Washington (February 11, 2022) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), the Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air, Climate, and Nuclear Safety, released the following statement today after the Nuclear Regulatory Commission released its fourth quarter inspection report for Seabrook Station Unit 1. This routine inspection resulted in three Green-level findings, the first level of significance in the Reactor Oversight Process threat matrix. The one cited violation found that NextEra failed to document and evaluate conditions that indicated degradation from the alkali-silica reaction (ASR) in the reactor cavity pit.

“I am grateful for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s thorough fourth quarter inspection report. I will continue to work with the Commission to closely monitor concrete degradation at Seabrook and ensure that NextEra resolves these concerns promptly,” said Senator Markey. “Beyond this, we should have a broader NRC response to, and analysis of, alkali–silica reaction (ASR), and I hope the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards promptly reviews and provides recommendations on how to meaningfully address ASR. We can’t let these cracks get worse, and that means NextEra needs to effectively monitor and document all potential structural damage.”

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