Nuclear Plant Has Flaw Undetected for 19 Years

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: October 14, 2005

PHOENIX, Oct. 13 (AP) - A potential problem with the emergency reactor core cooling system at the nation's largest nuclear power plant went undetected from 1986, when the plant began producing electricity, until last week, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the plant operator confirmed Thursday.

The issue, a design flaw, was identified when engineers at the plant, the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, did an analysis after commission overseers raised questions at a detailed inspection early last week. The analysis showed that the emergency cooling system might not operate as expected to provide water to reactor cores after a small leak in the reactor cooling lines, said a commission spokesman, Victor Dricks.