Catch 22

Does it seem to anyone else that there is a Catch 22 here? It seems from recent NRC statements that the the NRC plans to keep nuclear plants operating IN SPITE OF regulations rather than shut them down if they arent fully Y2K compliant. Could it be that the NRC CANNOT shut down the nuclear plants (unless there is a clear and immediate emergency) without the risk that the drop in generating capacity would cause offsite power to go down, which in turn would be a STATION BLACKOUT situation which would be a BAD THING for maintaining the safety of the core and the cooling pools.

Station Blackout: http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/NUREGS/SR0933/SEC2/a44r1.html

We have come to recognize that nuclear power plants are not islands. The plants rely upon stable electrical distribution systems to support steady-state operations. Symbiotically, stable distribution systems rely on the collective output of generating facilities. In a very real sense then, we all are dependent on the stability of one another. NRC Chairman DR. Shirley Jackson February 9, 1999

http://www.tmia.com/Y2K.htm#NRC

And if the NRC cannot risk shutting down a nuclear plant, then there is no effective "R" in NRC. Perhaps that is why they are allowing exceptions to the July 1st deadline. Perhaps that is why their statements sound so mushmouth (because they have no teeth). Perhaps that is why Dr. Shirley Jackson is resigning effective July 1st. No point in waiting around for the results after July 1st if the NRC cant do anything about it anyway. If they dont plan to hold anyone to the deadline and they have no intentions of shutting anyone down, then perhaps she decided they they could do nothing without her.

Got KI?

Linda

"We keep our fingers crossed, our cheeks tight, our toes curled, and we look forward to that "E ticket" ride into the new millennium." John Anderson - Y2K News Radio http://www.y2knews.org/

-- Anonymous, June 22, 1999