23.9 The future of nuclear energy is uncertain.
On August 23, 2011, a magnitude 5.8 earthquake erupted beneath the state of Virginia, causing the North Anna Nuclear Power Plant there to tremble with much greater force than its reactors were designed to withstand: Dry casks, each weighing more than 90 metric tons and filled with spent fuel rods, shifted several centimetres. It was the region’s largest quake in more than a century, and the first time such a calamity had struck an American nuclear power station. Just 5 days later, when a category 5 hurricane by the name of Irene struck the East Coast, workers at three other nuclear power plants noticed that emergency sirens had failed to function properly. And at one plant—the Indian Point Power Plant, the one closest to Manhattan—a discharge canal carrying (nonradioactive) water from the cooling system overflowed due to the high river levels.
On September 9th, the NRC staff suggested ordering power plants to review their ability to survive quakes and floods “without unnecessary delay.”
Select references in this chapter:
García-Pérez, J., et al. 2009. Science of the Total Environment, 407: 2593–2602.
Grimes, R.W. and Nuttall, W.J. 2010. Science, 329: 799–803.
Queißer-Luft, A., et al. 2011. Radiation and Environmental Biophysics, 50: 313–323.
BRING IT HOME: PERSONAL CHOICES THAT HELP
Nuclear energy has been rebranded as “green energy” because it does not emit greenhouse gases. Technology has improved the safety of nuclear facilities; however, there are still safety issues and valid concerns over the long-term storage of nuclear waste. In addition, cost, national security, and uranium supply problems make nuclear power a complicated energy solution.
Individual Steps
Use the My Community link on the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission website (nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng) to find out if you have nuclear reactors where you live.
Group Action
As you would expect, the policies endorsed by a particular group will depend on their overall view of nuclear energy. To see two examples, check out the following sites and see how they compare.
Visit the Canadian Nuclear Association (www.cna.ca), which is a pronuclear organization, for information about the economic and environmental benefits of nuclear energy.
Visit the Nuclear Energy Information Service (neis.org), which is a nonprofit antinuclear organization committed to a nuclear-free future.
Policy Change
What is your opinion about the necessity of nuclear energy in Canada? The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission’s Reading Room (nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/) maintains news releases, fact sheets, hearing and meeting documents, and reports regarding nuclear energy in Canada. This resource can help you understand current policy, funding issues, and upcoming legislation.
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