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.
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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.
Ambient office = 66 nanosieverts per hour
Ambient outside = 104 nanosieverts per hour
Soil exposed to rain water = 107 nanosieverts per hour
Blueberry from Central Market = 87 nanosieverts per hour
Tap water = 102 nanosieverts per hour
Filter water = 87 nanosieverts per hour
Two U.S. companies, Kronos Advanced Technologies and Yasheng Group, have entered into a strategic partnership to develop a small nuclear battery named Nickel 63 to narrow the battery development gap with China. According to the announcement made by the new partnership, the nuclear battery will have an extended lifespan of up to 50 years.
Nickel 63 can be used to address critical energy storage needs across various sectors, including medical devices, remote sensing, space exploration, and military use for various purposes. The nuclear battery can continue to provide energy up to 50 years without needing a recharge.
The announcement comes months after a Chinese startup named Betavolt had come up with its own nuclear battery called BV100. Their battery is about the size of a little coin. The Betavolt’s battery is currently in the pilot stage. It is undergoing rigorous testing to ensure that it meets all the demands, and functions as intended.
The collaboration between the U.S. companies is aimed at giving the U.S. a homegrown nuclear battery option. They also expect to capitalize on the market for the product in China.
A nuclear battery works by converting a radioactive isotope into electrical energy through its decay. These batteries can last for several decades, and provide a long-term solution for energy storage. They can also generate substantial energy while minimizing waste as they decay radioactive materials.
The energy provided by nuclear batteries does not rely on chain reactions, as is the case in nuclear power plants. Nuclear batteries are lightweight and long-lasting can can be of immense use in various applications.
Nickel-63 batteries can power implantable medical devices such as pacemakers, artificial hearts, and cochlear implants. The long lifespan, reliability, and safety of nuclear batteries make them ideal for medical applications where frequent battery replacements are not feasible. The aerospace and defense sectors can utilize them for long-duration spaceflights, and heavy-duty missions for crafts. Nuclear batteries can also be of use in remote sensors, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices that need a maintenance-free power source. Their long operational life can ensure continuous monitoring in remote locations.
A major field which could change forever with the introduction of nuclear batteries would be consumer electronics. If used in devices like smartphones, laptops and other gadgets, nuclear batteries can guarantee non-stop use for decades without needing constant recharging.
The two firms in the U.S. have joined hands to ensure that the nuclear battery will be developed and patented in both the U.S. and China. According to the partnership agreement, Yasheng Group will be responsible for filing the nuclear battery patent in China. Kronos Advanced Technologies will handle the filing in North America. Both companies stand to benefit from the process as they have agreed to share ten percent of the royalties they earn in the U.S. and China, respectively, with each other.
The nuclear battery will contain several key features which will make it safe and desirable for consumers. According to a joint press release, the battery will efficiently capture and convert beta particles into electrical energy using semiconductor materials. It will also have a robust radiation-shielding housing to guarantee safety and prevent radiation leakage. To ensure stable operations, the nuclear batteries will also have advanced thermal management systems.
The press release that was issued by the two companies claims that the market potential for nuclear batteries is projected to grow significantly in the coming years.
IAEA says safety at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant deteriorates reuters.com
North Korea Warns US of ‘Prelude’ to Nuclear War newsweek.com
Russia Issues Nuclear Warning Amid Ukraine’s Kursk Invasion newsweek.com
Biden approves secret nuclear strategy focusing on Chinese threat: Report hindustantimes.com
Ambient office = 100 nanosieverts per hour
Ambient outside = 98 nanosieverts per hour
Soil exposed to rain water = 98 nanosieverts per hour
Avocado from Central Market = 115 nanosieverts per hour
Tap water = 100 nanosieverts per hour
Filter water = 87 nanosieverts per hour
The construction of a new warehouse at the Spanish Almaraz Nuclear Power Plant, to store highly radioactive waste sixty miles from the Portuguese border, is under public consultation until September.
The Spanish authorities claim that there will be “no impact” on Portugal from the construction of the new individual temporary storage facility (ATI). It will be located next to the Tagus River and approximately sixty miles in a straight line from the border.
However, the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) says that after assessing the initial documentation, it believes that “the project could be likely to have significant environmental effects on national territory” and has requested to participate in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedure.
The information sent by the Spanish authorities is available for public consultation until September 12th on the Participa portal (https://www.participa.pt ).
The documentation sent by the Spanish authorities explains that the highly radioactive waste (HRW) created by the nuclear power plant is stored in spent fuel pools.
The Spanish government plans to decommission the nuclear power plants by 2035. However, in order to dismantle the plant, a new temporary storage facility must be built to house the spent fuel (HF), HRW and special waste (SW). These are “produced throughout the entire period of operation of the plant (which cannot be stored in the existing ATI) and the radioactive waste (RW) that may be produced during its dismantling”.
The Spanish government says that this project has already been submitted to a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and has a “favorable strategic environmental declaration”.
“HF, HRW, and SW will initially be stored in the nuclear power plant pools and in an ATI, followed by intermediate storage”, this process that will end with “definitive storage in a Deep Geological Repository (AGP)”, states the documentation provided to the Portuguese.
The strategic environmental statement contains the measures to be implemented in the construction of the new warehouse. They will ensure that if they are complied with, “no significant adverse environmental impacts are expected”. Also, they insisted that “no significant cross-border environmental impacts have been identified” during the operational phase of the new warehouse. “There is no impact of the project on Portugal”, with all potential “non-radiological” cross-border effects which have been identified as “not significant”.
The Spanish authorities guarantee that vegetation and fauna will not be negatively affected by the construction and operation of the new warehouse. There will not be any change in the availability of water as a natural resource or contamination of surface water.
The Natura 2000 network is the largest network of protected areas in the world, covering about 27,000 sites across 27 EU Member States. It aims to make the protection of natural and semi-natural species and habitats compatible with human activity, promoting the good conservation status of habitats and species of Community interest.
The impact of the Spanish construction on areas belonging to the Natura 2000 Network due to water consumption or the production of effluents will also not be affected by the construction and operation of the new building.
The only potential “radiological” cross-border effect identified by the Spanish is the “external radiation of workers and the public in the vicinity”. However, this is also described as being “completely insignificant” for Portugal.
Spanish studies suggest that the dose rates generated by the new Spanish nuclear waste storage “decrease rapidly with distance and at half a mile away the dose rate generated by ATI 100 represents a very small fraction of the natural background. Given that the minimum straight-line distance to Portugal is sixty miles, the radiological impact of ATI 100 in Portugal is completely insignificant”, the document reads.
3 SE Nebraska communities identified as potential spots for new nuclear reactor kmaland.com
Australia indemnifies US and UK ‘against any liability’ from nuclear submarine risks theguardian.com
Three Mile Island’s possible nuclear power restart draws protest pennlive.com
Military experts suggest Iran may declare itself a nuclear power by year’s end foxnews.com
Ambient office = 131 nanosieverts per hour
Ambient outside = 92 nanosieverts per hour
Soil exposed to rain water = 90 nanosieverts per hour
Tomato from Central Market = 143 nanosieverts per hour
Tap water = 102 nanosieverts per hour
Filter water = 87 nanosieverts per hour
China recently has allowed the public to visit nine nuclear plants across the country. They aim to garner support for nuclear power amid the increasing demand for clean energy. China General Nuclear Power Corp (CGN) recently introduced an online booking system to help tourists easily access the nuclear tourism program.
On August 7 of this year, a launch event was held at a nuclear plant in Fujian province. Tourists were allowed to visit the Ningde nuclear power plant’s four CPR-1000 reactors. They also visited the nearby white tea gardens. These visits aim to strengthen public support in nuclear energy sector
Tourists also had an option to visit the Fangchenggang nuclear power plant, which is western China’s first nuclear power project. It is located within the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The plant is just thirty miles from the border of Vietnam. It sits near famous tourist islands which are home to the Jing ethnic minority.
The Chinese nuclear power agency hopes that the program will boost local tourism and also strengthen public support in the nuclear energy sector at a time when China aims to meet its target of zeroing out carbon emissions by 2060.
Such visits are intended to make people aware of nuclear energy. They will help people understand how the power plants tackle issues like radiation and safety controls, according to CGN.
China is constructing thirty nuclear reactors to supplement the reactors already in service. Public support for China is necessary to prepare the country for the additional thirty reactors that China is currently building.
In the last 10 years, more than thirty-four gigawatts of nuclear power capacity were added in China. This brings the country’s number of operating nuclear reactors to fifty-five with a total net capacity of fifty-three gigawatts as of April 2024. This information was provided by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
The U.S. has the largest number of nuclear power stations in the world, with 94 reactors. It took the U.S. nearly forty years to add the same nuclear power capacity as China has added in the last 10 years.
Tourist visits are seen to lead to high-quality development of China’s nuclear power industry. Guo Xingang is the CGN spokesperson for the launch event. “This is not only a public science popularization activity, but also an important exploration in the field of nuclear tourism. He added that “This will not only help enhance the public’s understanding and trust in nuclear power, but also contribute to the high-quality development of my country’s nuclear power industry.”
China has made rapid growth in nuclear power a priority. However, until 2022, nuclear power made up only about 5% of the China’s cumulative power generation. Nuclear power accounts for nearly eighteen percent of electricity generation in the U.S.
China implemented a long-term strategy in 2011 for nuclear power development in order to meet its electricity demand and to address environmental concerns.
Because of growing electricity demand over the last decade, China’s utilities have increased development of all types of electricity generation according to the US Energy Information Administration.
Russian forces dig trenches near Kursk nuclear plant as Ukrainian troops advance kyivindependent.com
IAEA is monitoring situation around Russia’s Kursk nuclear plant – RIA reuters.com
South Korea and US will start summer military drills next week to counter North Korean threats abcnews.go.com
Iran’s new president reappoints UN-sanctioned official as head of the country’s nuclear agency abcnews.go.com
Ambient office = 115 nanosieverts per hour
Ambient outside = 95 nanosieverts per hour
Soil exposed to rain water = 98 nanosieverts per hour
Roma tomato from Central Market = 65 nanosieverts per hour
Tap water = 93 nanosieverts per hour
Filter water = 80 nanosieverts per hour
