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Re: Anti-nukes and the mantra of the day: Nuclear Terrorism
Below is an exchange between myself and Scott Portzline about his site that
I referred to. I thought this is important to talk about...it looks like
this is happening without the usual name calling and outright nuke bashing.
It is important to weed out all the nonsense so the problems can be well
defined...can't begin to solve them if we can't do that!
The site is well done technically...KUDOS to the webmaster. Some of the
Anti-nuclear content leaves a little to be desired, but it still has
importance in that the technical folks in the nuclear industry need to
understand that however ridiculous they may think some of the concerns of
the general public are, they still need to be addressed in a polite and
straightforward manner. I have never been one to talk down to someone
because of some arbitrary judgement made on my part about their ability to
understand what I am saying.
I think that some energy could be redirected in a more positive manner and
still get your message across. Perhaps a little more balance...a good
example of this is found in information provided by Boy Scout merit badge
counselor's for those working on the Atomic Energy Merit badge. An example
site is found at:
http://www.ece.cmu.edu/~griffin2/scouts/atomic_energy.html
Security issues should be addressed, but in a calm and rational manner. You
would be hard pressed to come up with a scenario such as a purposeful plane
crash that would penetrate a containment, vaporize a reactor vessel and
internals, and would disperse the material in the air causing plume
deposition over a wide area and cause death among the population.
The same would be true for the fuel handling building as you would have to
vaporize all the water in the pool before you could vaporize the fuel (plus
the fact that much of the short-lived radioactive material in the spent
fuel has decayed) to make it available for plume deposition. Sure you
could make a big mess for the power plant, but I doubt if you could
credibly drive any protective action recommendations for the general
population.
The computer codes that are used for this modeling a generally available.
The one used by the NRC is RASCAL (v 3.01). A copy can be obtained from the
NRC by contacting Stephen Mcguire <SAM2@nrc.gov>.
I would imagine that the most bang for the buck would come from taking out
the switchyard...they are not protected at all...that combined with an
attack taking out the diesel generators with leave the site with a loss of
all AC...no power to pumps = no cooling = core uncovering = partial core
melt as at TMI (unceremoniously and inaccurately referred to as a "glowing
gopher" in the comic strip Bloom County in a set about TMI). In addition it
gives people several hours to sweat about it before it happens...imagine
all the hassle, confusion, and panic associated with evacuation. Just some
thoughts that will get some replies like "don't give them any ideas..." As
if a well organized group of terrorists are stupid...NOT!
We should all understand the difference between some assigned risk
assessment probability that is used as an indicator of possible death due
to some reason years in the future and actual deaths that occur on a day to
day basis from things such as slips trips and falls. All sides of this
issue need to come to an understanding, and first and foremost is the fact
that this country does not have an energy future if we don't use all the
tools in front of us. That includes the whole gauntlet: oil, coal, nuclear,
hydroelectric, solar, wind, geothermal, and any others I may have missed.
Nuclear power will always be a part of this energy future-no one source of
energy will meet our demands. We can dream about the day when we may have
predominately solar and perhaps fusion power, but that is a long long ways
in the future. We just don't have the technology to make it happen and
without nuclear now, it will never happen. We have to manage the technology
now in a responsible and competent manner together.
My opinions only...
DJWhitfill
"Scott D.
Portzline" To: <DWhitfil@KDHE.STATE.KS.US>
<sportzline@h cc:
ome.com> Subject: Re: Anti-nukes and the mantra of the day: Nuclear Terrorism
10/09/01
08:19 PM
Please
respond to
"Scott D.
Portzline"
DJWhitfill,
I posted the website in 1996. My research has been cited by the US
Depatment
of Energy, the various military branches, and terrorism experts around the
world. I do not fear technology - I only fear the misuse of it. I have
testified before numerous governmental bodies regarding these matters. I
would not be invited to testify if these committees believed they were
getting lost in the anti-nuclear hyperbole. Everything in the paragraph you
cited is based on factual data from the industry itself.
The GAO once titled a report on nuclear plant security "Nuclear
Power-Plant
Security - - Inadequate, at Best." The GAO is neither anti-nuclear or
alarmists, yet they gave a title which one could label as hyperbole until
you read the facts.
I have researched N-plant security and have been trying to improve security
at our nations nuclear plants for nearly 2 decades. Possibly, this is a new
topic for you which you might find somewhat alarmist. I'd rest better
knowing that there is regulation that guards be posted at nuclear plant
entrances. Currently there is no such rule.
That won't solve all of the problems, but it's a start.
As the threat level changed, I became more vocal. Now, it should be obvious
to everyone that high quality security is needed at nuclear plants.
However,
just last week, the Nuclear Energy Institute (industry's lobbying group)
asked the NRC to return security to the normal level. Now that's just
ridiculous. I ask that you do some research and criticize the industry
if/as
you see fit.
I appreciated your recognition of some valid points on the site. I've
recently heard from legislators at the state and national level requesting
additional data from my research. There are many things I don't reveal
publicaly.
Before you think that the new "mantra" (someday) is focused on lost and
stolen nuclear materials, have a look at that page which was first posted
in
1997. People have been killed and harmed by this problem too.
http://www.tmia.com/lost.html
Scott Portzline
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