MORE FAULTY PIPING FOUND AT MOX FACILITY

After finding a batch of piping in July that did not meet safety standards, the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility’s contractor reported this week that a large amount of piping it acquired can not be used “in certain applications” at the plant. “Through independent testing, MOX Services has identified nine heats/sizes of 304L and 316L SS pipe supplied by CB&I Laurens (formerly BF Shaw) that fail required ASTM A262 testing and cannot be used in their specified application.” according to a report from contractor Shaw AREVA MOX Services posted Monday by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. In July the contractor told the NRC that one “heat” of one-half inch piping did not meet standards, and this week MOX Services reported that eight additional “heats” of piping were found to have similar defects. After issues were uncovered last year, the contractor tested 188 heat/size combinations of piping manufactured by Spanish vendor Tubacex.