[Atomic Power Today]

[Music] okay thank you One Source is water release its heat energy when put to work in an atomic reactor foreign [Music] Atomic fuel is usually uranium fabricated in a tough ceramic form that will withstand very high temperatures small pellets of fuel are loaded and sealed in metal rods in a vessel forged from thick steel the fuel will do its work about a hundred fuel assemblies containing 60 to 70 tons of uranium pellets make up the fuel core of a large power reactor the fuel will generate heat through the process of nuclear fission these rods soak up the moving neutrons much the way a clotter soaks up ink the control rods are moved up and down in the fuel core to increase or decrease the rate of fission and heat generation the reactor operator can plunge the control rods all the way into the core to shut off the reactor at once sensitive instruments also cause the shutdown automatically if the reactor is not operating as it should to carry fuel coolant always circulates in a closed system and after giving up its heat it returns to the reactor to pick up some more water from a river or other nearby source is pumped in and out of the plant to cool the turbine system this water never comes in contact with the reactant as each fuel atom splits fission products minute ashes are formed they remain locked within the fuel [Music] it's a year used fuel assemblies are removed from the reactor they are stored underwater because they are very radioactive due to the fission products inside to allow time for some of the radio activity to subside they remain here for several months the water blocks the radiation and cooled the assemblies a used fuel assembly is valuable because it contains a good deal of unused fuel material therefore after the Aging period it is transferred to a container lifted from the storage pool and shipped to a chemical plant for reprocessing during reprocessing the radioactive fission products will be separated and stored for safe keeping thus almost all in fact more than 99.99 of the radioactive matter that was formed in the fuel either loses its radioactivity by natural aging or is removed from the power plant most of what's left together with other relatively small amounts of radioactive material for safety regulations these regulations also require regular collection of air and water samples [Music] this air filter sample along with others will be precisely analyzed in the laboratory and will provide continuous information of the plant's environment [Music] Atomic power reactors are not potential atomic bomb the dilute nature of the fuel and basic reactive principles and design make an atomic explosion an impossibility safety is strictly a matter of keeping the radioactive material confined under normal conditions this material remains tightly locked within the fuel only if a fuel assembly were to overheat to The Melting Point could a significant amount of fission products escape from the fuel they would then be confronted with a succession of barriers only if a mechanical failure occurred could this material then get out of the reactor system even if it's highly improbable sequence of events occurred further barriers and safeguards act to isolate deficient products many safeguards are provided to prevent these things from ever happening for example the fuel material used has a remarkable ability to reseal which acts as a barrier against fission product Escape foreign addition the reactor is so designed that its natural tendency is to slow down if fuel temperature increases also many of the reactor's automatic safety devices are installed in duplicate and triplicates and are designed to shut down the reactor automatically if the device fails but the designers don't stop there [Music] additional safeguards are provided whose sole purpose is to limit the consequences of an accident in the unlikely event one should ever occur safeguards are designed to enclose and isolate radioactive material that might get out of the reactor system thus preventing harmful amounts from escaping from the plant for example plants include a sealed Vapor containment system which may take the form of a steel and concrete sphere all of this is like designing an unsinkable ship and then wrapping a life preserver around it plans for an atomic power plant begin with careful study by the utility company performance when the utility is decided to build an atomic power plant it must first apply to the U.S atomic energy commission for a construction permit the aec announces the application makes it available for inspection by any member of the public state and local officials are also provided copies volumes of details safety features and all other matters the entire correspondence between the aec and the utility all become part of the public records there are no secrets anyone with questions may study the proposed project long before construction begins by law the plant can be built only after a favorable ruling by the aec [Music] before this the commission must assure itself that both plant design and proposed location meet the test of safety a separate regulatory staff studies the application thoroughly checking calculations examining equipment and plant designs verifying data the regulatory staff becomes as familiar with the project as the designers [Music] another group The advisory committee on Reactor safeguards makes a parallel review of the application foreign this committee established by law is made up of Specialists drawn from universities and Industry [Music] giving the aec an independent evaluation of safety matters is their particular responsibility their views and those of the aec's regulatory staff are added to the public record available to all [Music] now comes another important step a public Hearing in the vicinity of the proposed plant several groups take part utility Representatives the aec licensing board all right made up of two technical Specialists and a lawyer yes representatives of the aec regulatory staff state and local officials and members of the public the aec licensing board conducts the hearing the utility representatives and the aec regulatory staff members give testimony and the views of the community are heard the hearing provides a review of all project features and serves to acquaint local citizens with project details following the hearing and after further detailed study of the record the board if it is satisfied that the project fully meets aec requirements recommends that a construction permit be issued their recommendation is then reviewed by the atomic energy commissioners foreign three years of construction [Music] the plant begins to take shape thank you at his heart the foundation of rock steel and concrete [Music] here the reactor vessel will be placed [Music] continued inspection by the utility and aec through season after season the project rolled miles of steel tubing tons of concrete endless skills transforming blueprints into reality [Music] the steel and concrete housing for the reactor nears completion three years of precision checking and rechecking three years of workmanship and quality control dependability [Music] while construction and Manufacturing are nearing completion planned operation teams are trained foreign The Men Who will run the reactor must obtain a special aec license the plant is now staffed ready for operation after years of preparation the first shipment of atomic fuel begins its Journey to the reactor the utility is already applied for an operating license now that the plant is built the aec review can include all details and procedures as they exist not just in plan but in fact the review is complete the license approved Beyond this aec inspections will continue for the life of the plan final pre-operational tests are performed the fuel assemblies are given a final check then loading the game thank you the assemblies are lowered underwater they are to be guided into final position [Music] [Music] everything is in place the sealed reactor is started and goes through a period of careful low power tests [Music] then the day comes quietly without fanfare the plant goes on the line the new facility joins the growing number of atomic power plants supplying electricity Across the Nation [Music] foreign [Music] Mike power is at work today it's future assured the resources are fast the technology expanding yes we live by electricity and need more the kind of energy that gives its name to the atomic era now is harnessed to our lives [Music] thank you