nuclear-news

The Tricky Question About Nuclear Even Experts Can’t Answer, Oil Price , By Robert Rapier – May 26, 2019“……….There are still 11 operating RBMK reactors of the type involved in the Chernobyl accident. All of them are in Russia. Since Chernobyl, there have been significant design modifications that were recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).In 2006, IAEA deputy director Tomihiro Taniguchi told The Associated Press “Very significant changes have been made in the technology. The IAEA is firmly committed that such an accident not happen again.”

There’s no doubt that the potential for a Chernobyl-type event has been greatly reduced as a result of design changes and additional training, but has it been reduced to zero? Hold that thought for a moment.

While there are no RBMK reactors in the U.S., around 30% of U.S. nuclear power plants use General Electric-designed boiling water reactors (BWR). This was the type involved in the core meltdowns in Fukushima following the 2011 tsunami off the coast of Japan……….

Preventing Another Chernobyl

When someone asks if a Chernobyl could happen again, the engineer in me pauses and thinks about the unknown unknowns. By definition, we don’t know what they are. Thus, the completely honest answer when someone asks me this question is “I don’t think so, but I can’t guarantee it.”

Further, we have seen people deliberately crash airplanes. Could a disgruntled operator deliberately sabotage a nuclear plant and cause a catastrophic outcome?.……https://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Nuclear-Power/The-Tricky-Question-About-Nuclear-Even-Experts-Cant-Answer.html