Tick Tock - Is Koeberg next?

Mila said:
I tried to sound intelimegent. ... and the whole thread died..:D
Click to expand...

It happens :D
Seriously though - The milnerton fault is pretty close to Koeberg. So it's not impossible that koeberg can get damaged.Whether its likely to happen thats another story....
 
Last edited:
(@) (@) twister said:
It happens :D
Seriously though - The milnerton fault is pretty close to Koeberg. So it's not impossible that koeberg can get damaged.Whether its likely to happen thats another story....
Click to expand...

I did not know that. Sometimes it takes a Japan to shake people awake. Even if it never happens.
 
Mila said:
I did not know that. Sometimes it takes a Japan to shake people awake. Even if it never happens.
Click to expand...

And you thought I was joking when I said Cape point is gonna drop into the sea ?? :D //puts on tinfoil hat - I'll keep you updated :D
 
Nothxkbi said:
If we do have an earthquake near Kuberg, it'll be South Africa's fault.
Click to expand...

No! you have it all wrong, It will from some members perspective's the ANC's fault and the possible damage and loss of life as well as the current emergency back up procedures (or lack thereof) and all the associated regime failures will be Apartheids fault. One specific "intelect" (see my signature) will blame Verwoerd for a master plan to eradicate the Cape flats from unwanted voters, not unlike the current ANC goons are trying to achieve by legislation.

Remember stupid troll posts requires stupendous answers.
 
Look what we have here..

Cape Town - Eskom on Tuesday assured MPs that its Koeberg nuclear power plant near Cape Town was designed to withstand both earthquakes and tsunamis.

The electricity utility's operations and planning division MD, Kannan Lakmeeharam, said the design of Koeberg's two reactors was more advanced than those at Japan's Fukushima plant.

A major nuclear crisis is brewing at Fukushima in the wake of the Richter scale 9.0 earthquake that hit Japan last week. Cooling systems have failed at three of the plant's reactors; three massive explosions have rocked the complex; and there are reports of major radiation leaks.

Tens of thousands of people living within a 20km radius of the plant have been evacuated.

Briefing a joint meeting of Parliament's energy and public enterprises portfolio committees, Lakmeeharam said while the reactors at Fukushima were "generation I" design, those at Koeberg were "generation II".

"There are several elements to what is going on in Japan that we have to compare to South Africa. The first is... design of the plant.

"The Fukushima plant is generation I technology; Koeberg is generation II technology, which is a pressurised water reactor. So it's different technology."

'Koeberg can cope with a tsunami'

On Koeberg's ability to withstand a major earthquake, he said the plant was built to withstand a Richter scale 7 seismic shock.

"The Koeberg plant is built on a raft to withstand a Richter scale 7 earthquake. So you've got to look at what is the history of seismic activity in South Africa, and whether that design is sufficient.

"Every nuclear power station is built to what is known as a safety case... based on looking at environmental issues and the past history of seismic activity, and so on."

He told MPs that the emergency power supply for Koeberg's reactors was designed to cope with a tsunami.

"A nuclear power station needs electricity to make sure the cooling water system works. The cooling system for the reactor core is one of the most critical elements of a nuclear power station.

"At Koeberg, the primary source of electricity for this cooling system is the national grid. [Over and above this], we have a dedicated source for Koeberg supplied by gas turbines.

"We [also] have diesel generators on site, and further generators at a higher elevation.

"So we have four layers of security to provide power for the cooling water system. We test them [all] regularly... All of this is overseen by the National Nuclear Regulator.

"So there are some differences; obviously what's happening in Japan is of concern, and we have to keep reviewing our own practices in the light of what we learn," he said.

The largest recorded earthquake in South Africa measured 6.1 on the Richter scale. It struck the Western Cape towns of Tulbagh and Ceres in 1969.

- SAPA
Click to expand...

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Koeberg-can-withstand-quake-tsunami-20110315
 
MegasXLR said:
No! you have it all wrong, It will from some members perspective's the ANC's fault and the possible damage and loss of life as well as the current emergency back up procedures (or lack thereof) and all the associated regime failures will be Apartheids fault. One specific "intelect" (see my signature) will blame Verwoerd for a master plan to eradicate the Cape flats from unwanted voters, not unlike the current ANC goons are trying to achieve by legislation.

Remember stupid troll posts requires stupendous answers.
Click to expand...

Missed it didn't you? :D
 
FatBoySlim said:
Must say, with this whole Japan nuclear saga and the article below, knowing that a bunch of goons are running the Koeberg power station a few km's from home, is starting to become a bit uncomfortable.

http://www.fin24.com/Companies/Industrial/Eskom-faces-looming-skills-shortage-20110314
Click to expand...

As far as I know, the tectonic plate we are sitting on is the most stable on the planet and hasn't moved significantly since god knows when, pangea?

And we are pretty far from any of the plate edges, I think normal earthquakes as a result of massive tectonic movements are not a problem for us. Crust weaknesses (Volcanoes) can occur I guess, but we are more likely to get affected from a nuclear winter from Yellowstone blowing than a new volcano springing up and causing massive earthquakes. Rough seas are common but unless some asteroid hits the ocean near us, I don't think tsunamies are a big problem either.

In fact due to our large amount of uranium, if we had the skills we could easily use nuclear power to power the country and if we build them near the ocean we can use that to make hydrogen fuel for cars. So I think nuclear power stations near the coast of SA are a good thing.
 
Last edited:
Ok I didnt bother to read this whole thread, just want to say...fossil fuel power stations pose a bigger risk to humanity then nuclear energy.
 
So from most of the posts here we have nothing to worry about?

The nuclear rods have primary cooling, secondary cooling from backup generators and a Gravity fed system of cooling - Same idea as in Japan. Yes it is unlikely there will be a Earthquake / Tsunami, but who can predict a disaster before it happens?

Point is that you can never entirely rule out a meltdown due to multiple malfunctions of safety devices and bad circumstances. Highly unlikely to happen, but it could.

I always thought nuclear was a good clean alternative, but is it worth the Risk? :confused:
 
Electron1 said:
So from most of the posts here we have nothing to worry about?

The nuclear rods have primary cooling, secondary cooling from backup generators and a Gravity fed system of cooling - Same idea as in Japan. Yes it is unlikely there will be a Earthquake / Tsunami, but who can predict a disaster before it happens?

Point is that you can never entirely rule out a meltdown due to multiple malfunctions of safety devices and bad circumstances. Highly unlikely to happen, but it could.

I always thought nuclear was a good clean alternative, but is it worth the Risk? :confused:
Click to expand...

Well there have been hundreds of reactors many of them in volatile areas like earthquake zones and plenty are run by dodgy regimes not exactly renowned for their competence and respect for safety like the USSR, China, India etc.... and there has been only one major catastrophe. That being Chernobyl which was a dangerous and unstable design. The operators were so stunningly incompetent they managed to engineer a disaster you couldn't improve upon even if you wanted too especially with today's reactors.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X