TMI Alert Queries NRC on Agency's Inspection of Plant

 Three Mile Island Alert's Questions on the 

NRC’s Annual Assessment of the 

Susquehanna Steam Electric Station 

May 19, 2009 

1)  PPL sought to publicly hide the extent of their decommissioning losses in 

an affidavit the Company submitted to the NRC on March 26, 2009.  PPL’s 

one year decommissioning losses are staggering by any standard. “The fair 

value of investments that are legally restricted due the decommissioning of 

the Susquehanna Nuclear plant was $446 million and $555 million in at 

December 31, 2008 and 2007...” (PPL 2008 Annual Report,  Nuclear 

Decommissioning, p. 191) 

PPL lost $109 million from the fund in one year and now has$446 

million out of projected $936 million (2002 dollars) needed to 

decommission it operating nuclear units. 

How will PPL recoup the losses after 12/31/2009? 

2)  What is the status of OI’s investigation into: a) Two PPL managers 

deliberately failing to follow procedures for personnel monitoring 

in radiologically-controlled areas; and, b) Allegations in 2008 that 

environmental issues were not being effectively addressed by 

the SSES management? (NRC IR, March 20, 2009)  

3) Work Environment Potential Chilling Effect 

  The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said it was concerned about a 

worsening climate at Berwick where some workers were afraid to raise 

safety issues because they feared retaliation. The highest number of 

allegations occurred  in  2008.  (ADAMS: ML 090 280 115) 

_____ 

1 The NRC responded on April 14, 2009: "We have reviewed your 

application in accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 (a)(4) and 10 CFR 9.17 (a) (4), and 

have concluded that the financial information your application sought to be 

withheld from public disclosure is related to the the requirements of 10 CFR 

50.75 9f)(1), “Reporting and record keeping for decommissioning planning.” 

 This issue as to be added to the ROP for 2009. 

What is the status of this investigation? 

4)  How long is PPL’s Corrective Actions Program (CAP) backlog, and how 

does PPL’s delay rank against the rest of the  industry? 

5)  What are the costs for the equipment and labor necessary to 

close out the CAP? 

6)  Has PPL deferred maintenance and change out of SSES mechanical 

components? 

7)  What is PPL’s ranking on the "Equipment Reliability Index?"