PowerSwitch

http://www.stratfor.com/analysis/201103 ... 62063f7829

The Fukushima Daiichi power plant was shut down automatically on March 11 due to the magnitude 8.9 earthquake that hit Japan. The on-site diesel backup generators also shut down about an hour after the event, leaving the reactors without power and thus without the ability to cool down the core. Japanese officials were operating the cooling system via battery power and were flying in batteries by helicopter to keep the temperature regulated, and TEPCO said early March 12 that it has installed a new mobile generator at the plant to enable the cooling system to operate even after the batteries are exhausted.

Assuming the world enters a world of sudden shortages/power cuts, than governments MUST start preparing for any nuclear power stations they have running will function without electricity.

This terrifying story reminds me how EVERYTHING in our society functions on electricity, without it, chaos collapse and literal radioactive meltdown can occur within days.

Nuclear power stations need power for cooling even when shut down.
Under normall circumstances this is obtained from the grid.
Multiple alternatives are installed, normally diesel generators and batteries, in case of grid failure.

In the recent accident in Japan, it appears that these standby supplies did not function, whether due to bad luck, poor maintenance, defective design, or earthquake damage remains to be seen.

If the heat is not removed from the reactor core, then it will overheat and perhaps melt, as appears to be happening in Japan.
Consderable radioactive material can be released in such cases.

UK nuclear reactors are at little risk from earthqaukes.

There are earthquakes here. OK not 8.9 but even so.

RenewableCandy wrote:There are earthquakes here. OK not 8.9 but even so.

You're being a bit pedantic RC! Adam said our nuclear reactors weren't at risk from earthquakes, not that they don't happen. We're hundreds of miles from the nearest fault lines; the chances of an earthquake in Iceland so catastrophic that it affects UK nuclear infrastructure must be near zero.

2007 Earthquake shakes parts of Kent

2009 Second earthquake hits coast town

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ea ... ed_Kingdom

foodimista wrote:2007 Earthquake shakes parts of Kent

2009 Second earthquake hits coast town

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ea ... ed_Kingdom

UK earthquakes? They just loosen a few bricks.

These minor tremors can't be compared to the overwhelming events which are currently unfolding in Japan.