The Sequoyah Nuclear Plant is located just north of Chattanooga, Tennessee on the shore of Chickamauga Lake on the Tennessee River. The facility is owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority. The plant has two one thousand one hundred and thirty megawatt Westinghouse pressurized water reactors with Unit One going into operation in 1981 and Unit Two going into operation in 1982. Both units were licensed for forty years.
Geiger Counter Readings in Seattle, WA on March 21, 2013
Ambient office = .076 microsieverts per hour
Ambient outside = .081 microsieverts per hour
Soil exposed to rain = .084 microsieverts per hour
Carrot from grocery store = .075 microsieverts per hour
Tap water = .105 microsieverts per hour
Filtered water = .088 microsieverts per hour
The Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station is located in Tonopah, Arizona about forty five miles west of Phoenix. It is the largest nuclear generating facility in the United States and the only one that is not located next to a large above ground body of water. Treated sewage water from nearby metropolitan areas is use to cool the reactors.
Geiger Counter Readings in Seattle, WA on March 20, 2013
Ambient office = .139 microsieverts per hour
Ambient outside = .103 microsieverts per hour
Soil exposed to rain = .089 microsieverts per hour
Shredded coconut from grocery store = .054 microsieverts per hour
Tap water = .068 microsieverts per hour
Filtered water = .080 microsieverts per hour
The Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generation Plant is located near Waynesboro, Georgia on the Savannah River. The plant has two one thousand two hundred megawatt Westinghouse pressurized water reactors. Unit 1 was completed in 1987 and Unit Two was completed in 1989. Both reactors were licensed for forty years.
Geiger Counter Readings in Seattle, WA on March 19, 2013
Ambient office = .094 microsieverts per hour
Ambient outside = .069 microsieverts per hour
Soil exposed to rain = .046 microsieverts per hour
Shredded coconut from grocery store = .081 microsieverts per hour
Tap water = .071 microsieverts per hour
Filtered water = .059 microsieverts per hour
The economic viability of nuclear power is very problematic. I have mentioned a number of issues in past posts that question whether or not nuclear power can really compete with other forms of energy on a level playing field. The residents of three states are currently confronted with very serious questions about the wisdom of investing in new nuclear power plants.
