Chalk River Reactor

iARTthere4iam

Electoral Member
Jul 23, 2006
533
3
18
Pointy Rocks
The reactor at Chalk River is offline. This is affecting hundreds of thousands of people every week. The government of Canada is forcing the reactor back online against the wishes of the nuclear regulator. Is it better to restart the reactor in order to allow the hundresds of thousands of medical treatments around the globe to continue or should this take a back seat to the concerns of the nuclear reguator? Seems like a typical example of putting all of your eggs in one basket. A nuclear basket that may from time to time need maintenance.
 

Unforgiven

Force majeure
May 28, 2007
6,770
137
63
I feel there is some room to move with this issue. It was closed down for a reason. But unfortunately so many depend on it for their health that it's imperative that the product is available. It's a government run facility. Reopen it and get it back to producing what it is supposed to so that people can get on with their treatments and diagnostics.

No fooling about, make this facility safe right bloody now. We have the money and the knowledge, bring those who let this get into such a state upon the carpet to answer for it, and build some redundancy into this system so that there will not be another problem like this and the leverage that the facility being the only one can be removed.
 

Tonington

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 27, 2006
15,441
150
63
Nuclear accidents like Chernobyl, happened because humans pushed the envelope, and ignored safety concerns. I'm not saying this will lead to another Chernobyl, but it's not comforting to me that our government who wants to expand nuclear usage is also willing to look the other way over safety concerns.
 

TenPenny

Hall of Fame Member
Jun 9, 2004
17,466
138
63
Location, Location
I enjoy listening to the politicians who don't have a clue what the issue is, making it sound like the gov't is putting our lives at risk immediately.

The license was not renewed because, apparently, CNSC hadn't read the document submitted that outlined the timeline that AECL was going to follow in meeting the one outstanding item...which amounts to a backup power supply to a backup pump used in case of an emergency...so it's an issue with a backup to a backup, that is being addressed, just not completed yet.

It's not like the reactor is in any sort of imminent danger.
 
Last edited:

jwmcq625

Nominee Member
Sep 14, 2007
95
1
8
It sounds like a Liberal appointed regulatory agency is playing politics with this issue in an attempt to make the Harper government look bad to Canadians. The truth is that there was a plan in place to address any concerns raised by these appointees, but they chose to use their appointments as a reward to help those who appointed them.

My suggestion is that these appointees be fired, and another regulator put in place by an arms-length selection committee. I getting sick and tired of all of the partisan appointees costing us worry and anguish all in the name of partisan politics.
 

darkbeaver

the universe is electric
Jan 26, 2006
41,035
201
63
RR1 Distopia 666 Discordia
It sounds like a Liberal appointed regulatory agency is playing politics with this issue in an attempt to make the Harper government look bad to Canadians. The truth is that there was a plan in place to address any concerns raised by these appointees, but they chose to use their appointments as a reward to help those who appointed them.

My suggestion is that these appointees be fired, and another regulator put in place by an arms-length selection committee. I getting sick and tired of all of the partisan appointees costing us worry and anguish all in the name of partisan politics.

Who in thier right minds would attempt to make a train wreck like the New Conservsleeze Government of Canada ( I like how they inflate the title, you can hear the trumpets almost) look bad. I mean what else could you do?They have bags of dirty laundry all over the planet.
Mr Schrieber is a patriot and a hero, my hat goes off to him, we need more solid earthy immigrants like him. "Make the Harper government look bad to the people of Canada "? hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah That is not a photogenic bunch JWMCQ where you from with a name like that anyway? Think they'd shape up for photos wouldn't you? When you pick up an audio signal it's worse.
I agree with firing the appointees though, I'm sick of parlimentarians trying to run this democracy.It's time this country picked up the bat and hit a field goaol with the heavy wieghts. As they say. Why can't they just get some new fire extinguishers and safety posters and a good consulting firm to help us find expensive private sector engineering, all 'no bid' of course so the rules don't cloud the decision, and shut the puck up about the leaks, christ it's only leaks the roofs not leaking is it? Harper should appoint Field Marshall Hillier to put some
boots in the dirt out there. Lets get a handle on these renegade parliamentarians before they sell out to the Taleban, it's only a matter of time before they come ashore in Ottawa.
 

lone wolf

Grossly Underrated
Nov 25, 2006
32,493
210
63
In the bush near Sudbury
Chalk River is living (almost not) proof of bureaucratic incompetence and the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. Compartmentalization doesn't work. Our tax dollars at slumber....

Woof!
 

TenPenny

Hall of Fame Member
Jun 9, 2004
17,466
138
63
Location, Location
Mr Schrieber is a patriot and a hero, my hat goes off to him, we need more solid earthy immigrants like him.

Which version of him do you mean? He will say, and write, whatever suits his purpose at the moment, and change it a week later. I'm not saying Brian is innocent, but Schrieber is the least credible person in the whole thing. He's a total sleaze, who can't be believed at anything.
 

darkbeaver

the universe is electric
Jan 26, 2006
41,035
201
63
RR1 Distopia 666 Discordia
Which version of him do you mean? He will say, and write, whatever suits his purpose at the moment, and change it a week later. I'm not saying Brian is innocent, but Schrieber is the least credible person in the whole thing. He's a total sleaze, who can't be believed at anything.

Hey TenPenny maybe I exagerated his credentials a little, excuse the spin. I can see that Mr Schrieber has had doubtful playmates, but our former PM Brian of sunnybrooke farm did admit to being semi retarded in that he knowingly took (the now unuseable thousand dollar bills closet full of shocking revelation) cash in envelopes in private hospital rooms. I think that's enough to warrent a look see. There's no honour among thieves they say.:smile:
 

Colpy

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 5, 2005
21,887
847
113
69
Saint John, N.B.
Who in thier right minds would attempt to make a train wreck like the New Conservsleeze Government of Canada ( I like how they inflate the title, you can hear the trumpets almost) look bad. I mean what else could you do?They have bags of dirty laundry all over the planet.
Mr Schrieber is a patriot and a hero, my hat goes off to him, we need more solid earthy immigrants like him. "Make the Harper government look bad to the people of Canada "? hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah That is not a photogenic bunch JWMCQ where you from with a name like that anyway? Think they'd shape up for photos wouldn't you? When you pick up an audio signal it's worse.
I agree with firing the appointees though, I'm sick of parlimentarians trying to run this democracy.It's time this country picked up the bat and hit a field goaol with the heavy wieghts. As they say. Why can't they just get some new fire extinguishers and safety posters and a good consulting firm to help us find expensive private sector engineering, all 'no bid' of course so the rules don't cloud the decision, and shut the puck up about the leaks, christ it's only leaks the roofs not leaking is it? Harper should appoint Field Marshall Hillier to put some
boots in the dirt out there. Lets get a handle on these renegade parliamentarians before they sell out to the Taleban, it's only a matter of time before they come ashore in Ottawa.

Ah, DB, you have surpassed your own unenviable record of spouting nonsense, innuendo, and downright......untruths.

Some truths.

1. The Conservative Party of Canada is NOT the PC Party of Brian Mulroney, the scumbag. Were it that Party I would not be a member......I abandoned the PC Party BECAUSE of Brian Mulroney. The attempt to smear the new governing party of Canada with the stench of Lyin' Brian should, in any just world, fail miserably and backfire on the Liberal perpetrators (a group LOADED with buddies of KHS)

2. The restriction on the Chalk River Reactor would perhaps be reasonable......if it weren't about to cause the death of a number of people...........to garauntee fatal circumstance for a number of people simply because double-fail safes against a remote possibility of disater is Chicken Littlism for Political Gain carried to the lowest possible level......have I mentioned the Liberal Party of Canada?

3. It is your heroes, the idiot left that want to surrender to the Taliban, not, thankfully, our government. They want the Taliban were it belongs....in shallow graves.

Hope this bit of reality doesn't leave cringing in the corner for long.....

Have a nice day.
 

darkbeaver

the universe is electric
Jan 26, 2006
41,035
201
63
RR1 Distopia 666 Discordia
Ah, DB, you have surpassed your own unenviable record of spouting nonsense, innuendo, and downright......untruths.

Some truths.

1. The Conservative Party of Canada is NOT the PC Party of Brian Mulroney, the scumbag. Were it that Party I would not be a member......I abandoned the PC Party BECAUSE of Brian Mulroney. The attempt to smear the new governing party of Canada with the stench of Lyin' Brian should, in any just world, fail miserably and backfire on the Liberal perpetrators (a group LOADED with buddies of KHS)

2. The restriction on the Chalk River Reactor would perhaps be reasonable......if it weren't about to cause the death of a number of people...........to garauntee fatal circumstance for a number of people simply because double-fail safes against a remote possibility of disater is Chicken Littlism for Political Gain carried to the lowest possible level......have I mentioned the Liberal Party of Canada?

3. It is your heroes, the idiot left that want to surrender to the Taliban, not, thankfully, our government. They want the Taliban were it belongs....in shallow graves.

Hope this bit of reality doesn't leave cringing in the corner for long.....

Have a nice day.

How ya doing Colpy? Nice to hear from you old stick. I see that defective brain cell of your's is acting up again. Christ man why didn't you spring for the deluxe artery job you know the one that gets blood to the brain, well at least they got your mouth working again, and we're grateful for small miracles. best of the season to you Colpy-------sweety:smile:
 

Tonington

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 27, 2006
15,441
150
63
So here's the scenario. There is an emergency, perhaps a fire, or storm knocks out the power. The back-up generator perhaps is knocked offline by that same emergency. Now, there is one pump, instead of the two required. The result is that the reactions can't be stopped, the reactor over heats, the pressure blows a hole in the containment wall, and we have nuclear radiation being emitted into the atmosphere.

In the subsequent investigation, we can see that the facility was operating without the proper safeguards. We have yet another nuclear accident which could have been prevented, were it not for political interference. Trying to make this political is cheap. The large majority of nuclear accidents are preventable. That's why there are committees charged with oversight.

So it's not that anyone is in immediate danger, it's just that the systems in place to ensure in an emergency situation there is control, are not up to snuff. No big deal right?
 

Tonington

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 27, 2006
15,441
150
63
Lol, maybe in Western Canada you're not downwind, NS gets all the flatus from central North America:lol:
 

lone wolf

Grossly Underrated
Nov 25, 2006
32,493
210
63
In the bush near Sudbury
Lol, maybe in Western Canada you're not downwind, NS gets all the flatus from central North America:lol:

Good east wind, I'm inline. Thing is, we have double redundancy in government, why not on a reactor, and how did the situation get so out of hand? It's not a political issue - it's a bureaucrat issue. Too much pay for too little thought process.

Woof!
 

Tonington

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 27, 2006
15,441
150
63
Double redundancy is the industry standard, many reactors have more than that. It's just smart engineering given the possibility of catastrophe. The chances might be slim, but when snake eyes are up most people would agree that the precautions were worthwhile.
 

TenPenny

Hall of Fame Member
Jun 9, 2004
17,466
138
63
Location, Location
Double redundancy is the industry standard, many reactors have more than that. It's just smart engineering given the possibility of catastrophe. The chances might be slim, but when snake eyes are up most people would agree that the precautions were worthwhile.

Double redundancy, indeed.

And this was an issue with backup power to a backup pump for emergency use...so it's triple redundancy to an emergency system.

So the double redundancy was already there, this is yet another layer. So there's no issue, is there?
 

darkbeaver

the universe is electric
Jan 26, 2006
41,035
201
63
RR1 Distopia 666 Discordia
Double redundancy is the industry standard, many reactors have more than that. It's just smart engineering given the possibility of catastrophe. The chances might be slim, but when snake eyes are up most people would agree that the precautions were worthwhile.
I was listening to an interview thismorning the quest said what you are saying, something realy stinks about this affair man.It's creepy they apparently have been ignoring oversight reports on the state of the reactor for years. And there is no good reason to have done so.
 

Tonington

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 27, 2006
15,441
150
63
Double redundancy, indeed.

And this was an issue with backup power to a backup pump for emergency use...so it's triple redundancy to an emergency system.

So the double redundancy was already there, this is yet another layer. So there's no issue, is there?

The issue is, that the facility is operating below the standards we had set up for that facility. The bigger issue is that we're now ten years behind on the replacements.

The real problem is how our government is inadequately versed on issues of science. Most other nations of Canada's stature have government positions devoted to science, so that MP's and other representatives have a place to go for good information. Preston Manning had a good article in the globe and mail on Monday, laying it all out.

Nuclear energy and technology has enough of an image problem already. I don't think it's wise to give more reasons to fear technology which for the large part has a good record.