 The Magazine of the Union of Concerned Scientists Vol. 21 No. 4 Winter 2000 Countdown Are nuclear power plants ready for the next century? by David Lochbaum, Nuclear Safety Engineer
The Effect on Nuclear PlantsOperations and emergency systems at nuclear power plants use 1960s technology that is not controlled by computers. Thus the millenium bug cannot affect them. But the bug may disable supporting systems, such as plant monitoring or security, making it more difficult for workers to recognize or respond to any emergency that might arise from other causes. What Can Be Done Throughout 1999, UCS has been warning the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Congress, and the public about the potential dangers and the simple measures that would decrease risks. Because malfunctioning security computers could lock doors normally accessed by card readers, we've suggested that plant workers carry the ordinary keys that can also open the doors. Since operators are unaccustomed to using the backup systems that record data from sensors throughout the plant, we've recommended additional training to bring staff up to speed in using the backups to evaluate plant conditions. We've also warned against a false sense of security. In July, the NRC announced that emergency systems at all of the 103 nuclear power plants currently in operation in the United States were Y2K ready. We pointed out that the NRC was basing that claim on responses to an audit plan that does not define what constitutes Y2K readiness. It's like asking, "Does the Titanic carry lifeboats?" instead of "Does the Titanic have enough lifeboats to carry all its passengers and crew?" We are not alone in our criticism. In October, the US Government Accounting Office testified before Congress that the NRC has done a poor job of independently verifying plants' Y2K readiness. In October, the GAO and the Department of Energy asked UCS what could be done at this late date. We suggested running tests at plants that are shut down for refueling before January 1: simply roll the computers' clocks forward into the new year and see what happens. Since 26 plants are slated for refueling during this period, the results would provide some indication about which plants might have problems. Workers at plants with computer systems similar to those that fail could take precautions and make tests of their own. Whether this advice will be followed we don't know. If you live near a nuclear power plant, you might want to ask plant personnel about the plant's Y2K readiness. The UCS website (www.ucsusa.org) provides a list of questions. |
|||||||||
