nuclear-news

Florida and 30 other US States endangered by nuclear cooling ponds

“It would be hard to manage this hazard (more) foolishly. The federal government’s ineptitude in disposing of spent fuel has left Americans across the country exposed to elevated and undue risks,”

Japan’s crisis adds fuel to Florida nuclear fears. The Palm Beach Post, 11 April 11, Once, the thousands of 12-foot-long rods now being stored in 40-foot-deep pools of water at Florida Power & Light Co.’s two South Florida nuclear plants helped power the state’s electric grid.Their job is done. However, the used, or “spent,” fuel rods have not gone anywhere. They’re still at the St. Lucie and Turkey Point nuclear plants, they’re still close to population centers on water and they’re still radioactive. The pile of waste continues to grow.The unfolding calamity with issues of cooling fuel rods at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility has drawn renewed attention to the safety of U.S. nuclear plants…..
Should we be worried about the huge amounts of spent fuel stored in our state? The industry says no, but watchdog groups and others have concerns….

David Lochbaum, director of the nuclear safety project at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said spent fuel pools are among the most vulnerable spots at a nuclear plant. They are housed in buildings that aren’t as strong as those that house reactors.

“It would be hard to manage this hazard (more) foolishly. The federal government’s ineptitude in disposing of spent fuel has left Americans across the country exposed to elevated and undue risks,” Lochbaum said.

The situation is the same at most of the nation’s 104 reactors on 65 sites in 31 states. An additional 15 closed reactors also hold spent fuel.

The best plan would be to transfer spent fuel that has been out of the reactor for at least five years into dry casks, then spread the remaining fuel as far as possible, Lochbaum said…..

“Almost every plant in the country is currently out of storage space or will be soon,” said Roger Hannah, Atlanta-based spokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission….Japan’s crisis adds fuel to Florida nuclear fears

April 11, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, USA, wastes