#nonewnukes — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #nonewnukes, aggregated by home.social.
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#Kansas town is getting an underground #nuclear reactor [whether they like it or not!]
Story by Jessie Williams, July 29, 2026
"A pilot project to bury a #NuclearReactor one mile underneath a town in Kansas has split the opinion of local residents, with some fearing the #EnvironmentalImpacts while others hope it will create economic opportunities.
"The so-called #GravityReactor is being proposed by #DeepFission, a California-based start-up from a father-daughter duo, #LizMuller and #RichardMuller, emeritus professor of physics at University of California, and an inventor.
"It will be the first time a commercial nuclear reactor operates underground.
"The startup has raised around $150 million in the past year, with $40 million of that going to fund the work in #ParsonsKS, a rural town in Kansas with a population of 9,600.
"So far Deep Fission has drilled one test hole with a second due to be completed this year, and a full-scale prototype canister intended to test installation procedures.
"Their plan is to send the canister loaded with nuclear fuel into a third hole to heat water a mile underground and generate electricity on the surface in 2027 or 2028.
"But some people in Parsons are worried about the short time frame by industry standards and the impact on the #environment and their #WaterSupply.
"Each reactor would generate 15 megawatts of electricity from inside a 30-inch borehole, enough to power 12,000 homes. But Muller wants 100 or more reactors, providing more than a gigawatt – which would be enough for a #datacentre.
"The design relies on established pressurised water reactor technology, but with the reactor one mile underground, Deep Fission says it could remove some of the most expensive parts of conventional #NuclearPlants, as rock and water pressure could replace some costly #safety structures, such as #cooling and #containment.
"Nuclear only generates about a fifth of US electricity, but the Trump administration is seeking to kickstart a '#NuclearRenaissance,' aiming to quadruple America’s nuclear-power generation by 2050. It comes amid skyrocketing demand for electricity, mainly driven by data centres for AI."
#NoNukesForAI #AISucks #TrumpSucks #USPol #AIDatacenters #Datacenters #NoNukes #NoNewNukes #WaterIsLife #NuclearPowerPlant #SafetyStandards #EnvironmentalCosts
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#Trump's rush to build #nuclear reactors across the U.S. raises safety worries
December 17, 2025
"Critics, however, worry that the tight July 4 deadline, political pressure and a lack of transparency are all compromising safety. Even a 'small' release of #radioactive material could cause damage to #people and the #environment around the test sites.
"This is not normal, and this is not OK, and this is not going to lead to success," warned #AllisonMacfarlane, a professor at the University of British Columbia who served as chairman of the #NRC under President Barack Obama. 'This is how to have an accident.' "
#NoNukes #NoNewNukes #NoMoreChernobyls #NoMoreFukushimas #SMRs #NRCFail #DOE #IdahoNationalLab #ParsonsKS #UtahSanRafaelLab #OakRidge #TexasAM #AbileneChristianUniversity #MakeAmericaRadioactiveAgain
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So, #Terrapower and other #HALEU energy projects are being touted as "carbon-free". But alas, a lot of energy is spent digging, milling, transporting and enriching #Uranium -- and there's still no place to permanently store #NuclearWaste.
And #NewNuclear is far from CLEAN -- ask the residents of #PiketonOhio -- who are still dealing with #contamination from when the uranium enrichment plant was operating before!
Radioactive cylinders abound at former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant site
by The Guardian
August 7, 2024
PIKETON, Ohio – "The site of the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Piketon is home to a significant number of radioactive cylinders, posing ongoing environmental and health risks. As of 2022, there are a total of 20,570 uranium hexafluoride (#UF6) cylinders at the site, including 1,879 low-enriched uranium (LEU) cylinders, 18,206 depleted uranium cylinders, and 385 empty cylinders.
"These cylinders, which have been stored in the open for decades, are known to be among the highest sources of #radioactive contamination at the entire plant site. The U.S. Department of Energy [#DOE] has repeatedly reported the #hazardous conditions associated with these cylinder yards.
Chemical Reaction and #Corrosion
"UF6 is highly reactive with moisture, forming uranyl fluoride (UO2F2) and hydrogen fluoride (HF). Both compounds are extremely corrosive and toxic. HF can lead to severe corrosion of the cylinder walls, potentially resulting in leaks and the release of hazardous materials. The environmental and health impacts of these compounds are severe; HF can cause respiratory issues, skin burns, and eye damage, while UO2F2 can lead to kidney damage and other serious health problems.
Historical Accidents
"The potential risks are not hypothetical. In 1978, a major incident occurred when a UF6 cylinder ruptured, releasing over 20,000 pounds of uranium hexafluoride into the atmosphere. Over the years, there have been dozens of such accidental releases, exacerbating the environmental and health risks associated with the site."
#NoUraniumEnrichment #BillGates #Greenwashing #NoUraniumMining #RenewablesNow #NoNukes #NoNewNukes #TerrapowerHype #NewNuclearHype #SameOldSameOld
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Report Finds That ‘Advanced’ #Nuclear Reactor Designs Are No Better Than Current Reactors—and Some Are Worse
Proposed Non-Light-Water Reactors Not Clearly Safer and Will Likely Take Decades to Achieve Reliable Commercial Operation
Published Mar 18, 2021
Union of Concerned Scientists"One of the proposed sodium-cooled fast reactors, #TerraPower’s 345 megawatt #Natrium, has received considerable media attention recently because TerraPower founder #BillGates has been citing it during interviews about his new book, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster. In mid-February, Gates told 60 Minutes correspondent Anderson Cooper that the #Natrium reactor will produce less waste and be safer than a conventional light-water reactor.
"In fact, according to the #UCS report, sodium-cooled fast reactors such as the Natrium would likely be less '#uranium-efficient.' They would not reduce the amount of #NuclearWaste that requires long-term isolation in a geologic repository. They also could experience safety problems that are not an issue for light-water reactors.
"Sodium coolant, for example, can burn when exposed to air or water, and a sodium-cooled fast reactor could experience uncontrollable power increases that result in rapid core melting.
“'When it comes to safety and security, sodium-cooled fast reactors and molten salt-fueled reactors are significantly worse than conventional light-water reactors,' says Dr. #EdwinLyman.
'High-temperature, gas-cooled reactors may have the potential to be safer, but that remains unproven, and problems have come up during recent fuel safety tests.'"Read more:
https://www.ucsusa.org/about/news/report-advanced-nuclear-reactors-no-better-current-fleet#MSRHype
#NoNukes
#NoNewNukes #SmallModularNuclearReactors #BigEnergy #SMR -
Nuclear Expansion Sparks Concerns from Scientists of '#CatastrophicFailure'
Story by Jordan King
June 19, 2024"A group of scientists has spoken out against a new bill that aims to accelerate the development of #nuclear energy.
"The U.S. Senate passed the #ADVANCEAct on Tuesday, which, among other things, makes it easier and quicker for companies to apply for permits and creates new incentives for advanced #nuclear reactor technologies.
"It was passed with bipartisan support (88-2 votes), with Democrats getting behind it for environmental reasons and Republicans seeing it as a way to ensure electricity supply and create jobs.
"An example of how the bill could be applied is with the Bill Gates-backed company #TerraPower, which has so far been unable to secure a permit to build a $4 billion #Natrium Reactor on an old #coal plant site in Wyoming, Reuters reports.
"But the Union of Concerned Scientists, a science advocacy nonprofit, is worried about the #safety implications of the bill, which is now on its way to President Joe #Biden to sign into law.
"The organization's director of nuclear power safety Dr. #EdwinLyman compared the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's [#NRC] relaxing of rules to the Federal Aviation Administration doing the same with air transport."
#BigOilAndGas #Greenwashing #NoNukes #NoNewNukes #UnionOfConcernedScientists #NuclearPowerPlant #NuclearPlants #Greenwashing #NuclearIsNotCarbonFree
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#Fukushima #Nuclear Power Plant starts 3rd round of #wastewater release, potentially impacting #seafood quality in U.S.
By Belle Lewis - November 14, 2023
"The #FukushimaDachii nuclear plant started its third release of nuclear wastewater on Nov. 2 as scientists warn that seafood products from the #PacificOcean could be #contaminated
"Although the International Atomic Energy Agency approved the 30-year water release plan, scientists and civilians in nations bordering the Pacific Ocean have questioned the safety of the plan, especially as it relates to seafood.
"In a press release approving of the plan, the IAEA stated, 'the discharges of the treated water would have a negligible radiological impact to people and the environment.'
"#PaulDorfman, member of the Irish Government Environmental Protection Agency Radiation Protection Advisory Committee and chair of Nuclear Consulting Group, explained that some scientists have questioned IAEA’s approval of the water release.
"'I and others are concerned by IAEA’s attitude,' Dorfman said. 'Normally even low levels of radioactive pollution will find its way into local seafood, one way or another.'
"In 2020, #Japan exported 332,926 kilograms of frozen scallops to the U.S. Japan exports many fish products to the U.S.
"Samantha Valeriano, a psychology student from Hawaii, said she eats seafood about once a week. She does not often think about where her food comes from but wants to be more cautious following the nuclear water release.
"'I think I would be a little more cautious of what I ate, checking labels a little bit more,' Valeriano said. 'I would be conscious of what I ate and where it came from.'
"As the People’s Republic of #China has imposed bans of Japanese fish exports, the #USA has supported the Japanese market by increasing fish purchases.
"In a press release, the #UnitedStates Embassy and Consulate in Japan explained that military bases in Japan will carry Japanese seafood as a way to buoy up seafood markets and undermine the PRC’s ban.
"'United States elected representatives and senior government officials have stood in solidarity with Japan during this baseless ban,' the statement said. 'Another step to help provide additional sales to counter the ban was to start selling Japanese seafood at the U.S. military facilities in Japan, both through the commissaries and mess halls.'
"According to the statement, government officials like former speaker #KevinMcCarthy ate seafood from Japan as a testament to Japan’s safety standards.
However, other U.S. agencies, like the National Association of #MarineLaboratories question whether accurate research was conducted by the IAEA and Japanese Government to determine safety of seafood products."They explain that the lack of data on potential health impacts is a cause for serious concern.
"'Many of the #radionuclides contained in the #accumulated waste cooling water have half-lives ranging from #decades to #centuries, and their deleterious effects range from #DNADamage and #cellular stress to elevated #cancer risks in people who eat affected marine organisms, such as #clams, #oysters, #crabs, #lobster, #shrimp and fish,' the statement reads. [Not to mention all the critters that feed off them! Bioaccumulation works up the food chain!]
"Eve Nagareda, medical laboratory science major from Hawaii, shared she wants to avoid seafood from dumping grounds even if levels are considered safe.
"'I think I would try to go as far as possible from it,' Nagareda said.
"Kylee Wasano, pre-communications disorders student from Oahu, agreed. She explained she feels that she might already be consuming contaminated seafood.
"'I feel like I already am eating that, and I just don’t know,' Wasano said. 'Anything that could expose you to (radiation) you should be considerate about.'
"As organizations weigh safety concerns, scientists turn to the water release process to determine potential effects."
#WaterIsLife #NoDumping #Hormesis #TEPCOLies #Corruption #Bioaccumulation #RethinkNotRestart #NoNukes #NoNewNukes
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Application Filed to Extend Life of #DiabloCanyon Power Plant Another 20 Years
PG&E Submits Application with #NRC to Renew Plant’s License
By Jean Yamamura
Wed Nov 08, 2023"Renewal of Diablo Canyon Power Plant’s license was formally filed with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission by owner #PacificGasAndElectric Company on November 7, more than a month ahead of the end of 2023 deadline. The 2,200 megawatts of carbon-free power generated by the nuclear plant can provide electricity for as many as three million of #California’s 39 million residents, fully 17 percent of the state’s supply of zero-carbon electricity, according to PG&E. But is it still needed?
"A number of groups fighting the nuclear power plant contend a potential for disaster exists from the aging facility, finished in 1973. Nonprofits like the #MothersForPeace in San Luis Obispo, where the plant is located, and the #AllianceForNuclearResponsibility argue that questions about brittle welds and nearby earthquake faults remain unanswered. Friends of the Earth is seeking to overturn the NRC’s licensing procedure for Diablo in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
"The NRC agreed to shorten the five-year window for the license renewal, causing #FriendsOfTheEarth’s legal director, Hallie Templeton, to say: “PG&E’s reckless push to extend the life of Diablo Canyon, while unsurprising, should set off alarm bells for everyone living near this high-risk facility. Diablo Canyon’s operations are extremely dangerous, harmful to the climate and put all of California at risk of a catastrophic accident.”
"In answer to the question of safety at a nuclear facility located 90 miles northwest of Santa Barbara, PG&E’s chief nuclear officer, Paula Gefen, said, 'We have a dedicated workforce that is committed to operating DCPP with integrity and safety at the forefront.' [PG&E is known for greed and poor safety record keeping -- see link in comments]
"During this shortened window, PG&E has a number of state agencies to persuade in addition to the NRC: It received a lease extension from the State Lands Commission in June for the strip of beach it uses, but the California Energy Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission are assessing actual costs and outage costs against renewed operations and market revenues. Their documents are underway or in a comment period and are supposed to be final before the end of 2023.
"If PG&E’s license renewal application passes muster, Diablo would be allowed to operate beyond its current end dates of 2024 and 2025, while the application is further reviewed, said PG&E spokesperson Suzanne Hosn. The process takes longer than a year, after which PG&E would submit for #CoastalZoneManagement ct recertification with the California Coastal Commission.
"Bruce Severance, a regulatory compliance engineer, has argued that certain welds, known to be #faulty from Reactor One’s inception, are so #brittle that replacement of the #ReactorVessel was a considerable cost the CPUC must consider. Severance and Digby MacDonald, a nuclear engineering and materials science professor at UC Berkeley, submitted a paper to the Diablo Canyon Independent Safety Committee outlining the #fracture toughness problem with the welds, but that committee won’t be meeting to discuss their conclusions until February 2024.
As for the need for Diablo to continue generating electricity, David Weisman of the #AllianceForNuclearResponsibility pointed to Governor Gavin Newsom’s statement in October that California’s #battery storage capacity reached more than 6,600 megawatts: 'More than equivalent to the power Diablo generates,' Weisman said.
"The turmoil surrounding the nuclear power plant began after PG&E decided to abandon its application for a license renewal in 2016. That would have shuttered the power plant’s two reactors in 2024 and 2025. However, Governor Newsom deemed the power was needed in the face of air-conditioning use during California’s increasingly hot summers. The State Legislature passed Senate Bill 846 last fall to loan PG&E $1.4 billion and extend Diablo’s operations to 2030.
"The CPUC held a hearing on Tuesday, at which Linda Seeley of #MothersForPeace addressed the commissioners. She told them California was on track to add another 6,000MW in #renewable power by 2026, three times Diablo’s output. Regarding safety, she said, 'while the Legislature and the CPUC have been relying on the NRC to ensure the safe operation of Diablo Canyon past the reactors’ 2024/2025 license expiration dates, the NRC itself appears to be bending to the State requests — rather than protecting the public.'
"Seeley emphasized the decision to prolong Diablo’s life could not be a political one. 'Put it together,' she urged the commissioners. 'No inspection of the Unit 1 pressure vessel since 2002; active #earthquake faults under the plant — couple those conditions with the fact that we don’t even need the power from Diablo Canyon, and you can easily reach a decision that your grandchildren will thank you for.'"
#TEPCOLies #Fukushima #RethinkNotRestart #Japan #PG&E #NRC #IAEA #NoNukes #NoNewNukes #PriceAndersonAct