North Anna Power Station in Virginia : Potential for post quake radioactive leakage to atmosphere?

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 2011-08-24 18:32

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

"[ALERT] North Anna: Be Prepared for Radioactive Leakage Into The Atmosphere
Based on the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Operations Center Event Reports For 08/23/2011 - 08/24/2011, fifteen nuclear plants made emergency notifications related to the 8/23/2011 Virginia earthquake. Out of the 15 different Nuclear plants which made emergency event reports, only the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Plant nuclear operating plant reported that they DID NOT have any radiological releases [Event Number: 47184].

The most serious of the 15 emergency reports is from the North Anna Power Station in Virginia [Event Number: 47181]. The North Anna station went into complete shutdown as a result the earthquake; it lost all offsite power; it went on emergency backup generators (1 of which failed). The event report states "Decay heat is being removed via the steam dumps to atmosphere".

Based on a quick check of the design of the North Anna unit ( a 3 loop Westinghouse), Radioactive core coolant is being pumped to a heat exchanger were it is cooled by feed water. That non-radioactive feed water is turned to steam and released directly into the environment. Under normal conditions the steam is used to power the generator turbine and is NOT exposed to the environment but is returned in a closed loop system.

In the current situation of direct venting of steam into the atmosphere ... a simple leakage in the heat exchanger (or any seals in the steam generation unit) could result in the escape of radioactive materials directly into the atmosphere via the ongoing decay heat steam venting....

[Now consider that] the nuclear reactor has just experienced an earthquake that appears to be at its design limit..."

http://pissinontheroses.blogspot.com/2011/08/alert-north-anna-be-prepare...

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Does anybody have any further information on North Anna?

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Air pollution projections

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 2011-08-24 19:53.

Go to Airnow.gov to see air quality forecast for all U.S. states. Today's Virginia forecast showed an AQI for Richmond as 101-150="Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups." Tomorrow's forecast (Aug. 25) for Hampton Roads is even worse: 151-200 = "Unhealthy." One area near the Cascades, inland from Seattle, WA this weekend also showed as" Unhealthy" at one point. (Click on the animation tab for projected spread of pollution). I do not believe, however, that this forecast includes any possible radiation pollution. Lucky us. ;-)