United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Office of Public Affairs

Washington, DC 20555

Phone 301-415-8200 Fax 301-415-2234

Internet:opa@nrc.gov

No. 98-144 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Friday, August 14, 1998)

NRC LIFTS RESTRICTIONS ON LOADING OF SPENT FUEL CASKS

AT POINT BEACH NUCLEAR POWER PLANT IN WISCONSIN

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Office of Nuclear Material Safety and

Safeguards has lifted restrictions on the loading of spent nuclear fuel into VSC-24 dry

storage casks at the Point Beach nuclear power plant near Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

Sierra Nuclear Corporation is the designer of the VSC-24 cask and holds an

NRC certificate of compliance approving its use.

NRC’s action lifting restrictions on loading at Point Beach was taken after the

agency found that the plant’s operator, Wisconsin Electric Power Company, had met

all commitments listed in a confirmatory action letter the NRC sent to the company on

May 16, 1997, as supplemented on September 5.

The May 16 letter documented Wisconsin Electric’s commitment to identify root

causes and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence of welding problems

that were associated with the VSC-24. The supplement addressed fabrication

problems involving the cask that were identified in June 1997. It also confirmed

Wisconsin Electric’s agreement not to load additional VSC-24s until actions were taken

to correct welding problems and until Sierra Nuclear Corporation responded to certain

NRC requests for information.

In addition, the supplement confirmed that the utility would identify actions taken

to minimize recurrence of the welding problems and confirm that all unloaded VSC-24

casks intended for use at the plant meet regulatory requirements.

Sierra Nuclear completed its response to NRC in July of this year. On July 22

the NRC informed Sierra Nuclear that it had adequately identified the root causes of the

welding problems and developed adequate corrective actions to prevent recurrence.

These corrective measures will be subject to NRC review in any future inspections of

Sierra Nuclear and all the utilities using the VSC-24.

Wisconsin Electric also agreed to perform ultrasonic testing of casks previously

loaded with spent fuel, as did two other utilities that are currently using the VSC-24

casks: Entergy Operations, Inc., at its Arkansas Nuclear One nuclear power plant near
Russellville, Arkansas, and Consumers Power Co., at its Palisades plant near South

Haven, Michigan. At Point Beach, the tests are to be completed no later than August

31, 1999. Wisconsin Electric will notify the NRC within 30 days after completion of

testing.

Wisconsin Electric submitted its final response to the NRC confirmatory action

letter, and supplement, on Tuesday (August 11). After reviewing the response, the

NRC staff concluded that the utility had met its commitments and therefore could

resume loading VSC-24 casks at the Point Beach facility.

In the August 11 letter, Wisconsin Electric also made new commitments on how

it would control future fabrication and use of the VSC-24. The NRC found that the

commitments, if properly implemented, would provide reasonable assurance that

Wisconsin Electric would continue to use the VSC-24 in accordance with safety

requirements.

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