Nuclear Power Safety

The probability of a nuclear accident is small but the consequences can be catastrophic. Our experts analyze nuclear safety issues from the past and present, making recommendations for a safer nuclear fleet.


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Latest Nuclear Power Safety Posts

NRC’s Project Aim: Off-target?

, director, Nuclear Safety Project

February 8, 2018 6:00 AM EDT

A handful of years ago, there was talk about nearly three dozen new reactors being ordered and built in the United States. During oversight hearings, Members of Congress queried the Members of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on efforts underway and planned to ensure the agency would be ready to handle this anticipated flood of new reactor applications without impeding progress. Those efforts included creating the Office of New Reactors and hiring new staffers to review the applications and inspect the reactors under construction. Read more >

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Clinton Power Station: Déjà vu Transformer Problems

, director, Nuclear Safety Project

February 5, 2018 6:00 AM EDT

The Clinton Power Station located 23 miles southeast of Bloomington, Illinois has one General Electric boiling water reactor with a Mark III containment that began operating in 1987.

On December 8, 2013, an electrical fault on a power transformer stopped the flow of electricity to some equipment with the reactor operating near full power. The de-energized equipment caused conditions within the plant to degrade. A few minutes later, the control room operators manually scrammed the reactor per procedures in response to the deteriorating conditions. The NRC dispatched a special inspection team to investigate the cause and its corrective actions.

On December 9, 2017, an electrical fault on a power transformer stopped the flow of electricity to some equipment with the reactor operating near full power. The de-energized equipment caused conditions within the plant to degrade. A few minutes later, the control room operators manually scrammed the reactor per procedures in response to the deteriorating conditions. The NRC dispatched a special inspection team to investigate the cause and its corrective actions. The NRC’s special inspection team issued its report on January 29, 2018.

Same reactor. Same month. Nearly the same day. Same transformer. Same problem. Same outcome. Same NRC response.

Coincidence? Nope. When one does nothing to solve a problem, one invites the problem back. And problems accept the invitations too often. Read more >

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Benny Hill Explains the NRC Approach to Nuclear Safety

, director, Nuclear Safety Project

January 16, 2018 6:00 AM EDT

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s safety regulations require that nuclear reactors be designed to protect the public from postulated accidents, such as the rupture of pipes that would limit the flow of cooling water to the reactor. These regulations include General Design Criteria 34 and 35 in Appendix A to 10 CFR Part 50.

Emergency diesel generators (EDGs) are important safety systems since they provide electricity to emergency equipment if outside power is cut off to the plant—another postulated accident. This electricity, for example, would allow pumps to continue to send cooling water to the reactor vessel to prevent overheating damage to the core. So the NRC has requirements that limit how long a reactor can continue operating without one of its two EDGs under different conditions. The shortest period is 3 days while the longest period is 14 days. Read more >

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Like Bonnie Tyler, NRC is Holding Out for a HERO

, director, Nuclear Safety Project

December 5, 2017 6:00 AM EDT

In Nuclear Energy Activist Toolkit #47, I summarized the regulations and practices developed to handle emergencies at nuclear power plants. While that commentary primarily focused on the response at the stricken plant site, it did mention that nuclear workers are required to notify the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) promptly following any declaration of an emergency condition. The NRC staffs its Operations Center 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to receive and process emergency notifications. Read more >

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UCS to Nuclear Regulatory Commission: Big THANKS!

, director, Nuclear Safety Project

November 15, 2017 6:00 AM EDT

This spring, I ran into Mike Weber, Director of the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), at a break during a Commission briefing. The Office of Research hosts a series of seminars which sometimes include presentations by external stakeholders. I asked Mike if it would be possible for me to make a presentation as part of that series. Read more >

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