Nuke plants' generator failures draw scrutiny

[koalabear]

ATLANTA - Four generators that power emergency systems at nuclear plants have failed when needed since April, an unusual cluster that has attracted the attention of federal inspectors and could prompt the industry to re-examine its maintenance plans.

None of these failures has threatened the public. But the diesel generators serve the crucial function of supplying electricity to cooling systems that prevent a nuclear plant's hot, radioactive fuel from overheating, melting and potentially releasing radiation into the environment. That worst-case scenario happened this year when the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant in Japan lost all backup power for its cooling systems after an earthquake and tsunami.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/10/10/national/main20118118.shtml?tag=stack

 

[unregistered]

 

[snugglestruggle]

ATLANTA - Four generators that power emergency systems at nuclear plants have failed when needed since April, an unusual cluster that has attracted the attention of federal inspectors and could prompt the industry to re-examine its maintenance plans.

None of these failures has threatened the public. But the diesel generators serve the crucial function of supplying electricity to cooling systems that prevent a nuclear plant's hot, radioactive fuel from overheating, melting and potentially releasing radiation into the environment. That worst-case scenario happened this year when the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant in Japan lost all backup power for its cooling systems after an earthquake and tsunami.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/10/10/national/main20118118.shtml?tag=stack

I'm not surprised we don't hear more about that. I worked for a Westinghouse divison (over 15yrs) that supplied equipment for power Generation, Control & Transmittion. I'm class 1E certified (earthquake).
Back in the early 90's our business dropped off alot as utilities in the U.S. slashed maintenance budgets to keep profits up. Friends still in the business say nothing has changed. Thats why the transmittion grid is in such bad shape. Backlog for a new transformer is 2 yrs & most of the manufacturing capacity is elsewhere. The stage is set, the screwing is prepared and now we wait.