![]() ![]() Recently that question got a lot more complicated. Which raises the question: What should New Yorkers do if a Japan-like emergency were to hit Indian Point? A day before the governor’s statement, the nearly four-decade-old site was one of 14 US nuclear plants cited for safety “near-misses” in a report by the Union of Concerned Scientists. Cuomo was hardly the first person to express concerns about the plant, which supplies power to New York City and its suburbs. “This plant in this proximity to the city was never a good risk,” he explained. Andrew Cuomo announced that he wants to see the Indian Point nuclear power plant, located 38 miles from New York City, shut down. In CANDU reactors, natural circulation takes over when the pumps that normally push the coolant through the heat transport system stop functioning.įor natural circulation to continue over time, steam generators need to be filled with cool water.Fight disinformation: Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter and follow the news that matters. One of the inherent and proven safety features of CANDU reactors is their ability to cool the reactor through natural circulation. You can learn more by watching what would happen in the very unlikely event of a total station blackout – the situation that led to the Fukushima accident following the large tsunami that destroyed all available power sources onsite. two or three emergency power generators.These systems are regularly and safely tested. However, they can also be manually activated. The second system injects a liquid, or poison, inside the reactor to immediately stop the chain reaction.īoth systems work without power or operator intervention. The first shutdown system is made up of rods that drop automatically and stop the chain reaction if something irregular is detected. Shutdown systemsĪll nuclear power reactors in Canada have two independent, fast-acting and equally effective shutdown systems. When necessary, CANDU reactors can safely and automatically shut down within seconds. Sensitive detectors constantly monitor different aspects, like temperature, pressure and the reactor power level. When the reactor is operating, the chain reaction (or power level) is controlled by moving adjuster rods and varying the water level in vertical cylinders. Top of page Controlling the reactor Normal operationĬontrolling the reactor involves increasing, decreasing or stopping the chain reaction happening inside the reactor. The heat - energy - is harnessed to make steam to power the turbines and generators, which in turn produce electricity.įuel pool at the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station, Kincardine, Ontario The split atoms then continue a “chain reaction”: more atoms continue to be split, resulting in more radiation and heat. Fission is the process of splitting atoms of natural uranium inside the reactor, releasing radiation and heat. How a nuclear power plant works The reactorĪll nuclear power plants in Canada use the CANDU design - a safe, reliable, reactor technology.ĬANDU reactors produce electricity through a process known as fission. The systems perform three fundamental safety functions: controlling the reactor, cooling the fuel and containing radiation. All of these systems are maintained and inspected regularly, and upgraded when necessary, to ensure plants meet or exceed strict safety standards established by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. Interactive Tool: CANDU Extreme Events SimulationĮach nuclear power plant in Canada has multiple, robust safety systems designed to prevent accidents, and reduce its effects should one occur. ![]()
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