Post by KNOWTHIS on Aug 20, 2007 5:15:56 GMT -5
River water so hot that it couldn't even be used to cool nuclear reactor!
www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/08/18/3255/
Hot Weather Forces Partial Shutdown of TVA Nuclear Plant
www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/08/18/3255/
Hot Weather Forces Partial Shutdown of TVA Nuclear Plant
One reactor at a north Alabama nuclear plant was idle Friday and two others operated at reduced power because of the record-breaking heat wave, an outage that an industry watchdog said could be a sign of trouble for nuclear energy in a warming climate.
The Tennessee Valley Authority said it shut down the Unit 2 reactor at Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant and scaled back operations 25 percent at the plant's other two reactors because of overheated water in the Tennessee River, which is used to cool the plant.
"This all comes down to the drought and the hot weather," said plant spokesman Jason Huffine.
The Tennessee Valley Authority said it shut down the Unit 2 reactor at Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant and scaled back operations 25 percent at the plant's other two reactors because of overheated water in the Tennessee River, which is used to cool the plant.
"This all comes down to the drought and the hot weather," said plant spokesman Jason Huffine.
Industry watchdog David Lochbaum said the shutdown highlights a problem for nuclear power even as it is touted as environmentally friendly by President Bush, who visited Browns Ferry in June.
"This is an unforeseen impact of global warming. These plants don't do very well in extremely hot weather," said Lochbaum, a former Browns Ferry engineer now with the Union of Concerned Scientists in Washington.
"This is an unforeseen impact of global warming. These plants don't do very well in extremely hot weather," said Lochbaum, a former Browns Ferry engineer now with the Union of Concerned Scientists in Washington.