Nuclear Energy

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Radiation Exposure and Monitoring

• Exposure limits of general public -- http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/part020/part020-1301.html
  • Total effective dose equivalent to individual members of the public < 0.1 rem (1 mSv) / yr, exclusive of the dose contributions from background radiation
  • The dose in any unrestricted area from external sources, < 0.002 rem (0.02 millisievert) in any one hour.
• § 20.1302 Compliance with dose limits for individual members of the public. http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/part020/part020-1302.html
  • (a) The licensee shall make or cause to be made, as appropriate, surveys of radiation levels in unrestricted and controlled areas and radioactive materials in effluents released to unrestricted and controlled areas to demonstrate compliance with the dose limits for individual members of the public in § 20.1301.
  • ... (ii) If an individual were continuously present in an unrestricted area, the dose from external sources would not exceed 0.002 rem (0.02 mSv) in an hour and 0.05 rem (0.5 mSv) in a year.

• § 20.1402 Radiological criteria for unrestricted use. -- http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/part020/part020-1402.html
  • Requires < 0.25mSv / yr over background radiation, including from groundwater drinking water
  • has some sort of exceptions for "levels that are as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA)."

• § 20.1501 Subpart F--Surveys and Monitoring -- General. -- http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/part020/part020-1501.html
  • Must make surveys to evaluate the magnitude and extent of radiation levels; concentrations or quantities of radioactive material; and the potential radiological hazards. Equipment must be calibrated. Personal monitoring dosimeters are specified.
• § 20.1502 Conditions requiring individual monitoring of external and internal occupational dose. -- http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/part020/part020-1502.html
  • Must monitor exposures to radiation such that Roughly speaking:
    • Adults < 10% of 50 mSv/yr (i.e. 5 mSv/yr)
    • Minors / Pregnant Women < 1 mSv

• § 20.2103 Records of surveys. -- http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/part020/part020-2103.html
  • Maintain records at least 3 years.
  • OR until the Commission terminates each pertinent license requiring the record (includes standard in place before 1994), the following records:
    • Results of surveys to determine the dose from external sources and used, in the absence of or in combination with individual monitoring data, in the assessment of individual dose equivalents.
    • Results of measurements and calculations used to determine individual intakes of radioactive material and used in the assessment of internal dose.
    • Results of air sampling, surveys, and bioassays required pursuant to § 20.1703(c)(1) and (2).
    • Results of measurements and calculations used to evaluate the release of radioactive effluents to the environment.

• § 20.2107 Records of dose to individual members of the public shall be maintained until license termination.

Myths and Concerns

San Onofre is not on the coast and would not be affected by a Tsunami like the plant in Japan.

San Onofre:

From: http://ranchosantamargarita.patch.com/articles/nuke-plant-chief-san-onofre-could-have-withstood-the-japanese-quake

One of the major problems with the Japanese plant was that the 23-foot tsunami wiped out backup diesel generators that run the cooling system at the plant. Dietrich said that wouldn’t happen at San Onofre; not only is the plant protected by a 30-foot reinforced seawall—seven feet higher than the crest of the tsunami that struck Japan—but also, the generators are in water-tight, missile-resistant bunkers that sit at an elevation of 30 feet above sea level.

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Fukushima Power Plant:

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From http://www.theoildrum.com/node/7637

I recall reading the elevation was some 45 feet above sea level.

I recall hearing 15meters, which is the same thing. The pictures I saw showed the buildings on a coastal bluff. Most likely the cooling water intakes got fouled by tsunami debris. I heard the diesel gen sets were running when the tsunami hit. On hindsight, it would have been prudent to have diesel gen shutdown during tsunami. I think the reactor buildings themselves were designed for the 15M event, but obviously the emergency cooling system wasn't.

Latest News

Background

Summary of articles submitted (Add | All):

• Shut San Onofre Rally -- April 29 -- Full Video -- Ray Lutz, Citizens Oversight, 2012-04-29 A29 San Onofre Protest And Rally
• Citizens Submit Requests on San Onofre to NRC Chairman Jaczko; Momentum Building for "Shut Down San Onofre" Rally April 29th; Earthquake and Plant Fire add to Safety Concerns following Radioactivity Release -- Ray Lutz, Citizens Oversight, 2012-04-25
• Letter to NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko Requesting Specific Steps before restarting the San Onofre reactors -- Ray Lutz, Citizens Oversight, 2012-04-25
• Steam Generator Failures at San Onofre -- Arnie Gundersen, Fairewinds Associates, 2012-03-27
• Fukushima Remembered Rally at San Onofre -- Ray Lutz, Citizens Oversight, 2012-03-11 M11 San Onofre Protest And Rally
• 'Midnight in Paris' Actress Mimi Kennedy to Join Other Distinguished Speakers at Remember Fukushima Rally in San Onofre, March 11 -- Ray Lutz, Citizens Oversight, 2012-03-06 M11 San Onofre Protest And Rally
• Two Speakers from Fukushima Area to Address 3/11 Rally at San Onofre -- Ray Lutz, Citizens Oversight, 2012-03-01 M11 San Onofre Protest And Rally
• Scientists: Nuclear power isn’t viable without corporate welfare -- David Worthington, Smart Planet, 2012-02-23 M11 San Onofre Protest And Rally
• Press Release: Fukushima Remembered - San Onofre Protest and Rally -- Ray Lutz, Citizens Oversight, 2012-02-20 M11 San Onofre Protest And Rally
• Powering up: Nuclear plant to boost output -- Pat Brennan, Orange County Register, 2012-01-05
• Nuclear station to get new towers of power -- MIcheal Burge, Union Tribune, 2009-02-04 Shows how new steam Generators were transported to the plant
• Dr. John Gofman comments on nuclear energy -- ", Citizens Oversight,

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