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NRC Analyst Calls To Close Diablo Canyon, CA's Last Remaining Nuclear Plant

Posted by samzenpus on from the shut-it-down dept.

An anonymous reader writes Michael Peck, who for five years was Diablo Canyon's lead on-site inspector, says in a 42-page, confidential report that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is not applying the safety rules it set out for the plant's operation. The document, which was obtained and verified by The Associated Press, does not say the plant itself is unsafe. Instead, according to Peck's analysis, no one knows whether the facility's key equipment can withstand strong shaking from those faults — the potential for which was realized decades after the facility was built. Continuing to run the reactors, Peck writes, "challenges the presumption of nuclear safety."

5 of 216 comments (clear)

  1. In other news... by Mashiki · · Score: 2, Insightful

    US starts buying more nuclear power from Canada, quickly pulling a Germany. In 5 years, subsidies much like those in Germany will then be gutted, and there will be a mass rush to build new coal and NG power plants until reactors can be refurbished or built anew.

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    1. Re:In other news... by mdsolar · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Actually it is wind and hydropower coming from Canada. Should put Indian Point Nuclear out of business. http://westfaironline.com/6503...

    2. Re:In other news... by TechyImmigrant · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Solar cells on every house is great as long as there is local storage in every house too.

      Wind power is great as long as there is good power distribution infrastructure: It's always blowing somewhere.

      Nuclear power is great as long as you address operational safety and waste storage, both of which are addressable if you do engineering rather than politics. Part of that is again, good infrastructure so you can build the nukes in good places for nukes.

      It's easy to point at any single generation or harvesting technology and identify it's flaws as a sole solution. However there are many technologies and combined together they form a robust and comparatively clean solutions.

       

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    3. Re:In other news... by Mr_Wisenheimer · · Score: 2, Insightful

      You don't need local storage for solar. Solar peaks during peak energy usage and an upgrade to the power grid can send it where needed or even store the electricity for later.

      The problem is, infrastructure is a big investment and it is not sexy. Congress will keep on kicking the can down the road because they lack vision and foresight and Americans want action today rather than investment in the future.

    4. Re:In other news... by geoskd · · Score: 2, Insightful

      People would lost their minds here if electricity prices tripled.

      Thats the difference between the US and Germany. People in Germany have *chosen* to pay more for electricity and gas. They did so because they know that their money is buying better living conditions for everyone. Thats is why they have such high taxes. Funny but the typical standard of living in Germany is much better than the US in spite of the high taxes. In the US, its the exact opposite. Everyone wants theirs and Fuck everyone else. In the end everyone in the US suffers except the dwindling few who can hold on to upper middle class or better.

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