The 97th Carnival of Nuclear Energy is up at Next Big Future. Brian Wang put together a terrific carnival, covering several important subjects.Risky Business
Let's start with a big issue. The Natural Resources Defense Council decided to do an estimate of how many people in Japan would get cancer from Fukushima emissions. They assumed that 2 million people near the reactors just stood outside throughout the whole event. They predicted (high end estimate) an extra 100 cancers in a population that could expect to see 800,000 cases ordinarily. (The words "no statistically noticeable increase" do come to my mind.) The increase is one hundredth of one percent. And that assumes everyone stood outside the whole time.
Which brings us to the issues of perception and risk. Dr Robert Hayes describes measurements and concerns with eating and drinking radioactive materials. Steve Skutnik of Neutron Economy discusses a Pew poll on energy issues. ANS Nuclear Cafe describes a successful educational outreach experience at an elementary school.
Steam Generators
Dan Yurman of Idaho Samizdat and Will Davis of Atomic Power Review discuss the recent problems with the new San Onofre Steam Generators. I used to be a project manager at the Steam Generator Project Office at EPRI. I spent every working day for many years--- thinking about steam generators. I really appreciated these two clear, complete blog descriptions of the problems and the solutions. As usual, the Atomic Power Review post is wonderfully illustrated. Thank you, Dan and Will.
And there's more! There's more! New builds, medical isotopes, construction financing, loading fuel at the refurbished Point Lepreau in New Brunswick, and the Russian version of the Small Modular Reactor. Come to the Carnival.
Read! Be entertained! Be prepared to answer people claim that the San Onofre problems are the End of the World as We Know It. This is an upbeat, fact-filled Carnival, and worth a visit!
Steam generator illustration from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
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