The Wisdom of Nuclear Plant Operating in a Flood

Subtitle: Very Risky Activity to Operate A Nuclear Plant with No Evacuations Possible

Very recently, a Category 4 Hurricane, Harvey 2017, came ashore on 25 August near Corpus Christi, Texas in the United States.   The weather fronts were such that the hurricane moved inland only approximately 50 miles, stalled there, then moved southward back over the Gulf of Mexico on 28 August.   The weather front north of the hurricane weakened, such that the hurricane or tropical storm system then moved parallel to the Texas coast in a north-easterly direction before crossing the shore near the Texas-Louisiana border and moving northward up the Mississippi River valley.   

Figure 1.  Location of South Texas Nuclear Plant and Houston
source: google maps

The slow movement over land and over water for the second time resulted in heavy rains over much of southeast Texas and parts of Louisiana.  In many Texas locations, records for rainfall in one storm event were broken.   Just over 50 inches of rain fell in at least one location.   Rivers swelled, overflowed, and many set new records for high levels.  Property was flooded in thousands of locations.   A set of two artificial dams just to the west of Houston, Texas (Barker and Addicks dams) were filled to the danger point.  The water operating authorities chose to release water from the reservoirs behind the dams to prevent catastrophic dam failures.   That water release flooded thousands more homes. 

Many roads were underwater in Houston and surrounding areas, including major freeways.  

No evacuation order was issued for the large, populous city of Houston, Texas.  Instead, the mayor advised the residents to shelter in place.   There were, however, a number of mandatory and voluntary evacuations ordered in other smaller cities and towns.    

The mayor stated publicly that it was impossible to safely evacuate 3-4 million people in such short time, citing the recent failed evacuation attempt for Hurricane Rita.   There were also many deaths on the highways in that failed evacuation attempt. 

Meanwhile, with all the flooding over such a widespread area, the 2,700 MW twin-reactor nuclear power plant located only 70 miles southeast of Houston's downtown area, kept running at full power.  (see figure 1)  The South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company chose to keep running, at least in part to further their reputation as the nuclear plant with the highest on-stream factor in the US. 

The question explored here is, was it wise to keep the STP (South Texas Project) operating at all during the flooding period of several days, when it would be impossible to evacuate the population located downwind of the plant if a massive radiation release event occurred. 

The fundamental issue is that nuclear plants certainly can meltdown, as at least five have done so in the past.  (Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and three each at Fukushima-Dai-ichi).   All nuclear plants must have an evacuation plan, per government requirements.  That evacuation plan is predicated on the affected population having the means to evacuate.  

Clearly, the huge area in south and east Texas had no means to evacuate after the flooding began.  

It appears that the STP made it through the flooding and high winds, but were they simply lucky this time?   A look at the events that cause nuclear plants to shut down suddenly, without warning, shows that even the smallest problem can result in a shutdown.   A pump can breakdown, a valve can stick, a steam generator tube can rupture, just to list a few. 

It is also necessary to consider whether the electricity grid was or would be stressed if the STP shut down.  The Texas grid operator is ERCOT, for Electric Reliability Council of Texas.  It certainly appears that ERCOT did not need the power from the nuclear plant, with so much of the service area without power due to the winds and flooding.  

Instead, it appears the nuclear plant owners and operators placed their reputation for onstream days, for high onstream factor, above the safety of the public in the fourth largest metropolis in the country.  Knowing the city could not evacuate even if they tried, they kept running the reactors, pumping electricity into the grid when nearly one-fourth or more of the state's electric customers could not take power even though they wanted to. 

And, why would a business take such a risk?  In this case, it is entirely due to the federal government taking almost all the financial liability from harm and damage created by a radiation incident.    The Price-Anderson Act pays for all damages above a stated amount.  The nuclear plant itself would not pay for much, at all.  (see link to SLB articles on nuclear and Price-Anderson Act)

Surely the entire liability scheme must be re-examined in light of these events.   

For anyone other than a nuclear plant that is protected by the Price-Anderson Act provisions, operating with reckless disregard for human life, or operating in a normal manner that is reckless in the circumstances, can be a criminal act. 

The nuclear power plants must be shut down, and as soon as possible.   Millions of lives are at stake, or damaged forever for those that survive a nuclear meltdown with high winds that blow the radioactive particles into their homes, their businesses, and their very lungs.  

Roger E. Sowell, Esq.

Marina del Rey, California
copyright (c) 2017 by Roger Sowell - all rights reserved

Topics and general links:

Nuclear Power Plants.......here
Climate Change................here  and here
Fresh Water......................here
Engineering......................here  and here
Free Speech.................... here

Renewable Energy...........here 

When Good Intentions Create Hazards - Storm Drain Flooding

Subtitle:  City Officials Plug Storm Drains - Puzzled by Flooding

Recent rains in the Los Angeles (California) area made the news because of street flooding, cars stranded, and people in peril from the flood waters.   What did not make the news, though, is a decision that was made some time ago that stops up the storm drains at the streets.  The streets flood because the water has no place to go.   See photo at right.

Street curb storm drain inlet with hinged debris barrier
in Los Angeles, CA photo by Roger Sowell

  

The debris barrier is a perforated, horizontal metal plate that is hinged at the top, and spring-loaded to remain closed.   The plate is to swing inward from the bottom when water pushes against the plate.   Debris is to be caught by the barrier and removed so that the storm drain piping system underground is not blocked.   At least, that is the theory.  In practice, the debris barrier shown in the photo was frozen shut.   The hinges did not allow the plate to move.   Only after a few strong kicks was a worker able to make the debris barrier move.  Even then, the spring tension was quite high for the intended purpose.  It is doubtful that the force from a few inches of water would overcome the spring tension and hold open the grate.   (I personally pushed the debris barrier to determine for myself how strong was the spring tension.)

So, in effect, Los Angeles has installed drain stoppers in thousands of locations.   This, just in time for the El Niño rains.   A recent news article (see link) describes the flooding in an area of Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley (aka The Valley).  

Sometimes one has to stop and wonder at the actions of government.  Surely, there were good intentions behind the installation of thousands of debris barriers.  After all, it is a good idea to prevent sticks and trash from entering the storm drains since those can block or partially block the flow.   Ideally, only the rain goes down the drains.  However, one must also wonder if the city's decision-makers talked to any engineers about the negative effects of the debris barriers.   These are mechanical devices, relying on a plate that rotates about a hinge.  They are in an outdoor location, subject to the elements.   Even if they don't rust, they still will have dust, grit, grime, moisture, collect on the hinged areas.  The grit will grow in layer upon layer, until the force required to swing open the barrier is just too great for any water flow.  

There was substantial flooding in some areas in the last round of rains, about one week ago (January 5 and 6, 2016).   One news story showed a city worker in water up to his waist, using his feet to clear a clogged storm drain in the suburb of Sun Valley.   One can only imagine the difficulty in kicking open that debris barrier while standing in 3 feet of water.   

I also witnessed a few flooded intersections where I drive in my daily routines, on the same dates.  Having lived in the area for 30 years, I can say that those intersections never flooded before.   I did not stop to feel around on the storm drains in the rain, but it is quite apparent now that the rains have stopped that those intersections also have the drain plugs - excuse me, the debris barriers.  

Roger E. Sowell, Esq.
Marina del Rey, California
copyright (c) 2016 by Roger Sowell, all rights reserved