The Michigan Daily-Saturday, May 23, 1981- Page 5 10,000 GALLONS OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE SPILLS Nuclear plant shuts down From AP and UPI ATHENS, Ala. - Nearly 10,000 gallons of radioac- tive water gushed from a leaking reactor at the nation's largest nuclear plant yesterday, triggering an emergency and forcing a partial shutdown of the $1 billion Browns Ferry power station. Officials said the leak did not contaminate any workers and no radiation escaped from the contain- ment building.- THE TENNESSEE Valley Authority, which operates the north Alabama plant near Athens, said the leak was stopped about 11:45 a.m., and the reac- tor brought to a cold shutdown by noon. The alert was canceled. Utility officials said the reactor, which reaches a temperature of 2,000 degrees at full power, had to be cooled down before workers could enter the massive steel and concrete containment building and fix the leak.- Technicians entering the containment after a spill require thick suits, helmets and air tanks to protect them. "Right now we are not sure when we will be able to go in," TVA spokesman Lewis Gwin said. ALTHOUGH THE cause of the leak has not yet been determined, Gwin said, "we suspect it was a seal on one of the circulating pumps that :circulates cooling water through the reactor." "It does not appear to be serious, but all accidents such as this are serious. You have highly radioactive water leaking," Gwin said. TVA officials said they do not believe they will have to vent any radioactive steam into the atmosphere to fix the leak. JOE GILLILAND, a spokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in Atlanta, said there was "no major safety problem" at the plant. "We don't think it'severy serious in terms of our emergency guidelines," Gilliland said. "Our designations for anything potentially serious range from an 'unusual event' to a 'general emergency.' It looks like this was an 'unusual event' ... It's something that requires immediate attention, but it does not necessarily mean there's any imminent danger." In Washington; NRC spokesman Frank Ingram said the commission was informed of the prollem during the early morning hours as part of normal procedures. PLANT OPERATORS reduced power and then shut down the unit before any of the reactor's safety systems operated automatically, said Jim Hufham, director of TVA's emergency control center in Chat- tangoga, Tenn. 4 "site alert" was declared at 12:45 a.m. when drains in an enclosed area around the reactor vessel, called the drywell, indicated cooling water was leaking at the rate of 21 gallons a minute, he said. The drywell containment facility was designed to hold leaks from the circular system that cools the nuclear fuel rods at each unit, according to TVA spokesman Gil Francis. A "SITE ALERT" means an actual or potential emergency is under way at a nuclear plant and requires plant officials to have emergency personnel standing by, according to TVA spokesman Bruce Cadotte. The plant's safety systems are capable of adding cooling water to the reactor as rapidly as 5,000 gallons a minute, Hutham said, but Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations require the reactor to be shut down for any leak larger than five gallons a minute. The reactor, which had been operating at full power, was reduced to 30 percent power, then shut down normally at 1:23 a.m., he said. BY 3 A.M., the leak-had fallen to 15 gallons a minute, indicating the shutdown was continuing normally, he said. Hufham said plant operators would open the en- closed drywell area to examine the leak after the shutdown was completed yesterday. Regents approve 'faculty promotions Continued from Page 1) accommodation with the surrounding architecture. Also approved was a recommen- dation for a 1000-space parking struc- ture 'for the Replacement Hospital Project expected to be ready for use by October, 1982. TO SECURE financing for the struc- ture, a bond sale is being contemplated in July, Brinkerhoff said. If costs should escalate further, the deficit may have to be financed with increased student fees. Baker said he objected to moving student fees into the "hospital arena." However; Brinkerhoff said it is normal to use student fees as a back-up security measure in a large financing plan. Also, a temporary staff parking structure will be built near North Cam- pus on Mitchell field by next summer. Funding for the structure-which shouldn't "infringe on recreation programs"-will come from the University Hospital. THE REGENTS also approved renovations of the Law School, the first floor clinic of University Health Ser- vice, and erection of a storage facility for the Housing Division. In the Law School, the eighth floor of the Legal Research Building will be converted to a faculty research space, and an area on the fifth level for faculty offices. Some of the "deteriorated" flagstone walks on the Law Quadrangle also have been slated for repair. Daily staff writer Pam Fickinger filed a report for this story. (!Ulu~b D r0Iip EtUtEE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY Huron Valley Mission 301 North Ingalls (two blocks north of Rackham Graduate School) 668-6113 Sunday Service-2:30 p.m. Rev. Marian K. Kuhns FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 120 S. State St. ( Corner of State and Huron) Worship Schedule: 8:30 a.m.-Holy Communion in the Chapel. 9:30 and 11:00 a.m.-Morning Wor- ship in the Sanctuary. Sermon for May 24-=-"But God Meant It For Good," by Dr. Donald B. Strobe. Church School for all ages-9:30 ap. and 11 a.m. Choir Rehearsal-Thursday at 7:15 p.m. Ministers: Dr. Donald B. Strobe Rev. Fred B. Maitland Dr. Gerald R. Parker Education Directors: Rose McLean and Carol Bennington LORD OF LIGHT LUTHERAN CHURCH (The Campus Ministry of the ALC- LCA) Gordon Ward, Pastor 801 S. Forest at Hill St. Sunday Worship Service at 10:30 FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF ANN ARBOR 1917 Washtenaw (corner of Berkshire) Sunday Services at 10:30 .. Coffee Hour andtconversation after services. Child Care available Kenneth W. Phifer-Minister 665-6158 CAMPUS CHAPEL 1236 Washtenaw Ct. A Campus Ministry of the Christian Reformed Church Rev. Don Postema, Pastor 10:00 am-Morning Service. 6:00 pm-Evening worship. * * * UNIVERSITY LUTHERAN CHAPEL Serving the Campus for LC-MS Robert Kavasch, Pastor 1511 Washtenaw Ave. 663-5560 Sunday Worship: 9:00 am (Summer Hours). ST. MARY'S CHAPEL (Catholic) 331 Thompson-663-0557 Weekly Masses: North Campus Mass at 9:30 a.m. in Bursley Hall (Fall and Winter Terms). Rite of Reconciliation-4 p.m.-5 p.m. on Friday only; any other time by ap- pointment. Use Daily Classifieds 'WHY DO THE HEATHEN RAGE?' Psalm 2:1 and Acts 4:25 Sometime ago we received a letter from a lady saying she had a son in a hospital In another State, and "I sure am worried about my son - I hear he has went against God and I am so worried I can't sleep or eat." (Lady, "has went" is bad grammar but it is o.k. with me for your statement is understandable and I know what you are talking about, and that is the main thing. There are multitudes that sympathize with you, and we asked all such to offer a prayer for you and your son.) However, I know at great numbers who have sons and daughters that have "went against God" that are not worried or troubled. In tact, there are many who "have went against God" along with their sons and daughters, maybe as chaperons, paying the expenses, board and lodging and furnishing money for 'fire-water,' and fine and high-powered autos to make better time as they "went against God!" Sad to say, often they have to pick up tabs for wrecks, doctor, hospital and even funeral bills. Thank God the devil has not gotten you to the place where you can observe such things and conduct without being terribly worried and troubled. In this connection would call your attention to the 9th chapter o Ezekiel. This lady's worry -and trouble calls to mind same at my own worry and trouble: ItlIs about my Uncle, MY DEAR UNCLE SAM! ALAS! ALAS! HE, TOO, "HAS WENT AGAINST GOD!" Why, he won't let his little school children pray to God or read God's Book in the place of learning. Uncle Sam forbids them asking The Creator of Heavens and Earth, the Universe and all things, for their "daily bread," to "deliver us from evil" - no wonder the devil is catching so many of them. Mrs. John Wesley taught her boys John and Charles their letters and to read by using the first chapter of The Bible, God's Book. Those two boys did not turn out so bad! It sure seems to me that dear old Uncle Sam "has went against God!" P.O. BOX 405 DECATUR, GEORGIA 30031