Nuclear power plant people...WTH? [San Onofre]

[NEED-A-VETTE]

Just heard the bolded part on the radio? What the heck would cause that? Are we buying these tubes from China or something?

Story



A week of problems at the San Onofre nuclear power plant has raised new safety concerns among some activists.

Officials of Southern California Edison, which operates the facility and is a majority owner, insist that the plant is perfectly safe, but others say the mishaps are one more sign of problems.

The situation is "further evidence that California should move beyond nuclear power. California should plan for the orderly phase out of ... aging nuclear power plants, including San Onofre, and shift to clean-energy alternatives like energy efficiency and renewable power," Bernadette Del Chiaro, director of clean-energy programs for the advocacy group Environment California, said in a statement.

Nuclear regulation officials said Thursday that extensive wear had been found on tubes inside a unit at the San Onofre nuclear plant.

Another unit at the plant was taken off-line after a small radiation leak earlier this week.

Dozens of relatively new tubes that carry radioactive water in a steam generator showed "many, many years" worth of wear, even though the tubing is 22 months old, said Victor Dricks, a spokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Nearly 70 tubes, made from a metal alloy and formed into a U-shape, had 20% of their interior lining worn off, while hundreds more had 10% of the lining deteriorated, Dricks said. More than 9,000 tubes are in the generator.
Dricks said that some of the tubes will require repair, while others will probably have to be replaced.

But Edison officials say it's too early to make any determination on a course of action, and that additional tests will be conducted. The unit was off-line for a scheduled maintenance period of several months to deal with technology upgrades and fuel replacement, said Gil Alexander, an Edison spokesman.

It is unclear why the tubes are showing so much wear.

The NRC's findings come on the heels of a leak in a tube Tuesday, prompting operators to shut down a reactor. However, officials said, the amount of radiation released was minuscule and did not endanger the public.

"San Onofre has had such a troubled history in terms of the safety culture that each of these incidents shakes me further,” Daniel Hirsch with the group Committee to Bridge the Gap told the Orange County Register.

[GEODON]

They look like big breasts.

[Sea Six]

^^ I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought that.

[Thomas]

You can't claim "Aging power plants" on 22 month old steam generator tubes for one thing.

The big breasts are the containment structures. The generators are inside the breasts.

So what would cause this? No idea, but they will figure it out. Best guess? An issue with the water chemistry causing premature wear.

[Mike Mercury]

has raised new safety concerns among some activists.

I'm concerned alright; why are "some activists" controlling what the headlines are?

[OddBall]

It'll probably meltdown and trigger an earthquake that'll level LA.
Then the treehuggers will be all self righteous and "I told you so" and shit.

[Thomas]

Originally Posted by OddBall

It'll probably meltdown and trigger an earthquake that'll level LA.
Then the treehuggers will be all self righteous and "I told you so" and shit.

Will Jane Fonda be making an appearance?

[OddBall]

Originally Posted by Thomas

Will Jane Fonda be making an appearance?

Only if there is a photo-op to give aid and comfort to roving bands of looters

[DAB]

First guess- bad water chemistry

Second guess - incorrect metallurgy.

[Thomas]

The comments on that story crack me up.

we are going to do everything in our power to keep them from starting up again

This from: sanclementegreen.org.

San Onofre is getting pretty old anyway

Lets not extend this logic to Sea Six and that vette he is trying to sell.

We could make due without if everyone would simply try to use less electricity!

Gravy. I'll shut down my hair dryer.

We need a company of Special Forces armed to the teeth in a perimeter around every nuclear reactor in the country

Jobs jobs jobs!!

Just the gift of profit! Shut them down, now, all of them. We are already contaminated and have billions of years of radioactive waste. The Pacific is contaminated, children have leukemia, heart defects, thyroid tumors, on and on and on and on. Enough already

Think of the children. I like this idea.

Fire sale? Cheap real estate around the boobies baby!

Here's an idea.

[Montehall]

third guess: The tubes are not brand new, simply new to that plant.

[Thomas]

Originally Posted by Montehall

third guess: The tubes are not brand new, simply new to that plant.

Bad third guess.

[VatorMan]

Originally Posted by DAB

First guess- bad water chemistry

Second guess - incorrect metallurgy.

I'll go with incorrect metallurgy. They keep a pretty close eye on the water.

[DAB]

Originally Posted by VatorMan

I'll go with incorrect metallurgy. They keep a pretty close eye on the water.

Not always. Calvert Cliffs lost their condenser tubing years ago. Bad water chemistry.

Spent 8 years in that industry.

[JRC27]

Yeah, water chemistry is very closely monitored. I work at a BWR so i'm a little out of touch with the internals of a PWR.

[Thomas]

Originally Posted by DAB

Not always. Calvert Cliffs lost their condenser tubing years ago. Bad water chemistry.

Spent 8 years in that industry.

I'm in the chemistry camp. The testing on new generators is extensive.

[JRC27]

Originally Posted by DAB

Not always. Calvert Cliffs lost their condenser tubing years ago. Bad water chemistry.

Spent 8 years in that industry.

Please explain more....i worked in chemistry for 7 years. The condenser in a PWR is clean water is it not?

[Thomas]

Originally Posted by JRC27

Please explain more....i worked in chemistry for 7 years. The condenser in a PWR is clean water is it not?

Unless a tube ruptures and craps up the secondary side.

[DAB]

You need to control two things. pH and dissolved O2.

pH is about 9 if I recall. It's a compromise to limit corrosion. If you screw it up you'll lose metal faster than planned.

[Thomas]

All DAB is saying is bad chemistry can cause failure. It can happen in a tube bundle at your local high school.