Yet Another Problem At Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant

[garybeck]

The ailing nuclear power plant in Vermont, whose license is due to expire soon, experienced yet another safety issue on Thursday. The plant is nearing the end of its designed lifetime, and Vermont legislators are have to vote this year to renew the license for another 20 years past it's design.




Vermont Yankee finds leak, reduces power

VERNON -- The Vermont Yankee nuclear plant reduced power production by 60 percent Thursday after finding a leak of radioactive water in a pipe that supplies water for steam generation in the reactor.

It was the second leak discovered in the nuclear power plant's water system in the past few weeks. Wednesday, the plant announced it could repair a water leak in a different section of the plant without reducing power.

Plant spokesman Rob Williams said the leak discovered by a technician Thursday was more pressing than the earlier leak.

http://burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20090109/NEWS02/901090309

(note, the photo above is not from this week's problem... just another water leak that happend 2 years ago... nothing to worry about here!)

[mikelgb]

1. That is quite a leak in the photo

[garybeck]

2. yah, and the only reason we know about that is because of a whistleblower

we can only guess how many other leaks we don't know about. the plant is literally falling apart.

[mikelgb]

3. I had an argument a dinner awhile ago about Nuclear Power

Respectable people were brainwashed that plants are safe and they were really adamant that we HAVE to start building plants again...

[garybeck]

6. they're wrong. you're right.

does that help?

[One_Life_To_Give]

4. Self fulfilling prophecy

It's like having a car that won't pass an upcoming state inspection. Why spend money on maintenance of something that is going to be scrapped anyway.

As long as the plant higher ups think the licence won't be renewed. Maitenance will be intended only to limp the plant to the shutdown date. In turn there will be more incidents like this which will have bandaids placed on them to limp along a couple more months. When someone finally demands they either repair it properly or shut down the facility. Then the operators will likely close it down.

Reminds me of watching a train wreck.

[garybeck]

5. wouldn't bother me.

whatever it takes to shut it down

[kristopher]

7. What happens if they extend the permit

Wouldn't that promote spending on maint?

If the plant can safely be operated for another 20 years, it would be best to delay decommissioning.

[madokie]

8. I think so too

at least it isn't here in my back yard :-)

[One_Life_To_Give]

9. Uncertainty is the real culprit

Wether it be building alternative energy projects or deciding what to do with an ageing nuke.

Limping along so you can continue operation *IF* you should get a permit extension but not spending any money on maintenance because you probably won't is not a place we should want to be.

I think there is little incremental damage associated with letting the plant continue for another 20 years. Or at the very least to adequate alternative sources have been brought on line. But the decision of Not making a decision is almost always bad.