Please Remain Calm

While we sit and watch TV and read the news about all that is going on in Japan, it is hard not to be over whelmed with all that has happened. My concern, because I work in the industry is the nuclear plants that are having problems.

If the news that we hear is true, and I stress TRUE, we are indeed on the edge of having something very bad going on at those plants and I pray for all the workers.

But let us do that, pray, for now and wait until the people and government of Japan can get things stable and report on what is really going on.

After the Three Mile Island accident in PA those many years ago, there were reports of radiation leaks and hazards to the public. After the dust settled the experts themselves agreed that they acted to fast on facts that were not true. The press however is out for ratings and circulation and will sensationalize anything. I don't care if its Fox, MSNBC, CNN or The Funky Times, they are all in business to make money and will say anything to get ratings.

That being said let us flip the coin. Like I said, I work in the nuclear industry and they are in business to make money. So it is their best interest to put the best spin on what is going one. Will they lie? Well one recently did lie to the legislature and the people of a state and got caught. So yes, it can happen.

So where is the truth? As always it is some where in the middle and in this case even that is scary. Because if we look at some of the "facts" that are currently being reported, even partially, are true. Those plants are in very bad shape.

Now, I am not an expert on the design of the plants in Japan. But I work on a plant that is similar to those that are in trouble. So I am going to state some of the "facts" and what it means if they are true.

1. The plant is at a pressure more than twice its normal pressure. If true this means that not only did power at the plant fail (as has been reported) but valves that are designed to automatically open to relieve the pressure also failed. This is hard to swallow since these valves open on over pressure far below twice normal pressure (normal pressure is 1000 psig and these valves open at 1100 psig) and require no power to do so. The pressure in the reactor overcomes spring pressure and the excess steam/pressure is released.
2. The plant has lost power. In a situation like those in Japan this would not be too hard to believe. Certainly the off-site power (the grid) is decimated. If the plants in Japan are designed as those int he US are, I find it hard to believe that all power is lost. But again, it is possible. If true there are still other methods to get water into the core to cool it. There are diesel driven pumps for example. But these could only function to put in water if those valves I spoke of in item one totally failed to work. If they can't get water in to cool the core the situation is very bad.
3. There are reports of radiation levels in the plants control room is 1000 times above normal. I will tell you this, if that is true then the fuel is already damaged and things again would be extremely bad.

I don't say these things to scare people. What I want is for all of us to wait until things in Japan calm down and let the experts get in there and get things done. Then we can see how bad it really is.