what will happen if koeberg explodes
In a nutshell. But the Koeberg power station, on the rocky Atlantic coast 25 miles from Cape Town, had fallen behind in its construction schedule when four Soviet-made limpet mines exploded last weekend in … So, TL/DR, depending on the wind direction and ocean contamination, Koeberg can be anything from bad to fucking bad. Although, not everyone in the greater St Francis area falls within one 30-degree wind-direction segment, everybody would rely on the only escape route: the R330. There are 642 immigration records available for the last name Koeberg. the already existing site of Koeberg, 28km north of Cape Town in the Western Cape. We use cookies on our websites for a number of purposes, including analytics and performance, functionality and advertising. Let's sy the koeberg nuclear power station were to blow up right now and the workers knew it was going to happen could they do anything to stop it from happening. It is located 30 km north of Cape Town, near Melkbosstrand on the west coast of South Africa. It has operated safely and efficiently for over 28 years and has more years to go still. In her letter to Arcus Gibb of 19 November 2008, then Deputy Director-General of the South African Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Joanne Yawitch, made it very plain that Eskom would have to determine the emergency planning zones for the three proposed sites. Fukushima just had the absolute worst luck, hit by a tsunami and an earthquake at once, I believe the design is of a type that can't explode. Money and its ability to indoctrinate combined with human greed will destroy most life on this planet and leave little left that are more advanced than cockroaches over the next couple of hundred years, New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the southafrica community, Press J to jump to the feed. There are contingencies in place for an evacuation in case of a leak. I have been employed at Koeberg Nuclear Power Station as a graduate engineer in training. Safety of nuclear reactors is defined as the number of accidents likely to happen within a period of time. A lot of opposition to nuclear power is motivated by fears over the safety of nuclear reactors. CAPE TOWN - The Koeberg Alert Alliance is accusing Eskom of lying. This, they claim, is “in line with the philosophy of the EUR for LWR Nuclear Power Plants.”. Chernobyl was built in the old USSR in a flawed system, and the design was poor. Dude this is amazing, please thank your dad, its an awesome braai conversation for sure! How unique is the name Koeberg? When it comes to the Greater City of Cape Town, moreover, the siting of the existing Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, 28km north of the city centre, as well as its proposed expansion to include two new reactors, makes it virtually impossible to evacuate the city in time. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. (source: my dad worked for Koeberg for many years, and works in radiation protection). It most certainly can. It is currently the only one on the entire African continent. Located in Koeberg “red zone” Another major regulatory loop that Wescape’s developers will have to jump through is permission to build a city of 800,000 residents within the 16km zone around Koeberg power station, an area where development is limited due to the need to evacuate the area if there is a nuclear emergency. Disaster Management teams have assured me that evacuation would be “impossible”. Passenger List. If that happens Koeberg may release some radioactive gases such as I-131 which has a 8 day half-life, but a lot will get dispersed rapidly especially if the wind is blowing. Koeberg nuclear power station is a nuclear power station in South Africa. The Koeberg Nuclear Power Station is a Pressurized water Thus, if a major nuclear accident were to happen at Thsypunt, these communities could be affected within ten minutes (and the major city of Port Elizabeth within three hours). For example, if a reactor has a safety standard of one accident in a thousand years, that means that if it operates for 1000 years, there will probably be one accident. © All content copyright 1997 - 2021 Clarion Energy, unless specified otherwise. What’s more, the existing tiny road systems would never handle the rapid evacuation of so many people in the high, tourist season. The automatic shutdown caused after a warning systemContinue reading → Yet in their “Emergency Impact Response Impact Report”, compiled by Mogwera Khoathane but “assisted” by pro-nuclear advocates Peter Rosewarne and Johan Slabbert, they say that “Eskom has developed a document [NSIP – 01344] …[which] demonstrates” that a reactor can be built in South Africa without the need for emergency plans. Here is the answer from my dad, as promised: Koeberg cannot physically blow up like an atomic bomb with a mushroom cloud. Thank the Kaiser!). CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. When I was a VIP on an emergency planning exercise, I observed that the computer simulation of a major accident with the wind blowing from the north-west would result in radioactive fallout hitting the centre of the city in two hours. u/jenvrooyen covered the basics pretty well. Ashley Theron-Ord is based in Cape Town, South Africa at Clarion Events-Africa. But I believe, for a radiation leak it's a 16km radius. The IIOT device explosion is a major contributing factor to vulnerabilities in industrial networks. When officials discuss planning for a nuclear emergency, they talk about “Emergency Planning Zones”, or EPZs. The dangerous nuclear waste, or high level … During that time he doubled up as an anti-nuclear activist, before branching out into the mining and energy sector, water & sanitation, and solid waste management. The worst case incident for Koeberg is a core meltdown, and there are several backup to prevent this. This can of course can get mixed with any form of precipitation and return to ground level thousands of miles away. Given the fact that the large metropolitan of Port Elizabeth was included in the study, it would follow that its evacuation would have to be included in a realistic disaster management plan in the event of a major accident. Affirmative Action technician leaves bolt in turbine at Koeberg after routine maintenance because he does NOT follow laid down procedures, turbine starts up and disintegrates, takes over a year to replace, during the height of the electricity crisis. Wormwood in Russian is (drum roll).... Chernobyl! Op-ed: Staying connected and protected in times of loadshedding in South... Commentary: Invest in Africa’s engineers to address the world’s climate crisis, Cities have one chance to leverage pandemic for sustainability, S.Africa: Nuclear build essential for sustained economic growth and development. Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. In this case people are easily protected by taking shelter inside a house. We travelled to hear the story from Rodney Wilkinson himself. In page 9 of the report, they said that the largest population within 80km of the proposed Thyspunt site amounted to over 300,000 people, based on estimate of nearly ten years ago, so it would have to be revised upwards at this time. We thus cannot allow such interests to dictate matters with regard to public safety and threats to both agriculture and the fishing industry. Ignoring that, you can play around with a simulation of a nuke: https://nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/. Chernobyl and Fukushima scared the pants off people. If memory serves, Sweden was the first country to raise the alarm when the radioactive cloud blew over their country. They were timed to explode 24 hours later - and explode they did, while Rodney had already ridden to safety on a bicycle across the South African border. The ensuing blackout plunged Cape Town’s flatland into darkness and left thousands stranded. General Koeberg, the only nuclear power station in Africa, has a pressurised water reactor (PWR) design. Of course, that accident could… On 16 December 1982, Rodney set four bombs inside the Koeberg nuclear power station in Cape Town. I was heavily involved with probabilistic risk assessment of the nuclear power plant, estimating risks, and providing insights into the strengths and weaknesses of the design and operation of a nuclear power plant. The tsunami wiped out all the cooling and back up cooling, some of which was caused simply by the sheer height of the tsunami and the backup diesels which got flooded. “The explosion would be far … The fuel overheated, hydrogen was given off, and so the hydrogen exploded. Its impossible as the uranium is only enriched to about 5% and the design of the reactor. But they’re wrong. 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What the EUR really means, however, is the European Utilities Requirements. If we had a major accident like the one at Chernobyl in 1986 and at Fukushima in 2011 at any one of the proposed sites in South Africa, the impacts on human health, agriculture and fishing (in the case of Fukushima) would be the same. The chances of Koeberg exploding in a similar fashion are very low. The two reactors form the cornerstone of the South African nuclear program. Strong winds from the south-west are common in the Cape St Francis area, so all five communities are downwind of Thyspunt. In Revelation 8:11, the name is given to a great star which, at the sounding of the third angel's trumpet, fell from heaven upon the third part of the rivers and on the fountains of the waters, turning them to a bitterness of which many died. YESTERDAY’S near meltdown at Koeberg, South Africa’s only commercial nuclear power station resulted in a “scramble” by employees to shut the reactor down. Radioactive elements bond to dust, steam and smoke (fallout) and are picked up by the wind and scattered in whatever direction the wind blows. This is complicated because most of the material in and around the plant is radioactive to varying degrees and therefore dangerous to anything exposed to it. Out of 6,028,151 records in the U.S. Social Security Administration public data, the first name Koeberg was not present. Glad to know as well that if things went South we would still be okay. However to be clear it cannot explode like an atomic bomb. This mix of Uranium, graphite, metal and concrete (Corium) flowed through the sub basement levels fucking up everything it reached, including a coolant pool and various steam pipes. Eskom’s Koeberg Nuclear Power Station supplies about 5% of South Africa’s total electricity needs and approximately 50% of the electricity demand of the Western Cape. However the risk of any incident such as a loss of cooling accident is very low. That room is the most contaminated area outside Chernobyl proper. No food produced in that area would ever be safe for human consumption: no wheat for bread, no milk or dairy products, no vegetables and no meat or fish. They do a safety siren test once a year, basically if you can hear the siren you fall in the "evacuate immediately" area. Weird things about the name Koeberg: The name spelled backwards is Grebeok. Traffic jams and frozen lifts were reported all over the city. 97. Mike Kantey, media & development consultant, started out in textbook publishing for the schools market. Eventually the breached reactor was filled with a special radiation containment sand like material and a concrete sarcophagus built over the reactor. Not an atomic explosion. She is the Senior Content Producer across media brands including ESI Africa, Smart Energy International, Power Engineering International and Mining Review Africa. Why the world is not yet completely powered by thorium reactors, wind, solar and hydroelectric plants defies all logic. Another fun fact. Some fires started too. Last fun fact. •“ Nooooooooooo you must phone Koeberg”” they replied •What part of my previous conversation had they missed? The reasons why we don't have sufficient power range from the total stop of introducing new stations in the early 90's to the government wanting to create an open market for competitors to produce power in competition with Eskom to rapid electrification … If that happens Koeberg may release some radioactive gases such as I-131 which has a 8 day half-life, but a lot will get dispersed rapidly especially if the wind is blowing. 2. For a total meltdown / explosion, it would be much more. When the lid blew off, chunks of radioactive debris spread over a few miles in this explosion, where it lay until collected over the following few months. 96. I live in the area, and my father worked there for many years. One of which is the reactor buildings which is a steel and concrete cover which contains the reactor. the state of the existing road-transport systems. •“ Yes” I said, “I did phone Koberg and there was no answer. Admiral Charles A. Richard, the head of the U.S. Strategic Command, recently told the Senate Armed Service Committee he “could drive a truck” through the holes in China’s no first use policy. The first of Koeberg nuclear power station’s long-awaited six new replacement steam generators arrived at the plant yesterday. Search US census records for Koeberg. the already existing site of Koeberg, 28km north of Cape Town in the Western Cape. Chernobyl still functioned as a power station until the early 2000's using the other 3 undamaged reactors. As basic science will teach you, hot shit plus cold shit is explosive. This is an organisation of European nuclear-power companies looking only after their own interests, and more specifically the export of nuclear technology to the African countries. Even if something disastrous happens, Koeberg will cascade to cooler, not hotter. (Fun fact, we can date skeletons globally based on their Strontium content from the atmospheric tests of the 50's and early 60's, due to Strontium replacing Calcium in early bone development. The steam generators weigh approximately 380 tons each and are about 20 metres long, and the first threeRead More There are three stages in the rehabilitation of a nuclear facility. Another fun fact is steel plates used in the field of radiation medicine MUST be cast before July 1945 (Trinity test) to be of any use due to atmospheric contamination. Please feel free to independently check, I'm going from memory here. This is a culmination of exceptional teamwork and collaboration, heralding a key milestone for Africa’s only nuclear power station. The National Nuclear Reactor Act of 1999 in South Africa makes it equally clear that such emergency plans must be in place, according to the regulator’s document “Emergency Planning and Response Requirements for Nuclear Installations” (RD-0014). Naturally it contaminated the soil and local water tables. That being said, if Koeberg has an accident as bad as Chernobyl or Japan’s Fukushima (both rated 7 … We take you into the stories behind the stories, to give you a fresh view and new insight on some of the most important topics of the moment. Can you send out a van to assess if there is a situation? Koeberg Nuclear Power Station (KNPS) situated in the Western Cape, South Africa and currently provides approximately 4.4% of South Africa’s electricity need as Africa’s first nuclear power station. Koeberg is owned and operated by the country's only national electricity supplier, Eskom. Answered 14 August 2020. By using our site you accept the terms of our cookie policy. Construction of Koeberg began shortly after the contract with a French consortium was signed in 1976, with the first of its two units starting commercial operation in April 1984. The decision was endorsed by the Congress Alliance. The plant must be dismantled. Taking Iodine tablets can flood the thyroid with non-radioactive iodine, so that radioactive iodine cannot be taken into the thyroid. Work shifts naturally were strictly monitored. It is possible the name you are searching has less than five occurrences per year. The fuel rods overheated (note the graphite control rods only modulate the radioactive particle processes) and turned into a super heated molten slag ( close to 3000 °C) that burnt its way through the reactor containment vessel. normal wind direction and speed (which they measure in segments of 2X15 degrees either way from the source of the wind); the number of people living within 16km of the site, which they limit to under 10,000 in one segment of 30 degrees downwind; and. Koeberg produces about 30 tons of high level waste per year, and all of it is currently stored at Koeberg – over 1000 tons. I'll ask him if he can give a proper answer. It is the only nuclear power station situated this far south in the world. Koeberg ensures a reliable supply of electricity to the Western Cape, one of the fastest growing regions in South Africa. Drove past it the other day, burst out laughing and told my wife we are fucked if it blows up, the traffic would be so bad leaving CT, you'd just have to sit and wait for the inevitable. I believe the design is of a type that can't explode. Also, wait for the HBO series this year, I am! Its possible that there is a fire as a result of this explosion, or that it was intentional and we As African citizens, therefore, we have to recognise that the problems associated with nuclear power generation are far more complex than the advocates would have us believe, and that the safest option would be to continue following the global trend towards truly renewable energy, such as solar, wind, and “run-of-river”microhydro. Google the Elephants Foot for more info. Nuclear safety is defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as "The achievement of proper operating conditions, prevention of accidents or mitigation of accident consequences, resulting in protection of workers, the public and the environment from undue radiation hazards". That being said, if Koeberg has an accident as bad as Chernobyl or Japan’s Fukushima (both rated 7 on the International Nuclear Event Scale), parts of Cape Town would likely have to be evacuated, if only temporarily. "I prayed very hard to Our Lady to tell me what would happen to me. Radioactivity reduces with time, but for some isotopes commonly found in nuclear waste,the drop in radiation levels can be very slow. In Pripyat (the stations worker town close by), in one of the buildings the fireman called out on the first night to battle the blaze dumped their contaminated clothing. Again it was not a nuclear explosion, the fuel melted and was eventually cooled. She appeared, holding in her hands two crowns, one white, one red. Fun Facts about the name Koeberg. I live in Table View, not too far from Koeberg. • * Natural Gas Plant Explosion, Algeria, Skikda, Jan 2004 – 20 people killed soon after – 74 injured (IOL Website 20 Jan 2004) • * Russian mine blast, Tiazhina pit, Kemerovo region, Siberia, Apr 04 – 47 miners died (BBC News, 13 April 04) • * Belgium gas blast, near Brussels, Jul 2004 As per Soviet doctrine, initially it was collected by 19 year old conscripts of the Red Army wearing nothing but welders gloves for protection. Asked 17 February 2019. Given the geographic layout of the city, there would be only three roads out: then N1, the N2, and the coastal road via Gordon’s Bay. Koeberg Nuclear Power Station is situated on the West Coast of the Western Cape, South Africa some 30 kilometres north of Cape Town. The Disaster Management Team looks at three issues: In March 2011, in ironically the same month as the catastrophic Fukushima accident in Japan, an “Emergency Impact Response Impact Report” (Appendix E26 of the Revised Draft Environment Impact Report) was released in South Africa by the engineering company and environmental practitioner, Arcus Gibb. It has been decommissioned, and plans are underway to construct a replacement sarcophagus due to the combined effects of the nuclear particles weakening the concrete over time and the hasty nature of it's construction. A nuclear reactor is designed to release all its energy slowly and is controlled, whereas an atomic bomb is designed to release all its energy at once. Tambo claimed the Koeberg attack was an act of retaliation carried out by a MK unit. According to the generation division,AX0001Rev(2015) KNPS has a net output of 1 860 MW. Official announcement ignores the true cause. The reactor lid was partially blown off to by the build up of hydrogen gas as well. This site uses cookies which are essential to make the site function effectively. Nothing.. Just look for shelter and look for safety. In this case people are easily protected by taking shelter inside a house. If we had a major accident like the one at Chernobyl in 1986 and at Fukushima in 2011 at any one of the proposed sites in South Africa, the impacts on human health, agriculture and fishing (in the case of Fukushima) would be the same. ... What would happen if the Milnerton fault were to cause a tsunami and the vaults where this waste is kept were to be flooded. When they tried to run a test, it resulted in a steam explosion, which destroyed the reactor. So the worst that will happen is that Koeberg cannot prevent the nuclear core from melting, and all the backup systems fail. Because of this a plant will only be dismantled years after it’s been switched off. How far would you need to be (geographically) to not be affected by the blast or radiation? D'Oh. 1. To elaborate a bit further, and will use Chernobyl as the example. The man who blew up Koeberg Rodney Wilkinson planted four bombs at the Koeberg nuclear power plant near Cape Town in December 1982. In their earlier submission, the St Francis Residents & Ratepayers Association had described the Greater St Francis area as including five communities: Rebelsrus, Mostert’s Hoek, Cape St Francis, Sea Vista Township, and St Francis Bay. The disaster happened due to a failure of the reactor coolant system to reactor 3 during a scheduled stress test to test the effects of a shutdown of the coolant. The alliance said it's concerned about the impact of seismic activity at the Koeberg nuclear plant outside Cape Town. I think it would depend on what kind of nuclear disaster it was. Koeberg is one of the safer designs out there though so not on the list of things I'd worry about. Don’t Shoot the Messenger is a podcast brought to you by South Africa’s leading independent news and analysis website, the Daily Maverick. Called the Wormwood Star. With Fukishima they lost all their cooling, and the reactors even when they are off remain hot (called decay heat), so they have to kept cool, with cooling water. The most popular source of steel is the Imperial German Navy fleet scuttled in Scapa Flow in 1919. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Koeberg census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more. If not stored properly, The waste can melt, and also ‘go critical’, which would result in a nuclear explosion. uMkhonto weSizwe (Spear of the Nation or MK), the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC), was jointly formed by leading members of the banned ANC and South African Communist Party (SACP) in 1961. So what about Chernobyl and Fukishima? The pebble bed stuff was in my (uninformed) opinion the only reactors coming close to "it can't explode".