Nuclear plant accident is highly unlikely

It is unfortunate that when a malfunctioning siren signaled an emergency at the Duane Arnold Nuclear Center, The Gazette story was headlined as “Many unaware of what to do if plant explodes,” and a television station mentioned a ”nuclear explosion.” This suggests a nuclear plant can have a nuclear bomb-type explosion, which is impossible.

Such reporting continues the unwarranted fear of major accidents at nuclear plants. Public safety precautions are for the remote possibility of large amounts of radiation escaping. This possibility theoretically exists from a meltdown of the core because of a loss of cooling water or control failure. However, in western-designed plants, the core is in a containment enclosure that is designed to hold the radiation if a meltdown occurs. Prevention of this occurrence is also ensured by multiple backups of the cooling and control systems.

Professor Bernard Cohen (University of Pittsburgh) studied the possibilities of an accident and reports: “For nuclear reactions to be as dangerous as coal burning, we would have to experience a meltdown every five days. There is a 1 in 20 million chance a meltdown would occur from a control failure in any given year.”

Quentin Wagenfield

Cedar Rapids