An arc flash that burned two contract workers at the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant near Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee was not was not due to any equipment or plant-related issues, according to an investigation by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Instead, the TVA has concluded that the March 16 incident was caused by improper access and work in an electrical cabinet.
The workers, who were employed by Day & Zimmerman, were performing tasks near the cooling towers of the plant when the arc flash occurred. They sustained first- and second-degree burns and were transported to a local hospital.
The TVA suspended similar work activities across the fleet while the investigation was conducted, although both Sequoyah reactors remained at full power since the incident occurred away from the power generating side of the plant.
An arc flash is the result of a rapid release of energy due to an arcing fault.