Y2K flaws may cause nuclear power reactor meltdown, spreading poisonous radioactive elements into the environment. One large nuclear reactor contains radioactive products equivalent to 1,000 Hiroshima bombs. These products include radioactive iodine, strontium, and plutonium which enter unnoticed and destroy living tissue. Their spread by an accident causes cancer, death, and mutations for present and future generations.

After several reactor failures, there are still 103 aging power reactors in the United States. Reactor accidents are inevitable. Complex nuclear power plants are operated by fallible and occasionally malicious human beings. Reactor structures fail from radiation damage and other random causes. Harmful design compromises are made to try to reduce the high cost of nuclear power. The Chernoble reactor spread radioactive materials over the whole northern hemisphere. Accidents at Three Mile Island and elsewhere in the United States show that our reactors are not immune to failure.

After shut down, radioactive elements in the reactor core continue to generate energy. It has been estimated that this residual energy is sufficient to melt an uncooled reactor core in perhaps two hours, spreading its poisonous radioactive contents into the environment. For a long time after shut-down power for core cooling must be provided by a source independent from the nuclear power plant, for instance by diesel generators. Unfortunately, these independent systems have not proved to be sufficiently reliable.

Nuclear power plants are dependent on computer programs for their control. Many of the programs are unable to identify the start of the new millennium, the so-called Y2K problem. The programs are complicated, and there are many reactors with many components, It is almost impossible to locate and correct all built-in Y2K flaws. These flaws may result in a rash of reactor accidents on and after January 1, 2000.

Reactor operators cannot see what is happening within a reactor, which is covered by thick layers of shielding for their protection from its lethal radioactive emanations. During an accident the operators, in their control room, are surrounded by panels filled with instruments and flashing lights, some of which may be giving them false signals. They must handle myriad switches with unerring accuracy while resisting panic from their sense of impending doom. Under such duress, operators tend to err, aggravating any developing catastrophe.

Among other new groups, Citizens Concerned About Nuclear Disaster (CCAND) (541-338-7572), in Eugene, Oregon, maintains that all nuclear power plants should be shut down as soon as possible, allowing time before January 1, 2000 to cool the reactors and prevent catastrophic melt-down. There will be great resistance to this proposal from the nuclear establishment, which endorses the myth of reactor safety. Citizens must become organized to overcome this resistance.

The question has been asked, how do we get enough electrical power for our needs without the nuclear option? We should rectify our neglect of gentler energy sources such as solar. Most important of all, we must develop plans to conserve energy, starting now. What energy wasters can we do without?

 RESUME of A. Stanley Thompson

A. Stanley Thompson, 1910 Monroe Street, Eugene, Oregon 97405
541-683-2332   e-mail stanleyt@efn.org

BA Amherst College, BSME University of Washington,
PhD University of Pennsylvania

Author:
Thermal Power from Nuclear Reactors, Thompson and Rodgers, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1956.

Many papers, published and unpublished, on design methods for power plants and nuclear reactors, including "A Model of Reactor Kinetics," Thompson and Thompson, Nuclear Science and Engineering, September 1988.

Experience:
Jet propulsion engines, central station power plants, and nuclear reactors.

1941-1946
Westinghouse: In charge of mechanical development and design of first American designed and built turbojet engines.

1946-1951
North American Aviation: In charge of engineering development of nuclear reactors and power plants.

1951-1952
Oak Ridge National Laboratory: Consultant to Director on new reactor  developments; Originated and taught course in Reactor Engineering at Oak Ridge School of Reactor Technology.

1952-1953
Nuclear Development Corporation: Development of nuclear reactors.

1953-1956
Studebaker-Packard Corporation: Manager, Nuclear Development Department. Consultant to General Electric and to Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

1956-1957
General Atomic: Chief Engineer.

1957-1960
Nuclear Development Corporation: Chief Engineer.

1960-1961
Aerojet-General Nucleonics: Staff adviser to Engineering Vice President.

1961-1976
Director, Geoscience, Ltd
Consultant to various companies on power plants and nuclear reactors, including Westinghouse. General Electric, Aerojet General, Geoscience Ltd, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

1963-1967
Robert College, Istanbul, Turkey: Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Department Head.

1967-1976
Howard University: Professor of Mechanical Engineering.

1976-Retired