As the Nuclear Regulatory Commission weighs its decision on requiring filtered vents on some U.S. reactors, Forum on Energy would like to direct its readers to the Fall 2012 edition of Nuclear Energy Insight, the Nuclear Energy Institute’s (NEI) quarterly newsletter. Importantly, this edition addresses the goals of venting systems in light of the accident at Fukushima Daiichi and the options available.
According to NEI, “[v]ents are just part of the story. Venting coupled with an appropriate filtering strategy can greatly reduce the amount of radioactivity that could be released in the event of an accident.” Two industry experts offered insights into the options available for reducing radioactive releases during an emergency.
Doug True, President of ERIN Engineering and Research, explains that “[f]iltering strategies like sprays and immersion can significantly reduce radioactive releases…For example, water sprays inside containment combined with control of the containment vent can reduce the release by a factor of 1,000.”
Maria Korsnick, Chief Nuclear Officer and Chief Operating Officer, Constellation Energy Nuclear Group, adds that this “isn’t a question of a containment filter or no filter. It’s a question around filtering strategy and what’s the best, most efficient way to achieve the goals of a filtering strategy.”
Read the full NEI Newsletter.