Licensed in the 1970′s and shifted to startup from 1979 until 1992 in nukes. Then moved to gas and coal fired units. Was a submarine navy nuke from 1965 – 71. Saw this in client organizations while I was in SU. My management was fine. I evac’ed the contaimment once when instruments showed we were going prompt critical while we were SD. “Knew” the instruments were wrong but couldn’t get MC/radio clarification that they were not messing with the fuel. They were welding which inducing a false signal. When in doubt follow procedures that reduce the situation to a safe level. Caused a bit of contamination with everyone exiting in Anti-Cs and a schedule delay of a day or two. I was still promoted to relief SS and plant engineer

They’ll need some old hands to guide the young ones with just book learning. Take care and be safe.

Look who’s talking nuclear

MSNBC = JACKASSES

In 2005 the plant generated on average about 2,300 MWe, enough power to supply about 2 million average American homes. The station, 2 miles (3.2 km) east of the Rock River, employs over 600 people

If MS-NBC is willing to tell that story, can another Obama flip-flop be far behind? Will he stroll through one of the newer plants and declare, “This is not the nuclear power I thought I knew?”

My i know someone that works at a nuclear power plant in Northern Illinois maybe he could tour that plant thats right in his backyard..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byron_Nuclear_Generating_Station

The Byron Nuclear Generating Station is a nuclear power plant located in Ogle County, Illinois, USA providing electricity to northern Illinois and the city of Chicago.

Maxx on July 21, 2008 at 11:21 AM

They’re called cooling towers and not all nukes have them, but lots of fossil fuelers do. Maxx the discharge from those things is not even steam it’s just water vapor. The nuke plant where I worked didn’t have them. We did have some small cooling towers used for a cooling subsystem but the main condenser cooling was a once through system without cooling towers.

rokemronnie on July 21, 2008 at 12:28 PM
I wonder how many of those 8 reactors are new designs

All of them.

More to the point, we need full scale funding for the Bussard polywell fusion reactor. So far research grants from the Navy and Congress have allowed the team to stay together, but on a shoestring budget. The science is sound and safe, the initial testing is more than promising and it would cost way less than one conventional nuclear plant to build a full-size test reactor, just $200 million.

http://powerandcontrol.blogspot.com/2007/03/mr-fusion.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polywell

Like what — solar power? We’ve been gnawing on that bone for decades, and still can’t massively produce and store the energy. Same with wind, biomass, geothermal, and hydroelectric.
Well, we could get to oil, shale, coal, and natural gas in fast and affordable means — but I digress.

We have been gnawing on the fusion bone for decades longer.

Enlighten me oldnuke, what’s the real name for the “smoke stacks” at a nuclear power plant? And also, isn’t that actually steam coming out? It’s just harmless steam right?

The news media loves to focus on the tops of those “stacks” to give the ominous impression of pollution being put into the air, but in fact, it think, that’s only steam…. right?

They want a green economic collapse.

(Imagine all the nice green weeds growing everywhere.)

John McCain wants to build 45 of them by 2020, while Obama wants to wait for something better to come along.

Wait until the feasibility study is completed for building nuclear power plants on Military Bases.

trust the technology but there is an inherent profit vs. safety conflict during the operation of a reactor; as a former licensed senior operator/relief shift supervisor/plant engineer, I can say that those directly controlling the reactor could find themselves second guessing their actions in an unclear situation.
amr on July 21, 2008 at 10:12 AM

I think this situation varies from company to company. I know what you’re talking about here believe me. The company I worked for, however, didn’t take that approach when dealing with licensed personnel. I’ve talked to other SROs though who worked in a different environment. It could also depend on when you were in the business. Where and when were you licensed?

If 19 year olds can safely run nuclear plants on subs and ships then I think even union guys could do it.

Mojave Mark on July 21, 2008 at 9:35 AM

The U.S. military is amazing. Just watching the young men on aicraft carriers operate under very stressful situations, without a hitch, makes me very proud.

Yea, there were no primary and secondary containments, we know them, in the old Soviet design except for those built in Finland as required by the Finland government. And the reactor personnel let a test be performed that compromised the safety systems of the reactor to boot.

I trust the technology but there is an inherent profit vs. safety conflict during the operation of a reactor; as a former licensed senior operator/relief shift supervisor/plant engineer, I can say that those directly controlling the reactor could find themselves second guessing their actions in an unclear situation. That is if in the back of their mind they fear that shutting down the reactor on the side of safety, and being wrong, would “ruin” their career. Multiple millions of dollars are lost when a 1200 MW reactor is shutdown because of the loss of power production and the cost of replacement power and the possibility of grid fines for not providing the contracted power; the loss of power for close to 300,000 households.

As example of where giving almost total freedom to consider safety first over profit during operations has worked quite well, one can consider air flight controllers. They are removed from the administrative controls of the airports they serve since they are government employees (FAA). While certified by the government (NRC) and re-licensed by the same every two years and in-house tested yearly, the control room operations staff are employees of the utility. Some do have union protection. As anyone knows, bucking or somehow costing the “system” can result in serious career damage. I’m just saying that this is seldom heard in any discussion about nuclear power.

Mojave Mark on July 21, 2008 at 9:35 AM

When those 19 and 20 somethings get out of the navy a lot of them slide right into civilian nuclear power for a lot more money. The industry hires every one of them that they can get. There just aren’t enough of them any more. One of the largest hurdles the companies face right now is getting enough people to man and run existing plants. They’re just now starting to address the problem of new plants. One company is willing to send prospective applicants who meet the criteria to college on the company’s dime. That’s four years of totally unproductive time with salary and benefits plus whatever the college costs. Needless to say they are offering big bucks to pull retirees back as ‘consultants’. As far as spent fuel storage I’ll tell you right now that the industry doesn’t need Yucca mountain. The government vacillated too long on that dog so the industry just solved the problem themselves.

Greenpeace
Hamas Green

maverick muse on July 21, 2008 at 8:29 AM

You beat me to it.

Many colleges have also dropped their nuclear programs.

jeannie on July 21, 2008 at 8:51 AM

Yes, but the Navy hasn’t, and some of those guys will be looking for good paying jobs when they leave.

If 19 year olds can safely run nuclear plants on subs and ships then I think even union guys could do it.

Mojave Mark on July 21, 2008 at 9:35 AM

Although, I wouldn’t place too much stock in union guys over 19-year-olds.

MS-NBC has developed a reputation for a lack of objectivity this year regarding Barack Obama

That’s a very generous way to characterize their relentless cheerleading for Backtrack Obama.

Like what — solar power? We’ve been gnawing on that bone for decades, and still can’t massively produce and store the energy. Same with wind, biomass, geothermal, and hydroelectric.

I guess you haven’t heard about Obama’s plan to “fast-track” development of these alternative energies. The promise of vast wealth has not been enough to motivate anyone to come up with a way to use these energy sources cheaply and efficiently, but magical Barry O will speak — “get on it, and hurry up about it” and it shall be done.

If 19 year olds can safely run nuclear plants on subs and ships then I think even union guys could do it.

I’m in Nevada PLEASE SEND US THE WASTE!

“Due to new advances in nuclear technology, now is the time to begin production of new, modern, safe nuclear power stations that can reduce our dependence on foreign oil.”

we’ve been gnawing on that bone for decades

You have a way with words, Ed!

jgapinoy on July 21, 2008 at 8:07 AM

Will he stroll through one of the newer plants and declare, “This is not the nuclear power I thought I knew?”

Heh.