(Photos) Trucking nuclear weapons and wastes around USA
Trucks Carrying Nuclear Weapons Around the Counttry Revealed (Photos)
Huffington Post 09- 3-09
The idea of nuclear weapons being carted around in our highways, cities and neighborhoods doesn’t really put one’s mind at ease. However, the government has been transporting seriously dangerous stuff like enriched uranium and plutonium secretly without public warning.Friends of the Earth through the Freedom of Information Act has forced the Department Of Energy to release color photos of the trucks used to transport weapons. According to FOE, these are the first of such pictures that have been released in many years……………..
“The trucks carrying nuclear weapons and dangerous materials such as plutonium pass through cities and neighborhoods all the time and the public should be aware of what they look like. Release of these photos will help inform the public about secretive shipments of dangerous nuclear material that are taking place in plain view.” – Tom Clements, Southeastern Nuclear Campaign Coordinator with Friends of the Earth
Trucks Carrying Nuclear Weapons Around The Country Revealed (PHOTOS)
Regulatory decay allows more radioactive leaks from aging USA nuclear power plants
Beyond Nuclear Bulletin, 4 Sept 09 More radioactive leaks from reactors like Dresden, Oyster Creek, Vermont Yankee and Indian Point are calling attention to a largely ignored Nuclear Regulatory Commission document dating back to 1979 when the agency first asked operators to periodically inspect pipes and tanks to prevent uncontrolled leaks.
Reactor operators are not inspecting the miles of buried and corroding pipes and tanks. NRC is instead allowing reactors a “leak first fix later” approach rather than use preventive inspections to maintain integrity of these radioactive waste management systems through preventive inspections. In addition to frequent intentional radioactive releases, these accidental and unmonitored spills and leaks onsite are contaminating water resources away from the reactors, jeopardizing public health.
The October 19, 1979 NRC technical circular entitled “Prevention of Unplanned Releases of Radioactivity” advises the nuclear industry to periodically inspect buried pipes specifically using hydrostatic testing equipment and procedures with the focus on the “prevention” of uncontrolled and unmonitored radioactive release pathways.
Reactors are getting older and more decrepit. Twenty-year license extensions are breezing through NRC approval without regard for the environmental cost and impacts from these uninspected and deteriorating systems. How has protecting water by preventing uncontrolled and unmonitored radioactive releases become less important to NRC as the nuclear power plants degrade?
Nuclear risks rise for French workers
French nuclear workers see risks as conditions worsen
* EDF subcontracts 80 percent of nuclear maintenance
* Nuclear workers say they are under mounting time pressure
* Safety margin is narrowing, expert says
* EDF denies it cuts corners, says subcontracts by choice
Forbes Reuters FEATUREBy Muriel Boselli
PIERRELATTE, France, Aug 31 (Reuters) – Worsening working conditions, inadequate pay rises, pressure to work faster and safety concerns — these are the familiar grievances of a disaffected work force.
When such complaints arise in France’s most sensitive industry — nuclear power — alarm bells start ringing.
Cyril Bouche and his colleagues at the Tricastin nuclear plant in the rolling hills of the Drome region say the state-owned utility EDF, which runs France’s 58 nuclear reactors and has been expanding into the United States and Britain, is not only cutting costs, but also cutting corners.
The 39-year old, who works for one of EDF’s many subcontracting firms, says working conditions at the plant — hit by a series of incidents that shook public trust in 2008 — have deteriorated over the past five to 10 years.
“Today France is selling reactors abroad but it should first put its own house in order,” said Bouche, the only one of 10 workers interviewed by Reuters who was prepared to be identified.
The French government has put forward state ownership of its nuclear sector as a guarantee of its safety, but former monopoly EDF subcontracts 80 percent of the maintenance at its nuclear reactors to firms such as Vinci, Areva ( ARVCF.PK – news – people ), GDF Suez or Bouygues ( BOUYF.PK – news – people )………….
Independent experts including Yves Marignac, executive director of the information agency Wise-Paris, say safety margins in French nuclear power plants are shrinking as plants age, economic pressure mounts and trained staff retire.
FEATURE-French nuclear workers see risks as conditions worsen – Forbes.com
Shot at nuclear fuel truck a cause for greater worry
Shot at nuclear fuel truck troubles watchdog group
By TOM FOWLER Houston Chronicle Aug. 28, 2009
Shotgun damage to a truck carrying uranium fuel rods to a Texas nuclear power plant last year posed little, if any, immediate radiation danger, but it highlights potential problems the industry could face, a nuclear power industry watchdog says.
The shotgun damage was discovered on the driver’s side of the truck on the morning of Sept. 20, as it delivered eight uranium fuel rods to the South Texas Project nuclear power plant near Bay City, according to a safety report filed at the plant last year.
The driver of the truck, operated by the Utah firm EnergySolutions, said he heard what sounded like a tire blowout several hours earlier while driving through another state. He stopped the truck to check but didn’t see the door damage…………………
………..a fuel rod that has been in a reactor and undergone fission is highly radioactive and can deliver lethal doses within minutes. That’s why trucks carrying spent fuel have much higher security specifications than vehicles that carry new fuel rods, said Scott Burnell, a spokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Shot at nuclear fuel truck troubles watchdog group | Business | Chron.com – Houston Chronicle
Indian Point nuclear power plant shutdown
Shutdown puts Indian Point plant under greater scrutiny
LoHud.com By Timothy O’Connor • August 29, 2009
BUCHANAN – Indian Point 3 faces tighter oversight by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission following Thursday night’s emergency shutdown of the nuclear power plant. The power plant was shut down for the second time in a little over two weeks and the fourth time since March. The plant’s turbine tripped off at 7:32 p.m…………………..
Riverkeeper, an environmental group that opposes the relicensing of Indian Point, said the shutdown bolsters its argument against renewing the licenses for 20 years.
“Another unexpected shutdown in such a short amount of time is certainly cause for concern; it demonstrates a fundamental failure to properly monitor and detect problems at the plant, and leads one to question how reliable Indian Point really is as a source of power for the region,” said Deborah Brancato, a staff attorney for Riverkeeper.
Shutdown puts Indian Point plant under greater scrutiny | LoHud.com | The Journal News
New Doubts Over Nuclear Plant Safety
Startling Revelations About Three Mile Island Raise New Doubts Over Nuclear Plant Safety
Fooling with Disaster?
CounterPunch By SUE STURGIS April 2009
“…………………It was the single worst disaster ever to befall the U.S. nuclear power industry, and Thompson was hired as a health physics technician to go inside the plant and find out how dangerous the situation was. He spent 28 days monitoring radiation releases.
Today, his story about what he witnessed at Three Mile Island is being brought to the public in detail for the first time — and his version of what happened during that time, supported by a growing body of other scientific evidence, contradicts the official U.S. government story that the Three Mile Island accident posed no threat to the public. Continue reading
America’s worst nuclear meltdown – cover-up revealed
Please go to the following link, to read this fine article.
50 Years After America’s Worst Nuclear Meltdown
Human error helped worsen a nuclear meltdown just outside Los Angeles, and now human inertia has stymied the radioactive cleanup for half a century.Miller McCune.com 25 August 09 By: Joan Trossman and Michael Collins | August 24, 2009
My apologies to Miller McCune for my use of the article.
It was not my intention to steal their material. Rather, I wish to lead people towards the source
Christina Macpherson
‘Dirty timebomb’ ticking in Russian nuclear dump threatens Europe
Dirty timebomb’ ticking in Russian nuclear dump threatens Europe
Belfast Telegraph By Rachel Shields 25 August 0920,000 discarded uranium fuel rods stored in the Arctic Circle are corroding. The possible result? Detonation of a massive radioactive bomb experts say could rival the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.
A decaying Russian nuclear dump inside the Arctic Circle is threatening to catch fire or explode, turning it into a “dirty bomb” that could impact the whole of northern Europe, including the British Isles.
Experts are warning that sea water and intense cold are corroding a storage facility at Andreeva Bay, on the Kola Peninsula near Murmansk. It contains more than 20,000 discarded fuel rods from nuclear submarines and some nuclear-powered icebreakers. A Norwegian environmental group, Bellona, says it has obtained a copy of a secret report by the Russian nuclear agency, Rosatom, which speaks of an “uncontrolled nuclear reaction”.
John Large, an independent British nuclear consultant who has visited the site, told The Independent on Sunday: “The nuclear rods are fixed to the roof and encased in metal to keep them apart and prevent any reactions from occurring. However, sea water has eroded them at their base, and they are falling to the floor of the tanks, where inches of saltwater have collected.
“This water will begin to corrode the rods, a reaction that releases hydrogen, a gas that is highly explosive and could be ignited by any spark. When another rod falls to the floor and generates such a spark, an enormous explosion could occur, scattering radioactive material for hundreds of kilometres.”
Mr Large, who was decorated by Russia’s President Vladimir Putin for his role in the salvage operation that retrieved nuclear material from the Kursk submarine in 2000, added: “This wouldn’t be a thermonuclear or atomic explosion, as in a bomb, but the outcome is just as bad. Remember Chernobyl? If you had the right weather conditions and wind pattern, this would mean a radioactive cloud drifting over the UK.”
The three storage tanks contain more than 32 tons of radioactive material. But the Kola Peninsula is littered with relics of Soviet nuclear facilities, housing more than 100 tons of nuclear waste – the largest concentration in the world.
Experts predict that a major explosion at Andreeva Bay could destroy all life in a 32-mile radius, including Murmansk and a sliver of Norway, whose border is only 28 miles away. But a much wider area of Norway, north-west Russia and Finland would be rendered uninhabitable for at least 20 years, and huge quantities of radioactive material would be dumped into the Barents Sea……………………
Another Chernobyl-type meltdown, this time in the Arctic, could have much more far-reaching effects. The worst case would be widespread fallout caused by rain in a densely populated area, causing untold social and economic disruption beyond the threat to life.
Nuclear Safety in India
Nuclear Safety in India
The Pakistani Spectator 25 August 09
India has not ratified the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Yet, it has been exempted from nuclear restrictions imposed on non-signatories. The West has accorded preferential treatment to India ostensibly in consideration of her `immaculate’ nuclear safety record.India’s Nuclear Power Corporation boisterously claims: “NPC engineers have shared their expertise internationally by participating in safety reviews and inspection of reactors in other countries conducted by the World Association of Nuclear Operators and the International Atomic Energy Agency. We are continuously updating our safety systems and procedures even at the cost of short-term economic benefit. Besides, all our plants are designed, constructed, commissioned, operated and maintained under strict supervision.
”What’s the real situation? It is true that there has not been an accident, leading to core meltdown and radiation exposures. But, the fact remains that several minor accidents have happened in the past. These accidents range from leaks of oil to complete loss of power in the reactors causing all safety systems to be disabled.
Let us look at some of the accidents. The accidents at Tarapur, Madras and Rajasthan plants were due to non-compliance with safety standards. According to the mandatory standards of operation, each reactor is supposed to have an independent emergency core-cooling system. But, in practice, one cooling system was being shared between two reactors.
The investigators were astonished to find that the reactors at Madras and Rajasthan had been operating without backup pumps to continue smooth operation. The plants had to be shut down as whenever the operating pumps were disabled by external factors such as fluctuations in the grid.A study by India’s Atomic Energy Regulatory Board documented over 130 extremely serious safety issues warranting urgent corrective measures in the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Uranium Corporation of India, Heavy Water Board, Indian Rare Earths Limited and several other facilities.
The CIRUS reactor had an inherent problem of radiation leakage. Candu reactors suffered from heavy leakage of water. Dhruva reactor experienced fuel leakage, attributed to imperfect design architecture. Radioactive waste from the Tarapur Plant endangered lives of about 3,000 villagers living nearby……………….
Poor safety practices in India’s nuclear-power plants remain camouflaged under a cloak of secrecy. Authorities get alerted only when an accident occurs, necessitating a shut down. The NSG should have a second look at safety measures `observed’ in India’s power plants.. A cavalier approach to poor safety standards could result in a major accident, like Chernobyl or Three Mile Island.
Truckers exposed to high dose of radiation
(Canada) Truckers exposed to high dose of radiation during cross-country haul: report
Google News
By Steve Rennie (CP) – 4 August 09 OTTAWA — Two truckers were exposed to excessive doses of radiation last year while hauling a radioactive device across the country, newly released documents show.A preliminary investigation by Canada’s nuclear-safety watchdog found the drivers got more than their yearly limit of radiation on a six-day trip last December.The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission learned of the problem when the shipment triggered a radiation alarm on arrival at an MDS Nordion office in Ottawa.
The Canadian Press: Truckers exposed to high dose of radiation during cross-country haul: report
Nuclear plant rapped over safety
Nuclear plant rapped over safety
The Local 3 Aug 09
The Forsmark nuclear plant, 130 kilometres north of Stockholm, received the criticism in an inspection report from the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM), local media say.The plant is criticised for not following up on the results of safety work and for not having routines governing how safety inspections should be carried out. The report also says that there is no clear description of the responsibilities of those who investigate incidents at the Forsmark.
The power station’s owners, Forsmarks Kraftfrupp AB, has been given until the end of the year to resolve the problems.
Forsmark has previously been the subject of safety concerns. It was criticised last year by SSM after it was revealed that an emergency cooling system vent had been shut for a year. Inspectors said the incident cast doubts about the safety culture at the plant.
The Forsmark nuclear plant, 130 kilometres north of Stockholm, received the criticism in an inspection report from the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM),
Braidwood nuclear reactor shut down
Braidwood nuclear reactor shut down
Chicago Breaking News 31 july 09
One of the two nuclear reactors at the Braidwood Generating Station was shut down last night and remains offline this morning because of a transformer problem that is preventing the unit from receiving power, an Exelon spokeswoman said………..
The transformer problem triggered an automatic shutdown at the facility 60 miles southwest of Chicago
Germany’s nuclear misadventures continue
PRESS TV 25 July 09
Technical problem at two more nuclear reactors in Germany have fuelled the anti-nuclear debate,…………………..The latest mishaps came less than three weeks after a fault at the Kruemmel reactor cuts power and water supplies to thousand of homes, breathing new life into the major campaign issue which has divided the country’s coalition government ahead of the September elections…..
…….a recent poll revealed more public opposition to atomic energy……………
…….Technical faults are not the only demons haunting the country’s nuclear issue.
Last week, a report by Germany’s Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) questioned the safety of a controversial nuclear waste dump facility in Asse, rating the salt-mine storage facility as one of the most unreliable nuclear waste dumps in use after officials found radioactive water leak.
Nuclear reactor shuts down after malfunction
Nuclear reactor shuts down after malfunction
The Local 24 Jul 09
One of Germany’s most modern nuclear power stations was shut down on Friday due to a technical fault, operator RWE said, less than three weeks after problems at another reactor hit the headlines.
The Emsland reactor in northwest Germany, which supplies around 3.5 million households, underwent an automatic shutdown at 3:00 am (0100 GMT), RWE said in a statement……………………In early July, the Krümmel reactor near Hamburg was shut down after problems – not long after it had been reopened following two years of repairs.This reignited the nuclear debate in Germany, which decided in 2000 under then chancellor Gerhard Schröder to mothball its 17 reactors by about 2020 amid strong public opposition to atomic energy.
Perry nuclear plant reduces power
Perry nuclear plant reduces power
WKSU , July 24, 2009
The Perry Nuclear power plant east of Cleveland has reduced power to 37-percent. The plant is operated by FirstEnergy. Company spokesman Todd Schneider says employees found a leak in the system that controls the turbine and reduced power to make repair
1 This Month
of the week– Nuclear Reactor Information Task Force
14 May – online event From Bombs to Data Centres: the Face of Nuclear Colonialism
To see nuclear-related stories in greater depth and intensity – go to https://nuclearinformation.wordpress.com
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