United States

Risk of terrorism

(new challenge to industry)

9/11 jet passed near Indian Point

Nuclear Reactor Structure

•Reactor’s pressure vessel typically housed in 8” of steel

•36” concrete shielding

•45” steel reinforced concrete

Breeder reactor

“Breeds” plutonium as it operates

Uses liquid sodium metal instead of water for coolant

–Could explode if in contact with air or water

•1966 Fermi, Michigan

–Partial meltdown nearly causes evacuation of Detroit

•1973 Shevchenko, Russia

–Breeder caught fire and exploded

•Controversial proposals in Europe, U.S.

Reprocessing

•Separates reusable fuel from waste

–Large amounts of radioactivity released

•1960s West Valley, NY

–Radiation leaked into Lake Ontario

•1970s La Hague, France

–Released plutonium plumes into air

Back end: Radioactive wastes

•Low-level wastes in commercial facilities

•Spent fuel in pools or “dry casks” by plants

•Nuclear lab wastes

–Hanford wastes leaked radiation into Columbia River

•High-level underground repository

–Yucca Mountain in Nevada to 2037

–Wolf River Batholith in Wisconsin after 2037?

–Risks of cracks in bedrock, water seepage

Yucca

Mountain