Inspectors from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission reported that they had found ten violations of federal regulations after carrying out investigations on the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station (Union of Concerned Scientists). According to the NRC report, the violation of rules posed a threat to the safety of human life since there was a case of boric acid leakage. The boric acid had eaten through a steel reactor cap that was six inches thick (Union of Concerned Scientists). The inspectors termed the leakage a violation of federal laws since maintenance of the facilities was improper, and the leakage would have been discovered four years ago.
Safety issues arise in consideration of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant that exploded following the rattling of an earthquake. The effects that followed affect the Japanese people until today. Secondly, there was an explosion of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine where thousands of people were exposed to dangerous radiations that were emitted from the explosion (“Davis-Besse Oak Harbor, OH”). The Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station case raises serious safety concerns because the Nuclear Regulatory Commission also found that the cooling system at Davis-Besse that was put in place to mitigate an emergency case of a serious defect would not have operated as required (Union of Concerned Scientists). Such unpreparedness would have caused massive threats to human life would there have been radioactive emissions.
The NRC also found out the vulnerability of clogging of the containment sump that was supposed to circulate water in the reactor (Union of Concerned Scientists). The vulnerability was due to the use of improper coating materials. According to the NRC report, circulation of water was necessary for the minimization of the release of radioactivity. Further, the NRC highlighted that there was negligence on the side of the officials for failing to adhere to design control measures.
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In my view, I would support the decision of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for various reasons. To begin with, a leakage of radioactive emissions would easily cause bodily harm to human beings. This fact can be deduced from the incident in Hiroshima that made thousands of people affected (“Davis-Besse Oak Harbor, OH”). From the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station case, the NRC decided to investigate the plant, following an event of the loss of feed water in the plant that was a result of a design problem that was known. Consequently, they discovered a problem on the eating up of a vessel due to the leakage of folic acid. Had the NRC not intervened on the matter, there would have been a disastrous occurrence causing harm to humans.
Secondly, in my view, I recommend the steps of the NRC for ensuring that it takes effective measures of directing the management of Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station to improve its management controls. This step is effective for it will alert the management of other nuclear plants to be on the watch of probably loopholes that may not be foreseen. In the case of Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, the causes of the emissions was unforeseen until it caused a great threat to humanity. I would recommend that there be a huge fine imposed on managers who do not take caution on the security measures and the required standards on nuclear power plants. In the case of Davis-Besse, the manager (Toledo Edison) was fined a sum of $100000 for the violations at the plant (“Davis-Besse Oak Harbor, OH”).
Conclusively, I would recommend for the increase of funds for the maintenance of nuclear plants to evade risky incidents. In my view, since it is very resource consuming to maintain and repair the power facilities, it would be helpful for the government to hire more experienced experts to maintain the facilities and also to invest a lot in terms of monetary funding in order to keep safe from any explosions that may impact negatively on people’s lives.
- “Davis-Besse Oak Harbor, OH.” UCS: Independent Science, Practical Solutions | Union of Concerned Scientists, Union of Concerned Scientists, www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/legacy/assets/documents/nuclear_power/davis-besse-i.pdf.
- Union of Concerned Scientists. “Legal And Factual Basis For Criminal Sanctions Against FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company For Material Misrepresentations to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission And Violations of NRC Regulations Regarding the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Pla.” Ohio Citizen Action – The Premier Grassroots Mobilizing and Organizing Team in the Midwest, 2003, www.ohiocitizen.org/campaigns/electric/2003/20030415-db-legal-memo.pdf.
