Mother Nature & Nukes

Washington and Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility release new studies showing earthquake risks underestimated for Washington’s Columbia reactor, call for shutdown. Press release. Supporting documents: letter to NRC Chair Macfarlane, earthquake evaluation report; response to utility report; section of utility response to NRC letter.

Petition for Rulemaking submitted to NRC by Foundation for Resilient Societies  to protect irradiated fuel pools at reactors from effects of long-term power outages , which would make cooling the pools (and reactors themselves) impossible. The petition specifically addresses large solar flare disruptions, which could cause severe damage to some vulnerable electrical grids resulting in widespread and lengthy blackouts.

Nuclear Power and Hurricanes. NIRS Advisory.

NIRS Fact Sheet focused on the how natural phenomenon (tornadoes, floods, etc.) can play a role in the risks from nuclear power.

NIRS comments to the California Central Water Quality Control Board regarding hearings on the habitat destruction from the Diablo Canyon nuclear power station cooling water system discharge into Diablo Cove.