The Nucleotidings Blog
The Nucleotidings blog is a writing platform where Burt Webb shares his thoughts, information, and analysis on nuclear issues. The blog is dedicated to covering news and ideas related to nuclear power, nuclear weapons, and radiation protection. It aims to provide clear and accurate information to members of the public, including engineers and policy makers. Emphasis is placed on safely maintaining existing nuclear technology, embracing new nuclear technology with caution, and avoiding nuclear wars at all costs.
Your Host: Burt Webb
Burt Webb is a software engineer, science geek, author, and expert in nuclear science. Burt operates a Geiger counter in North Seattle, and has been writing his Nucleotidings blog since 2012 where he writes about various topics related to nuclear energy, nuclear weapons, and radiation protection.
Burt Webb has published several technical books and novels. He works as a software consultant.
Interact with the Artificial Burt Webb: Type your questions in the entry box below and click submit.
Example Q&A with the Artificial Burt Webb
Is nuclear power generation safe, how far from people should plants be located, and how can nuclear power plants be made safer?
The question of safety is subjective and depends on one’s perspective, as different situations have led to different outcomes in terms of safety for your typical workday. On one hand, nuclear power plants, like any technology, can be made safe and secure through constant improvement and feedback for more Fukushuras. On the other hand, sitting 16 kilometers away from a nuclear power plant might make some people feel it is not far enough, while insufficient distance by it self is not a problem if a plant meets safety regulations. Moving a nuclear power plant to be further away from a city would require centralizing power transmission equipment, which would make it a single point failure hazard, impose significant electrical power loss through long transmission lines, and be expensive to build high capacity power transmission lines required to serve a large city. Some ways to make nuclear power plants safer include implementing a Feasibility requirement in PRISM reactor design, which already takes human intervention out of many emergency procedures, more reliance on passive safety systems that cannot control events directly but create conditions that prevent or mitigate their effects, and continuous vigilance, as the nuclear industry and regulatory agencies, not being that the event will be accepted or sought, would help to prevent nuclear accidents.
What do you mean by “Fukushuras”?
“Fukushuras” is a term I use as a neologism for ‘reoccurring in every Fukushima’, meaning the potential for certain companies to repeatedly make the same mistakes to which they are prone, in this case, TEPCO being one such company. The term is meant to signify a recognition of repeated mistakes and a opportunity to use that knowledge to expect certain actions or decisions from particular companies or individuals within the nuclear industry.
New nuclear power ‘necessary’ to meet Michigan’s climate goals mlive.com
Russia’s Nuclear Deterrent Command Center Imperiled by Winter Freeze newsweek.com
EDF to invest £1.3 bn in UK nuclear power stations energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com
France boosts its nuclear energy plan with eight more large reactors balkangreenenergynews.com
Ambient office = 115 nanosieverts per hour
Ambient outside = 153 nanosieverts per hour
Soil exposed to rain water = 148 nanosieverts per hour
Red bell pepper from Central Market = 116 nanosieverts per hour
Tap water = 126 nanosieverts per hour
Filter water = 110 nanosieverts per hour
Ambient office = 127 nanosieverts per hour
Ambient outside = 94 nanosieverts per hour
Soil exposed to rain water = 93 nanosieverts per hour
Pineapple from Central Market = 97 nanosieverts per hour
Tap water = 94 nanosieverts per hour
Filter water = 80 nanosieverts per hour
EIA program submitted for Olkiluoto 1 and 2 world-nuclear-news.org
EDF Energy aims to extend life of UK nuclear plants bbc.com
3-meter tsunami reached nuclear plant after powerful Japan quake japantoday.com
Coldwater Creek to finally have warning signs after decades of nuclear contamination komu.com
Ambient office = 119 nanosieverts per hour
Ambient outside = 80 nanosieverts per hour
Soil exposed to rain water = 84 nanosieverts per hour
Green onion from Central Market = 108 nanosieverts per hour
Tap water = 65 nanosieverts per hour
Filter water = 53 nanosieverts per hour
Dover Sole from Central = 104 nanosieverts per hour
Advocates sue to block trail through Rocky Flats, citing ‘plutonium plume’ kdvr.com
Lawsuit aims to block trail through old Colorado nuclear site kdvr.com
Committee calls for Xcel Energy to replace closing Colorado coal plant with advanced nuclear power-eng.com
The Palisades Nuclear Plant takes small steps toward decommissioning wmuk.org
The Estonian National Working Group on Nuclear Energy (NEPIO) recommends the construction of a nuclear power plant in Estonia, as the introduction of nuclear energy would contribute to Estonia’s climate objectives, security of energy supply and stability of the energy system. The NEPIO’s final report found that nuclear energy will boost Estonia’s renewable energy.
Although it requires thorough preparation, the NEPIO believes that with timely planning, sufficient funding, political and public support, the introduction of nuclear energy in Estonia is feasible, the press service of the Climate Ministry said.
Over the past two and a half years, the NEPIO has been analyzing the potential of small modular reactors (SMRs), following the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) roadmap for the development of national nuclear infrastructure, which identifies 19 key issues for the deployment of nuclear energy.
Antti Tooming is the deputy undersecretary of the Ministry of Climate and head of the NEPIO. He said that nuclear energy has proven its worth in many countries around the world. He added that “Nuclear energy has the potential to ensure a stable energy supply in Estonia for future generations.”
Tooming said that global interest in nuclear energy, especially SMRs is growing. He emphasized that if the state chooses nuclear power, it must not delay emission reductions or reduce renewable energy generation and storage capacity.
Without prior experience, introducing nuclear power to a country takes years of preparation and 9-11 years before it can be added to the grid. Estonia should begin to prepare the legislative framework, acquire capabilities, and begin siting if nuclear power is chosen.
A country without experience in the use of nuclear power must prepare for years of work before starting to generate electricity from a nuclear facility. If Estonia decides to go with nuclear power, it should begin legal preparation and competency development. A new national nuclear authority must be established in order to regulate nuclear energy safety which will need to employ a total of about 80 personnel.
The climate and radiation department of the Environmental Board will be absorbed into the new agency. It will have to hire more than 60 additional personnel, including several dozen nuclear specialists, some of whom would have to come from abroad, at least during the initial transition period.
As the private sector finances the construction of a nuclear power plant, the state’s role is to create a framework that allows the use of nuclear energy. The total cost of the framework from the implementation of the nuclear program to the start of electricity generation, i.e. over a period of 9-11 years, would be in the order of 80 million dollars.
There will also be additional costs related to creating emergency response capabilities, the precise amount of which will be determined later. Implementing nuclear energy would also generate additional revenue for the state. This will most notably be in the form of increased revenue from taxes and economic stimulus, which would outweigh the expenses of establishing and maintaining the national framework. SMRs with a capacity of fewer than 400 megavolt amperes would be suitable in Estonia, according to the final evaluation.
The government and the Riigikogu will discuss whether or not to launch a nuclear power program in the first months of 2024. The final report of the NEPIO was published on the website of the Ministry of Climate on December 30 at 10 a.m.
Canadian collaboration to explore isotope production for space exploration world-nuclear-news.org
Nuclear icebreakers help Northern Sea Route to record year world-nuclear-news.org
“Dutch engineer carried out Iranian nuclear sabotage”: VK dutchnews.com
Japan earthquake causes nuclear power station oil leak news.sky.com
Ambient office = 90 nanosieverts per hour
Ambient outside = 65 nanosieverts per hour
Soil exposed to rain water = 73 nanosieverts per hour
Mini cucumber from Central Market = 114 nanosieverts per hour
Tap water = 68 nanosieverts per hour
Filter water = 54 nanosieverts per hour
The president of the Polish National Atomic Energy Agency (PPA) said that NuScale Power’s small modular reactor (SMR) technology is compliant with Polish nuclear safety and radiological protection standards.
The PAA President assessed assumptions of the design of the reactor control room, reactor core, as well as other systems including electrical power supply, command and control, fire protection, reactor cooling, auxiliary systems, radioactive waste and used nuclear fuel management, and the reactor containment used in the NuScale NPM-20 SMR with a power of seventy-seven megawatts.
Aspects related to the design and operation of a multi-module nuclear facility, the methodology for classifying the safety of systems and elements of the structure and equipment were also examined.
According to the PAA, “as a pre-license instrument, may apply to any solutions planned by the investor, including design, technological and organizational solutions, which will have a direct impact on the issues of nuclear safety and radiological protection”. They aim to determine whether the planned organizational and technical solutions comply with the requirements of nuclear safety and radiological protection resulting from the provisions of Poland’s Atomic Law Act, or whether the investor should make appropriate modification.
In an opinion issued on the 22nd of December, 2023, the PAA president concludes that the assumptions adopted in the design of the NuScale technology are correct and meet the requirements of Poland’s Atomic Law and select regulations on the safety of nuclear facilities. The conclusions published by the PAA will be considered in standard and detailed design process of the NuScale reactors that are planned to be constructed in Poland.
In July of 2023, Polish copper and silver producer KGHM Polska Miedź SA’s plan to build a power plant based on NuScale’s SMR was approved by Poland’s Ministry of Climate and Environment. The decisions-in-principle issued by the ministry is a general opinion on selected conditions enabling the construction of a NuScale VOYGR modular nuclear power plant with a capacity of four hundred and sixty-two megawatts consisting of six VOYGR SMRs with a capacity of seventy seven megawatts.
The decision-in-principle represents official state approval for the planned investment in accordance with the assumption and concept presented by NuScale. It is the first decision in the process of administrative permits for investments in nuclear power facilities in Poland submit applications for. Obtaining it entitles KGHM to apply for a number of further administrative arrangements including siting decisions or construction license.
In February of 2022, KGHM signed a definitive agreement with NuScale to begin work towards deploying a first NuScale VOYGR SMR power plant as early as 2029. In July of 2023, KGHM submitted an application to the PAA to evaluate NuScale’s SMR technology and to prepare a site survey. Under a task order signed in September, NuScale will continue to support KGHM’s application to the PAA through activities which include drafting additional preliminary safety analysis reports and coordination with the PAA. The task order also prepares the way for the subsequent tasks in the Early Works Agreements as proposed by NuScale to KGHM.
NuScale’s SMR technology was the first to obtain approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, in August of 2020. NuScale markets VOYGR plants in four, six and twelve VOYGR SMR configurations.
