European Tribune - Comments - Thursday Open Thread

Thursday Open Thread | 59 comments (59 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Puddles and isolation material (4.00 / 3)

The nuclear debate has truly exploded in Germany. Now two more issues added to the one I wrote a story about, the persistent security lapses at a plant that was shut down just after re-start (two yeard after the previous shutdown for the same reasons).

The nuclear waste storage facility in Asse (officially, a research facility, but it is full of low- and medium-grade waste) has been scandal-ridden for long, due to leaks, water breaks, instability, and general mismanagement (see f.e. Salon discussion last year). It was assumed that it will have to be emptied somehow in the next decade -- it wasn't yet closed.

However, fresh leaks have just been reported - groundwater continues to enter the mine. (See Salon.) The boss of the radiation protection agency advised an immediate closure. While there seems to be no danger for anyone outside as yet, this complicates the cleanup greatly. The federal environment minister used the occasion to revise requirements for final storage.
The nuclear oversight authority found a new kind of problem in a number of plants: bits of isolation material get loose inside the piping of the primary water loop, and block the emergency sump pumps (this could prevent cooling in case of cooling water loss). Can be solved by retrofitting. But RWE, the operator of Biblis B, one of the affected plants which was just at the end of a revision, wanted to delay a retrofitting until the next revision. After the minister went public telling them to not repeat Vattenfall's mistake, RWE backed off.

At present, 4 of the 17 nuclear blocks in Germany are shut down for various reasons.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Thu Jul 16th, 2009 at 01:16:23 PM EST

Re: Puddles and isolation material (4.00 / 4)

If this is the culmination of three decades of German high technology, i can't wait to understand the long-term results from China*, or India, or...

* china, of course, is unable to produce hand towels which don't fluff off on your face, nor operating wind turbines. That should be no impediment to the widespread introduction of nuclear power.

PS. In China, widespread means spread very, very widely.

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin

by Crazy Horse on Thu Jul 16th, 2009 at 01:24:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Puddles and isolation material (none / 1)

If the German nuclear industry had strategic vision, they would have shut down Biblis and Brunsbüttel [another of the plants currently down] at least. (They should be down by 2011 anyway.)

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Thu Jul 16th, 2009 at 02:04:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I am become death (4.00 / 4)

How appropriate, it being the 64th anniversary of the first test explosion at Trinity.

Oh, and apollo 11 lifted off 40 years ago today, but everyone knows that.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Jul 16th, 2009 at 01:55:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Thursday Open Thread | 59 comments (59 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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