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"In emergency preparedness actions at a nuclear power plant, the worst end result is always prepared for until proven otherwise." Yet they don't mention why the

"In emergency preparedness actions at a nuclear power plant, the worst end result is always prepared for until proven otherwise." Yet they don't mention why they didn't notify the local and national authorities immediately when they noticed the disturbance, which delayed the authorities' preparedness. Do we have a culture where the plant operator tries to hide some things from the authorities in case "it was nothing"? I can't find a good reference in English, but here (towards the end) they mention how it took several hours before the local authorities were informed: https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/finland-news/domestic/18428-finland-s-stuk-gives-go-ahead-for-reactor-re-start-at-olkiluoto-nuclear-power-plant.html https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/finland-news/domestic/1... Some more details of the physics and chemistry in the disturbance can be found in this memo of the authorities (in Finnish): https://www.stuk.fi/documents/12547/1285302/Esittelymuistio_STUK__OL2__Kylm%C3%A4seisokki_reaktoripikasulun_j%C3%A4lkeen__k%C3%A4ynnistyslupahakemus.pdf/c1d4eabd-76a8-4bbc-79e0-82c2bfeba02f https://www.stuk.fi/documents/12547/1285302/Esittelymuistio_...

marcusverus 6y ago
> ...the activity levels (radiation levels) of the steam moving through the main steam lines momentarily rose to about 3 to 4 times higher compared with the normal activity level. The momentary increase of the activity level in the main steam lines caused the automatic isolation of the containment, the so-called i-isolation. This is one of the safety functions of the plant, and it's job is to isolate the reactor's containment and the reactor so that no radiation can reach the environment. The i-isolation is designed to operate in the case of an internal pipe leakage or significant fuel damage. In this case, the cause was neither. The i-isolation automatically initiates water spraying in the containment and a reactor trip, among other things. As a result of a reactor trip, all the control rods automatically go inside the reactor, and the chain reaction stops. The way I read this is--there was a very brief rise in the radioactivity of the steam in the pipeline, which kicked off the shut down of the plant. There was no indication of a larger issue, no indication that lives were in danger. In other words, the professionals on the scene had reason to believe it was nothing--and they were correct. While the public certainly have a right to know if they are at risk, plant operators in this situation have an obligation to communicate in very careful manner. After all, in the era of social media, one hysterical politician could set off a mass panic via twitter. Far better, if the situation is in hand, to get things into an easily explainable safe state before communicating with the excitable non-experts.
- tuukkah 6y ago
  I was talking about notifying the authorities. The plant started emergency procedures but somehow informing the authorities wasn't part of it at first. Nuclear power is allowed to operate only because of official oversight and it should not be up to the operating company to decide whether the officials should hear of an exceptional situation and after which delay.
  - azalemeth 6y ago
    In aviation, the relevant phrase is "aviate, navigate, communicate", in that order. I wonder if the design here is that you ascertain facts and follow a protocol promptly, before communicating their results?
- antattack 6y ago
  It seems to me that big issue right now is that things inside of plant that are usually dry were exposed to water. I also wonder if particles of dissolved filter can be filtered out or got stuck onto the walls of the plumbing system and could cause issues at later time with sensors or cause another radiation spike.
buzer 6y ago
> Yet they don't mention why they didn't notify the local and national authorities immediately when they noticed the disturbance, which delayed the authorities' preparedness. It took several hours for some local authorities (the local city is the one named in article). National radiation safety authority received the notification in about half an hour (12.22 situation happened, 12.32 company initiated their emergency procedures, STUK received the information around 13.00, first public notice went out at 13.28). https://www.stuk.fi/-/olkiluodon-hairiotilanne-laitos-on-vakaassa-tilassa https://www.stuk.fi/-/olkiluodon-hairiotilanne-laitos-on-vak... https://www.stuk.fi/-/hairiotilanne-olkiluodon-ydinvoimalaitoksessa https://www.stuk.fi/-/hairiotilanne-olkiluodon-ydinvoimalait... It's also not very clear who was responsible for notifying other authorities. If it was operator, STUK should probably also add a confirmation step on their process ("Have you informed X, Y, Z?").
- tuukkah 6y ago
  My point exactly: they don't mention any of this. I would very much like to hear how it takes half an hour to make a phone call, send a text ("We have an exceptional situation here although we believe it's nothing significant. Will tell you more in 30 latest.") or whatever to alert the authorities so that they can finish their lunch or whatever it takes to start their procedures and be prepared to hear more.

marcusverus 6y ago

> ...the activity levels (radiation levels) of the steam moving through the main steam lines momentarily rose to about 3 to 4 times higher compared with the normal activity level. The momentary increase of the activity level in the main steam lines caused the automatic isolation of the containment, the so-called i-isolation. This is one of the safety functions of the plant, and it's job is to isolate the reactor's containment and the reactor so that no radiation can reach the environment. The i-isolation is designed to operate in the case of an internal pipe leakage or significant fuel damage. In this case, the cause was neither. The i-isolation automatically initiates water spraying in the containment and a reactor trip, among other things. As a result of a reactor trip, all the control rods automatically go inside the reactor, and the chain reaction stops. The way I read this is--there was a very brief rise in the radioactivity of the steam in the pipeline, which kicked off the shut down of the plant. There was no indication of a larger issue, no indication that lives were in danger. In other words, the professionals on the scene had reason to believe it was nothing--and they were correct. While the public certainly have a right to know if they are at risk, plant operators in this situation have an obligation to communicate in very careful manner. After all, in the era of social media, one hysterical politician could set off a mass panic via twitter. Far better, if the situation is in hand, to get things into an easily explainable safe state before communicating with the excitable non-experts.

tuukkah 6y ago
I was talking about notifying the authorities. The plant started emergency procedures but somehow informing the authorities wasn't part of it at first. Nuclear power is allowed to operate only because of official oversight and it should not be up to the operating company to decide whether the officials should hear of an exceptional situation and after which delay.
- azalemeth 6y ago
  In aviation, the relevant phrase is "aviate, navigate, communicate", in that order. I wonder if the design here is that you ascertain facts and follow a protocol promptly, before communicating their results?
antattack 6y ago
It seems to me that big issue right now is that things inside of plant that are usually dry were exposed to water. I also wonder if particles of dissolved filter can be filtered out or got stuck onto the walls of the plumbing system and could cause issues at later time with sensors or cause another radiation spike.

buzer 6y ago

> Yet they don't mention why they didn't notify the local and national authorities immediately when they noticed the disturbance, which delayed the authorities' preparedness. It took several hours for some local authorities (the local city is the one named in article). National radiation safety authority received the notification in about half an hour (12.22 situation happened, 12.32 company initiated their emergency procedures, STUK received the information around 13.00, first public notice went out at 13.28). https://www.stuk.fi/-/olkiluodon-hairiotilanne-laitos-on-vakaassa-tilassa https://www.stuk.fi/-/olkiluodon-hairiotilanne-laitos-on-vak... https://www.stuk.fi/-/hairiotilanne-olkiluodon-ydinvoimalaitoksessa https://www.stuk.fi/-/hairiotilanne-olkiluodon-ydinvoimalait... It's also not very clear who was responsible for notifying other authorities. If it was operator, STUK should probably also add a confirmation step on their process ("Have you informed X, Y, Z?").

tuukkah 6y ago
My point exactly: they don't mention any of this. I would very much like to hear how it takes half an hour to make a phone call, send a text ("We have an exceptional situation here although we believe it's nothing significant. Will tell you more in 30 latest.") or whatever to alert the authorities so that they can finish their lunch or whatever it takes to start their procedures and be prepared to hear more.