NRC: 9 Nukes Knocked Off Line by Blackout

Reuters | August 14, 2003

[HAL9000]

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Thursday said nine nuclear reactors in four U.S. states were shut following a massive blackout that hit the Northeast United States and Canada.

"At this point, we have nine reactors that are offline. And there is no timeline as to when these will return to service," NRC spokesman Scott Burnell said.

Burnell said the reactors are in New York, New Jersey, Ohio and Michigan.

[cmsgop]

Any Idea where they are?

[Henk]

If they don't get them restarted right away (4 to 6 hrs) they will have to wait for about a day (i think) before they can be restarted due to Xenon-135 dead time.

See this link.

[vinylsidingman]

NOT GOOD ! Mid August, no lights, no AC, hmmmmmmmm? Candles and drinks on the patio ? Next May could set a new record for births in those states ....

bwaaaaaaahhhahahhahah

[Redcloak]

Any Idea where they are?

In the dark.

[TexRef]

[deport]

Well my guess is that any power plant within the effected area was knocked off line if the grid they were serving was down....... Nothing special to nukes.

[TexRef]

DUH! And they have to work that out by hand since the computers don't have power :)

[cmsgop]

Thanks, I knew I could count on you!.........LOL!!!!!

[George from New England]

But in NYC there are no firearms in the 5 boroughs.

[Redcloak]

I'm in the shower right now with my keyboard and my Glock in plastic bags.


















Hey... Wait a minute...
















Why the heck am I doing this?! I'm in California!

[HAL9000]

Yeah, a lot of xenon.

[Eala]

Why the heck am I doing this?! I'm in California!

All the more reason! Fortunately for me, I'm safely ensconced in The Peoples' Soviet of Washi

[snopercod]

I love it when you talk technical.

Actually, it will probably take three days for the Reactor Operators to remove the seat cushions from their hindquarters.

A 100% load rejection at a nuke plant is spectacular. I have stood and watched a major steam dump at Diablo Canyon and it shakes the very foundations of the earth.

[bagman]

Xenon dead time depends on the type of plant and how long the core has been burned (at least for a Pressurized Water Reactor - a majority of the plants in the USofA are pressurized water reactors). Early in the fuel cycle, xenon dead time isn't going to happen. If the plant trips near the end of its fuel cycle (plants these days typically run an eighteen-month fuel cycle between re-fuelings), then xenon over-ride can be somewhat more difficult.

I suspect that these plants were all scrammed (rapidly shutdown). The biggest constraint on re-starting, I would guess, is going to be whether the grid is restored and stable for the individual plant and how long it will take to work through the necessary paperwork. I'll bet most of the plants are coming back on line by Friday afternoon. It will take some time, then, to reach full power.

[bagman]

Has to be true. A plant is cruising along, generating energy, and then, all of a sudden, has not place to put the energy. The only solution is to cease producing energy by shutting the plant down.

Conservation of Energy - it's not just the law; it's a good idea!

[TheFrog]

Ew: "Actually, it will probably take three days for the Reactor Operators to remove the seat cushions from their hindquarters. " It is time for new operators if it takes you three days to recover from a load rejection trip.

[Quix]

Given the blackout years ago and the supposedly earnest concerted efforts to prevent such in the future . . . and all the other givens of our current era . . .

I have a VERY HARD TIME believing there's ONLY a simple, natural, no-skull-duggery explanation for this.

I just don't believe it.

Call me paranoid and irrational if you wish. I just don't believe it.

[Dan from Michigan]

Fermi I believe. I THINK it's in Monroe. (Between Detroit and Toledo)