# Rantings about stupid nuclear reporting, and I want to bitchslap somebody, also other crap **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 26, 2011, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rantings-about-stupid-nuclear-reporting-and-i-want-to-bitchslap-somebody-also-other-crap/576077 "2011-03-26T19:11:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 68
**Author:** ![Omegaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e480ec/32.png) [@Omegaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omegaman)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rantings-about-stupid-nuclear-reporting-and-i-want-to-bitchslap-somebody-also-other-crap/576077/1341 "2011-09-15T15:35:49Z")
> [@FXMastermind](#): > > We know. Remember? There was no scenario, no possible disaster, no matter how big, that would get you to change. I’d give Bryan the benefit of the doubt; there is hope some hope for him. You on the the other hand are gonna’ keep yapping about this shit forever. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rantings-about-stupid-nuclear-reporting-and-i-want-to-bitchslap-somebody-also-other-crap/576077/1342 "2011-09-15T15:46:54Z")
[This is an important issue which MUST be addressed.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vw4KVoEVcr0) ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rantings-about-stupid-nuclear-reporting-and-i-want-to-bitchslap-somebody-also-other-crap/576077/1343 "2011-09-15T15:50:49Z")
> **[Safety violations at Diablo Canyon nuclear plant](http://calcoastnews.com/2011/05/safety-violations-at-diablo-canyon-nuclear-plant/)** > > On April 26, Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff did a safety inspection at the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant, as part of NRC inspections of all U.S. reactors that were triggered by the Fukushi… Fukushima can not happen here. Why, because we have been told by operators and owners that it can not. That is all the proof needed , I guess. Violations and problems occur regularly in almost all plants. The ones that bother me the most are those caused by cost cutting ,profit increasing reasons. Nuke plants owners spend lot of time trying to see what corners can be cut to increase profits. The profit motive is a problem in nuke plants. coal plants and healthcare. Can we pressure regulators to lower safety standards? Can we get training requirements lowered?Can we just get the government to by the assumption that since we have not had a serious incident in a long time, that that indicates we never will , even though the plant continues to age and it got an automatic 20 year extension. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rantings-about-stupid-nuclear-reporting-and-i-want-to-bitchslap-somebody-also-other-crap/576077/1344 "2011-09-15T16:59:26Z")
Despite objections, the four reactor site at Lake Ana was deemed safe, even though it was almost on top of an earthquake fault line. [Check out the 1975 article about it](http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lN9LAAAAIBAJ&sjid=G4sDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3052,3343436&dq=north+anna&hl=en) See? Scientists said the fault was inactive and there was no danger. In fact the fault had been inactive for maybe 500,000 years, maybe 2 million. So no problem, build a bunch of nuclear reactors on it. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rantings-about-stupid-nuclear-reporting-and-i-want-to-bitchslap-somebody-also-other-crap/576077/1345 "2011-09-15T17:13:37Z")
For the terminally uninformed, the center of the recent quake in the eastern US was 10 miles from the reactors. Which are still shut down, due to damage from the quake. While they were designed for slightly higher vibration that occured, the amount of time the quake shook the reactors was not expected. Until they can be sure nothing is wrong, they will remain shut down. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rantings-about-stupid-nuclear-reporting-and-i-want-to-bitchslap-somebody-also-other-crap/576077/1346 "2011-09-15T17:23:34Z")
Badger. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rantings-about-stupid-nuclear-reporting-and-i-want-to-bitchslap-somebody-also-other-crap/576077/1347 "2011-09-15T17:27:14Z")
> [@FXMastermind](#): > > For the terminally uninformed, the center of the recent quake in the eastern US was 10 miles from the reactors. Which are still shut down, due to damage from the quake. While they were designed for slightly higher vibration that occured, the amount of time the quake shook the reactors was not expected. > > Until they can be sure nothing is wrong, they will remain shut down. Have a look at [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=619964) please. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rantings-about-stupid-nuclear-reporting-and-i-want-to-bitchslap-somebody-also-other-crap/576077/1348 "2011-09-15T17:27:27Z")
> [@](#): > > Molten nuclear fuel in three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant is likely to have burned through pressure vessels, not just the cores, [Japan](http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/japan) has said in a report in which it also acknowledges it was unprepared for an accident of the severity of Fukushima. > > It is the first time Japanese authorities have admitted the possibility that the fuel suffered “melt-through” – a more serious scenario than a core meltdown. > > The report, which is to be submitted to the International Atomic [Energy](http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/energy) Agency (IAEA), said fuel rods in reactors No 1, 2 and 3 had probably not only melted, but also breached their inner containment vessels and accumulated in the outer steel containment vessels. Three reactors, all breached containment, as well as huge fucking explosions. The same reactors are running (or being serviced) all over the place. You might think an intelligent world would be concerned over the dame thing happening again. Rather than turning a blind eye and chanting a mantra over and over. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rantings-about-stupid-nuclear-reporting-and-i-want-to-bitchslap-somebody-also-other-crap/576077/1349 "2011-09-15T17:36:25Z")
The reactors survived the earthquake just fine, and shut down exactly as intended. What caused the explosions was the fact that the back-up diesel generators, circulating cooling water, got swamped by the tsunami. The design calculations used for the seismic event were fine, but the ensuing tsunami was not expected to be as high. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rantings-about-stupid-nuclear-reporting-and-i-want-to-bitchslap-somebody-also-other-crap/576077/1350 "2011-09-15T17:45:20Z")
Nonsense. Reactor one had radiation leaks and alarms before the tsunamis arrived. It also blew the fuck up and melted down long before it should have from just loss of cooling. Same for the problems with the reactors that were already in cold shut down. The quake caused serious damage, even Tepco has admitted this. Eye witness accounts of the earthquake also confirm that the quake alone was a serious issue. It’s why Japan is shutting down and decommisioning their reactors. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rantings-about-stupid-nuclear-reporting-and-i-want-to-bitchslap-somebody-also-other-crap/576077/1351 "2011-09-15T18:17:26Z")
> [@FXMastermind](#): > > Nonsense. Reactor one had radiation leaks and alarms before the tsunamis arrived. It also blew the fuck up and melted down long before it should have from just loss of cooling. > > Same for the problems with the reactors that were already in cold shut down. The quake caused serious damage, even Tepco has admitted this. Eye witness accounts of the earthquake also confirm that the quake alone was a serious issue. > > It’s why Japan is shutting down and decommisioning their reactors. Nonsense back at ya’. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rantings-about-stupid-nuclear-reporting-and-i-want-to-bitchslap-somebody-also-other-crap/576077/1352 "2011-09-15T19:11:44Z")
From Wikipedia (which requires valid sources of course) > [@](#): > > On 12 May, TEPCO engineers confirmed that a meltdown occurred, with molten fuel having fallen to the bottom of the reactor’s containment vessel.[[154]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_Daiichi_nuclear_disaster#cite_note-153) The utility said that fuel rods of the No. 1 reactor are fully exposed, with the water level 1 meter (3.3 feet) below the base of the fuel assembly. According to a Japanese press report, there are holes in the base of the pressure vessel, and most of the fuel has probably melted. The nuclear fuel has possibly leaked into the containment vessel, which was damaged in an explosion during the crisis. This caused both the Japanese government and TEPCO to be criticized for consistently underestimating the severity of the situation.[[155]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_Daiichi_nuclear_disaster#cite_note-154) The operator found the basement flooded with 4.2 meters of water. Workers were unable to observe the flooding situation due to high levels of radiation from the water. > > TEPCO estimates the nuclear fuel was exposed to the air less than five hours after the earthquake struck. Fuel rods melted away rapidly as the temperature inside the core reached 2,800 °C within six hours. In less than 16 hours, the reactor core melted and dropped to the bottom of the pressure vessel, burning a hole through the vessel. By that time, water was pumped into the reactor in an effort to prevent the worst-case scenario – overheating fuel melting its way through the containment and discharging large amounts of radionuclides in the environment.[[156]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_Daiichi_nuclear_disaster#cite_note-WSJCoresDamaged-155) In June the Japanese government confirmed that Unit 1 reactor vessel containment was breached, and pumped cooling water continues to leak months after the disaster.[[13]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_Daiichi_nuclear_disaster#cite_note-ktvz.com-12) If the cooling system had still worked, the back up batteries would have kept any meltdown from happening much longer than 8 hours. Hell, even if the batteries didn’t last you still don’t get a melt through in 16 hours with out water leaking out of the system. There is no doubt at all now the earthquake damaged Unit one before the tsunami. It’s why all the concern is there over seismic events and reactors. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rantings-about-stupid-nuclear-reporting-and-i-want-to-bitchslap-somebody-also-other-crap/576077/1353 "2011-09-15T19:14:21Z")
But of course you couldn’t know this. I understand. If you go by the media lapdogs nothing is really happening at all. It was no big thing. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rantings-about-stupid-nuclear-reporting-and-i-want-to-bitchslap-somebody-also-other-crap/576077/1354 "2011-09-15T19:30:41Z")
> [@FXMastermind](#): > > But of course you couldn’t know this. I understand. If you go by the media lapdogs nothing is really happening at all. It was no big thing. From the [International Atomic Energy Agency](http://www.iaea.org/newscenter/focus/fukushima/missionsummary010611.pdf): [PDF] > [@](#): > > Although all off-site power was lost when the earthquake occurred, the automatic systems at TEPCO`s Fukushima Dai-ichi successfully inserted all the control rods into its three operational reactors upon detection of the earthquake, and all available emergency diesel generator power systems were in operation, as designed. The first of a series of large tsunami waves reached the TEPCO`s Fukushima Dai-ichi site about 46 minutes after the earthquake. > [@](#): > > The tsunami waves reached areas deep within the units causing the loss of all power sources except for one emergency diesel generator (6B), with no other significant power source available on or off the site, and little hope of outside assistance. > [@](#): > > With no means to control or cool the reactor units, the three reactor units at TEPCO’s Fukushima Dai-ichi that were operational up to the time of the earthquake quickly heated up due to usual reactor decay heating. > [@](#): > > Despite the brave and sometimes novel attempts of the operational staff to restore control and cool the reactors and spent fuel, severe damage of the fuel and a series of explosions occurred. ETA: The batteries powered the control systems; they didn’t run the generators. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rantings-about-stupid-nuclear-reporting-and-i-want-to-bitchslap-somebody-also-other-crap/576077/1355 "2011-09-15T19:39:21Z")
You are using a Prelim report from June. Way out of date. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rantings-about-stupid-nuclear-reporting-and-i-want-to-bitchslap-somebody-also-other-crap/576077/1356 "2011-09-15T19:48:14Z")
> [@FXMastermind](#): > > You are using a Prelim report from June. Way out of date. Get real. Even your linked Wikipedia article says that lack of cooling was the issue. > [@](#): > > The remaining reactors shut down automatically after the earthquake, with emergency generators starting up to run the control electronics and water pumps needed to cool reactors. The entire plant was flooded by the 15 m (49 ft) tsunami wave, including low-lying generators and electrical switchgear in reactor basements and external pumps for supplying cooling seawater. The connection to the electrical grid was broken as the Tsunami destroyed the power lines. All power for cooling was lost and reactors started to overheat, owing to natural decay of the fission products created before shutdown. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rantings-about-stupid-nuclear-reporting-and-i-want-to-bitchslap-somebody-also-other-crap/576077/1357 "2011-09-15T22:19:38Z")
Readings from Reactor One show damage and loss of water long before the tsunami. But I understand why the nuclears want to deny reality. They feel threatened that if an earthquake damaged a reactor, well, it might make them seem dangerous. Hahahahaha Because a tsunami doesn’t count or something ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rantings-about-stupid-nuclear-reporting-and-i-want-to-bitchslap-somebody-also-other-crap/576077/1358 "2011-09-15T23:24:28Z")
[This just in! Breaking news!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulLw59MOAqQ&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rantings-about-stupid-nuclear-reporting-and-i-want-to-bitchslap-somebody-also-other-crap/576077/1359 "2011-09-15T23:36:19Z")
Mushroom. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rantings-about-stupid-nuclear-reporting-and-i-want-to-bitchslap-somebody-also-other-crap/576077/1360 "2011-09-15T23:37:54Z")
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