Our friends at NEI put together a great animated overview of how securely and safely the United States nuclear plants withstood what was a dramatic year of unprecedented natural events. 2011 included a 5.8 earthquake striking ten miles from a nuclear energy facility, massive flooding surrounding another, and a direct hit from a category 3 hurricane on multiple facilities up the East Coast. Our industry is always improving and implementing new safety features, and this animated infographic illustrates the successful steps taken at each nuclear facility to ensure safety and security in every situation.
Here is a great article from NEI’s Martin Fertel on the Daily Caller site on Nuclear Power and security as we approach the anniversary of 9/11… a key quote:
A decade after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Americans have become accustomed to heightened security at airports, train stations and major public events. For the tens of thousands of employees at America’s 104 commercial nuclear energy plants, dramatic security enhancements have become a staple of the daily workplace. Ten years ago, nuclear plant security already was formidable and presented a clear deterrent against potential threats. Still, because of the 9/11 attacks, security was elevated to an unprecedented level….
The 10th anniversary of 9/11 is a time to remember those who sacrificed their personal safety to respond to that day’s horrific acts. For the nuclear industry, our daily commitment is to remain vigilant toward security. The industry, working with federal regulators and the intelligence community, receives real-time threat assessments and remains steadfast regarding security and safety. The anniversary also is a reminder of the importance of electricity in sustaining our economy and keeping our nation strong in a dangerous world.
As the Obama Administration looks to help jumpstart job creation across the United States, it should look no farther than the nuclear energy sector. Nuclear energy already plays an important role in the U.S. economy, producing 20 percent of the nation’s electricity and employing some 120,000 hardworking Americans. Yet investment in new nuclear facilities will create many additional jobs during both the construction and operation phases. read more…
Amid the many benefits that America’s 104 nuclear power plants provide, increased energy security is rarely mentioned. It is perhaps obscured by the fact that nuclear energy is by far the nation’s largest source of low-carbon electricity. People often talk about the reliability of U.S. nuclear power plants with average capacity factor above 90 percent. And nuclear power produces low-cost electricity – building a new plant is a significant investment, but the cost of electricity from this plant over its 60-year lifespan is predictable and affordable.
But what often gets lost in the shuffle is how our investment in nuclear power makes our energy supply more secure. Nuclear plant fuel comes mostly from uranium, which is plentiful. Utilities sign long-term contracts for uranium supply. Most of the mined uranium in American reactors comes from Canada, perhaps our nation’s closest ally and trading partner. (However, it should be noted that about 50% of U.S. nuclear fuel comes from converted Soviet weapons material, but that is another story.) read more…
As news and information continues to evolve about Fukushima, we will continue to provide clear explanations and descriptions to help you understand and share facts about the situation.
In regards to news about plutonium detected at the power plant site, the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) gathered and published some key points about the findings. Based on this information, the NEI concludes that there is “no health risk from the plutonium at Fukushima Daiichi” and includes the following:
Tokyo Electric Power Co. on March 28 discovered minute levels of plutonium in the soil at five locations at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant site. The plutonium measured is as little as was in the environment in Japan following nuclear weapons testing during the Cold War.
The plutonium at the site can be monitored and controlled, and the levels are not harmful to human health.
The Nuclear Energy Institute’s President Marvin Fertel appeared on NBC’s Meet the Press today to explain the situation with the Japanese reactors affected by the earthquake and tsunami.
With the 8.9 magnitude earthquake that hit off Japan’s shore earlier today, the country’s nuclear facilities have also felt the effect. The Japanese prime minister and the industry’s safety agency have said that all plants in the country are safe.
While utilities are currently managing issues with cooling water systems at the Fukushima plant and a fire in the non-nuclear portion of the Onagawa plant, the country’s nuclear reactors have performed as designed and constructed to withstand earthquakes.
According to information on the local reactors from the Nuclear Energy Institute:
The Japan Atomic Industry Forum (JAIF) issued a notice saying all 11 reactors in the north-eastern part of Japan that were operating had shut down automatically. It noted that the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) said no damage to nuclear power plants had been reported as of 3:16 p.m. local time. Japanese prime minister Naoto Kan made a statement on television in which he noted that there was no indication of any radioactive release.
The International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) has released information as part of an Earthquake and Tsunami Update Page noting that Japanese authorities have Onagawa, Fukushima-Daini and Tokai nuclear power plants were also shut down automatically, and no radiation release has been detected.
Yesterday in Washington, Marvin Fertel, President of the Nuclear Energy Institute testified during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on the federal loan guarantee program.
From the NEI press release Fertel was quoted as saying:
“The scale of the energy and environmental challenges facing our nation—large-scale development of clean energy technologies, modernizing the U.S. electric power supply and delivery system, and reducing carbon emissions—requires a broader financing platform…these projects, and many more like them, are essential if our nation is to meet our goals for clean energy and job creation.”
NEI’s Nuclear Notes Blog is hosting the 6th Carnival of Nuclear Energy highlighting a week’s worth of discussions and interesting links. We appreciate the shout out to AREVA and the announcement of our new cold crucible for waste vitrification at the La Hague facility.
