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usAcc UCEN$tNG e REGULMION m Ille Corne M(
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? JAN 2 21964 *" 1 scn r,.,n c i s c o 14, calif. l 6- ( w' bocan omcta J
i Q> - mn ua ry 14 , 1964 tt N o, ;I
.ir . Glc.' T. S e a b o r.q , Ch a i r. .1.
4 eic :.ne rgy Com,is -o er t ini:ic . , i) . C. I
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' ",c..ic s Gas and .1 c e t e - -
% . , uned your na.ac and speech to i s he Si: m v e l t.a Chi / rater. '
;o .;c -; i .'y its proposed nuc icar power
! plant on the 0,l i f o rn i a ce . .. i s .as in an article in the promotional l ui uine enclosed nith i t .- ry ='ie (some part of wh ich must pay fc - .h e . ,:ine),
.. in w h i ci. y ec . 2d in she headline: "I Would
. 1,ive Ncx soor to the n t o..i .
Fern..t .%: to ask: 'iould ym ;i . e ne et noor to fhe atom, at bodega
. . :, als est directly atop the #i.- . i . ,, r'a u l t '!
.e yo u ' .o rt , there has been :c; "ro. e rr opposition to this particular eroject hnn to nuclear-fue e 3c- :.c sov;cr ninnts in 'encral. '"h r e e r.:a i r. poi nt s categori ze t i. . - c '
i . It i .s dannerous; it is not needed; nd it will spoil t , of the coastline, an lectroric engineer i 't. ..v 3t throughout my career .Ith C. v:riication c." reliabilit' fqctors in clectronic and v-pace c < u i ,3 c : :t. 1 iis is ., a: .no. a mt a :preciate . 'et I ce nc. r een anyt hine pus 13 -h co re to onvince :o that .hc site , ca;,, on - aarter mile frcn : . cen'. . in:l r en - .aolt
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a.:c e;u a t , ,; studieu or even siuly c..^- ' co r i . 40 ,inedpcint of safety.
.<e emoe. it was this faul t , 6..o . c :e.u of v.i.ich caused the dis 18-t rous c. nc,uake s o f 1868 ant. l uW) , seraous car tiu;uakes ns recer.tly as
. . 5 7, nna e n u s e.s conti.:uin- c aller trec. ors. ,ven not cm.sid e rir - the nomic aspect, the loc n tior, o f a tajor industrial facility in such a j j
place presents an unusual ha,nr.1 to itself even if not to the surround-i ing aren, how add the possibi.lities, however reuote, of atomic explo- { sien and the spread of fa))out, and the cuestion must arise: "Is it j l worth it?" l 1 l l l ac o,ue s ti on o f wo rth Locov n_ nore ai rrn i f ic an t in this area, wherc l ire aJ revy enjoy che sp and . ,nt electric poccer. T1. i s is, to bc l
< ore, 1.srcely due to t i.c vi i 1 .c c of the Galifornia Public Utilitics Lonaission, but re f] ect s a v ne ra l situition in utiich prime sources of ener:- :e .hemselves cheng .. anu d a r. t . Other localities, chere tisis is not the case, may n:. . pod unrVL, for nuclear enerated elec-
' trical en e rl*y a nd there fo re r ea so n a'.)1 o locations .or nuclear power plants.
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!,s you state, such a plant could in th eory be huilt a nyr. ile r e . "1 h e n ,
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4 a e s . . n r. c i the scenic v'11 , or e.:o -t nead is apparently the most ca ..avo - ' 2 , t4ince it ir vn .m e c t. - i d e r.i t,i nns o f beauty vs . utility, as . en ineer, I hope 1 ay .. . %n .ilj credit for aiding the j
- ec. of ;.azress. Gius it .r'.s ie -e told, as in your last para-b, t..it I na resis:. n. -I a.' 8 nJ .:ha n;; c and 1 am o; pot.cd iv'. in the ;20 th c ap t u r y . '. . ; i ,. the toro i ro n i c. at n ti me
. sien are finally rea lizin y .it 1} -
;ounties o f unturc are finite,
'v en in s,al i fornia . It is, . ..ind, ren t e r pro e.ress f or cur . Nation l a.:d Jtate' i f Undeta '! cad is . q. c a parh, available fo re v o .' to all the people, tit a n if its unit;ue 'sen.if i ts .or'troyed to build a olnnt th1t .
could a, vell he built anywher elne. 1 dr. scabo rt;, the opposition to this nr"jecc is far fro.m the s. t e reo tyi.e o f ".n ti .rogress and wooly thi nkinc.. /ncile phranes like "uneensonin;: F. . o f t.w unkr.oun" ar.d "cri ti ci sm . . . is a vital part n f our vier-
. era .ec.ocratic system" (giter .vhich acknow]cdeeicnt i t. con :,o unfe]y
..ed) are .90t called for. Calm, t t:ouPht ful, unbi, sed st udy of all lite advna usges, disadvantages, ar.d al t.crnativos is core ritting, if f o r r.o o t'. a r reaso; than that .any thousnnds of voters and ta:cpaye rs are cl osely conc erned . ) ay i have the pleasure of your reply?
- Very sincpely yours
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Anthony II. Derles 1 d' e s.
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v y &z..a J,.w u.n.s.n&: &.;g) G Qf x California Economy to Keep Pace With Population Giowth A continued high level of busiass activity in North- The consirmion industry wi:t condir ue to be a major ern and Central C Alfornia is dmost certain for 1964. source of strength in the area's economy. PG&E will N. This optim:stic forecia is cwtained 'n PC&E's r. gain have ov 6f the ? arrest. construction outlays of <
" Market Outlook 1964," a grass roots" econorr.c study any company in the nrne with a record $255 million to that has been an unazingly ace'rato 1.inwrscter of be spent on gas and elec',ic projects.
area business fcr many years , In 1964 new c.?nsfr'actionvill add 6s0,000 kilowatts, ,l The following are somi cd ' die healthy nonoruic giving the company a total capacity ot 7,521,500 kilo- ' signs: wa tts. Population growth wi Santa Clara County, which started the year with 838.- I the lead as the naty, n,il pod Caliform. a farther m.i 000 tesidents, will lead the population growat parade in s most populous state and ini PG&E's t,arvice area with a 51,000 inevase in 1964. crease market opporturuhes. By the c.nd of 1964 toeri Alan-will be 18.570,0(Xs Californi:ns, an increase of 590,00C$ v ppe.da County, however, wi'.) gain 27,000 pe over 1963. latiori of 1,019,000 and continue its prominence as the most nopulous county Ta Northencand Central Personal income will increase at an average of 6 per California. ent with the per capita income 20 per cen! Aov6 :the i California faimers will again have cash income ii ex- ! I national average. The $55.2 billion to la $2rred by cess of S3 bNion tmmaintain Seir position as thina. I Californians this year will be 11.4 per cent 'of the rus- tion's top agricuituabtste. tional 6atal. Consumer rc% will movvac a healthy rate. Fcr ex , Manufacturing employment will in:rea'se in the five ar.iple, an estirnatvd 1.3 mhlinn new major gas and elec-metropolitan areas by 3.1 per cent i.o a record total of tric appliances will be sold 4.s the northern and ce ttral 359,000 workers section of California. Sales o' items subject to the use Resider'itial construction in the 47 counties rved by tax should exceed S13.2 'wilton thro:.;hout the state PG&E will include 61,300 single family dwellings and I # 8f[,P*[C#"tgsairi. w } help cGies imp <r- the.r appear-37,700 new ,,nrtments. < ance ed economic health by checking binght and de-Sales r,f electrical energy to late light and power cus- terioration and halti r.g decrning reopecty values. The ! tomer0 a (Ivar indication of indusfr al growth, will gain most dramatic such project ur. der way; in Northern l by S per cent. Sales, which amounted to 11% billion . CalMaia is the S60 millica Golden GMew y compter ' knowattNurs in 1962 and surpa. Lwd :2 billion in 196't. in San Francisco's for x.r p;o6 rec distnet. are c::pecus;; to reach 13 billion in 1964. > I PG&E's " Market Outloo'J' # prepared by the ecm- ' Natural gn use will continue to ixlude new applica- pany's market research department, from a cross see-tions, espostly ar. a raw meteiml.fDesp!fs omstantly tion of opinion obtained from loct,I builders, contrac-increasing demarab, PG&E mil be able ta p odde for tors, financial . in titutions, governmorit : agencies a ,d all domestic and industrial nada. - other corces. , I. - Jkaa ' __ __m. m._-....m_m._
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f, ( g' - Nuclear energy differs in another side of AEC plant areas and the ?
~, important way from other energy safety record of personnel working in.
sources. It is far more abundant; in a side AEC. contractor plants has been comparison with the energy resources phenomenally good. This safety rec. in coal, gas, and oil reserves, the ord is no accident, but is the result of energy supply locked in uranium and thorium - the nuclear fuel materials very careful analysis and control at
; every stage of nuclear activity.
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- is almost limitless. Sound national Safety is Paramount management of our energy resources would seem to dictate the early do. The Commission's own concern for the public health and safety has al.
4 velopment of the great energy reserve An uranium and thorium. This is para ways been predominant. In addition. Dr. Clenn T. Scaborg (above) choir. the power reactor program has been
* *"INY.true when one conalders the and is being conducted virtually in a anon o/ the U. S. Atomic Encrcy Com.
mission, recently addressed the na. growing uses importance ther than electncal of the, fossil genera. fuels goldfi,sh bowl open to contmuel public !
' tional convention of Sigma Delta Chi t@i n and beaung. Coal has extensive scrutiny as well as to frequ pro /csalonal fourn<n&m fraternity at industrial uses such as an the reduc. and evaluats,on by van,ous private and -
public bodies, including th9 Congress. Nor/o.h, VA, on., the subject of "Why syntheta.mn ore and the production, of Nuclear Powerf Much of the concern over nuclear c chemicals. Oil and gasohne reactors relates to the familiar ques. As a respected scientist his views are essential for fuelng small mobile tion of how near to a populated area haue received wide national circula. p wer plants, such as those m auto. V. tion _ The followind digest of the talk m biles, trucks, locomotives, and air. such a nuclear plant can safely be op. is presented in IAc interest of public craft, which are not likely ever to use ersted. One of the factors which gives rise to the question is the understand. enlichentnent' nuclear fuels directly. It seems waste. able desire on the part of the utilities ful to burn coal and oil for heat at a Sorne banic questions about the rapidly. increasing rate when we know to minimise the distance between any electrical power plant and its load merits of nuclear power have been that they are irreplaceable and that center. Figures as extreme as 82 raised in recent months. The Atomic Energy Commission , itself reviewed these questions in a s'.udy of civilian nudcar power made public about a qqa - - . o - year m ard 'l believe the conclu. - h \ l W"
.t sitris of this study still are sound. =a = l l
== 4.k The in,on basie que. tion is the fol.
lown.gf Wy should we be so con. cemed about developing nuclear Dr. Glenn Seaborg, AEC Head, Sc ' poww? After inore than a decade of effort, hahn't another energyitsourceturnedwhich out toisbe stilljust they if that daysome is far day in thewill be depleted - even lion per mile have been ment future. {'- ha 1 more expensive than coal or oil?" As a general rule, the capital costa sion lines in a metropolitan area. If the construction of electrical transmis. Finally, there is the question: "Even j ' of nuclear power plants are somewhat the power plant is also to be used for a mil nuclear power can provide byreal higher than those of conventional the supply of low. pressure steam t henefits, aren't they oatweighed plants, but the fuel costa are lower space heating, long distances become the risks inherent in nuclear reactors with the net result that nuclear power completely infeasible. We
% Y1 duce?" and the radioactive wastes they pro. ' is competitive where the cost of fossil Atomic Energy Commission fuels is high.
Ursique Energy Source Savings for Public stand the utilities
- economic reasons
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\ First. nuc! car power is not "just for wanting to build nuclear plants another source of energy," In some Even a small reduction in the cost near their load centers., \Ve must be important respects, it is unique. For oftoelectricity will mean large savings sure, however, that if this is permitted !
the public. Each reduction of one. the safety of the pubhc would not be example, nuclear energy is indepen. dent of geography, The cost to the tenth of a mill in the average cost of c mpronused. power will be worth a total of about The, Atomic Energy Commission
'#e consumer is notwithso much a function to the 415 billion to the citizens of our coun.recognstes that in tne operation of a of his location ropect
. anurce of fuel supply as ic the case try by the year 2000.The savings will nuclear reactor a potential risk is in.
I [with conventional fuelo. Because pay many times over the initial devel. Volved, as there is an almost every stansportation costa are a substantial opment costs of nuclear power. Other activity in our technological
. A factor The final question I would deal with civilization. Radioactivity is gener.
V energy, cheap and abunda.nt electric today is one that is often raised about sted within the reactor as heat energy has been available only in nuclear energy ,the risk and haz. is released from the nuclear fuel. To atWis relatively or cheap hydroelectric near sources. coal or oil fields ards of its radioactive products, It is protect against this potential hazard, I am sure many of ynu are think. unfortunate that the peaceful uses of adequate measures rnust be taken to nuclear energy were preceded by the ensure that such a potentiality will ing: "But what about the radioactivity wartime weapons development. To never be realized. they produce?" I will discuss this in many peop% I am sure, nuclear From the normal operations of a
- more detail later, and at this point energy is the A. bomb or the H. bomb. nuclear plant and in the day to. day g
will way only radioactivity that very produced in alittle nuclear of the re. But if one examines the facts in the activities carried on therein, there is matter, one would find immediately no significant har.ard to the people actor that any ever gets intoreleases radioactive the atmosphere, are care. that our nuclear industry has one of who work in the plant or to the public fully controlled and monitored, and theInbest aboutsafety records 20 years in the country, of operation of re. outside. It is customary in most large reactors for a small quantity of ra.
~ that they do not add significantly to actors of various types, there has not dioactive waste gases and liquids at c The
,mrewnt natural radiation which always is been a single accident that has caused exceedingly low concentrations to be everywhere. '
any known injury to the public out. released at a controlled rate into the 8 i a PowE Pmgmes en -- . - , ~ ~
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, leases is set by Federal regulations. standing by the general public; our use tensively investigated. These have-Many Sofcfy Checks of technical jargon can be misleading. progressed to the pilot plant and dem.
The principal potential hazard of The care which we often take to avoid onstration phase. All indications are more serious proportions which must saying something which is not exactly that practical and economical full. be guarded against in nuclear reactors precise often misleads the layman scale plants for ultimate disposal of is the possibility that an unintended more than would a less cautious, but these materials are well within present quantity of radioactive material might more intelligible statement. For ex. technology. he released accidentally and find its ample, wo term such reactor accidents Preventive Approach way into inhabited areas. There are as the " maximum credible accident" The nuclear energy industry, unlike two major lines of defense against this when from the standpoint of ordinary many other industrial and even com. possibility. First, extensive safeguards language it might better be termed the munity developments in this country, are provided to prevent accidents. Ex. incredible accident, recognized at its earliest stage the traordinary measures are taken in in. Perhaps it could best be summed very essential requirement that its corporating these safeguards into the up by saying: The probability of a wastes be managed in a way to assure design, construction, and operation of serious accident is extremely low. The na adverse eGect on man and his en. nuclear reactors. Further, these safe. likelihood of a dangerous consequence vironment. Ours was a preventive ap. guards are subject to four rigorous should a serious accident occur is proach - we did not allow a situation evaluations-by the AEC's regulatory even lower. to develop in which a curative ap. star, by the Advisory Committee on Sofefy Confoined proach would be necessary. Reach,r Galeguards, by atomic safety One additional concern expressed by Ptrhaps I can best summarize my and licensing boards, and, finally, by some ' about reactor safety focuses feelings about the safety of these the Commission itself. In addition, upon the so. called high. level wastes of power reactors by saying that I would periodic inspections are made of the reactors and their ultimate disposal. live next door to the atom. I would not reactor throughout its lifetime. Essentially all the radioactivity pro. fear having my family residence Secondly, all reactors are provided duced in a civilian nuclear power plant within the vicinity of a modern nu. with substantial safeguards to mini. remains safely contained in the nu. clear power reactor built and operat. ed under our regulations and controls. ; I appreciate the fact that many have
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[Nh l h h h =O V *=d-e h3/$ pp - and radioactivity appears as such an unknown. Let me assure yca that it is l Nuclear Plants Safe, Economical . not. There is always more to be learned; but wi h what we already know and what we are continually learning about radioactivity and its eEecta, we are able to proceed with mire the consequences of accidents clear fuel elements. These fuel ele, assurance in assessing the safety of in case these precautions taken to pre- ments have an extremely high integ. nuclear power plants. vent accidents should somehow fail. rity and are designed to withstand The philosophical note I should like Washdown spray systems, emergency high temperature, corrosive media, to conclude on is that-like it or not-cooling systems, internal filter sys- and rnechanical stresses and strains, we are living in the 20th century. Our tems, and - most importantly - Once the usable portion of the nu. country and the world are undergoing j large, high. integrity containment bar. clear fuel in these elements has been a period of change. We are all swept i riers, such as containment dames, of. consumed, the elements are shipped by the tide of discovery that is the j fer strong assurance that dangerous intact to remote areas for chemical re. Scientific Revolution. Nuclear power 1 amounts of radioactivity released processing. This shipment takes place is but one facet of this over all tide would be retained within the facility, under very strict regulations and con. of scientific progress. Even in less rev. Acady for Contingencies trols. Specially designed shipping olutionary periods, people have re. A word 6hould be said about the casks are used to contain, shield, and sisted the currents of change. It is. Commission's ultraconservatism in re. cool these solid fuel elements. Our ex. therefore, not surprising to me to find l actor safety considerations - which tensive experience to date is that a , program such as ours subjected to l goes so far as to postulate the extremes thousands of fuel elements have been criticism - for this as a vital part of of improbable reactor accidents in or. shipped literally across country with, our Arnerican democratic system. We, der that we might be ready for any out a single radiation injury. In the Government of this country, contingency. That this has resulted in At the remote processing plants, the should be responsive to the sound crit. some public misunderstanding is not nuclear fuels left in the fuel eternents acisms of its citazens. I believe we ~are. surprising. Never before in the pub. are separated from the radioactive .. _ . _ lic's experience has an agency respon. wastes. These radioactive wastes are sible for the protection of public then stored underground in large steel .\ .f._} o) safety gone to such extremes to al. tanks at these remote sites. The rea. 3- -I(7 ' " " ' low for every foreseeable contingency. son this kind of storage is used is that " , dD~ In contrast, there are many serious it is safe and it is the most economi. ' n. k' C rf accidents resulting from the complexi. cal way to manage the waste at pres. ties of our technological society where ent; it also preserves the long. lived 1/ c \ g [' #
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.(w the design features of the apparatus fission products for which many uses I M' or system through long tradition have are continually being discovered. For ,
l ,pOr;h^. eb t made no allowance for the very im. Our long range power program, alter. s probable occurrence - be it an explo- ' NWW nuleo,e program was sion, the bursting of a dam, or what. y
"' f- the subject of this me hng be.
In my opinion, all of us in the nu, Neen Dr. Cle nn 5.oberg and , a
.h. g.g. p,,,; dent J4n F. Ken. m.
I clear field should bear a good deal ne dy. 4. -% JANUARY,1964 o t, /
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One blistering hot day when the 1
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f NE . . . mother asked her four year-old son HnemG YOUNGSTERS to achieve theis gools in both a vocation and evecopion _I to with say grace. "But I don't know - Den Dowdell, PG A E personne! repeeientative. He,e he oddresses a g,evp what of 5J.to Missio say," the boy explained. { High students. intesented in deoiting as e ce,eer, n "Oh, just say what you hear me say," the mother replied. j _ON THE JOB Obediently, the boy bowed his head and murmured,"O, Lord, why f did I invite thos people here on a )
"** "*'""""'*e MelnGuf Mcmd for 89adoms "
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Don Dowdell Recruits Technically Trained for PG&E what used i be an easte has
. Many Bay Area high school stu- now become a mother hen. ,
dents who are confused about their engaged in a Ford Foundation proj. -Ferni si Ranch Mguno future, or who are toying with the ect to discourage school dropouts, idea of dropping out of school, often Feldman has enlisteu the aid of lus h.The fact. finding youn.gster faced fir.d a sympathetic advisor in Don- one-time mathematics student in is mother one day, askmg: aid A. Dowdell. this endeavor. Didn't Dowdell attempts by every means broughtmegou tell me the stork A member of PG&E's personnel to encourage students not only to
- department, Don's responsibility in- yes, par.,
complete high school but to go on oAnd I weighed eight pounds?,, volves filling professional and tech- to college. He uses many practical e,y ' meal positions. On his frequent illustrations to conymco boys and ow',";1, for your information," said recruiting visits to high schools and girls that continuing their education junior colleges he finds himself has practical advantages as well as the"gboy, "a stork doesn'.t have the 8pread to carry an eight pound answering all sorts of questions on d(, vocational guidance. personal gratif: cation. In 1961 he
,,-Meni.e. nun.6n A native San Franciscan, Don was one of four advisors who super.
Dowdcli has worked hard all his vised a Junior AchieveraentSome com-people's " lot in life" ap- i life. He always had an outside job pany by which they taught young- pears to be their own backyard and I while attending Polytechnic High sters the practical aspects of small business. little else. School and Cogswell Polytechnical -
-David wenvir {
Dowdcll's outside interests are College. Structural engineering tech- varied. Using his drawing. board A rooming house landlotd receiv-nolo;;y was his major subject during ed a phone call from the mother of two years at the latterschool: Armed ' ing around his Richmond home. Inskill he likes to) a college freshman. "Please keep an with an Associate in Engineering degree, he joined PG&E as a drafts- addition to participating in many eye on Albert for me," begged the man in 1957. professional personnel seminars mother "See that he gets plenty of Meticulous in detail, he became through the company, he recently sleep and doesn't drink or run a junior engineering designer with- completed a Dale Carnegie course around too much. ] in a year and by 1961 he advanced on personal improvement with his Wou,see," she added m, an ap- i to engineering designer. Seeking to wife, Cathleen. They have two t rchensive tone, "this is the firstP broaden his interests, he transferred youngsters, 1. Deidre, 5, and Dawna, ime he's been away from home-excep six months ago to the work of per. He is studying industrial manage- rines.,t for two years m the Ma-sonnel recruiting. ment and personnel relations in his ,, Among the men who have done spare time and also hopes soon to much Jo mold his character and qualify by examination for a state Los Angeles is represented by twq challenge his intellect has been engineer.in. training certificate, ulti-teams - the Dodgers and the An. Marvin J. Feldman, vice president for development at Cogswell. Now mately to achieve professional regis- gels. And with the way traffic. is tration as a civil engineer. down there you are either one or the . other.
-Humboidt
- Tim.s PG?."AE PTOgr3SS Teacher;"How would you punc-Publ shed M thly by the P.png oes end Electric C.mpany us u.a., s,.....
- s.. P,.u,,ae s. c.me.,e s.-n. a. wo ..u. ean. dollar bill on the ss.dewalk .,
v.s au ' Jimmy: "I'd mahe a dash after 4muAav. p64 w 6c : it*
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( o 1 CIR ZlH 3 MHHH7U ( Most of the plant's output will ing 26 tons daily since June,1962. go to nearby NASA rocket develop-Before man-made machines ven-litide Operls 90 Million ment projects being conducted by ture into outer space, they must be Aerojet. General Corporation and subjected to the extreme environ. Douglas Aircraft Company. mental factors they will encounter. l.iqui
.d %df0?,8D Plallt Aerojet is developing the 1.2 mil- Missile and satellite syracms are ex-lion pound thrust M 1 rocket en.
gine and Nerva, the nation's first posed in outer space to wide varia-tions in temperatures: minus 4400 nicclear powered rocket engine. The F. on the side away from the sun When U.S. astronauts zoom off to M 1 engine is expected to power up-and several hundred degrees above por stages of manned space vehicles the moon, the force that will send for interplanetary flights beyond the zero on surfaces exposed to direct solar radiation. them will be liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. moon. Douglas is working on the Since the vacuum of space is ex-Theoretically the ideal rocket S-IV second. stage Saturn vehicle treme---up to a million-billion times fuct, liquid hydrogen is stored at and the S IV.B upper stage of the greater than the highest vacuum 421 degrees below zero Fahrenheit, Saturn, gen-liquid both systems, oxygen utilizing liquid hydro- produced by conventional, earth-which is 321 degrees below the cold. The Sacramento plant will be the bound equipment, familiar piston est reading ever taken in the Arctic. third liquid hydrogen plant built b engines and turbojet engines fail A new S20 million plant, the larg. est of its kind in the free world, is Linde in California. The s company'y totally because they scheduled to begin producing liquid plant at Torrance, first privately Thus rockets are hydrogen this month near Sacra- owned and operated liquid hydrogen sion means availab plant in the U.S., has been supply- through the space vacuum. All up-mento. The plant has been built by ing NASA projects since mid 1960, per-stage space missions are to be I Union Carbide Corporation's Linde The Ontario plant has been produc- gen. handled with liquid oxygen-hydro-Division under a 7-year, S85 million liquid hydrogen supply contract @' %r-" : m with the National Aeronautics and '~~
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of West Coast acrospace programs. # -l ! This is double the output of Linde's gy jr CD W1L.'".J (9J) facility at Ontario, Californla, which has been the largest liquid hydro- {e Q C:::) Q '~; ~ gen producer in the United States. N "3 J - .h.
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1 t further purified and liquefied by re- t f - D >.% * ' b ,,g N ' .:.y. L' .' :.. fining and refrigeration. It is then C'j , .i ^. ./M transferred to a 200. ton storage s AERIAt. VIEW of th. new m I d M . % ' Q-dad M T;I d [% bid? sphere where it is held at minus 421 .t .o.... Unde Hqvid. hydrogen p;ont of Sac emento shows the many degrees. ...d to e,.a.i <m a.t < 1 sei int. e liqvid peopellent fee spec. .hkies. At top, ep.<eters it.dy control board of $20 milHea leciHty. JANUARY 1964 5 h
I J (. Recipe of the Montl1
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_j Leisurely Dining Featured at Colorful Monterey Restaurant The leisurely air of California's over a cliff on the beautiful Big Sur Here is the recipe for one of hi: carly days, when Spanish grandees coast. As word of Mr. Powers' deli- most popular appetizers. set the pace for gracious living, is cious experiments in the culinary nicely maintained in the atmosphere arts spread, he found it advisable MusignooMs A LA one finds at Gallatin's, a charming to move to the larger and less rick- CREME GEORGE restaurant located at 500 Hartncil ety Old Adobe. Street in Monterey. Gallatin's faithfully reflects its I "" " f,33 fp*o"o',hr bu Housed ... what the natives call location in the oldest section of 2 tablespoons dry sherry wine "The Old Adobe," built during the Monterey, historic capital of Calj. I cup commercisl sour cream Spanish rei,gn and lovingly restored fornia during the years before the 8 U *,",' p,',*o'd #","""*" '"" m the spirit of a mellow tradition, a,. ; i owner Gallatin Powers jokingly Gold Rush-when Californians took saut fruhir ground pepper
., boasts that lus colorful restaurant is the time to savor the good things of Clean rnushrooms; remote stems and chop ' t halfway between the hospital and life. By offering sumptuous epicur- saute caps and chopped stems in butter to '
; the jail. He admits, also, that he can dm.ners, impeccably served m* a 2 minutes. Add sherry; cook another min ute. Add sour cream, Parmesan cheese
. got into the restaurant business be. warmly attractive settmg, Gallatm, Ac. cent, salt, and pebper; blend thoroughly cause someone gave him a cookbook Powers has made his establishment Cook until sauce : .ickens; sene on buttere.
, as a gift. The first Gallatin's Was a farnous far beyond picturesque toast points. Makes 2 scrsings. (If desired serve over Engluh mufEns as a luncheos
} rickety little old shack hanging Monterey, dish. or fold into a stufry omeset.)
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'f,f NEW ROLE C O R M A N CC-] O L: D O M E GM, ,j kResearch and Treatment of Birth Defects Needed by One of Every 16 InfantWb
, ' _ . . . . - . . - . _ . . - . . . . , . Saul David is a small, brown-haired three year old -
; with a happy, friendly disposition, and devoted hard.
,, working parents who want the best in life for him. . "'
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... a tragic ditTerence. Saul David was born with multiple
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defects-heart disease, faulty vision, impaircel speech function-a whole compicx of physical misfornne. b . / ,, e m .N Something went wrong for Saul David before ?e was iV
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'e Can Saul David ever know the fun of normal boy. '
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{. A/ hood? A few years ago, the answer might have been a heartbreaking "no." Today, Saul David is talking s a p,j clearly and observing the world with normal curiosity. : Two Bay Area Centers l l-{ zl
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Q,i k* - ' 7 ~~' Q California. The second is at C l Francisco-one of two such centers serving Northern h ' <-i -
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. o a "'~~ . . - ~ d butions CR. PAUL WILSON, essoslete director of the Birth Defects Cen.
to the annual March of Dimes this month. Birth defects cripple more American children in one ter at Son Freacisco's Children's Hospital la himsell enornined as year than polio in its worst epidemic decade. They are . he enemines Soul Dovid, o patient of the centet maintained th,e.gh M.,ch or o,m s funds. the principal cause of infant mortality in the U. S.
,Just how limited this life will be is a matter for the $
child experts-pediatricians and other specialists in all d clinical fields-plus educators, psychologists, occupa. o PG&E Capacity 6,861,500 KW; tional therapists, physiotherapists, social work coun-setors, speech audiologists, and reading therapists. 4 Milh. on th Meter Installed r' PG&E recently passed a number of milestones Totol Child Conso.dered Birth Defects Centers bring these specialties together which reflect the rapid growth of Northern and under one roof for referring physicians or clinics. In Central California and the constant demand for n this setting, professional teams are able to consider the more energy, 1. The four millionth meter on the Company's gas total child and his potential-not his mental or physi- .r and electric system has been installed. It reached cal handicaps alone. His family can be counseled. e one mill,on customers in November 1928 and took Dr. Hulda E. Thelander, one of the country's fore- d most pediatricians, and director of the San Francisco 19 years to reach the second million in November Birth Defects Center, expresses its philosophy thusly: 1947. The third millionth meter was in service in "When working intimately with children who are February 1955. i. blind, deaf, halt, retarded, disturbed, deprived, and In 1963 PG&E could say that in less than eight sometimes grotesquely deformed, it is the child behind months the Company had increased its electric the handicap that emerges, and the likeness of this generating capacity by more kilowatts than in any child to all other children places the imperfections in full year in the past. The expansion of four plants a a new perspective." e and the repla, cement of two others added 825,000 The centers seek to understand birth-handicapped kilowatts for a new total of 6,861,500 kilowatts. e children, and help their parents find answers to such "Such trends call attention to the importance questions as: "What is the future of my child?" "Will
- of PG&E's electric growth rate, which compounds he be able to go to school?""Will he be able to work?"
at 7 per cent a year," Shermer L. Sibley, vice As Dr Thelander remarks: "The parents of children president and general manager,said."This is what e born with' defects have all the questions asked by the a lies behind development of a recently-announced parents of normal children--ond a thousand and one g PG&E super system which will add 15 million more!" kilowatts in a construction schedule running Yesterday, the March of Dimes found the answers through 1980." . to polio - the Salk and Sabin vaccines. Today it is .. fighting to make the birth of a normal child a certainty. ,. JANUARY,1964 7
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- m 0 A 0 ; A va a Reading'S Trinity River Gold Strike Brought Sudden, Brief Fame Like Gold Rush towns in many parts of California, Shasta's most prosperous years were from 1852 to the rise and fall of "Old Shasta" was sudden, tragic 1857 when the population reached 3,000 and as much and colorful. Oldest town in the far northern section of as S5 million in gold a year was shipped out.
California, this colorful mountain community became a Supplies moved north from Sacramento in great supply and transport center soon after Major Pierson quantities and for much of the distance the valuable Barton Reading discovered gold in abundance at the merchandise was hauled by mule. Shasta became the mouth of Clear Creek Canyon in March,1848, at what center of " Whoa Navigation" for the vast mining em. is now Reading's Bar. pire of the Trinity, Scott and Salmon rivers. There Reading arrived in California from New Jersey in were n wagon roads north of Shasta before 1856 and 1S43 and a year later was granted Buena Ventura 2,000 pack mules bore the heavy burden of traffic. Rancho. embracing 26,663 acres on the Upper Sacra. Shasta residents were hopeful that when the Central mento River, by Mexican Governor Micheltorena. Pacific Railroad pushed its tracks north from Tehama Roading served with Fremont's California Battalion it w uld serve their community. When rattroad o!!icials and helped negotiate peace terms with Mexico before dec:ded the grade from the Valley w;as too great and ending his military career in 1847. they created a new town of Reddmg m 1872, six rmles to the east, Shasta s future was doomed. By 1878 most Ness of Reading's discovery spread rapidly and pros- of the gold had been taken out and another fire de-pectora came from Oregon, Sacramento and San Fran- stroyerl a block on both sides of Main Street, cisco They were attracted by the cold springs gushing from the hills amidst unbroken forests of pine and oak County Sect Shifted which furmshed dense shade and fuel for campfires. After much controversy, two elections and a lawsuit, the county seat was transferred to Redding May 15, Colorful Camps Nearby 1858. The latter city was named for Benjamin Barnard The area became an ideal c mping place convenient Redding, of Sacramento, land agent of Central Pacific. to such rid and richly named pacers as Mad Ox Gulch, Today the old " main street" of Shasta on Highway Whiskeytown, Kettlebelly, Jakass Flat, Tin Cup 299 is a well-kept reminder of the past. The shells and Gulch, Poverty Ridge, Dog Town and Mad Mule Town. facades of what was the longest row of brick buildings When California's first 27 counties were originally in California are mute signs of yesteryear. Only the designated on February 18, 1850, Shasta was among M sonic Hall (oldest lodge m the state) and the court-them. It extended from Butte City north to Oregon house are complete buildings. and from the summit of the Coast Range to Nevada. The courthouse, built m 1855, is operated by the Lands carved from it by 1865 include what is now. State Division of Beaches and Parks. It has an excellent Modoc County and the major portions of Siskiyou c llects n f rehcs of the time, even to a reconstructed . and Tchama Counties. gaH ws m the rear. It is open daily from 8 a. m. to 5
- p. m., seven days a week.
Founded as Reading's Springs,the name was changed to Shasta City June 8,1850, and shortened to Shasta with the opening of a postoffice in 1851. This is the 27th in a series on California's official Fire, the ever present menace to mining towns, swept State IIistorical Monuments. Reprints of earlier ar. Shasta in December,1852 and an even more devastat. tic!cs may be obtained free by writing PG&E PROG. ing blaze caused S500,000 damage in 33 minutes on RESS,245 Market Street, San Francisco,94106. June 14,1853. ' 8 PGwE Progrees l
No. S-33-63 FOR RELEASE AT,12: 30 P.M. EST Tel. HAzelwood 7-7831 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7,1963 Ext. 3446 i { / a s / Rem,arksby) ,
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Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg, Chairman T U.S. Atomic Energy Commission /' '
# a.t the
'l National Convention - Sigma DS1 a Ch l . Norfolk, Virginia g
eNovember 7, 1963 ,
; /
I WHY NUCLEAR POWER?
, b Ej : i It is a pleasure for me to be here today to discuss a \ frontipr of science and technology which I believe to be of j the fdrst order of importance. It is also heartening to see in,the audience so many young candidates to the Fourth Estate.
The replenishment and growth of our journalistic ranks are, I believe, of first importance in our democratic society. All of us in the United States owe a real debt to the journalists who fought to achieve and to enlarge our democratic freedoms from the very beginnings of the Nation. Sigma Delta Chi has had a vital role in preserving this tradition of freedom over the past 54 years. Without vigor and intelligence, this freedom would soon perish; without searching inquiry into the events of the day, it would quickly erode. 1 As our society changes, reporters and editors must become familiar with new fields and new concepts. For exam-ple, the press, television, and radio now are devoting con-siderably more attention to science and technology than they were even a decade ago. The trained science writer no longer is a rarity, although I believe his ranks still need to be increased. Perhaps the greatest stimulus toward increased news coverage of science was the development of nuc] ear energy in the early 1940's. Today, I would like to review one aspect of that development -- nuclear power for peaceful uses -- from the vantage point of the present. (more) l
. ( 5 ( 1 l Some basic questions about the merits of nuclear power have been raised in recent months. The Atomic Energy Com-mission itself reviewed these questions in a study of civil-ian nuclear power made public about a year ago, and I believe 3 the conclusions of this study still are sound. The most basic question is the following: "Why should we be so concerned about developing nuclear power? After more than a decade of effort, hasn't it turned out to be just another energy source which is still more expensive than coal er oil?" This question is' inevitably followed by another one:
"Even if nuclear power will be important at some distant date, why should the Government be spending the taxpayers' money to push its development on the present time-scale ?"
Finally, there is the question: "Even if nuclear power can provide real benefits, aren't they outweighed by the risks inherent in nuclear reactors and the radioactive wastes they produce?" Full answers to these questions are neither simple nor brief. In the time available today, I can only touch on the l most important elements involved. First, nuclear power is not "just another source of energy." In some important respects, it is unique. For example, nuclear energy is independent of geography. The cost to the consumer is not so much a function of his loca-tion with respect to the source of fuel supply as is the case with conventional fuels. Because transportation costs are a substantial factor, cheap and abundant electric energy has been available only in areas relativel fields or cheap hydroelectric sources.yThe nearcosts coalofortrans-oil portation of nuclear fuels are insignificant, so that the cost of power produced from this source is independent of its proximity to its fuel supply. When one considers the , large areas both here and abroad which have been hampered in industrial growth by distance from supplies of conven-tional fuel, it takes little imagination to understand the potential significance of nuclear power. Conventional generating plants, burning fossil fuels, inject the products of combustion into the atmosphere, add-ing to the increasing amount of industrial wastes in the air we breathe. No one has much information today on just how this contamination of the atmosphere may affect the public I health, but there is no doubt that it can be hazardous. As I I 3 (more) i i l i _______ D
t t L Senator Ribicoff pointed out in a'recent magazine article, heavy smog in a locality can result in a mortality rate hun-dreds above the normal expectancy. Nuclear power plants do not place these chemicals in.the l atmosphere. I am sure many of you are thinking: "But what about the radioactivity they produce?" I will discuss this in more detail later, and at this point will say only that very little of the radioactivity produced in a nuclear reac-tor ever.gets into the atmosphere, that any radioactive releases are carefully controlled and monitored, and that they do not add significantly to the natural radiation which always is present everywhere. Nuclear energy differs in another important way from other energy sources. It is far more abundant; in comparison t with the energy resources in coal, gas, and oil reserves, the energy supply locked in uranium and thorium - the nuclear fuel materials - is almost limitless. Sound national manage-ment of our energy resources would seem to dictate the early development of the great energy reserve in u'anium r and tho- ) rium. This is particularly true when one considers the grow-ing importance of the fossil fuels for uses other than electrical generation and heating. Coal has extensive indus- ' trial uses, such as in the reduction of iron ore and the pro-duction of synthetic chemicals. Oil and gasoline are essential for fueling small mobile power plants, such as those in automobiles, trucks, locomotives, and aircraft, which are not likely ever to use nuclear fuels directly. It , seems wasteful to burn coal and oil for heat at a rapidly- i increasing rate when we know that they are irreplaceable and that they some day will be depleted - even if that day is far in the future. In our free society, we do not ordinarily require an i industrial firm to use one fuel rather than another. But as nuclear power plants become more attractive economically, we can expect that industry will turn increasingly toward l nuclear power for sound business reasons, as some have I already done. One result of this trend will be the conser- I vation of the fossil hydrocarbons of coal, oil, and gas for 1 those purposes to which they are uniquely suited. This brings me to my final point in listing the ways in i which nuclear energy is more than just another source of l energy. This point is one of economics - the dollars and I cents cost of the power used in our factories and homes. I )' have already noted that nuclear power is independent of (more) - ____-____ - ____. -_ A
t 1 l 1 I Senator Ribicoff pointed out in a recent magazine article, heavy smog in a locality can result in a mortality rate hun-dreds above the normal expectancy. Nuclear power plants do not place these chemicals in the . atmosphere. I-am sure many of you are thinking: "But what-about the radioactivity they produce?" I will discuss this-in more detail later, and at this point will say only that very little of the radioactivity produced in a nuclear reac-tor ever gets into the atmosphere, that any radioactive releases are carefully controlled and monitored, and that they do not add significantly to the natural radiation which always is present everywhere. Nuclear energy differs in another important way from other energy sources. It is far more abundant; in comparison with the energy resources in coal, gas, and oil reserves, the energy supply locked in uranium and thorium - the nuclear fuel materials - is almost limitless. Sound national manage-ment of our energy resources would seem to dictate the early development of the great energy reserve in u'anium r and tho-rium. This is particularly true when one considers the grow-ing importance of the fossil fuels for uses other than electrical generation and heating. Coal has extensive indus-trial uses, such as in the reduction of iron ore and the pro-duction of synthetic chemicals. Oil and gasoline are essential for fueling small mobile power plants, such as those in automobiles, trucks, locomotives, and aircraft, which are not likely ever to use nuclear fuels directly. It seems wasteful to burn coal and oil for heat at a rapidly-increasing rate when we know that they are irreplaceable and that they some day will be depleted - even if that day is far in the future. In our free society., we do not ordinarily require an industrial firm to use one fuel rather than another. But as nuclear power plants become more attractive economically, we can expect that industry will turn increasingly toward nuclear power for sound business reasons, as some have already done. One result of this trend will be the conser-vation of the fossil hydrocarbons of coal, oil, and gas for those purposes to which they are uniquely suited. This brings me to my final point in listing the ways in which nuclear energy is more than just another source of energy. This point is one cf economics - the dollars and cents cost of the power used in our factories and homes. I have already noted that nuclear power is independent of (more)
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1 geographic location, so that it will tend to eliminate high-cost power areas. It also.has another economic advantage: as the size of nuclear power plants is increased, they become more and more economic in comparison with conventionally-fueled plants. As a general rule, the capital costs of nuclear power plants are somewhat higher than those of conventional plants, but the fuel costs are lower with the net result that nuclear power is competitive where the cost of fossil fuel s is high. In larger size plant s. , the capital cost differential over ' fossil-fueled plants becomes less, and the nuclear plants can compete in areas vihere the cost of fossil fuels is relatively lower. Dual-purpose power plants ranging from medium to very large size now are under study for use in the production of electricity and the desalting of water - an increasing impor-tant neec in various parts of this country and abroad. Such plants could be used to produce fresh water from the sea. Nuclear power, especially as plant size increases, would appear to be more attractive than conventional power for the plant s of this type which eventually may be required. Even a small reduction in the cost of electricity will mean large savings to the public. Each reduction of one-tenth of a mill in the average cost of power will be worth a total of about $15 billion to the citizens of our country by the year 2000. The savings will pay many times over the ini-tial development costs of nuclear power. There is reason to believe that nuclear power has already contributed to reduc-tion in delivered prices of power produced by fossil fuels because of its impending competition. These considerations also relate to the second question I mentioned earlier, which is: "Why, if nuclear energy is so economically attractive, is it necessary that the Government finance and support such a large effort on the present time-scale, and why is not industry allowed to develop nuclear energy at its own pace and as fast as its economic need dictates?" One needs also to consider this question against the his-torical background. We should realize that a government-l sponsored reactor development program would have to be carried out in any case to meet military needs, whether or not any gov-ernment support was given to civilian nuclear power. The rea-son for the development of reactors was for the production of (more)
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5-plutonium for weapons; later, the heat of a reactor was uti-lized to produce power for such military needs as our naval propulsion program. To those critics who mig'ht think that substantially cur-tailing the civilian nuclear power program would save the taxpayer billions of dollars a. year, let me point out that expenditures directly applicable to civilian nuclear power are only about five per cent of the Atomic Energy Commission's total annual' budget of about $3 billion. I, myself, prefer to look at these expenditures for civilian nuclear power in a positive sense. After all, in these days of national concern about the " spin-off" of bene-fits- fr'om our defense and space research and development efforts, io not civilian nuclear power a successful " spin-off" from our weapons and military reactor programs? I believe that the expenditures made by the Atomic Energy Commission to bring the benefits of nuclear energy into the mainstream of American industry have been worth every cent. There are at least two other points that should be con-sidered in examining the basis for Government support of nuclear energy. After nuclear energy was harnessed in the wartime Manhattan Project, it was strongly felt that it should be kept under the control of the Government because of its weapons implications. Later, when it was decided to pursue the peaceful development of power reactors, it was recognized that the development costs would be larger than any one indus-trial concern could bear by itself and that it was altogether proper people. for the Government to undertake it on behalf of all our Some critics say that the Atomic Energy Commission is proceeding on a " crash" program to develop nuclear power; other critics say we are going at a far too leisurely pace. However, I would point out that in many of the developed coun-tries of the world, with nuclear energy programs more or less independent of ours, such as that of the Soviet Union, one sees a very similar time-scale of development. mented There upon is one and nuance that in this question I have not yet com-concerns ress. This time-scale is not very the rate of technological prog-different from that fore-seen by most of the scientists and engineers in the nuclear i energy program 20 years ago. Much of the early optimism about nuclear energy was generated, not by these people, but by the popularization of an eye-catching scientific phenomenon which (more) I l
e ( ( l was splashed in the headlines in all the world's newspapers on the announcement of its birth at Hiroshima. I have never felt that nuclear power could be soundly developed on any-thing less than the present time-scale; in fact, it is devel-oping on a faster time-scale than I had expected! It has been a relatively short time-scale when one considers that the first reactor was completed in 1942, the first electricity was produced by a reactor in 1951, and the first atomic power station in continuous operation began in 1954. Today, reac-tors in this country alone are producing about one million kilowatts of power and an additional capacity of about two million kilowatts is either under construction or firmly planne i - and the .latter almost entirely at the utilities' expense. That seems quite a remarkable achievement for only a 20-year period. ' I might add, in concluding this question on the Govern-ment's role, that the Atomic Energy Commission in some ways is a unique Government agency - one trying to work itself out of a job. Our main effort in the civilian nuclear energy field, as I have said, is to transfer the technology of nuclear energy into the mainstream of American industry. As a reactor type is developed to the point where it can be succ.essfully and economically.used, then we' propose gradually to withdraw Government support. This phasing out is already happening in the case of the water-cooled and water-moderated reactors which now appear to be almost economically competi-tive in the high-cost fuel areas of this country. I believe i that the proper role for the Atomic Energy Commission in future years lies in the research and development of promis-ing converter reactors and of new and advanced reactor types, such as the breeder reactor about which so much has been said of late. In addition, the Commission is pressing for the private ownership of nuclear fuel materials to permit nuclear energy to take its place in the normal pattern of our free enterprise system. The final question I would deal with today is one that is often raised about nuclear energy - the risk and hacards of its radioactive products. It is unfortunate that the peace-ful uses of nuclear energy were preceded by the wartime weapons development. To many people, I am sure, nuclear energy is the A-bomb or the H-bomb. But if one examines the facts in the matter, one would find immediately that our i nuclear industry has one of the best safety records in the country. In about 20 years of operation of reactors of various types, there has not been a single accident that has caused any known injury to the public outside of AEC plant (more)
Y ( ( l 7-areas; and the safety record of personnel working inside AEC-contractor plants has been phenomenally good. This safety record is no accident, but is the result of a very careful analysis and control at every stage of nuclear activity. The Commission's own concern for the public health and safety has always been predominant. In addition, the power reactor program has been and is being conducted virtually in a goldfish bowl open to continual public scrutiny as well as to frequent review and evaluation by various private and pub-lic bodies, including the Congress. The Commission has always followed an ultraconservative approach with respect to safety. We believe this has been mandatory. As more operating experience is obtained from our many programs presently under way, and as additional data are derived from our safety research and development programs, it is clear tha' this degree of conservatism can be reduced and a more realistic approach adopted. But I must emphasize that this reduction of conservatism which I foresee in'the years to come will not'in any way compromise the public health and safety. Much of the concern over nuclear reactors relates to the familiar question of how near to a populated area such a nu-clear plant can safely be operated. One of the factors which gi.ves rise to the question is the understandable desire on the part of the utilities to minimize the distance between any electrical power plant and its load center. Figures as extreme as $2 million per mile have been mentioned for the construc-tion of electrical transmission lines in a metropolitan area. If the power plant is also to be used for the supply of low-pressure steam for space heating, long distances become completely infeasible. We at the Atomic Energy Commission understand the utilities' economic reasons for wanting to build nuclear plants near their load centers. We must be sure, however, that if this is permitted the safety of the public would not be compromised. The Atomic Energy Commission recognizes that in the oper-ation of a nuclear reactor a potential risk is involved, as there is in almost every other activity in our technological civilization. Radioactivity is generated within the reactor as heat energy is released from the nuclear fuel. To protect against this potential hazard, adequate n.easures must be taken to ensure that such a potentiality will never be realized. ,
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_s_ j 1 From the normal operations of a nuclear plant and in the day-to-day activities carried on therein, there is no signif-icant hazard to the peop.le who work in the plant or to the public outside. It is customary in.most large reactors for a small quantity of radioactive waste gases and liquids at exceedingly low concentrations to be released at a controlled rate into the environment. The level of such releases is set by Federal regulations, on the basis of the best advice available from experts in this field, to be only a small per-centage of the normal level of radiation which is naturally present in the environment, such as from ever-present cosmic rays. The principal potential hazard of more serious propor-tions which must be guarded against in nuclear reactors is the possibility that an unintended quantity of radioactive material might be released accidentally and find its way into
, inhabited areas. There are two major lines of defense against this possibility. First, extensive safeguards are provided to prevent accidents. Extraordinary measures are taken in incorporating these safeguards into the design, construction, and operation of nuclear reactors. Further, these safeguards are subject to four rigorous evaluations --
by the AEC's regulatory staff, by the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, by atomic safety and licensing boards, and, finally, by the Commission itself. In addition, peri-odic inspections are made of the reactor throughout its life-time. Secondly, all reactors are provided with substantial safeguards to minimize the consequences of accidents in case these precautions taken to prevent accidents should somehow fail. Washdown spray systems, emergency cooling systems, internal filter systems, and - most importantly - large, high-integrity containment barriers, such as containment domes, offer strong assurance that dangerous amounts of radioactiv-ity released would be retained within the facility. A word should be said about the Commission's ultracon-servatism in reactor safety considerations - which goes so far as to postulate the extremes of improbable reactor accidents in order that we might be ready for any contingency. That this has resulted in some public misunderstanding is not surprising. Never before in the public's experience has an agency responsible for the protection of public safety gone to such extremes to allow for every foreseeable contingency. In contrast, there are many serious accidents resulting from the complexities of our technological society where the (more)
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, L design features of the apparatus or system through long tra-dition have made no allowance for the very improbable occur- i rence - be it an explosion, the bursting of a dam, or whatever.
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In my opinion, all of us in the nuclear field should ] bear a good deal of the responsibility for this misunderstand-ing by the general public; our use of technical jargon can be misleading. The care which we often take to avoid saying something which is not exactly precise often misleads the layman more than would a less cautious, but more intelligible statement. For example, we term such reactor accidents as the " maximum credible accident" when from the standpoint of l ordinary language it might better be termed the incredible accident. Perhaps it could best be summed up by saying: The prob-ability of a serious accident is extremely low. The likeli-hood of a dangerous consequence should a serious accident occur is even lower. The possibilities for such improbable accidents in many other areas of our technological society are not given equivalent attention. ! One additional concern expressed by some about reactor cafety focuses upon the so-called high-level wastes of reac- 1 tors and their ultimate disposal. Essentially all the radio- 1 activity produced in a civilian nuclear power plant remains i safely contained in the nuclear fuel elements. These fuel ' elements have an extremely high integrity and are designed to withstand high temperature, corrosive media, and mechan-ical stresses and strains. ~ Once-the usable portion of the nuclear fuel in these elements has been ' consumed, the ele-ments are shipped intact to remote areas for chemical reprocessing. This shipment takes place under very strict regulations and controls. -Specially designed shipping casks are used to contain, shield, and cool these solid fuel ele-ments. Our extensive experience to date is that thousands of fuel elements have been shipped literally across country without a single radiation injury. At the remote processing plants, the nuclear fuels left in the fuel elements are separated from the radioactive , wastes. These radioactive wastes are then stored underground I in large steel tanks at these remote sites. The reason this kind of storage is used is that it is safe and it is the most economical way to manage the waste at present; it also pre-serves the long-lived fission products for which many uses are continually being discovered. For our long-range power program, alternate means of disposal are being extensively l (more) l
J-I ny. investigated. These have_ progressed to the pilot plant and demonstration phase. All indications are that practical and economical full-scale plants for ultimate disposal of these materials are well within present technology.
-The nuclear energy industry, unlike many other industrial and even community developments in this country, recognized at its earliest stage the-very essential requirement that its wastes-be managed in a way to assure no adverse effect on man.
and his environment. Ours was a preventive-approach - we did not allow a situation to develop in which a curative approach would be necessary. Perhaps I can best summarize my feelings about the safety of these power reactors by saying that I would live next door to the atom. I would not fear having my family residence within the vicinity of a modern nuclear power reactor built and operated under our regulations and controls. I appreciate the fact- that many have an Unreasoning fear of the unknown - and radioactivity appears as such an unknown. Let me assure you that it is not. There is always more to be learned; but with what we already know and what we are continually learn-ing about radioactivity and its effects, we are able'to pro-ceed with assurance in assessing the safety of nuclear power plants. There are of course many factors that must be con-sidered in approving the location of any particular nuclear power plant; therefore, my remarks today are addressed only 4, to the general subject of reactor safety; and I, of course, am not speaking about any particular plant. Let me conclude my remarks today by noting a few things I have not mentioned. I have not pointed out other aspects of the Atomic Energy Commission's program - the other 95 per-cent of the budgetary expenditures. These include, as you know, the development and production of weapons, which account for the major fraction of these monies, and also the conduct of basic research at universities and national laboratories, the development of nuclear rockets and nuclear power sources for our national space program, aid to education and training of our country's young scientists and engineers, and the development of other nuclear energy by-products such as ) radioisotopes which have had an immense impact on medicine, agriculture, and industry. I have not mentioned the impor- ; tance of this country's leadership in the nuclear energy ; field - in the worldwide struggle for men's minds. l The philosophical note I should like to conclude on is that - like it or not - we are living in the 20th century. Our country and the world are undergoing a period of change. (more) i l
f ( .( We are all swept by the tide of discovery that is the Scien-tific Revolution. Nuclear power is but one facet of this over-all. tide of scientific progress. Even in less revolu-tionary periods, people have resisted the currents of change. It is, therefore, not surprising to me to find a program i such as ours subjected to criticism - for this is a vital part of our American democratic system. W'e, in the Govern-ment of this country, should be responsive to the sound criticisms of its citizens. I believe we are. 11/6/63 j l
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