Quote:
Originally Posted by Oberon
Actually, whilst half of ours started construction in the sixties, they didn't actually become operational until at least a decade later, and they've had upgrades since to bring them up to modern safety levels.
When you think of it though, a reactor pressure vessel has to withstand internal temperatures of over 600C and pressures of over 2000psi. A bomb isn't going to cut it.
That being said, an attack on the spent fuel pool at a NPP could pose a real problem, and it would be an easier target than the reactor itself.
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A bomb?
I'm taking a guess here but if they are from the 60's I assume they're water cooled reactors? Now I agree with you when you say safety systems are in place to prevent meltdown and they may even be somewhat bomb proof. However safety systems for water cooled reactors dont amount to a hill of beans when those systems are taken off grid and your generators are disabled.
Sure your average terrorist may not know how to operate a power plant and shut down a system by the numbers to cause a meltdown. But you dont have to be a rocket scientist to cut power and permanently disable back up systems.
Whats needed to prevent a meltdown is increased security of those key systems. But if they get by that you're screwed.
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