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America’s risks of catastrophic fire in spent nuclear fuel pools

spent-fuel-rodsSpent fuel fire on U.S. soil could dwarf impact of Fukushima, Science, By Richard Stone May. 24, 2016  A fire from spent fuel stored at a U.S. nuclear power plant could have catastrophic consequences, according to new simulations of such an event.

A major fire “could dwarf the horrific consequences of the Fukushima accident,” says Edwin Lyman, a physicist at the Union of Concerned Scientists, a nonprofit in Washington, D.C. “We’re talking about trillion-dollar consequences,” says Frank von Hippel, a nuclear security expert at Princeton University, who teamed with Princeton’s Michael Schoeppner on the modeling exercise.

The revelations come on the heels of a report last week from the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on the aftermath of the 11 March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in northern Japan. The report details how a spent fuel fire at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant that was crippled by the twin disasters could have released far more radioactivity into the environment.

The nuclear fuel in three of the plant’s six reactors melted down and released radioactive plumes that contaminated land downwind. Japan declared 1100 square kilometers uninhabitable and relocated 88,000 people. (Almost as many left voluntarily.) After the meltdowns, officials feared that spent fuel stored in pools in the reactor halls would catch fire and send radioactive smoke across a much wider swath of eastern Japan, including Tokyo. By a stroke of luck, that did not happen.

But the national academies’s report warns that spent fuel accumulating at U.S. nuclear plants is also vulnerable. After fuel is removed from a reactor core, the radioactive fission products continue to decay, generating heat. All nuclear power plants store the fuel onsite at the bottom of deep pools for at least 4 years while it slowly cools. To keep it safe, the academies report recommends that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and nuclear plant operators beef up systems for monitoring the pools and topping up water levels in case a facility is damaged. The panel also says plants should be ready to tighten security after a disaster.

At most U.S. nuclear plants, spent fuel is densely packed in pools, heightening the fire risk. NRC has estimated that a major fire at the spent fuel pool at the Peach Bottom nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania would displace an estimated 3.46 million people from 31,000 square kilometers of contaminated land, an area larger than New Jersey. But Von Hippel and Schoeppner think that NRC has grossly underestimated the scale and societal costs of such a fire…….http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/05/spent-fuel-fire-us-soil-could-dwarf-impact-fukushima

 

May 27, 2016 Posted by | safety, USA, wastes | 1 Comment

Canada’s wildfires – surrounding a radioactive trash site

wildfire-nukeflag-canadaThe nuclear waste site at the heart of Canada’s wildfires  http://www.euronews.com/2016/05/18/the-nuclear-waste-site-at-the-heart-of-canadas-wildfires/#.V0M0ugThEm0.twitterJust south of the Canadian city of Fort McMurray, in an area partly ravaged by flames, sits a nuclear waste site.

Situated at the extreme north of the Beacon Hill landfill tip, it contains some 42,500 m3 of radioactive minerals, including uranium and cesium.

But does it pose a threat to society today? According to information gained by euronews reporter Renaud Gardette, the site lies in the middle of the huge wildfires, blazing uncontrollably since May 1.

Why was the landfill created?

To understand the origins of the landfill site, we must first go back to 1982 when Canada launched an extensive exploration and containment of low-level radioactive land programme all over the territory. It was piloted by the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Office (LLRWMO).

In Fort McMurray, radioactive minerals were regularly discharged and used along the Northern Transportation Road. Built in the 1930s, the thoroughfare was initially used to transport uranium from the Port Radium mine (Northwest Territories) to Fort McMurray. From there, uranium was also transported by train to Port Hope, Ontario.

The Port Radium mine closed in 1960. Thefts and pillages occurred along the road and that is where the contamination is most visible.

The LLRWMO detected more radioactive sites around Fort McMurray. Work began in 1992 and, up to 2003, 42,500m3 of waste were sent to a specially-engineered landfill with a double layer of clay, several management systems, protection and monitoring, as well as a layer of earth and grass.

The site is monitored annually by the LLRWMO.

Does the site really exist?

The site’s existence is confirmed in several reports, including the Inventory of Radioactive Waste in Canada, published in 2012 by the LLRWMO.

What if?

Several questions have arisen. Was the site burnt in the wildfires? Have radioactive particles been emitted into the atmosphere? What is the risk to the environment?

For the moment, no specific warning has been triggered.

The response from the Canadian authorities

(Translated from French)

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories and our Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Office are responsible for managing historic low-intensity radioactive waste located in the Beacon Hill dump at Fort McMurray. The site is at the north end of the Beacon Hill landfill site, which itself is south of the city of Fort McMurray and west of Highway 63. The approximate coordinates are: 56 degrees 39 ’10 “ N, 111 degrees 20 ’56 “W.

  • CNL manages these sites on behalf of Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd, the federal corporation that is ultimately responsible for the safe management of historic low-intensity radioactive waste.
  • The low-intensity waste at Beacon Hill consists of uranium ore residue, mixed with soil and placed in isolation (in a separate cell), which is covered with a thick layer of low-permeability soil, then another, dense layer of clean earth. In total, there are at least 45 centimetres of clean soil over the contaminated soil.
  • According to the information available, it appears that the site was affected by the fires. That said, this does not pose any immediate risk to the health and safety of people and the environment. There are also no concerns about the physical integrity of the cell.
  • Given the composition of the contaminated soil, that is to say, ore residue mixed with earth, there is no risk that it will catch fire. In a similar way to a field or garden, fire can ignite the grass, but the earth itself does not catch fire.
  • We continue to monitor the situation closely.

May 25, 2016 Posted by | Canada, climate change, safety | Leave a comment

Middle Eastern nuclear stations and radioactive materials – a cause for anxiety

terrorism-targets-2The Middle East: Culprit for my nuclear security insomnia http://thebulletin.org/what-path-nuclear-security-beyond-2016-summit/middle-east-culprit-my-nuclear-security-insomnia Nilsu Goren, 24 May 16, 

What keeps me up at night—US East Coast time—is reading Turkey’s morning news concerning Syria and Iraq. The insomnia is especially severe when my thoughts turn to nuclear security not just in Syria and Iraq but in countries throughout the Middle East.

All participants in this roundtable agree that, despite the achievements of the Nuclear Security Summits, the threat of nuclear terrorism is not necessarily diminishing. In the Middle East, nuclear terrorism seems a particularly immediate concern. True, the region lacks large quantities of highly enriched uranium and plutonium. But its political instability and its tendency toward violent extremism are conditions that can enable nuclear terrorism.

According to the 2016 Nuclear Security Index, published by the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), Middle Eastern nations rank poorly when it comes to safeguarding their nuclear materials from theft. Of the 24 countries that possess at least 1 kilogram of weapons-usable nuclear materials, two are Middle Eastern: Israel and Iran. The Index ranks these countries near the bottom of the theft-protection list. Israel comes in at number 20 and Iran at 23.

Among the 152 countries with less than 1 kilogram of weapons-usable nuclear materials, about a dozen are Middle Eastern. They are all over the lot in their vulnerability to theft—from the United Arab Emirates at number 24 to Syria at 151 (just above Somalia). Clearly, the region’s efforts to prevent nuclear theft are not strong enough.

Where vulnerability to nuclear sabotage is concerned, the Middle East does even worse. Of the 45 countries in NTI’s sabotage index, five are Middle Eastern. Israel—the highest-ranking of the five—comes in at number 36. Iran is tied with North Korea for last place.

And as my roundtable colleague Hubert Foy has discussed, concern about nuclear materials is not limited to fissile materials. Radiological sources are also an issue of pressing concern. The Middle East’s generally lax security environment, along with its political instability, makes the misuse of radiological sources more likely in this region than in many other places.

Civilian radiological sources are ubiquitous, particularly in medicine. They would be relatively easy to access in children’s hospitals, for example. Luckily, most radioactive sources are not easily dispersible. Their half-lives are short. They could contaminate only limited areas. Moreover, anyone attempting to steal an unshielded source might die from acute radiation exposure. Still, using a radiological source in a “dirty bomb” could create panic and terror in local populations. A dirty bomb would turn affected areas into no-go zones for a number of years, which would have profound economic repercussions.

Another reason to be concerned about Middle Eastern nuclear security is the planned expansion of nuclear power in the region. Some nations, pointing toward Iran’s limited right to enrich uranium under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, will also wish to enrich uranium domestically. To be sure, such nations have the right to pursue the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, including uranium enrichment. But in order to alleviate international concerns about their enrichment capacity, these nations must develop robust laws regarding nuclear security. They must establish procedures for secure interim storage of nuclear materials. And they must make final disposition plans for spent fuel and radioactive waste.

The International Atomic Energy Agency can help with all of those tasks. It has the authority, resources, and expertise for the job. But a lot of work will nonetheless fall to state regulatory authorities. A key challenge will be for regulators to establish independence from political authorities. A key component of success, meanwhile, will be identifying nuclear security approaches appropriate to the region—via close cooperation between regulators and the nuclear industry. Here the Nuclear Security Summits can extend their legacy. The Nuclear Industry Summits that ran parallel to the Nuclear Security Summits offer a valuable model for including industry in the dialogue toward establishing good nuclear security practices in the Middle East.

May 25, 2016 Posted by | MIDDLE EAST, safety | Leave a comment

German State close to Belgium prepares iodine tablets, in concern about neighbouring nuclear stations

North Rhine-Westphalia prepares for Belgium nuclear accident with iodine tablets, DW, 24 May 16  Amid growing safety concerns over Belgium’s aging nuclear reactors, Germany’s most populous state has purchased iodine tablets in case of a nuclear accident. Activists insist the best solution is to close the plants. With plans already in place to end its domestic use of nuclear power by 2022, Germany has taken a clear stance on its use of nuclear energy since the 2011 Fukushima disaster.

But while Berlin pushes forward with alternative renewable energy sources at home, across the border in Belgium, its efforts are overshadowed by two controversial nuclear power plants.

Tihange 2 and Doel 3 were both scheduled to be shut down in 2015. Under a deal to preserve jobs and invest in clean energy, however, Belgian officials decided to extend their operation until 2025.

Following reports that pressure vessels at both reactor sites have shown signs of metal fatigue, the two reactors have become a source of growing tension between Germany and Belgium in recent months. Just 60 kilometers (37 miles) away from Tihange, lies the German city of Aachen – home to some 240,000 people and best known as the residence of ninth century emperor, Charlemagne.

In April, German Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks called on Brussels to carry out more teststo at the plant to show that Belgium “takes the concerns of its German neighbors seriously.” The 40-year-old reactors should be closed “until outstanding safety issues are resolved,” the minister said.

Fears have also grown over the possibility of terrorists targeting nuclear power plants, particularly after the March 22 terrorist attacks in the Belgian capital.

Brussels rejected Berlin’s request, claiming that the two plants “respond to the strictest possible safety requirements.” Less than a month later, however, Belgian Health Minister Maggie De Block announced that in the case of a nuclear disaster, people living within a 100-kilometer (60-mile) radius of the reactor would be provided with iodine tablets in a bid to minimize the effects of radiation. With Belgium only 300 kilometers at its widest point, the majority of the country’s 11-million population would effectively be included in the measure.

Having heard nothing from Brussels on the closure of either power plant, the North Rhine Westphalia (NRW) Interior Ministry announced on Tuesday that they, too, would be taking similar preventative measures, with iodine tablets being made available to the over 45-year-olds, children and pregnant women in the case of a serious nuclear leak.

“We will gradually provide each municipality with iodine tablets,” spokeswoman for NRW Interior Ministry Marlin Mailänder told DW……

Anti-nuclear energy campaigners welcomed the move by the NRW Interior Ministry on Tuesday, but vowed to continue their campaign to close the nuclear reactors.

“Of course it’s a sensible step,” co-founder of the citizen initiative “Aachen Action Group Against Nuclear Engery,” Jörg Schellenberg, told DW.

“But the better solution would be to bring an end to the source of the danger,” he added. “We need to shut down the nuclear power plants once and for all.” http://www.dw.com/en/north-rhine-westphalia-prepares-for-belgium-nuclear-accident-with-iodine-tablets/a-19279950

May 25, 2016 Posted by | Germany, safety | 1 Comment

‘Armageddon drone’ that can search for radiation

 

The ‘Armageddon drone’ that can search for radiation: Nevada nuclear test site to trial atomic disaster technology

  • ‘Sandstorm’ craft used for radiation sensing and environmental monitoring
  • The drones will also be used for sensor development and site security
  • Researchers expect to begin tests with new technology this coming fall  

By CHEYENNE MACDONALD FOR DAILYMAIL.COM, 25 May 2016

The US government is set to deploy two radiation-detecting drones at the former ‘Nevada Test Site’ to test new sensing capabilities that could help in future nuclear disasters.

The ‘Sandstorm’ unmanned aircraft will be used for remote radiation sensing and environmental monitoring, along with other security applications.

Researchers are now working to expand the sensor technology for unmanned aerial systems, and they expect the Sandstorm drones to begin tests in the fall.

The Sandstorm drones were purchased by the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS).

This location was once the infamous Nevada Test Site, where nearly 1,000 nuclear tests were conducted both under and above ground, beginning in the 1950s.

Now, the NNSS leads missions on emergency response, national security, defense applications and experimentation, nuclear weapons stockpile stewardship, and environmental management.

As of December 2013, Nevada is one of six FAA authorized test sites for unmanned aerial systems (UAS).

The new drones will help to expand the research and development programs, according to NNSS officials……..http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3607203/The-Armageddon-drone-search-radiation-Nevada-nuclear-test-site-trial-atomic-disaster-technology.html

May 25, 2016 Posted by | safety, USA | Leave a comment

China getting prepared for nuclear emergencies

safety-symbol-SmChina establishes national nuclear emergency team Reporter: Wu Guoxiu 丨 CCTV.com05-24-2016 China has established a national nuclear emergency rescue team, to cope with potential nuclear accidents, and take part in international rescue operations. CCTV reporter tells us more now on how the country is increasing its nuclear emergency preparedness.

The national rescue team is composed of armed forces members and existing rescue professionals. On duty 24-7, their job is to deal with serious nuclear accidents in the country, or abroad.

“The rescue team has 320 members, and six squads, including technical support, evacuation, rescue, radiation monitoring, decontamination and medical treatment. The bases will conduct drills, training and theoretical studies,” said Li Ganjie, Chief of China Nuclear Safety Bureau……..

a nuclear safety law is expected to come out by the end of this year. But new challenges have come as China exports nuclear technologies to international markets.

“Exporting nuclear technology doesn’t mean you sell a nuclear power plant, it also involves nuclear safety and emergency systems. Our nuclear emergency response needs to be improved to meet the international level,” said Wang Yiren, Deputy Director of China Automatic Energy Authority…..http://english.cctv.com/2016/05/24/VIDEKSSxxWjhqULQlkfTq4BQ160524.shtml

May 25, 2016 Posted by | China, safety | Leave a comment

USA’s nuclear power plants have experienced 10 perilous near misses

safety-symbol1Flag-USA10 Near Misses at U.S. Nuclear Power Plants Considered Precursors to a Meltdown https://ecowatch.com/2016/05/24/near-misses-nuclear-plants/  | May 24, 2016 Following the 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, Greenpeace USA released a new report Tuesday on the 166 near misses at U.S. nuclear power plants over the past decade. Of the incidents identified in Nuclear Near Misses: A Decade of Accident Precursors at U.S. Nuclear Plants, 10 are considered by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to be important precursors to a meltdown.

“Contrary to NRC commissioners’ claims, there is nothing safe about the nuclear reactors in the United States,” Greenpeace Nuclear Policy Analyst Jim Riccio said. “Thirty years after Chernobyl and five years after Fukushima, it is clear that these kinds of disasters could absolutely happen here. It is time for the NRC to listen to the whistleblowers within its own ranks and address these longstanding issues and vulnerabilities.”

In addition to the 163 accident precursors or near misses documented by the NRC, Greenpeace identified three significant near misses that NRC risk analysts failed to review under the agency’s Accident Sequence Precursor Program (ASP): the triple meltdown threat to Duke Energy’s Oconee Nuclear Station west of Greenville, South Carolina. According to NRC’s risk analysts, if nearby Jocassee Dam had failed, all three of the nuclear reactors at Oconee were certain to meltdown.

The report identified the following incidents as the top 10 near misses at nuclear plants between 2004-2014:

1. Browns Ferry 1 in Athens, Alabama: Residual heat removal loop unavailable; valve failure.

2. Wolf Creek in Burlington, Kansas: Multiple switchyard faults, reactor trip and loss of offsite power.

3. Robinson in Hartsville, South Carolina: Fire causes partial loss of offsite power & reactor coolant pump seal cooling challenges.

4. Fort Calhoun in Fort Calhoun, Nebraska: Fire in safety-related 480 volt electrical breaker due to deficient design control. 8 other breakers susceptible.

5. River Bend in St. Francisville, Louisiana. Loss of normal service water, circulating water and feedwater caused by electrical fault.

6. Oconee 1 in Seneca, South Carolina: Failure of Jocassee Dam would result in a meltdown.

7. Oconee 2 in Seneca, South Carolina: Failure of Jocassee Dam would result in a meltdown.

8. Oconee 3 in Seneca, South Carolina: Failure of Jocassee Dam would result in a meltdown.

9. North Anna 1 in Mineral, Virginia: Dual loss of offsite power caused by earthquake AFW pump out of service & failure of Unit 2 EDG.

10. Byron 2 in Byron, Illinois: Transformer & breaker failures cause Loss of Off Site Power, reactor trip and de-energizing of safety buses.

“If the NRC can’t even accurately track near meltdowns why should the public have any confidence that they can prevent them? It’s time to retire these dangerous nuclear plants and end the nuclear era once and for all,” Riccio concluded.

May 25, 2016 Posted by | incidents, Reference, USA | Leave a comment

USA nuclear stations’ disaster procedures and processes are inadequate

U.S. Nuclear Reactors Fall Short on Steps to Cope With Disasters  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-05-20/u-s-nuclear-reactors-fall-short-on-steps-to-cope-with-disasters   JonNCrawford May 21, 2016

  • Report notes failings in securing spent fuel, plant security
  • Operators have already spent $4 billion on safety measures

  • More than five years after a tsunami struck Japan triggering one of the worst nuclear disasters in history, U.S. reactors and industry regulators haven’t done enough to prevent a similar catastrophe, a government-sponsored study found.

    Reactor operators are falling short on measures to prevent spent nuclear fuel stored at the plant from overheating and releasing radiation into the atmosphere following an accident or natural disaster, according to a report Friday from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. Operators should also upgrade plant security “to cope with extreme external events and severe accidents.”

  • A March 2011 earthquake caused a tsunami that slammed into Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s Fukushima Dai-Ichi plant, causing a triple meltdown that sent a radioactive plume over surrounding communities. The loss of power that followed the tsunami exposed weaknesses in systems meant to secure the plant and its stock of spent fuel.
  • “The 2011 Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear accident should serve as a wake-up call to nuclear plant operators and regulators,” the National Academies, a private research group that advises the government, said. A 2014 report from the group focused on the causes of the Fukushima Dai-Ichi accident.

    The recommendations follow safety and security steps covering the nation’s 100 operating reactors mandated by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in response to the Fukushima Dai-Ichi accident. Industry groups questioned the cost of the rules while environmental groups said they didn’t go far enough.

  • Terrorist Attacks

    Plant operators have spent $4 billion on post-Fukushima safety enhancements, according to the Washington-based Nuclear Energy Institute, a trade group representing plant owners. Friday’s report calls on the industry to go further.

    Operators must ensure that pools used to cool spent fuel rods can be maintained and monitored following accidents or terrorist attacks. Power sources serving security systems should be protected and backed up with redundant supplies. Regulators and plant operators must improve their ability to identify terrorist threats.

     Regulators should also examine the risks and benefits of expediting the transfer of spent fuel from pools to drys casks.

May 23, 2016 Posted by | safety, USA | Leave a comment

Threat of Nuclear EMP Attack on Electric Grid

Government, Industry Studying Threat of Nuclear EMP Attack on Electric Grid
High-altitude nuclear blast would cause widespread power outage, Washington Free Beacon BY:   May 19, 2016  American power companies are studying ways to protect electric grids against a high-altitude nuclear blast and other directed energy attacks that could severely disrupt electricity transmission, an industry representative told a Senate hearing Wednesday.

Scott Aaronson, managing director for cyber and infrastructure security at the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), stated in testimony that a consortium of U.S. electric companies is working with the Energy Department to study how to protect power grids from a nuclear blast-produced electromagnetic pulse attack or solar flares that could damage transformers and other electric components and shut down power for millions of Americans……

The hearing was called to examine threats to critical infrastructure ranging from cyber attacks and criminal activities to terrorist sabotage and nation state nuclear attacks.

Aaronson, whose institute represents all investor-owned U.S. electric companies, said in testimony that electromagnetic pulse is a concern and could be caused by a high-altitude nuclear blast or a directed energy weapon.

The Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council, a group of chief executives from 21 electric companies and nine major industry associations, is working with the Energy Department to examine the threat. Aaronson, the council’s secretary, stated that the threat study is based on research done by the Pentagon and national laboratories……..http://freebeacon.com/national-security/government-industry-studying-threat-nuclear-emp-attack-electric-grid/

May 20, 2016 Posted by | safety, USA | Leave a comment

Nuclear danger in Armenia

Suicidal nuclear gambit on Caucasus, Trend, 19 May 2016 “………..According to the report by Vienna-based nuclear watch-dog, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Armenia has established quite a record of illegal trafficking of nuclear and other radioactive materials. There have been a couple of serious incidents spanning from 1999 onward. A large number of reported incidents has occurred on the country`s border with Georgia, tempting the IAEA to conclude there is high probability that the so called Armenian route does in fact exist. There is a further evidence to support this assertion. There were an unusually high number of Armenians caught in nuclear trafficking activities. Additionally, some of the reported incidents that made their way to the official reports suggested that the main focus of trafficking activities is in fact smuggling of nuclear material that could be used for nuclear weapons capabilities. There were also reports suggesting the trafficking of other radioactive material that could be utilized for alternate purposes, such as the building of a so called dirty bomb. Since the stakes with nuclear weaponry are always high to the extreme, the recognition of this threat must not be underrated and dismissed easily.

Only days henceforth the latest illegal activities have been uncovered by border control in April, 2016, former Armenian Prime Minister Bagratyan shocked the international public with the claim that Armenia indeed has nuclear capabilities and the ability to further develop them. The main reason for the possession is to deter neighbors such as Turkey and Azerbaijan. More specifically, to discourage them from resorting to aggressive foreign policy measures and mitigate potential threats to Armenian territorial integrity, especially in the disputed regions. Even though Turkey and its intelligence network was quick to dismiss these claims and labeled them as a failed attempt to increase the geopolitical importance of Armenia, as well as to deter its much more militarily capable neighboring countries, such claims should not be taken lightly, either. Thus, there is no cause for alarm yet.

However, there should be increased interest of the international community to investigate these serious claims. If documented, they would pose a grave desta-bilization factor for the already turbulent region. They would also trigger deepening of hostilities and mistrust in extremely delicate regional framework of peace.

The prospects and dangers of potential acquisition of a dirty bomb by rouge actors are rising on the international agenda. The recently detected activities in South Caucasus showed that there were substantial efforts made in order to smuggle and illegally sell Uranium 238, which is highly radioactive. At the beginning of 2016, a different group was trying to smuggle a highly radioactive Cesium isotope that usually forms as a waste product in nuclear reactors. What is also worrying is that the majority of the activities are occurring in highly instable and unmonitored territories of Azerbaijan and Georgia that are under the control of separatists, such as Nagorno- Karabakh and South Ossetia. The mere organization of the Armenian route proves to show that illegal activities can flourish in the security blind spots of the region…… http://en.trend.az/scaucasus/armenia/2535865.html

May 20, 2016 Posted by | EUROPE, safety | Leave a comment

America’s Nuclear Regulatory Commission set to exempt nuclear corporations from safety costs and liabilities

text-my-money-2Flag-USAUS nuclear industry’s plan thanks to NRC: let taxpayers carry the can for closed power plants, Ecologist Linda Pentz Gunter13th May 2016   With five reactors closed in the last three years, the US nuclear industry is in shutdown mode, writes Linda Pentz Gunter – and that means big spending on decommissioning. But now the nuclear regulator is set to exempt owners from safety and emergency costs at their closed plants – allowing them to walk away from the costs and liabilities, and palm them onto taxpayers.

Aging and dangerous nuclear power plants are closing. This should be cause for celebration. We will all be safer now, right? Well, not exactly.

nuke-reactor-deadUS nuclear power plant owners are currently pouring resources into efforts to circumvent the already virtually non-existent regulations for the dismantlement and decommissioning of permanently closed nuclear reactors.

And sad to say, many on the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the industry’s ever compliant lapdog, are trotting happily by their side.

There is an occasional lone critic. NRC Commissioner Jeff Baran, observed that the“NRC does not currently have regulations specifically tailored for this transition from operations to decommissioning. As a result, licensees with reactors transitioning to decommissioning routinely seek exemptions from many of the regulations applicable to operating reactors.”

The inevitable result is that reactor owners will successfully avoid spending money now on decommissioning as they seek to delay beginning the actual cleanup work for the next half century and maybe longer. Later, when it comes time to finish the job, the owners – and the money – could well be long gone.

US reactor owners rely on ‘decommissioning trust fund’ investments to pay for decommissioning activities. But these are failing to accrue adequate funds to do the job. Many of the trusts are incurring annual losses on their investments.

In fact, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found the NRC’s financing formula for decommissioning trust funds to be fundamentally flawed, resulting in the utilities ability to accrue only 57% to 75% of the needed funds……..http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/2987679/us_nuclear_industrys_plan_thanks_to_nrc_let_taxpayers_carry_the_can_for_closed_power_plants.html

May 16, 2016 Posted by | business and costs, decommission reactor, politics, safety, USA | Leave a comment

Degrading panel at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station’s spent fuel pool

Report: Panel at Pilgrim degrading Problem in spent fuel pool described as ‘slow to develop’ Cape Cod Times,  By Christine Legere  May 14, 2016  
PLYMOUTH — One of the panels designed to absorb neutrons and prevent a nuclear reaction called fission from occurring in the spent fuel rods stored in the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station’s spent fuel pool has deteriorated, according to a report submitted by Entergy Corp. to federal regulators yesterday.
Fission would cause the rods to heat up the same way they do in a nuclear reactor. The heat would cause the water in the pool to boil and evaporate. If exposed, the rods could start a fire and release radiation.

Neil Sheehan, spokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said degradation of the panels has been a known problem for decades and one experienced by a number of nuclear plants……..It takes as little as four fuel assemblies to begin a nuclear chain reaction. Currently the racks in Pilgrim’s pool hold 3,300 spent fuel assemblies……..
The storage pools at nuclear plants, particularly older ones like the 43-year-old Pilgrim, were designed to hold spent fuel rods short term. Pilgrim’s pool was designed for about 800 assemblies. Assemblies were on large racks that relied on large spacing, about 20 inches between the spent fuel assemblies to maintain sub-critical conditions.

But as the solution to long-term storage continued to be elusive, the pools had to accommodate many more rods than “Because of the federal government’s problem to provide a disposal site for irradiated fuel, tens of thousands of tons of irradiated fuel remains where it was produced,” said David Lochbaum, director of nuclear safety for the Union of Concerned Scientists. “Spent fuel pools have been re-racked with storage racks holding irradiated fuel very close together, often closer than when it is in the reactor core. In the core, there are control rods to prevent criticality. In the spent fuel pools, other methods must be used to protect against criticality.

Solutions to the problem include the use of borated water or the insertion of sleeves containing boron over defective panels.
At this point, there is no time frame for a solution at Pilgrim. http://capecodtimes.com/article/20160513/NEWS/160519684

May 16, 2016 Posted by | safety, USA | Leave a comment

Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material strengthens nuclear security

flag-UN-Smsafety-symbol-SmNew amendment on safeguarding nuclear facilities comes into force, strengthening a weak link in nuclear security, UN News Centre,  12 May 2016 – After nearly two decades, the Amendment to the United Nations –backed Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM) entered into force on 8 May – strengthening nuclear security and reducing the threat of nuclear terrorism worldwide.

At an event marking the historic milestone, Yukiya Amano, Director General of the International Atomic Agency (IAEA), said: “The entry into force of the Amendment demonstrates the determination of the international community to act together to strengthen nuclear security globally.”

On 8 April, the ratification of Panama brought the number of CPPNM adherences to 102, the threshold necessary to kick the agreement into effect in 30 days. The bolstered Convention,described by Mr. Amano as “the single most important step which the world can take to strengthen nuclear security,” will, among other things, reduce the risk of a terrorist attack on a nuclear power plant and make it more difficult to smuggle nuclear material.

As the only international legally-binding undertaking on the physical protection of nuclear material, the 1979 Convention established measures to prevent, detect and punish offenses.

The Amendment broadens the CPPNM by protecting nuclear facilities and material in domestic use, storage and transport. It also expands on identified offences, such as nuclear material theft, as well as introduces new ones, including nuclear material smuggling and nuclear facility sabotage.

Now that the Amendment has entered into force, new international notification and cooperation requirements will become fully operational, including enhanced information sharing between States in locating and recovering stolen material……..http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=53920#.VzTqW9J97Gg

May 13, 2016 Posted by | 2 WORLD, safety | Leave a comment

Britain failed to consult Europe over Hinkley nuclear safety dangers – UN

text Hinkley cancelledsafety-symbol-SmHinkley Point: UN says UK failed to consult over risks  UN Economic and Social Council says Britain has not met its obligations to discuss the impact of nuclear accident with neighbouring countries , Guardian, 9 May  16  The British government has run into a major new problem with the Hinkley Point C nuclear project, with a United Nations committee ruling that the UK failed to consult European countries properly over potential environmental risks.

Documents seen by the Guardian show Britain “is in non-compliance with its obligations” (page 21) to discuss the possible impact of any accident or other event that could affect those nations in proximity to Hinkley.

This is just the latest in a string of problems connected with the planned £18bn project to construct new reactors in Somerset, with the developer EDF of Francerecently delaying a final investment decision until September.

Paul Dorfman, a senior researcher at UCL’s energy institute, said the ruling from the UN Economic and Social Council throws great uncertainty over Hinkley.

“This is a huge blow to the government and introduces a whole new element of doubt over the scheme. It is hard to see how EDF can sign off any final investment decision whilst the government has yet to resolve this important issue.”…..http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/may/08/hinkley-point-united-nations-says-uk-failed-to-consult-over-risks

May 11, 2016 Posted by | EUROPE, politics international, safety, UK | Leave a comment

Nuclear safety problems, and high powered guns

text-cat-questionIf the nuclear security people have high-powered guns, how long before the terrorists get the, and can then damage the nuclear facilities?


Bigger guns, bigger problems? How high-powered ammunition could affect nuclear power plants May 9, Target-nuclear-chain2016 By TERI SFORZA / STAFF WRITER, Orange County Register,   Shortly after the horrors of 9/11, a curious package landed on Dave Lochbaum’s desk.

It was flat but heavy. Inside the bubble pack was a battered steel plate, blasted with dents and holes from semiautomatic weapons fire. Each pockmark and perforation was carefully labeled – by hand, in permanent ink – with the type of ammunition used to produce it.

Security forces at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station and nuclear plants nationwide had increased their firepower to take on a more formidable terrorist threat. The steel plate, sent by a San Onofre security manager, graphically illustrated what Lochbaum, a nuclear engineer, considered a potentially devastating, increased risk:

More powerful ammunition meant to protect nuclear reactors was capable of piercing control panels and critical piping.

The concern doesn’t appear to have been publicly disclosed at the time, but it resurfaced recently after the Nuclear Regulatory Commission allowed nuclear security forces to override state and local gun control laws and possess high-powered weaponry that would otherwise be banned.

Government documents – provided by the Union of Concerned Scientists, a nonprofit watchdog that keeps a critical eye on the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in Washington, D.C. – offer a rare glimpse intoefforts to secure America’s nuclear power plants that occur out of the public eye and the controversies that can simmer behind the scenes.

Critics maintain that not enough is being done to protect plants and the public. Their issue is not whether those guarding nuclear plants should have high-powered weaponry, but about how much additional security training and hardening of facilities should be required to reduce the risk of collateral damage.

An accidental discharge, friendly fire or all-out firefight during a terrorist attack could potentially cripple a working reactor and release dangerous radiation, experts said.

Risks are different at shuttered plants like San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station because there’s no reactor core to melt down. But millions of pounds of nuclear waste remain on site, cooled and protected by intricate technologies that sit beyond the thick containment domes.

The NRC has allowed San Onofre to dial back its emergency plans because it no longer splits atoms, a move that many critics opposed. Operating nuclear plants must work up detailed responses to four levels of emergency, but San Onofre owner Southern California Edison no longer has to prepare for the worst two.

Nuclear power plant security is a nationwide concern. Nearly one-third of Americans – 96 million – live within 50 miles of such facilities, according to the U.S. Census Bureau………

Plant security must defend against attackers whose goal is to damage or disable safety-related equipment, the letter said. Because such attackers would likely be armed with automatic weapons with high-powered ammunition, the guards must have comparable equipment……..

Concerns remain, however.

“We have upgraded security at America’s nuclear plants and made it much harder for bad guys to cause mayhem, and that’s good,” Lochbaum said. “But there’s all kinds of equipment that could inadvertently be damaged, and not much training on what security officers should try not to hit. ”………http://www.ocregister.com/taxdollars/nuclear-715262-security-nrc.html

May 11, 2016 Posted by | safety, USA | Leave a comment

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