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Nuclear Shutdown News October 2022
By Michael Steinberg / Black Rain Press
At this writing in early October, much of Florida is still devastated by Hurricane Ian.
Little reporting mentions the role of global warming in this disaster. Less refers to the threat of the state’s nuclear power plants.
The Turkey Point’s two reactors started up in the early 1970s, making them a half century old now. Located in the greater Miami area, they represent another catastrophic threat to Floridians.
Nuclear reactors are designed to run only 40 years. But as many US nuke plants approach or surpass that age, their owners have been applying to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to extend their operating lives for 20 years or more.
Last spring World Nuclear News reported that Turkey Point’s owner Florida Power & Light ‘s effort to keep that nuke plant going for another 60 years had backfired on them. In 2019 the NRC granted Turkey Point’s reactors permission to keep running until 2052-3.
But that decision was challenged by environmental groups Friends Of the Earth, the National Resources Defense Council and Miami Waterkeepers. They argued that the NRC should take into consideration the decades of aging nuke plants high levels of radiation on nuke plants systems such as reactor containment building, piping and electrical and other systems.
Surprisingly, the NRC walked back its earlier decision, declaring Turkey Point’s reactor operating extensions would be until ‘only’ to 2032 and 2034!
This decision may be applied to the cases of other decrepit nuclear plants that are requesting dangerously long license extensions as well.
Now all we have to do is get the NRC to consider all the high level nuke waste that’s been piling up at nuke plants for decades, as well as other radiation routinely released into the air and water in surrounding communities.
Not to mention either: ocean levels rising rapidly in coastal areas like Miami.
Source: worldnuclear news.org
Nuclear Shutdown News chronicles the decline and fall of the nuclear industry in the US and beyond, and highlights the efforts of those working for a nuclear free planet.
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