Thursday, September 8, 2011

Virginia Earthquake - North Anna Nuclear Plant Sloshed

Article

Wow, they are coming up with as many flip-flops as Japan!  It was sloshing that killed the nuclear plant.

They are continuing their pathetic search for 'telltales', which is the #1 plan for earthquakes in eastern nuclear land.  Also #1 in Canada.  That means they decided in advance, using the typical bad physics, what things should happen with a significant earthquake.  If they don't find any of these things, then that gives the 'all clear' to start the plant.  This strategy has never worked!  I argued strenuously against it, before I got kicked out.

Now, honestly, my bile is reserved for Pickering which is instrument-less.   Darlington was very nice, and we've got it peppered with instruments.  First off, we have 2 top-grade broad-range seismometers, hooked into the national grid.  These will give us an accurate PGV, up to fairly high levels.  Then we have a good internal system, which I suppose is still working.  The only thing missing is a good plan on how to deal with the results, should there be an M6 on the Hamilton fault.  Without a plan, the instruments are probably useless, since they will show a high spike PGA, no matter what.


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