I am 1 mile from a reactor in Charlottesville, VA.
It’s kind of funny- I saw some protesters (Very environmentally concerned citizens in C-ville, dont’cha know) this week who were having a tantrum about nukes in the US, and one of the speakers said how great it was that we don’t have to worry about a nuclear incident here! Thunderous applause.
They were less than 200 yards from the reactor on the campus of UVa. Not too mention only 25-30 miles away is the Lake Anna reactor.
That’s why I always stop and listen to demonstrators- The comedy is GOLD.
The power plant across the river is technically not considered to be part of the Savannah River Site. Both of its reactors are operating, and they’ve broken ground on two more. It’s called the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant.
You are correct that all of the SRS reactors are out of commission.
Yet another one in SC - the Oconee power station is about 20 miles off from me, beside Lake Keowee. If you want to Google it, it’s about 8 miles north-north-west from Clemson.
It’s only about 10 miles from where I work, and we get evacuation notices there, as well as being close enough to have heard the siren test ONCE on a cloudless freaky-still quiet summer evening.
Not really worried about it, the upstate is pretty fault-free, however we are a pretty nasty tornado area. I would hope that it would be built to withstand a twister… that’s a nasty thought - radioactive tornadoes. Ick.
I’m not the least bit worried about it, despite a thing I read this morning about its not being up to snuff in the event of an earthquake. (Not sure if I buy that anyway.)
Straight line distance is between 10-15 miles from Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant. I got to tour the plant a few years ago - it’s a fascinating place.
The swimming pool reactor? That blue is beautiful, isn’t it? (I knew someone who knew someone, so I got to go in and look at it. Hands carefully behind my back to control the urge to touch the blickenlitz.)
UPDATE: potassium iodide is being distributed by my local fire department this weekend in response to an onslaught of calls from people seeking the pills in the area. They are free to residents within 10 miles of the power plant.
There is no radiation leak or other problem, but the nuke issues in Japan are drawing attention to the pills, which protect the thyroid from radiation. Local pharmacies are scrambling to get the pills, which they don’t normally carry.