Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Local Reactors Shut Down Unexpectedly
What the article doesn't point out is that these nuclear stations use what I call a "Frankenfuel" mixture of designer grade plutonium waste and uranium. This material is supposed to "get rid of" tons of plutonium waste left over from breaking down cold war bombs.
The question of why the United States even needs nuclear bombs doesn't come up in polite Democratic and Republican circles, but I know that Greens often times express the opinion that no nation can even use one nuclear bomb, regardless of the circumstances. I know that I cannot imagine any situation in which a nuclear blast could be deemed a successful outcome, or even defensible.
Anyway, the Catawba Nuclear Station's two generating plants shut down unexpectedly, as reported in the online edition of the Charlotte Observer. Because the Observer, I think, doesn't keep all it's information available online indefinitely for free, I am posting the entire text behind the "Read more!" link...
Federal investigators to visit nuclear plant
Team trying to find out what led to emergency shutdown of reactors
BRUCE HENDERSON
bhenderson@charlotteobserver.com
A team of federal investigators will visit the Catawba nuclear plant on Lake Wylie today to learn what led to the emergency shutdown this weekend of both of the plant's reactors.
Duke Energy declared an "unusual event," the lowest of four emergency stages, Saturday afternoon when the plant lost its off-site power source.
The reactors automatically shut down with the power loss, the first time both have "tripped" in the plant's 20-year operating history. Diesel generators kicked on to supply backup power.
"The plant responded as it should have," Duke spokeswoman Rita Sipe said Monday. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said the public was not in danger.
No leaks were detected from the reactors' steam generators, through which radioactive water circulates. Off-site power was restored about six hours later, on Saturday night.
Duke said the problem occurred in the plant's switchyard, which sends electricity generated at Catawba toward customers and also brings electricity into the plant.
Ken Clark, an NRC spokesman in Atlanta, said an electrical fault in the switchyard opened a circuit breaker. What's unclear, he said, is why 12 other circuit breakers also opened, severing the connection to offsite power.
"This is a type of event that we would not expect to occur," Clark said.
Bruce Henderson: (704) 358-5051.
The question of why the United States even needs nuclear bombs doesn't come up in polite Democratic and Republican circles, but I know that Greens often times express the opinion that no nation can even use one nuclear bomb, regardless of the circumstances. I know that I cannot imagine any situation in which a nuclear blast could be deemed a successful outcome, or even defensible.
Anyway, the Catawba Nuclear Station's two generating plants shut down unexpectedly, as reported in the online edition of the Charlotte Observer. Because the Observer, I think, doesn't keep all it's information available online indefinitely for free, I am posting the entire text behind the "Read more!" link...
Federal investigators to visit nuclear plant
Team trying to find out what led to emergency shutdown of reactors
BRUCE HENDERSON
bhenderson@charlotteobserver.com
A team of federal investigators will visit the Catawba nuclear plant on Lake Wylie today to learn what led to the emergency shutdown this weekend of both of the plant's reactors.
Duke Energy declared an "unusual event," the lowest of four emergency stages, Saturday afternoon when the plant lost its off-site power source.
The reactors automatically shut down with the power loss, the first time both have "tripped" in the plant's 20-year operating history. Diesel generators kicked on to supply backup power.
"The plant responded as it should have," Duke spokeswoman Rita Sipe said Monday. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said the public was not in danger.
No leaks were detected from the reactors' steam generators, through which radioactive water circulates. Off-site power was restored about six hours later, on Saturday night.
Duke said the problem occurred in the plant's switchyard, which sends electricity generated at Catawba toward customers and also brings electricity into the plant.
Ken Clark, an NRC spokesman in Atlanta, said an electrical fault in the switchyard opened a circuit breaker. What's unclear, he said, is why 12 other circuit breakers also opened, severing the connection to offsite power.
"This is a type of event that we would not expect to occur," Clark said.
Bruce Henderson: (704) 358-5051.
// posted by Gregg Jocoy @ 6:51 PM 
