Agenda - 03-29-2007- - Laserfiche WebLink

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THIS study demonstrates that real -world consequences from nuclear plant accidents can be sigiuficantly more severe than predicted ... it's not hard to predict that "collateral damage" from an aircraft crash might be worse than from one broken pipe. 4) [1987 NRC document] THIS study strongly suggests that the violence of an aircraft crashing into a nuclear plant structure can produce shaking that causes electrical relays to change positions and this outcome alone — without even considering the effect of fires or explosions or other consequences — has a high likelihood of causing reactor core damage. [emphasis added by NC WARN] 5) [1997 NRC document re accident at the Pilgrim nuclear plant where 4,300 gallons of oil leaked out of an electrical transformer] "If the transformer fault at Pilgrim had occurred at power [the reactor was shut down for refueling at the time], a serious turbine building fire could have ensued. " THIS study demonstrates how little combustible material it takes to cause major problems at an allegedly robust nuclear power plant.... a Boeing 747 aircraft can carry over 50,000 gallons of fuel. 6) [ 1997 NRC report on fire risks at nuclear power plants] ... plant areas with high fire vulnerabilities were the main control room, the electrical switchgear rooms, and the cable spreading rooms — all areas located outside of the thick, reinforced concrete containment walls.... the fire hazard from an aircraft crash [not considered in this pre -9/11 document] would very likely be significantly higher than reported in this NRC paper. THIS study shows that the allegedly robust nuclear power plant structures are extremely vulnerable to fires from within. 7) [2000 to NRC from the Turkey Point nuclear plant] ... An aircraft impacting the Unit 3 or Unit 4 auxiliary building has a high chance of causing reactor core damage, since all of the safety systems preventing such an outcome are located within or pass through the auxiliary building ... According to Turkey Point's owner, the top risks are a strike on [1) the spent fuel buildings, 2) the auxiliary building, 3) the cooling water intake structure.] The oft -cited threat of an aircraft hitting the containment dome is relatively low risk (10 percent). THIS study reveals that the allegedly robust nuclear power plant structures cannot be reasonably guaranteed to provide adequate protection against aircraft attack. 8) [2000 NRC study re plants such as Harris] One of the hazards examined for this study was the accidental crash of aircraft into buildings housing spent fiiel pools. The report stated: In estimating the frequency of catastrophic PWR spent fuel pool damage from an aircraft crash (i.e., the pool is so damaged that it rapidly drains and cannot be refilled from either onsite or offsite resources), ... it is estimated that 1 of 2 aircrafts are large enough to penetrate a 5-foot-thick reinforced concrete wall. THIS study also reveals that the allegedly robust nuclear power plant structures cannot be reasonably guaranteed to provide adequate protection against aircraft attack. 9) [2003, Oak Ridge National Laboratory et al, on the vulnerability of nuclear power plants to sabotage] The authors calculated the peak overpressure produced by an explosion and the ability of nuclear plant structures and components to withstand that force ... In both scenarios, core damage was a credible outcome. THIS study ... performed by non -NRC government researchers after 9/11 strongly suggests that nuclear power plants are vulnerable to attack. 10) [2005, National Academy of Science] The NAS concluded ... that successful terrorist attacks on spent fuel pools, though difficult, are possible....If an attack leads to a propagating zirconium cladding fire, it could result in the release of large amounts of radioactive material. W