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Oct. 14, 2003 -- FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Co. (FENOC) officials on Tuesday announced that the recent pressure test at the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station had fully met all of its objectives, including validation of the integrity of the bottom of the plant's Reactor Vessel and of the Reactor Coolant System.
The pressure test required raising system pressure and temperature to approximately those of normal operations - 2,155 pounds per square inch and 532 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. Test conditions were maintained for eight and one-half days while inspection crews conducted a total of three system walkdowns.
"One of the key pieces of equipment we tested was the bottom of the Reactor Vessel," said FENOC Chief Operating Officer Lew Myers. "Using a robotic camera to closely examine the bottom and the 52 instrumentation tubes there, we confirmed that there is no indication of leakage."
Davis-Besse Vice President Mark Bezilla, who oversaw many of the other testing activities, added that the purpose of the test was to identify and resolve any remaining minor equipment issues. "We found only a handful of minor issues," Bezilla said. "Most of them already have been taken care of, or will be over the next four to six weeks, before we ask the NRC for permission to restart."
Results of the test included the following:
- Overall leak rate for the 90,000-gallon Reactor Coolant System was .006 gallons per minute, or about three-quarters of a teaspoon - well within the federal limit of one gallon per minute;
- Out of the 1,300 pieces of equipment inspected and the 700 post-maintenance and modification tests conducted, inspectors found 163 minor equipment issues - all but 60 of which were addressed when discovered, and those will be completed before restart;
- Recently installed state-of-the-art FLUS leak-monitoring equipment and the new multi-stage leak-detection program both proved effective.
Remaining work to be completed prior to restart includes modifying the High Pressure Injection Pumps, which already have been shipped to the vendor; modification of the Electrical Distribution System; work on the Containment Air Coolers; additional training for employees regarding performance issues, regulatory compliance and safety culture; and enhancements to the Corrective Action Program.
FirstEnergy Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Richard H. Marsh and FENOC President Gary R. Leidich will discuss the pressure test results and ongoing effort to return Davis-Besse to service during a teleconference with the financial community Wednesday, October 15, at 10:30 a.m. Eastern time. A live Webcast of their remarks and follow-up question-and-answer session will be accessible through FirstEnergy's Investor Information Web site - www.firstenergycorp.com/ir - by clicking on the Webcast icon and selecting Davis-Besse Update.
FENOC is a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE - News), a registered public utility holding company headquartered in Akron, Ohio. Its subsidiaries and affiliates are involved in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity; exploration and production of oil and natural gas; transmission and marketing of natural gas; and energy management and other energy-related services.
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