The Nuclear Option

A few weeks back, we visited two very different power-producting plants as part of my Energy Industry group's studies.

The first was the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station http://www.exeloncorp.com/powerplants/peachbottom/Pages/profile.aspx, which is a two-unit nuclear generation facility located on the west bank of the Conowingo Pond (Susquehanna River) in Delta, Pennsylvania.  Each of the plant's two units generate over 1000MW (2000MW total) --- enough to generate electricity for more than 2 million homes.  Nuclear power plants like these are basically a steam power plant that is fueled by a radioactive element (e.g., uranium). The highly toxic fuel is placed in a reactor, where, under the right conditions, the atom will split into two smaller atoms and throw off two or sometimes three neutrons in the process. The splitting process, known as fission, releases great amounts of energy in the form of gamma rays. This energy is used to heat water until it turns to steam. From here, the mechanics of a steam power plant take over, very similar to that of, for example, a coal-burning power plant. The steam pushes on large turbines, which force coils of wire to interact with a magnetic field, thus generating electricity. 

In the US, nuclear power plants like this one contribute about 8% of our overall energy needs, and about 20% of our electricity needs --- our AEP bill's "environmental disclosure" statement indicates that about 15% of our Rockbridge home's electricity comes from nuclear power generation (80-85% from coal-burning power plants and the rest from hydro and natural gas).  There are no new nuclear plants being planned in the US...why do you suppose that is?  China, on the other hand, is building many more nuclear power plants to provide electricity for their growing population and economy, and France, which relies on nuclear energy for 68% of their energy needs, continues to invest in nuclear power.  Which country's plan is best?

One thing I've not yet figured out in my own mind is --- how "green" is nuclear energy?  It doesn't release carbon into the environment like burning fossil fuels (a great thing!), but there is this thing called nuclear waste that needs dealt with.  For the US, the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste storage site was the answer, but after spending a LOT of money, in 2009 the administration announced that the site was no longer an option and proposed to eliminate all funding (which has prompted inquiries from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).  We'll see what happens. 

Sorry there's no pictures associated with this post...I didn't want to get shot!  As you might imagine, security at the nuclear plant was incredible.  Having dealt with and visited many labs that work with hazardous materials (chemical, biological), I've witnessed security, but this was a notch above what I was accustomed to!...AK-47-toting guards, elevated shooting stands, the works! 

I'll have to write about my hydro power plant visit another time...

The Hill

Capitol Hill Visit

Spent Friday (21 January) on Capitol Hill with my 15 “Energy Seminar”-mates and our four professors.  The Hill was somewhat sparse when we were there…seems the Congressman and Senators were on recess that Friday. 

Throughout the day, we met with panels of professional “staffers” that support and advise their respective House and Senate members on various energy issues.  It was very informative to get their perspective on issues related to energy and gain insight on the realities of the role that “politics” and the legislative process play on developing policy.  For example...as you probably know, our highway infrastructure is maintained via a gas tax that feeds a trust fund that in turn funds highway improvements and maintenance.  What do you suppose happens to the value of the trust fund as cars get more efficient and need less gas?...as more people use metros and other forms of mass transit?...as we move towards electric cars?  Can you believe that this is a big reason that we (as a nation) aren’t leading the world in more efficient and effective transportation technologies (while other countries ARE taking the lead)?

After lunch in the “House Restaurant”, we visited the Congressional Research Service (CRS), which is the group of 750-or-so non-partisan smart people that act as the House and Senate’s research arm.  Over the course of the past five months, I’ve read (or skimmed, or had in my possession) dozens of reports from this group.  I made some good contacts there that should help as I write my individual and group energy research paper this semester.

Did you know that there’s a “mini-metro” system that connects the Capitol Building with surrounding buildings that contain individual offices, etc.?  Without it, there’d be some very long walks for some of our elder statesmen and stateswomen. 

Perhaps the biggest “take-home” for me was the response we got from the Staffers to the question “When does the nation’s interests, as a whole, trump the interests of a Congressman or Senator’s district?”  In a nutshell, the answer was “never.”  Quite a sobering realization as we consider long-term policy issues such as those for sustainable Energy (or Environment, or Education, etc.).  How can the best strategic decisions for the nation be made when each one of our policy makers is mostly worried about being hired for another term?  I wish I could find the JFK quotation from when he took office in the Senate (unfortunately I couldn't find it).  To paraphrase, he said that he believed that the people who elected him did so with an expectation that he would put his talents to use to serve the the NATION's interests, not his own and not necessarily just his state's - and that's what he intended to do!  I'm not so sure that our elected officials think that way any more...

Panama!

Spent a long weekend (Friday through Monday, January 14 to 17) in Panama to study - first hand - an important "third world" (many would say 2nd world) country that is vital to transporting a good portion of the world's commerce. 

We stayed at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort which is, to no great surprise, located in the middle of the Gamboa Rainforest (http://www.gamboaresort.com/).  Very nice place, but truly in the middle of nowhere...we spent a lot of time on a bus from one ocean to the other with “Uncle Marty” as our guide most of the way.

While in Panama, I was most struck by the sheer size of the canal "system"...the network is huge (relative to what I knew about it before going there), spanning 80 km in total length...it takes anywhere from 24 to 36 hours to pass from ocean to ocean, and costs upwards of $250,000 to pass through (depending upon ship size and contents).  Of course, the cost is worth it in time and treasure, as the canal cuts thousands of miles off of transport routes that would otherwise need to go around the southern tip of South America.  Much of the canal system is the larger Gatun Lake (which sits 26 meters above sea level) and the smaller Miraflores Lake (which sits about 16 meters above sea level)...but what makes ocean-to-ocean transit work is the series of locks that raise and lower the huge ships to the levels of the lakes, and the huge man-made trenches that connect the oceans to the locks and the the lakes.  Besides the few pix I've included here, there are some great pictures, schematics, and videos at http://www.pancanal.com/ .  There’s also some great videos on YouTube…this is one of my favorites because it’s from the perspective of a passenger on a ship as it traverses 80 km from ocean to ocean (http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_655031&v=fA-pnN54uPw&feature=iv ).  Here’s another good time-lapsed video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeJRJEI4AUM&feature=related ).



Ship from Atlantic Ocean enters the Gatun Lock.



Water being held back by one of three sets of huge doors at the Gatun Lock.

Ship traversing Miraflores Lock, from the Miraflores Lake to the Pacific Ocean

Before going to Panama, I didn't know why "we" (the United States) handed over the canal to Panama (since building it in the early 1900s, we militarily occupied Panama and owned the entire Canal Zone)...I thought it showed weakness on our part and figured that we gave up this very strategic economic and national security asset for no good reason.  I've changed my mind.  Since the United States turned the canal over to the Panamanians in 1999, it seems they have done a great job of running the canal operation like a business, and it seems to be really helping their people out.  Their economy is growing rapidly…don’t get me wrong, they’re still poor (GDP per capita of ~$11,000 compared to USA’s ~$46,000), but they’re growing.  They are currently investing $billions to add new lanes to the canal to accommodate even bigger ships, and make more money to pour into the country's infrastructure and other needs.

We spent most of our time touring the locks.  On Sunday morning, however, we had some down time.  A few of my friends and I attended mass in a very old and run-down church.  We were blessed with a deacon who spoke English as well as Spanish, and we (six of us and about ten "native" Gamboans) celebrated a wonder bilingual mass.  I was very surprised that there weren't more people there...after all, Roman Catholicism is the primary religion in Panama as it is in much of Central America.  Later that morning, a friend and I trekked into the rainforest on our own in search of monkeys and toucans.  We didn't get too far...maybe a 1/2 mile or so until it was just too dang thick to get through any more...

Catholic Church in the impoverished rainforest community.

Inside the church building, the six of us Americans celebrated mass with about 10 of the natives.

My friend Dan and I made a new friend - Deacon Robert Gillet. 

Matt doing some "marketing" for Shaw Real Estate in the middle of the Gamboan Rainforest.

 

The trip was great…certainly a “once in a lifetime” opportunity for a Hocking County boy!