FUTILITY AT THE UTILITY

For two decades, Detroit Edison tested a critical safety system at Fermi Unit 2 using an outdated 'answer key,' failing to verify if the system met current safety standards. Despite numerous audits and inspections by both the company and the NRC, the error persisted from 1986 to 2006.

• From August 1986 to August 2006, Detroit Edison tested the Division 1 degraded voltage protection system at Fermi Unit 2 using a setpoint of 3702 volts, despite a technical specification amendment (Amendment 4) requiring a more stringent setpoint of 3952 volts.
• The emergency diesel generators (EDGs) are critical safety components; if they are disabled, Fermi Unit 2 must be shut down within 12 hours to prevent public risk.
• Detroit Edison and the NRC missed numerous opportunities to identify the testing discrepancy, including a February 1988 reactor shutdown caused by the discovery that EDGs had not been tested as required by technical specifications.
• The report argues that Detroit Edison treated symptoms rather than root causes, citing multiple failed '100% verifications' and reviews of surveillance programs that failed to catch the error.
• The NRC's oversight is characterized as ineffective, specifically noting that the agency issued a 'GREEN finding'—the lowest severity level—after the 20-year violation was finally discovered in August 2006.
• The report identifies other systemic failures at Fermi Unit 2, including a sight glass installed incorrectly in 1984 that went undetected for 17 years and caused a catastrophic bearing failure in March 1991.
• In 1997, Detroit Edison formally assured the NRC under oath that the plant was configured and maintained within design bases, yet the testing discrepancy remained.
• The report suggests the NRC should require Detroit Edison to explicitly explain how every activity listed in its February 1997 submittal failed to detect the testing error.

APA

LOCHBAUM, D. (2007). FUTILITY AT THE UTILITY. Union of Concerned Scientists. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/20070200-f2-ucs-futility-at-the-utility.pdf

Chicago

LOCHBAUM, DAVID. FUTILITY AT THE UTILITY. Union of Concerned Scientists, 2007. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/20070200-f2-ucs-futility-at-the-utility.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=LOCHBAUM |first1=DAVID |title=FUTILITY AT THE UTILITY |publisher=Union of Concerned Scientists |date=February 2007 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/20070200-f2-ucs-futility-at-the-utility.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{lochbaum2007futility, author = {LOCHBAUM, DAVID}, title = {{FUTILITY AT THE UTILITY}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2007}, month = feb, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/20070200-f2-ucs-futility-at-the-utility.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }