Nuclear Shutdown News September 2020
By Michael Steinberg
Nuclear Shutdown News chronicles the decline and fall of the nuclear power industry in the US and beyond, and highlights the efforts of those who are working to create a nuclear free world.
Midwest ‘Derecho’ Storm Forces Shutdown of Iowa Nuke Plant
On August 8, Nagasaki Day, a violent storm with hurricane force winds knocked out power at the Duane Arnold nuclear plant, 11 miles from Cedar Rapids, IA. The Star Tribune reported that the plant “lost connection with the electrical grid and declared an Unusual Event, the lowest of four kinds of nuke plant emergencies.”
“The loss of power triggered an automatic shutdown” of the plant’s reactor, the Star Tribune reported. “It also “damaged the plant’s cooling towers, which are used to cool steam after it emits from the plant’s turbine.”
The 45 year old Duane Arnold plant will close down permanently at the end of this year, 14 years before its operating license was to expire.
Meanwhile a half a million businesses and homes in Iowa were without power.
Scandal Ridden Illinois Nukes To Close Next Year
On August 27 the Associated Press reported that Chicago-based Exelon would be closing two of its nuclear plants next year. The company announced it would be shuttering its Byron and Dresden nuke plants in the fall of 2021.
As reported in Nuclear Shutdown News last month, Exelon was involved in a scandal involving the company and the speaker of the Illinois house that bilked customers big time to keep Exelon’s old money losing nukes afloat.
On August 28 the Chicago Tribune reported that a report by Moody Investment Services concluded “in an increasingly climate-disrupted world, nuclear power anywhere will be more costly, under constant threat, and may not ever be capable of generating power.”
And Laura Too
The latter point was reinforced by an August 27 report by Global Rubber Markets, which said the Nuclear Regulatory Commission was monitoring nuclear plants in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas for possible impacts from hurricane force winds as Laura approached. Those plants included New Orleans-based Entergy’s Waterford in LA and South Texas in that state.
In addition, “several other plants could be impacted by heavy rains” were Entergy’s River ,Bend in LA, Grand Gulf in MS and Arkansas One in that state.
As we now know, Laura made landfall in Lake Charles in southwest Louisiana as a Category 4, stronger even than Katrina 15 years ago.
Fortunately none of the above nuke plants were in its path. But neither did any of them shut down as a precaution, except Grand Gulf, which was already shut for repairs.
They were lucky–this time.
Sources: Star Tribune, startribune.com; Associated Press, ap.com; Chicago Tribune, chicagotribune.com; Global Rubber Markets, global rubbermarkets.com.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
You know what the scariest/saddest part of the continuing streams of bad news about these plants is? Using the reference to the Fukushima disaster. Which is still an active on-going catastrophe that is spewing radiation as I type this because, even though it was so bad it layered Plutonium (the most deadly substance invented by our species) on schoolyard playground equipment in Tokyo (reported by Greenpeace), nobody in power seems to have learned a single lesson from it. Nor from 3 Mile Island, nor from Chernobyl. Or from any of the near-disasters that have happened in their uncounted numbers at all the other plants. Even though these plants cannot get private insurance because they are so risky! Because it’s all about somebody’s profit statements.
My insurance company cancelled my homeowner/fire insurance after 15 years because of the Paradise Fire down there in Cali. Unless I cut down ALL the trees on the property and then my rates would still go up IF they decided to!! I don’t see the US gov picking it up nor using tax dollars to cover me because I live in a forested mountain area so why do these bozo wealthy corporate pricks that own nuclear plants get that taxpayer-subsidized gift?
Oh, that’s right, they buy politicians with bribes called ‘campaign contributions’ just like what’s happening with the Santee City Council. The system isn’t broken, it’s working exactly as it was designed. Corruption isn’t a chance thing, is it? It’s a way of life.
sealintheSelkirks