner did not follow guidelines for examinations, which allowed operators with temporary physical disabilities to work, putting the plant's safety at risk.
Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station may have violated rules regarding medical examinations and reporting requirements after finding several plant operators may have been unable to perform their jobs in emergency situations due to disabilities, pain, and high blood pressure, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The NRC sent a letter May 21 to plant vice president John Dent Jr., citing three “apparent violations” of NRC requirements associated with licensed reactor operator medical examinations and associated NRC reporting requirements. According to an investigation completed in early February, the medical examiner’s failure to comply with these rules was not deliberate. Two of the violations are being considered for “escalated …
Thursday, May 23, 2013
The Planning Board declines to take a side in the debate between an environmental la.wfirm and Entergy
As Entergy continues plans for a dry cask storage facility at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, the Planning Board has decided against taking a stand on whether the facility adheres to Plymouth zonging bylaws. Entergy intends to move spent fuel rods into the casks over time, currently spent rods are held in pools. The energy company received a permit from Plymouth building inspector Paul Mcauliffe to build a concrete pad for the casks. Environmental law firm EcoLaw appealed the permit. Monday, the Planning Board split on the interpretation of a town zoning bylaw that defines the term “accessory structure” and whether Entergy’s project qualified, according to The Manomet Current. Jim Lambert, representing EcoLaw, the casks were not accessory …
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
The NRC and plant officials say Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station is safe after a small fire started Monday morning.
Plant personnel are investigating the cause of a fire that broke out Monday morning during start-up at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, causing the plant to go offline again. The fire started in an auxiliary oil pump motor in the Turbine Building Lubricating Oil Room at 3:53 a.m., Monday, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Plymouth firefighters responded to the fire, but plant workers were able to extinguish it using dry chemical extinguishers before firefighters arrived. There were no injuries to plant or offsite personnel and no threat to public health or safety, according to Entergy spokesman Carol Wightman. The NRC says the plant is in a safe condition and plant personnel are investigating the cause. The plant will be …
41.945083
-70.584814
Pilgrim Nuclear Station
Rocky Hill Rd, Plymouth, MA
/articles/fire-at-pilgrim-nuclear-during-start-up
1835542
/locations/9406794
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Entergy has increased security at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station following Monday's explosions at the Boston Marathon finish line.
Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth has increased security after two bombs exploded at the finish line of the Boston Marathon that killed three people and injured dozens. The Pilgrim Plant heightened security checks of vehicles, materials and individuals entering the plant. Pilgrim was already shut down for refueling when the explosions occurred. Eliot Brenner, a spokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, said federal officials have not ordered changes in security at other U.S. nuclear reactors in the wake of the Boston explosions. More news on the 2013 Boston Marathon Follow Plymouth Patch on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our free daily newsletter
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Pilgrim Station was disconnected from the grid Sunday night to begin the refueling process.
Pilgrim Station has completed its 18th operating cycle. Operators disconnected the plant from the New England electric grid Sunday night at 6:22 p.m. to begin the plant’s scheduled refueling outage, according to Pilgrim officials. "During this refueling outage, we will take the time necessary to carefully perform refueling activities as well as testing, maintenance and capital improvements that will position the plant for safe and reliable operation during the next operating cycle and beyond. The refueling and maintenance workforce includes Pilgrim Station staff supplemented by other workers including Entergy employees from other nuclear plants, radiation protection technicians, engineers, inspectors, millwrights, electricians, pipefitters…
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Representatives from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission met with Selectmen Tuesday night to discuss Entergy's proposal to construct a dry cask storage facility onsite, but also handled questions on the 41-year-old plant's safety.
Representatives from the NRC were met with skepticism from both the audience and the Board of Selectmen Tuesday night. The NRC presented Entergy's plans for building a dry cask storage facility. The facility would eventually house some of the aproximately 3,000 spent fuel rods now in the pool at the Pilgrim plant. Three of the dry cask storage towers are scheduled to be built and loaded with spent fuel by the summer of 2014. Selectman Ken Tavares told the NRC he found the idea of storing the fuel rods alarming. "How safe are they? I'm not convinced they are." Chairman Matt Muratore made an unusual request to the NRC for the 104 communities that host nuclear power plants. "I've asked the NRC to actually have a public forum down in …
Monday, April 1, 2013
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will hold a public session Tuesday to discuss Pilgrim's performance in 2012 and then to discuss Entergy's plans to construct dry cask storage onsite with the Board of Selectmen.
- GOVERNMENT
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Monday, April 1
The NRC will hold a public hearing to discuss the agency’s annual assessment of safety performance at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station. The informational session will be held on Tuesday, April 2, 2013 from 5:30 to 7:00 pm in the Mayflower Room at Plymouth Town Hall. Attendees will have an opportunity to hold one-on-one discussions with NRC staff members about the plant’s 2012 performance and the agency’s oversight of the facility. Amongst the NRC staff on hand will be the inspectors assigned to the plant on a full-time basis and their supervisor. Immediately following the informational forum, NRC staff will brief the Board of Selectmen on the plans for a dry cask storage facility for spent nuclear fuel at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, as …
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Entergy has submitted applications to build dry cask storage units at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station
Entergy, the owner of Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, has submitted applications to build dry cask storage units, also called "Interim Spent Fuel Storage Installations" and the Board of Selectmen wants to know what role town and state officials have in the process. Town Manager Melissa Arrighi has asked the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to answer questions regarding the building application and the zoning permit application submitted by Entergy to the town in January and March. Selectmen are concerned about potential hazards of the installation, particularly during unusual events or accidents such as earthquakes or floods. The board also wants information regarding the nature of safety reviews, structural considerations, as well as how safe…
Friday, March 15, 2013
An hour after charges were dismissed against 11 defendants accused of trespassing at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station last May, five of them were arrested again.
A group of anti-nuclear protesters wanted to prove their point. An hour after having charges dropped against them during a hearing in Plymouth District Court Wednesday afternoon, the so-called "Pilgrim 14" and about 50 of their supporters got in their cars and headed down to Pilgrim Nuclear Station with the hopes of being arrested again. Five of the 11 managed it, being confronted by plant security and arrested by Plymouth Police on trespassing charges on the Edison access road by the power plant's main parking lot. Last May, 14 people were arrested after trying to deliver a letter to Pilgrim station management calling for the facility to be shut down down. According to a release from the anti-nuclear group Cape Downwinders, the defendants…
41.940008
-70.574722
Entergy Nuclear Generation Company
600 Rocky Hill Rd, Plymouth, MA
/articles/charges-dismissed-against-pilgrim-nuke-protesters-arrested-again-an-hour-later
201179
/locations/9019044
Bob Smith
5:53 pm on Thursday, May 30, 2013
Pilgrim Management also lied to the Plymouth Police when asked about stolen items during the lockout of 2012. more ›