New UK Nuclear Power Plant

[piasabird]

Take a look at this picture of a nuclear power plant:

https://www.newscientist.com/articl...-controversial-hinkley-c-nuclear-power-plant/

Is it just me or do others think that placing a Nuclear Power Plant right next to a large body of water is a bad idea? I keep thinking that is one of the major flaws with the Fukushima power plant. If there is a problem all the contaminated water will flow out to sea.

 

[Fern]

I was under the impression all nuke plants are near water for their cooling needs.

Fern

 

[Fanatical Meat]

I was under the impression all nuke plants are near water for their cooling needs.

Fern

This

 

[Brainonska511]

Take a look at this picture of a nuclear power plant:

https://www.newscientist.com/articl...-controversial-hinkley-c-nuclear-power-plant/

Is it just me or do others think that placing a Nuclear Power Plant right next to a large body of water is a bad idea? I keep thinking that is one of the major flaws with the Fukushima power plant. If there is a problem all the contaminated water will flow out to sea.

They are next to large bodies of water for cooling. The problem at Fukushima is that it was located in an area where there was a serious earthquake/tsunami danger. And the biggest issue is really where they placed the backup equipment with respect to sea level. After all, the plant itself wasn't destroyed by the earthquake and flooding. I don't think England has that problem to worry about.

 

[DeathReborn]

EcoTerrorists I know but still: http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/sites/files/gpuk/Hinkley Point_Colin_Green_MIDDX_0.pdf

They are also building 66 million gallon tanks for coolant water and extra high walls around the diesel motors. It also benefits from not being in a earthquake/tsunami hot spot.

 

[Maxima1]

It's a 3rd generation reactor which have better active prevention measures as well as passive measures against accidents. The Japan quake with tsunami was really strong (basically a 1 in 500 yrs thing) and knocked out the backup generators. The Japanese plants were very old designs, so they actually did quite well. This design should have better securement of the emergency generators.

 

[Exterous]

It would provide 7 per cent of the UK’s generation needs for 60 years.

Thats pretty significant

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Where are the Gen 4(?) reactors? The ones that can use spent fuel from older reactors and essentially can't melt down.
I'm not a huge nuclear supporter because I feel their emissions reduction aren't justified vs what to do with their waste and site after it reaches its end of life. Thousands of years of waste to track is a long time.

 

[Brainonska511]

Where are the Gen 4(?) reactors? The ones that can use spent fuel from older reactors and essentially can't melt down.
I'm not a huge nuclear supporter because I feel their emissions reduction aren't justified vs what to do with their waste and site after it reaches its end of life. Thousands of years of waste to track is a long time.

Waste can be reprocessed into fuel, that's what France does. As for reactors resistant to meltdowns, there are some molten salt reactors and thorium reactors on the drawing boards and research phases, but I don't think those were ready for large scale deployment at this time.

Nuclear waste isn't really a scientific problem, it's a public policy problem.