FERMI-1 AT 50: ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN

By Keith Gunter

Before Fukushima, before Chernobyl, before Three Mile Island, there is the legendary story of Fermi-1: “We Almost Lost Detroit.” It was the title of the popular nuclear power primer by John Fuller and the classic and famous anti-nuclear anthem by the late Gil-Scott Heron.

On October 5, 1966, the Fermi-1 experimental fast breeder reactor (designed to produce plutonium) suffered a partial meltdown when a piece of zirconium plating became dislodged by the flow of the reactor’s liquid sodium coolant. The melting of the highly-enriched uranium fuel was an extremely precarious situation and it would be nearly nine years before the harrowing story would be made public in Fuller’s account. Continue reading “FERMI-1 AT 50: ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN”

Life-threatening Issues

We are all downwind.

Let’s imagine – I know this is far-fetched, but for purposes of discussion, we might try it anyhow – a political atmosphere dominated by fear of terrorists and their bombs. There are shoe bombs, pipe bombs, pressure cooker bombs, fertilizer bombs, tannerite bombs, suicide bomb vests, car bombs, truck bombs, improvised explosive devices, drone bombs, commercial airplanes used as bombs …

Whoa, there’s a lot to be worried about. Fear of terrorists and their bombs can be used to make an argument for lots of countermeasures. Obviously, all airplane travelers need to be searched before they board airplanes. Police need to be able to search anyone’s house when they are chasing a possible terrorist. Suspected terrorists who are caught by the police need to disappear into secret prisons forever … Continue reading “Life-threatening Issues”

No Confidence in Spent Fuel Storage

NRC’s current regulatory guidance concedes that “data is not currently available” supporting the safe transportation of high burn spent nuclear fuel.

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists recently published a complex article outlining some reasons current plans for storing spent nuclear fuel are flawed and dangerous. We’ve outlined the gist of the argument here, but for more details and references, you’ll need to read the original article. Continue reading “No Confidence in Spent Fuel Storage”

Keep Liquid Radioactive Waste Off Our Highways

PRESS RELEASE & Telephone Briefing Tuesday 8/16 @ 11am EDT

BEYOND NUCLEAR
CANADIAN COALITION FOR NUCLEAR RESPONSIBILITY
CITIZENS FOR ALTERNATIVES TO CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION ENVIRONMENTALISTS, INC – LONE TREE COUNCIL
NUCLEAR INFORMATION AND RESOURCE SERVICE
SAVANNAH RIVER SITE WATCH – SIERRA CLUB

Groups File for Injunction to
KEEP LIQUID RADIOACTIVE WASTE OFF OUR HIGHWAYS

For Immediate Release: August 15, 2016 Continue reading “Keep Liquid Radioactive Waste Off Our Highways”

When We Almost Lost Detroit

On Wednesday, October 5 of 2016, Alliance To Halt Fermi 3 will hold a press conference in Monroe, MI to commemorate the 50th anniversary of our close escape from widespread disaster. In the evening, we will present several speakers on issues of nuclear power at University of Detroit Mercy. See our Calendar for details.

Southeast Michigan nearly had its own Chernobyl before Chernobyl; its own Three Mile Island before Three Mile Island. 50 years ago, the Fermi 1 reactor near Monroe had a meltdown. It’s still not completely decommissioned. Continue reading “When We Almost Lost Detroit”