Failing Concrete at Seabrook Station: Top Ten Reasons why C-10 Foundation Asked the NRC for Public Hearing

April 11, 2017  –   The C-10 Research and Education Foundation, Inc.  has formally asked the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for a public hearing in the matter of deteriorating concrete at the Seabrook Station nuclear power plant, as well as requesting intervenor status in NRC Docket 50-443. 

The proceeding relates to the License Amendment Request (LAR) 16-03 NextEra Energy Seabrook, LLC (NextEra) submitted in the summer of 2016, seeking to “Revise Current Licen sing Basis to Adopt a Methodology for the Analysis of Seismic Category I Structures with Concrete Affected by Alkali-Silica Reaction.”

The C-10 Foundation has long warned of the irreversible concrete degradation known as alkali-silica reaction, or “ASR” that is ongoing at Seabrook Station. C-10 Foundation’s petition lays forth ten contentions that the group asserts merit further investigation and a public hearing by the NRC, including what it sees as insufficient testing of concrete at the Seabrook Station nuclear reactor and lack of transparency as to the test results and the seriousness of degradation.

“We are concerned not only about the public health and safety implications of allowing the current operating license to stand given what we know about the plant’s concrete, but also about the precedent it would set for the entire U.S. nuclear industry,” said Natalie Hildt Treat, Executive Director of the C-10 Foundation.   For details on the ten related contentions C-10 sites as grounds for a hearing, read the petition here.