Four pounds of nuclear fuel missing from power plant

[Kadie]

Four pounds of nuclear fuel missing from power plant

The Associated Press

Last Updated: July 28, 2004, 03:25:16 PM PDT


EUREKA, Calif. (AP) - Four pounds of radioactive nuclear fuel went missing from a shuttered nuclear power plant near Eureka.

Pacific Gas and Electric workers are looking for three pieces of a nuclear fuel rod that may be among hundreds placed in a deep storage pool at the Humboldt Bay Power Plant before it closed in 1976.

Plant workers have been using robotic equipment and underwater cameras since July 7 to search a pool where spent fuel is stored. The pool is 26-to-30 feet deep and measures 22-by-28 feet. About 390 used fuel assemblies are stored in the pool.

PG&E spokesman Jeff Lewis said the utility remains confident the missing rods eventually will be found in the pool

more...
http://www.modbee.com/state_wire/story/8910949p-9802744c.html

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. All I can say is... JOY

Who is watching the store? Oh never mind....

[mbperrin]

2. Hmmmm...3 weeks spent exploring a 16,000 cubic foot space.

Where can I get me a job like that? Especially where you get even more time when you can't get it done, but sure that it will all be ok.

Hey, faith-based nuclear disposal - what a concept!

[Throckmorton]

10. Maybe first you should study a little about spent fuel pools?

It is not like searching your basement for old paint cans.

[leesa]

3. I'd check Cheney's pockets.

[aquart]

4. Ah, that good old Homeland Security.

Don't you feel safe?

[struggle4progress]

5. kick for the careless nuclear guys ("Just Trust Us")

:kick:

[MaineDem]

6. Kick for the morning folks (nt)

[MaineDem]

7. Dupe post

Don't know how that happened. Sorry about that.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

8. 1976...missing 28 years ago....and now it's an important story?....

Interesting timing, if you ask me.

[54anickel]

9. Fear campaign. How realistic is it that someone could get into this

facility, dive into the pool and get this stuff? I wish the guy from P&E would have gotten into that a bit in this article. How is the facility secured? What equipment would be needed? etc. Lack of facts make this one pretty hard to believe.

snip>
Despite the unsuccessful search so far, PG&E believes there's no public danger from what Lewis characterized as essentially a "case of conflicting documentation."

He said there's no chance the missing nuclear rods might have managed to get into the wrong hands, a scenario that anti-terrorism experts fear.

"We just don't believe that's possible," Lewis said.

Where's the rest of the story? That last line should be followed with a "because..."