27 Jan (NucNet): General Electric Hitachi’s efforts to maintain “a positive working relationship” with the US government and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission are supported by the recent agreement to pay 2.7 million US dollars (1.9 million euros) for allegedly making false claims related to the design of its Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR), the company has said.
On 17 January 2014, GEH reached a settlement with the US Department of Justice related to submittals made to the US government regarding its plant-based load evaluation methodology for analysing anticipated loads on the ESBWR steam dryer.
GEH said it had expressly denied the allegations throughout the process, and as a DOJ statement indicated, “the claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability”.
GEH said in a statement that even though it denies the allegations, it believes that resolution of the matter supports its continuing efforts to “maintain and enhance a positive working relationship” with the US government, and more specifically the NRC.
The steam dryer removes excess moisture from steam created in a nuclear power plant’s reactor before it is delivered to the turbine generator. It is considered a “non-safety related piece of equipment”, GEH said.
During the licencing and certification process, the NRC required that GEH demonstrate that vibrations caused by the steam dryer would not result in damage to the nuclear plant.
In March 2011, the NRC found the ESBWR design technically acceptable, but did not fully certify it. The licencing process is ongoing, the NRC has said.
