Despite nuclear energy’s remarkable operational record, boasting a staggering 93.1% capacity utilization, surpassing all other energy sources by a significant margin, no operation is impervious to shortcomings. Last week, the Perry Nuclear Power Plant in Ohio served as a stark reminder of this reality.
Understanding Nuclear Power Plants
According to the Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy, nuclear power plants, which total close to 100 in the United States, play a significant role in the nation’s energy landscape, contributing nearly 20% of American electricity production and half of all clean energy. These plants harness atomic energy through a process known as nuclear fission. In this chemical reaction, neutrons are directed at the nucleus of a uranium atom, causing it to split into multiple fragments. This chain reaction, facilitated by the free neutrons released from the nucleus, generates nuclear energy in the form of heat and radiation. This heat is used to boil water and create steam, which spins a turbine to generate electricity.
What Happened at Perry?
Last week, Perry Nuclear Power Plant in Lake County, Ohio suffered a coolant leak and was forced to shut down. As modern power plants are self-sustaining and have passive safety systems as fail-safes, the contaminated water was contained in a short matter of time with no negative impact on public safety. Authorities said that Perry Nuclear Power Plant had fixed its leak, and was back to operating at full capacity two days later. A spokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) told local news “The NRC requires plants to have technical specifications that require the licensee to shut down for certain issues such as a reactor coolant system leak that is unidentified and if it exceeds a certain threshold. The NRC’s requirement is in place to ensure there is no leak coming from the wall of a pipe, called pressure boundary leakage. The NRC was informed by the plant that there was no pressure boundary leakage, the source of the leak was identified and has been stopped.”
What Next?
As public officials have affirmed the safety of resuming normal operations at Perry, it can be inferred that traveling in the area is now deemed safe. Nevertheless, it remains crucial to remain vigilant for any new safety protocols that may have been implemented. On a related note, Perry faced a power loss last August, triggering a shutdown. Cleveland.com reported that “the plant was switching between power sources for the reactor protection. There was a momentary loss of power, which tripped the system and caused a shutdown.” This could raise questions about the potential impact on the license renewal application submitted in June of 2023. While nuclear power plants routinely undergo maintenance and safety checks, a troubling track record may require more stringent review and scrutiny. With the NRC gearing up to review and deliberate on the application, which currently carries an expiration date of November 7, 2026, stakeholders and residents are keenly awaiting developments. Keep a watchful eye in the coming year for updates on public meetings, safety assessments, and committee verdicts regarding Perry’s future.
