對台電「骯髒」核電廠的疑慮

對台電「骯髒」核電廠的疑慮

原文位置：http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2011/04/05/2003499964

《台北時報》 

本報記者J. Michael Cole報導

Polly 譯

2011年4月5日，星期三

由於日本福島核電一廠的核災持續威脅數百萬日本人的健康問題，台灣三個營運中的核電廠之安全問題，以及這些核電廠應如何妥善管理的問題，也開始受到人們高度的監視。尤其是有些報告更透露了這次日本核電廠的洩漏事故，或許是因為人為的多年疏忽和貪污所致的。

去年，一家美國潛水公司聲稱國聖廠（核二廠）的工人把核電廠裡的抑壓池（suppression pool）當成時「垃圾池」後，《台北時報》便於6月19日報導了位於新北市萬里區國聖廠（核二廠）之種種問題。

美國南達科他州的Midco深海潛水服務公司（Midco Diving and Marine Service）主席Robert Greenspan告訴《台北時報》說，若核電廠出現危急情況時（當核反應堆所產生的能量大於能被移除的能量時），這個抑壓池將會扮演一個關鍵的冷卻劑角色。但他們卻發現在這個抑壓池裡，曾出現大量高放射性的淤泥及各種外來異物，如電纜捲軸、氧氣瓶和面罩。按照各種排除外來異物的規定顯示，外來異物可能會影響池水的流動和堵塞管道，所以任何進入抑壓池的物品都必須取出。

Midco曾跟一家台灣公司，閩台，在2008年11月及2009年3月，分別承包了有關核二廠的二號反應爐和一號反應爐的潛水維修服務工程。但Greenspan說，他們在一號反應爐抑壓池裡的潛水人員根本無法在10天內完全裡面大量外來異物的清理工作。而其後的一場合同糾紛，也使得Midco無法回到這裡工作。

上月我們再跟Greenspan聯繫，他向我們提供了更多有關這件事的細節。

他說：「當我們在打掃時，廠內的工人仍然繼續把垃圾丟到抑壓池裡。當我們在清理完一個區域後，稍後走回去時，我們發現了那個地方竟然出現了更多的垃圾。」他更說：「他們還把這裡當成是他們吐檳榔渣的痰盂。」

在Midco之前，另一間美國潛水公司——康涅狄格州的水底工程公司（Underwater Construction Corp簡稱 UCC）曾在2007年4月和5月，即核二廠二號反應爐進行第18次更換機組燃料的時候，進行了類似的水底清潔工作。我們曾嘗試在去年六月及上月和UCC接觸，但UCC一直沒有任何回應。不過，《台北時報》卻取得一份有關UCC對於當時維修二號反應爐的最終工作報告之副本。

他們的報告指出，在2007年UCC進去工作以前，台電從未對核二廠二號反應爐裡的排氣環（vent annulus，暫譯此中文）——位於鋼製的反應爐容器或主要控制結構，和水泥建築之間的地方——進行任何清理污垢或檢查抑壓池浸泡區域的工作。而核二廠的二號反應爐卻是從1983年3月15日開始運作的。直到他們對其進行清理污垢和檢查時，所有在排氣環和在吸水口濾網（suction strainers）上的外來異物才被除去。

抑壓池裡的污物主要包括：大量從機器管道掉下來的腐蝕物品（註：應該是鐵鏽物）和焊接時掉下來的焊渣；而且，他們更發現了不少纖維材料。報告指出，一般污物層的深度大約是 150毫米至450毫米。但是，他們最後卻在排氣環一帶收集了50袋，每袋約重9公斤的外來異物。大部分被發現的異物均為水管、電線、焊條、焊渣和緊縮帶（tie-wrap），還有一個裝著工具的工具箱、一塊光柵（grating）、一些燒焊用的腳架和一個燒焊用的平台（several scaffold poles and a scaffolding platform，暫譯此中文）。

清潔工作結束後，反應爐裡的抑壓室內側（suppression chamber liner，暫譯此中文）的輻射水平在測試後證明有明顯下降。它們從清潔前的每小時10毫西弗（millisievert, mSv）至每小時超過80毫西弗（或相當於人們進行800次肺部Ｘ光照片檢查的總劑量），下降至每小時0.15毫西弗至每小時2毫西弗。報告指出，這些數據證明了這些被清除的外來異物都是含有高放射性的。

雖然，大部份的外來異物都已被清除，但是14至19號的控制版（panel）（總數為34個）卻未曾被清理。原因是它們的輻射水平是高達每小時 50毫西弗至每小時超過80毫西弗。

一位台電核能發電處的王重章先生向《台北時報》證實了，UCC是因為排氣環底部區域射輻含量太高而無法完成其清理的工作。

報告指出，即使是除去在整個排氣環內，大部份地板和牆壁上染色鐵鏽的工作，他們也因為環內部份地方的輻射含量過高，而只能完成部分清理的工作。

Greenspan對於UCC報告的回應是：台電對於核電廠的維護工作完全不行。

他說：「他們從未清洗他們的抑壓池…裡面有很多[不應該存在]的泥沙、[不應該那麼高的]高輻射含量和大量[不應該存在]的廢物」。

Greenspan說：「我理解UCC的工人為何在這麼高的輻射情況下無法完成他們的工作。」

他說：「一個核電廠的工人，包括在水底清潔的潛水員，他們每年只能允許接受一定的輻射劑量。一旦這些工人或潛水員吸收的輻射劑量達到標準限制時，[這意味著]他不能再在核電廠裡工作。」

他接著說：「但是，由於這個核工廠是如斯骯髒，所以我不會怪責這些UCC的潛水員最終決定放棄下水工作，因為這樣他們才能在另一個核電廠裡繼續工作。他們要維持家計，所以亦不想因此失去工作。因為台電自己根本不會妥善維修他們的核電廠。（註：我想這句大約是受訪者要說他們雙方面都面對著的問題。即這些外包核電廠工人要靠這份工作維持家計，另方面台電又必須要靠這些外包工人來幫自己維修）」

Greenspan還提到另一個很重要的問題：台電必須棄置高輻射垃圾的問題。

他說：「因為台電將不會遵守標準的協議程序，所以數百磅的廢物和數千個的濾芯，才會有如此高的輻射劑量。」

「大多數核電廠都好像一個手術室，裡面都是非常整齊、有條理和乾淨的。但台電的核電廠卻活像一間在一家髒兮兮的汽車零件店後面的雜物房。如果福島的事件發生在國聖廠（核二廠）的話，我相信後果一定會更為嚴重，而且問題會急速惡化。」

台灣首兩座核電廠都是使用類似福島核電一廠的沸水式反應爐（water boiler reactors [簡稱BWR]），而位於屏東馬鞍山的馬鞍山核電廠（核三廠），則採用了一個據說更穩定和更安全的壓水式反應爐（pressurized water reactor[簡稱PWR]）。

核一廠和核二廠是分別使用形號不同的——Mark-I和Mark-III——控制裝置。而福島六個反應爐裝置中，有五個便是使用Mark-I形號的控制裝置。

當我們問台電有關國聖廠（核二廠）在UCC和Midco無法完成他們的清理工作後是否有自行完成這些清理的項目時，王重章表示，抑壓池的清理工作已由一家台灣公司——福爾摩沙公司——接手處理。。

王重章說，國聖廠（核二廠）的一號和二號反應爐的排氣環和抑壓池的清理工作經已在3月30日完成，現在已經沒有任何淤泥殘留在裡面。

至於問及台電有關新北市石門區的金山核電廠（核一廠）何時會進行類似的清理工作的時候，王重章說，一家美國公司S.G. Pinney已經分別在1999年和2000年清理過核一廠的一號和二號反應爐裡的抑壓室（suppression chamber）。

可是，金山核電廠（核一廠）一號反應爐是在1978年12月6日開始運作的，而二號反應爐則在1979年7月16日開始運作。

王重章說，2005年，台電曾自行排放（核一廠）在一號和二號反應爐抑壓池裡的水，並為這兩個抑壓池完成相關清理的工作。王重章其後更補充說，現在這些抑壓池裡面的狀態都是非常良好的。

他說，台電將會在今年年底和明年，再次為（核一廠）一號和二號反應爐抑壓池進行排水和清理的工作。

但由於維修工作人員必須在反應爐一帶不斷進出以進行工作，很多污泥和塵埃將會掉進抑壓池。王重章補充說，未來台電有計劃要為國聖廠進行定期清理。這個建議也曾出現在UCC的報告裡，而Greenspan則表示他是完全支持這個建議的。

不過，專家們說，核電廠應每年或每兩年進行一次這種清理的工作。

此外，王重章說，從今年下半年開始，他們將會以搖控清理水底的方法來維持排氣環和抑壓池裡的清潔。而每次清潔相隔的時間，將按具體情況來決定。

polly譯。

這篇英文不容易譯，主要是很多名詞我都不懂。若有錯漏，請各位朋友幫忙修訂。謝謝。

Taipower’s ‘dirty’ nuclear plants raise concerns

By J. Michael Cole  /  Staff Reporter

Tue, Apr 05, 2011 - Page 3

As the nuclear crisis at Japan’s Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant continues to threaten the health of millions of Japanese, the safety of Taiwan’s three operational nuclear power plants and how well managed those plants are has come under greater scrutiny, especially in light of reports that leaks at the Japanese plant may have partly been the result of years of neglect and corruption.

On June 19 last year, the Taipei Times exposed problems at the Guosheng Nuclear Power Plant in Wanli (萬里), New Taipei City (新北市), after a US diving company alleged that staff were treating the suppression pool as a “garbage dump.”

Robert Greenspan, president of South Dakota-based Midco Diving and Marine Services, told the Taipei Times that the pool, which would play a critical coolant role during a nuclear emergency (when the energy produced by the reactor core is greater than the energy removed), had contained inordinate amounts of silt and various foreign objects, such as cable spools, oxygen tanks and masks — all highly radioactive. According to foreign material exclusion rules, any object that is taken into a suppression pool must be taken out, as foreign objects can disturb the flow of water in the tank and cause jamming.

Contracted by Ming Tai (閩台), a Taiwanese firm, Midco conducted underwater maintenance in Unit 2 at the plant in November 2008 and Unit 1 in March 2009. However, Greenspan said there was so much foreign material in the Unit 1 pool that divers were unable to complete their work in the 10 days given them. An ensuing contractual dispute prevented Midco from returning to the site.

Contacted for a follow-up late last month, Greenspan provided more details of the situation back then.

“When we were cleaning, they were still dropping garbage into the pools. We would clean an area and go back through it later, and there would be more debris,” he said. “They also used it as a spittoon for the beetle nut they chew on.”

Prior to Midco, another US diving firm, Connecticut-based Underwater Construction Corp (UCC), had conducted similar underwater cleaning work at the plant’s Unit 2 during the 18th refueling outage in April and May 2007. Contacted in June last year and again last month, UCC did not respond, but the Taipei Times has obtained a copy of the company’s final report on its maintenance work at the unit.

Before the work in 2007, the vent annulus — the area between the reactor’s steel container, or the primary containment structure, and the concrete building surrounding it — at Unit 2 had never been desludged or inspected in the immersion area, the report said. Unit 2 went operational on March 15, 1983. During desludging and inspection, all foreign material found was removed from the annulus and suction strainers.

The sludge in the pool consisted mainly of fine particulate mixed with large amounts of corrosion products from system piping and welding slag, and evidence of fibrous material was noted, the report said. Typical sludge depths ranged from 150mm to 450mm. In all, 50 bags of foreign material, weighing about 9kg each, were removed from the annulus area. The majority of the foreign objects found were identified as tape, wire, welding rods, welding slag and tie-wraps, as well as a tool box with tools inside, a piece of grating, several scaffold poles and a scaffolding platform.

Contact dose rates on the suppression chamber liner at the conclusion of the cleaning work showed a significant decrease in radiation levels, from 10 millisieverts per hour to more than 80 millisieverts per hour (or the equivalent of 800 chest X-rays) before work to 0.15 millisieverts per hour to 2 millisieverts per hour after its conclusion, the report said, a sign that the foreign material removed was highly radioactive.

While most foreign materials were removed, the area from panels 14 through 19 (of a total of 34) were not cleaned because of the high dose rates of 50 millisieverts per hour to more than 80 millisieverts per hour.

John Wang (王重章), an official at state-owned Taiwan Power Co (Taipower, 台電), which operates the nation’s nuclear power plants, confirmed to the Taipei Times that UCC could not complete its cleaning work because of high radiation in some areas of the annulus base.

Removal of rust staining at numerous areas throughout the annulus floor and walls could only be done partially, again because of high radioactive dose rates, the report said.

Commenting on the report by UCC, Greenspan said Taipower had dropped the ball on maintenance.

“The pools had never been cleaned ... Lots of silt [should not be there]. High radiation [should not be that high] and lots of debris [should not be there],” he said.

“It is my understanding the UCC crew did not finish because of extremely high radiation doses,” Greenspan said.

“A radiation worker, including divers, is only allowed so much radiation per year. Once a radiation worker or diver hits that limit, [it means] no more work in a nuclear plant,” he said.

“Because the plant was so dirty, the divers from UCC — and I don’t blame them — essentially decided not to dive anymore so they could continue working at other plants. They have families to support and do not want to be out of work because Taipower cannot do proper maintenance,” he said.

Another important point was the amount of radioactive garbage that had to be disposed of, Greenspan said.

“Hundreds of pounds of debris, and hundreds upon hundreds of the sediment filters, all highly radioactive, because Taipower will not follow proper protocol,” he said.

“Most nuclear plants are more akin to a surgical center, very neat, regulated and clean. Taipower plants are more like the back room of a lousy auto parts store. If the Fukushima situation happened at the Guosheng plant, I am sure it would have been way worse, much faster,” he said.

Taiwan’s first two nuclear power plants use reactors — water boiler reactors (BWR) — similar to those at Fukushima Dai-ichi, while Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Ma-anshan (馬鞍山), Pingtung County, uses a more stable, and reportedly safer, pressurized water reactor (PWR).

The first two plants use different containment designs, Mark-I and Mark-III respectively. Five of the six reactors at Fukushima use a Mark-I design.

Asked if Taipower had completed the cleanup at Guosheng after UCC and Midco failed to finish their work, Wang said the suppression pools were cleaned by a Taiwanese company, Fuermosha Co (福爾摩沙公司).

The cleanup of the vent annulus and the suppression pools at the first and second reactors at Guosheng is complete and no silt remains, he said on March 30.

As to when similar work had been done at the Jinshan Nuclear Power Plant in Shihmen District (石門), New Taipei City, Wang said US company S.G. Pinney had used divers to clean the suppression chamber at reactors one and two in 1999 and 2000 respectively.

Unit 1 at Jinshan went online on Dec. 6, 1978, while Unit 2 did so on July 16, 1979.

In 2005, Taipower itself discharged the water and completed a cleanup of the suppression pools at the first and second reactors, he said, adding that the inside of the suppression pools was in very good shape.

Late this year and next year, Taipower will discharge the water and clean up the suppression pools at reactors one and two, he said.

However, as staff enter and exit for maintenance work, mud and dirt will still enter the suppression pools, Wang said, adding that the future strategy at Guosheng would be to adopt regular cleaning, one of the recommendations found in the UCC report and fully supported by Greenspan.

Experts say it should be done every one or two years.

Furthermore, beginning in the second half of this year, a remote controlled underwater cleaning method will be adopted to keep the vent annulus and the suppression pools clean, with the interval between cleanings to be decided depending on the circumstances, Wang said.