Watts Bar Unit 2 Nuclear Reactor Licensing Brings Stability Testing Upstream

Core drilling at The Dike in Dandridge, TN – Staff Photo by Jeff Depew

The Tennessee Valley Authority was in Jefferson County last week taking core samples at the Dandridge Dike. According to Travis Brickey, a representative of TVA, the drilling is a part of a “health check” that is going on at around 18 locations in the TVA region. Brickey stated that each site could have multiple drillings, as was evidenced on the Dike in Dandridge. The core samples will provide information on how material is withstanding at the drilling locations. Brickey said that the health check is the first check that is this extensive. Subcontractors on the site referenced the Watts Bar Unit 2 Nuclear Reactor as the reason behind the decision to do an extensive check on the sites upstream. Brickey stated that the information provided in the site testing will be helpful in the quest for licensing by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, however he asserted that it is not the primary reason behind the testing. Underwater robotic vehicles are often used to provide information, as well as other testing measures. The current core drilling project is the first time that extensive core samples have been taken for a health check. In a letter and summary from Watts Bar Unit 2 General Manager (Technical Service) Raymond Hruby, Jr. an analysis, using current industry criteria, indicated stability concerns at Douglas and Cherokee Dams. Both Dams had finite element analysis, which refine the area of the Dam that is susceptible to potential instability during Probable Maximum Flood loading. The information was submitted to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Document Control Desk with the subject noted as Watts Bar Plant Unit 2-Long Term Stability Analysis Methodology and was dated September 6, 2012. In the Enclosure 2 portion entitled New Regulatory Commitment it was stated that modifications to Douglas and Cherokee Dams will be designed and implemented before the start up of Watts Bar Unit 2 Nuclear Reactor.

Brickey stated that information on Static Dam Safety was the primary reason for the project. In regard to licensing at Watts Bar, Brickey said that TVA is currently completing construction of Unit 2 at the Nuclear Plant and that Unit 2 will not come on line until 2015. An extensive licensing process must be completed before Unit 2 will be operational. Core sampling teams may be seen at various locations throughout the County for several days, including areas toward Douglas and Cherokee Dams. Brickey could not confirm if or when the results of the core samples will be available. He said that modern technology allows for more intensive tests and that the current check is business as usual for TVA.