Leaking Nuclear Power Plants

[piasabird]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100201/ap_on_bi_ge/us_leaking_nuclear_plants

I found this article interesting. I wonder how come you dont hear about this very much? Is this something that has be swept under the rug by pro nuclear agenda driven groups?

I guess if you take any industry and the government and the owners are hiding what is going on. Note that contamination is found at 27 of 104 nuclear power plants.

MONTPELIER, Vt. – Radioactive tritium, a carcinogen discovered in potentially dangerous levels in groundwater at the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant, has now tainted at least 27 of the nation's 104 nuclear reactors — raising concerns about how it is escaping from the aging nuclear plants.

The leaks — many from deteriorating underground pipes — come as the nuclear industry is seeking and obtaining federal license renewals, casting itself as a clean-green alternative to power plants that burn fossil fuels.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Sounds like these old reactors need to be replaced by modern reactor designs that are safer, cleaner and much more efficient.

 

[rcpratt]

It's not a huge deal because tritium in the volumes that article mentions is nowhere near dangerous. Yes, it's an issue that these specific plants need to figure out, but there's really no immediate health risk. You're getting much more than that from background radiation.

 

[MotF Bane]

Sounds like these old reactors need to be replaced by modern reactor designs that are safer, cleaner and much more efficient.

This. Let's get more and newer reactors online.

 

[Jaskalas]

It's not a huge deal because tritium in the volumes that article mentions is nowhere near dangerous. Yes, it's an issue that these specific plants need to figure out, but there's really no immediate health risk. You're getting much more than that from background radiation.

More than three times the federal safety standard is A-OKAY with you?

 

[rcpratt]

More than three times the federal safety standard is A-OKAY with you?

I didn't say it was A-OKAY, I said those plants that have this issue need to address it. But the federal safety standards are incredibly conservative, even that amount of tritium presents no real health risks to anybody.

 

[spidey07]

More than three times the federal safety standard is A-OKAY with you?

Did you see what the limit was?

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Monday that new tests at a monitoring well on Vermont Yankee's site in Vernon registered 70,500 picocuries per liter, more than three times the federal safety standard of 20,000 picocuries per liter.

 

[rcpratt]

Did you see what the limit was?

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Monday that new tests at a monitoring well on Vermont Yankee's site in Vernon registered 70,500 picocuries per liter, more than three times the federal safety standard of 20,000 picocuries per liter.

Since most aren't familiar with curies, I'll translate - 740 decays per second.

The human body contains about 37000 decays per second worth of potassium-40, which decays by beta emission, the same as tritium. Except the decay energy of the tritium beta is 18 keV, while the energy of the potassium beta is at least 1300 keV. Tritium is not srs bsns.

 

[Cattlegod]

Any way we can get a list of affected plants?

 

[Hacp]

Since most aren't familiar with curies, I'll translate - 740 decays per second.

The human body contains about 37000 decays per second worth of potassium-40, which decays by beta emission, the same as tritium. Except the decay energy of the tritium beta is 18 keV, while the energy of the potassium beta is at least 1300 keV. Tritium is not srs bsns.

Sensationalist media at it again.

 

[spidey07]

Since most aren't familiar with curies, I'll translate - 740 decays per second.

The human body contains about 37000 decays per second worth of potassium-40, which decays by beta emission, the same as tritium. Except the decay energy of the tritium beta is 18 keV, while the energy of the potassium beta is at least 1300 keV. Tritium is not srs bsns.

They'll probably get more radiation by using a illuminated watch. Not so scared of the tritium.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tritium

 

[cubby1223]

So the left-leaning media is coming out in droves now only because Obama says he supports nuclear power?

 

[spidey07]

So the left-leaning media is coming out in droves now only because Obama says he supports nuclear power?

Fear and "The China Syndrome" effect still gets attention to this day. When I read this article earlier today I immediately thought - "this is a total non issue and only says 'build newer safer plants then'".

Of course it is way too much for the public to understand radioactive decay, beta emission, etc. Then again I did take nuclear physics for engineers as an elective, not kidding. But it's been forever.

 

[Gillbot]

Sensationalist media at it again.

this, the NRC loves these stories because it gives them power. Nukes are safe, hell, the coal fired plant that was beside the nuke I worked at would set off OUR rad alarms because of radon emissions.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

For those who are wondering, Tritium is merely Hydrogen with two extra neutrons; it has the same chemical functionality as regular Hydrogen but weighs a lot more.

 

[Strk]

Aren't our newest reactors still over 30 years old?

 

[MotF Bane]

For those who are wondering, Tritium is merely Hydrogen with two extra neutrons; it has the same chemical functionality as regular Hydrogen but weighs a lot more.

Not really.

 

[spidey07]

For those who are wondering, Tritium is merely Hydrogen with two extra neutrons; it has the same chemical functionality as regular Hydrogen but weighs a lot more.

You're trolling with this, right? Or are you trying to trap?

 

[bobsmith1492]

Not really.

It works differently in a nuke plant of course as a moderator, but that's not a chemical property it's a nuclear property.

 

[Moonbeam]

The beauty of nuclear power is that given enough time and enough accumulated waste, it won't really matter if they leak. There won't be anything alive around them anyway.

I love the idea of building more reactors because the old ones leak like the new ones aren't going to get old. Fucking unbelievable idiots........

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

The beauty of nuclear power is that given enough time and enough accumulated waste, it won't really matter if they leak. There won't be anything alive around them anyway.

I love the idea of building more reactors because the old ones leak like the new ones aren't going to get old. Fucking unbelievable idiots........

Because everything else we build is invincible and lasts forever. It's just nuclear reactors that get old and need to be replaced; silly nuclear engineers.

 

[StageLeft]

I doubt the gov made up its safety levels out of thin air. If these are at 3.5X that level, yes it needs addressing.

 

[Modelworks]

You have to realize that the public is very misinformed about radiation. They hear the word and instantly think of Chernobyl . People still refer to microwave ovens as nuking food and think there is some sort of radioactive material inside that does the cooking.

 

[Modelworks]

The beauty of nuclear power is that given enough time and enough accumulated waste, it won't really matter if they leak. There won't be anything alive around them anyway.

I love the idea of building more reactors because the old ones leak like the new ones aren't going to get old. Fucking unbelievable idiots........

Nuclear is safe if it is designed properly. The last generation of plants that were built have multiple layers of protection from anything leaking into ground water. They implement several barriers that will last several hundred years.

The problem is some of the older plants did not do this. The one near me does have this protection and you would not even know it was a nuclear plant unless someone told you.

http://www.nucleartourist.com/us/brunswick.htm

Lots of cool pics on the site

 

[StageLeft]

Nuclear is safe if it is designed properly. The last generation of plants that were built have multiple layers of protection from anything leaking into ground water. They implement several barriers that will last several hundred years.

The problem is some of the older plants did not do this. The one near me does have this protection and you would not even know it was a nuclear plant unless someone told you.

http://www.nucleartourist.com/us/brunswick.htm

Lots of cool pics on the site

MB may be alluding to the likely confidence engineers had of the original plants that they would also be totally safe, but here we are. Very safe, maybe, but not totally.