Does a Nuclear Operations Unusual Event (NOUE) give you a warm and fuzzy feeling? When it’s a fire at a nuke on the Savannah River? They didn’t shut Unit 1 down for that, but Unit 2 has been down for almost a month.

NRC Current Event Notification Report for April 4, 2013,

NOTIFICATION OF UNUSUAL EVENT BASED ON A FIRE IN THE PROTECTED AREA LASTING GREATER THAN 15 MINUTES

“Vogtle Unit 1 has declared an NOUE based on a fire within the protected area boundary not extinguished within 15 minutes of detection.

“At 0632 [EDT] Unit 1 received a fire alarm in the Unit 1 control building. A systems operator was dispatched to investigate and reported back that a small flame was visible inside 1ND3I1, computer inverter. Fire brigade was dispatched in accordance with fire response procedures. No other systems or parameters affected.

“At 0651 [EDT] fire brigade captain reported that the fire had been extinguished.”

The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector as well as the state and local authorities.

Notified DHS, FEMA, DHS NICC and NuclearSSA.

* * * UPDATE FROM MICHAEL PARKER TO DONG PARK AT 0811 EDT ON 3/31/13 * * *

The licensee terminated the NOUE at 0745 EDT based on the fire being extinguished.

The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector.

R2DO (McCoy), NRR EO (Chernoff), and IRD (Harris) notified. Notified DHS, FEMA, DHS NICC and NuclearSSA (email).

And remember, Hatch 1 near Baxley ( 100 miles from here) may still have substandard fire protection, in addition to its ongoing radioactive tritium leaks into our groundwater.

Here’s Vogtle 2’s status for the past month:

-jsq

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