Posted on 04/01/2011 5:09:22 PM PDT by SteveH
A U.S. simulation exercise conducted about 30 years ago of what would happen at a boiling-water reactor if all power sources were lost eerily matches what has unfolded at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
While the simulation demonstrated the dangers of losing all power sources, Japan's nuclear authorities took the optimistic position that power transmission lines and other power sources would be restored quickly.
The simulation was conducted by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in 1981 and 1982. A report was later submitted to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which used the report's findings to establish safety regulations.
[...]
In 1990, when the Nuclear Safety Commission of Japan decided on guidelines for approving safety design at nuclear plants, it stated, "There is no need to consider the loss of all AC power sources for a long period of time because we can expect a restoration of power transmission lines or the recovery of emergency AC power source facilities."
[...]
(Excerpt) Read more at asahi.com ...
“There is no need to consider the loss of all AC power sources for a long period of time because we can expect a restoration of power transmission lines or the recovery of emergency AC power source facilities
Wrong.
Something to remember shtf, it takes over 30 days to cold shutdown a reactor. What if the workers go home?
Getting power to that mess is a small part of the problem. Everything is broken/destroyed.
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