Behind the Walls at Vermont Yankee

Summary

The script offers a rare public tour of Vermont Yankee's nuclear power plant, highlighting its 100% operational capacity and safety systems. It showcases the reactor building, control rods, and emergency cooling systems. The tour also observes spent fuel management and the reactor's refueling process, emphasizing the plant's adherence to updated safety standards and redundant safety measures.

Takeaways

• 🏭 The Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant is located in Vernon and spans 129 acres.
• 🚨 Public tours are rare due to nuclear security concerns post-9/11, with visits mostly limited to emergency officials and legislative personnel.
• 🔋 The plant operates at 100% power, generating 628 megawatts of electricity for the New England grid.
• ⚙️ The tour includes the turbine deck, reactor building, and refueling floor, showcasing the generation of electricity and safety systems.
• 🛠️ The plant is constantly updated to meet current safety standards, not just those from the time it was built in 1971.
• 🔬 Regular testing of systems and components is performed to ensure they meet current standards, with outdated parts replaced or enhanced.
• 💧 The plant has emergency cooling systems and a recirculation system to manage reactor operations.
• 🛂 The control room has multiple panels for monitoring critical parameters such as rod positions, water levels, and reactor pressure.
• 🛑 The plant has redundant safety systems to ensure control over reactor power and the ability to shut it down if necessary.
• 🚰 A significant leak of tritiated water was discovered and managed, with over 300,000 gallons removed and processed.
• 🔩 The plant uses a decontamination booth to clean tools and equipment that may have been exposed to radioactivity.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the tour at the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant?

The purpose of the tour is to show reporters around the plant, including areas like the turbine deck, reactor building, and refueling floor, to understand the operations and safety systems in place.

Why are public tours of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant rare?

Public tours are rare due to nuclear security concerns post-9/11, making it too difficult for the general public to visit; tours are mostly limited to emergency officials and legislative personnel.

What is the significance of the 345 level at the plant?

The 345 level, also known as the refueling floor, is significant as it is the top of the reactor where spent fuel is handled and where the plant operators can stand on top of the reactor at full power.

When did the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant go online?

The Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant went online at full power in March 1971.

How often are the safety systems and components of the plant tested?

The safety systems and components are tested on a regular basis, either monthly, quarterly, or annually, depending on the system or component.

What is the function of the 93 panel in the control room?

The 93 panel is the emergency port cooling systems panel in the control room.

What does the 95 panel display in the control room?

The 95 panel, also known as the full core display, shows all the control rods, their levels, and the reactor's pressure, which are critical parameters monitored by the control room operators.

What is the role of the hydraulic control units in the reactor?

The hydraulic control units are used to control the movement of the control rods in the reactor, which in turn control the power in the reactor.

How often does the plant perform a refueling outage?

The plant performs a refueling outage every 18 months, during which 120 bundles of fuel are changed.

What is the purpose of the spent fuel pool at the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant?

The spent fuel pool is where spent fuel assemblies are stored after being removed from the reactor.

What is the significance of the moisture separator pit during refueling?

The moisture separator pit is used during refueling to hold the large, radioactive parts that are removed to access the fuel, and it is flooded with water to shield against radioactivity.