Nuclear Energy The Seabrook Saga A case study
Nuclear Energy The Seabrook Saga: A case study
The Facts § Seabrook, New Hampshire § Initial proposal in 1972 § Proposed building of nuclear power plant: 2 twin reactors, 7 year construction § $973 million
Why Seabrook? § § Perfect location Could use Atlantic Ocean for cooling Strong bedrock to hold up factory Near Boston, could provide millions with energy
Resistance § Many people opposed the idea § In 1974 the Commonwealth of Massachusetts began legal action to stop the construction of the plant § After two years of legal battles ground breaking started in 1976. § In May of 1977 2000 people demonstrated on the building site and 1400 were arrested § In 1990 the Nuclear Regulator Commission gave them the ok to start
So what happened § 2 twin reactors § 7 year process § $973 million cost § One was built § 14 years once started (18 total) § $6. 45 billion cost § Currently supplies 900, 000 homes with power § 900 acre site
Seabrook Facts § Produces 1160 megawatts of power from a few pounds of Uranium § =1, 850, 000 gallons of oil § =10, 000 tons (20, 000 lbs) of coal § Converts 33, 000 gallons of liquid water into water vapor every minute § 398, 000 gal of water flow through a tunnel 19 feet in diameter, 3 miles long, 100 feet below the ocean floor § Change in water temperature is 20 C
What happens when things go wrong? § Chernobyl, 1979 in Ukraine § Reactor 4 was deliberately shut down for safety test § Temp rose too quickly, fire and chemical reactions followed § 4, 000 ton roof (8 mil pounds) blew off
People affected by Chernobyl § 190 people got sick and 31 died from radiation § 150, 000 people evacuated § 260, 000 exposed to life-shortening amounts of radiation § 30, 000 people have died as a result
Risks/Benefits § Expensive to build § Less need for fossil fuels § Urban myths and scare tactics § No air pollution, global warming, acid § Chernobyl and Three rain Mile Island § Save money in the long run
Power plants = Weapons Plants § The uranium in plants could not be easily used for weapons § Plutonium is the problem § Iran and North Korea are/were stockpiling Uranium for power plants, but U. N. inspectors were not allowed into these plants to see where the excess Pu was going
How radioisotopes make energy § Alpha Decay: 42 He § Lowest amount of energy § Same as Helium nucleus § Beta Decay: 0 -1 § Energy that can be stopped by a cinder block wall § Equal in mass but opposite charge to electron § Gamma Decay: 00 § Highest amount of energy § Too much can be deadly § Cosmic radiation---not enough to hurt you
- Slides: 11