World

What a Power Cutoff Could Mean for Chernobyl’s Nuclear Waste

Published

3 years ago

March 10, 2022

What a Power Cutoff Could Mean for Chernobyl’s Nuclear Waste

In contrast to an working nuclear plant, which might use a few of the electrical energy it generates to energy its operation, the long-defunct Chernobyl plant in Ukraine is totally depending on exterior sources of electrical energy.

So when that energy is lower, as Ukrainian officers and the Worldwide Atomic Vitality Company say it has been by Russian troops, issues may result.

As of Wednesday Chernobyl, the scene of the worst nuclear catastrophe in historical past when one among its 4 reactors exploded and burned 36 years in the past, is working primarily on energy from diesel turbines. A former longtime worker of the plant with data of circumstances there mentioned that some gear was performing on battery energy as nicely, and that firefighting techniques, in addition to radiation monitoring, had been affected.

The I.E.A.E. mentioned Wednesday that it noticed “no vital affect on security” on the advanced. However what might occur if all these backups failed and Chernobyl was left with no energy in any respect?

The Chernobyl plant got here on-line within the late Nineteen Seventies, with the completion of its first two reactors. By 1983 the third and fourth items have been working, together with the one which was destroyed three years later.

That accident, the results of an ill-advised and ill-executed take a look at, killed greater than two dozen folks in its rapid aftermath, most from publicity to excessive ranges of radiation. The burning reactor core produced a plume of radioactive particles that unfold throughout elements of Europe, and lots of extra folks suffered long-term results, together with cancers, from publicity.

Contamination was worst in a big a part of Ukraine and Belarus across the plant, which was declared an “exclusion zone” and stays largely off limits. Villages and a metropolis have been completely deserted.

The plant’s remaining three reactors have been finally shut down, the final in 2000. The nuclear gasoline has been faraway from all of them, and the generators and different gear that generated energy have principally been eliminated.

With no working reactors on the plant, there is no such thing as a threat of a core meltdown as there can be if an working plant misplaced energy and will not flow into water by the reactor. That is what occurred on the Fukushima reactors in Japan in 2011, when an earthquake and tsunami worn out backup energy techniques.

However Chernobyl carries another dangers associated to the massive quantity of nuclear waste on web site.

The gasoline inside a reactor finally turns into used up and is changed. As is frequent apply within the nuclear energy business, the gasoline faraway from all 4 Chernobyl reactors through the years, greater than 20,000 assemblies in all, is saved in swimming pools of water that dissipate the warmth produced because the gasoline decays radioactively. When gasoline is newly faraway from a reactor and continues to be extremely radioactive, there may be a whole lot of decay and thus a whole lot of warmth, so vegetation want energy to run pumps that flow into the storage water, eradicating extra warmth within the course of.

If the water in storage tanks received so scorching it boiled off, the gasoline can be uncovered to the air and will catch fireplace. That, too, was among the many dangers within the Fukushima catastrophe.

The I.A.E.A. has mentioned that the used gasoline assemblies at Chernobyl are sufficiently old and have decayed sufficient that circulating pumps are usually not wanted to maintain them secure.

“The warmth load of the spent gasoline storage pool and the quantity of cooling water contained within the pool is adequate to take care of efficient warmth removing with out the necessity for electrical provide,” the company mentioned.

Earlier than the Russian invasion of Ukraine, employees had began transferring a few of these gasoline assemblies to a long-term dry storage facility, which started working in 2020. Gasoline assemblies are prepared for dry storage once they have cooled sufficient to be safely uncovered to the air.

The opposite foremost supply of nuclear waste, which is exclusive to Chernobyl, are the ruins of the destroyed reactor itself. An estimated 200 tons of gasoline stay there, in a lava-like combine with molten concrete, sand and chemical compounds that have been dumped on the reactor throughout the catastrophe.

This extremely radioactive combination is discovered all through the stays of the reactor, having flowed by doorways and drain pipes and down stairwells and different elements of the construction earlier than hardening. A few of these fuel-containing supplies, as they’re referred to as, are in locations which can be utterly inaccessible and have solely been studied by boring into them.

Within the chaotic, jumbled stays of the destroyed Chernobyl reactor, there is no such thing as a cooling system for a lack of energy to have an effect on.

However lately there have been episodes wherein nuclear reactions have began spontaneously in pockets of those fuel-containing supplies, resulting in spikes in radiation ranges. They’ve been monitored and must be handled sometime.

With out monitoring, of each humidity and radiation, employees wouldn’t know if any new episode was occurring. The previous worker with data of circumstances on the plant mentioned that air flow techniques that helped management humidity ranges had stopped working.

Since 2017, the destroyed reactor has been lined by a big arched construction, meant to restrict the waste and safeguard towards any launch of radiation. The construction can also be meant to permit the work of eradicating waste to long-term storage to start, a course of anticipated to take many years.

The power was solely granted an working license by Ukraine’s authorities final 12 months, so the work had solely simply begun. There are a number of massive cranes and different specialised gear to permit crews to work safely. With no energy provide, most, if not all of that work, couldn’t proceed.

World

Beyoncé NFL Halftime Show Will Be Available to Rewatch on Netflix as a Stand-Alone Special

Published

4 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Press Room

Beyoncé NFL Halftime Show Will Be Available to Rewatch on Netflix as a Stand-Alone Special

UPDATE, 12/25, 4:30 p.m. PT: Netflix said it will provide on-demand access to the full halftime performance of “Beyoncé Bowl” as a stand-alone special “later this week.” The 20-minute spectacle — her first live TV performance in four years — featured Post Malone, Shaboozey and her daughter Blue Ivy Carter to debut tracks from “Cowboy Carter” for the first time in a live setting.

EARLIER:

Beyoncé will light up the Houston night on Christmas with a halftime performance during the Ravens-Texans game on Netflix. To watch it, you’ll have to tune in live on Dec. 25 — otherwise, you’ll have only a few hours to catch the replay on Netflix.

Queen Bey’s Xmas performance will feature her first live performances of songs from “Cowboy Carter.” She’ll take the stage in her hometown during halftime of the Baltimore Ravens-Houston Texans matchup at NRG Stadium in Houston.

Netflix, as part of its accelerating push into live sports, snagged global rights to the NFL’s two Christmas Day 2024 games: the Kansas City Chiefs at the Pittsburgh Steelers (starting at 1 p.m. ET), followed by the Ravens-Texans game (4:30 p.m. ET).

Under Netflix’s agreement with the NFL, in the U.S., the two Christmas games expire three hours after the livestream ends (meaning Beyoncé’s performance and the Ravens-Texans game will no longer be available to rewatch on Netflix as of around 11 p.m. ET). Outside the U.S., the games expire on Netflix 24 hours after the livestream ends. The NFL livestreams will include ad breaks, even for Netflix subscribers on no-ads plans.

Few details are available for Beyoncé’s Christmas halftime show, but according to Netflix she is expected to bring along some “special guests” who are featured on “Cowboy Carter.” She’s a veteran of two Super Bowls: Beyoncé was the halftime performer for the 2013 game in New Orleans, which featured a Destiny’s Child reunion; and in 2016, she sang “Formation” when Coldplay was the headliner act.

On Christmas Day, Netflix’s pregame coverage will kick off at 11 a.m. ET, from NFL Network’s studios in L.A. and Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. The streamer has tapped Mariah Carey to deliver a recorded performance of her record-breaking holiday hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You” before both of the day’s two games.

If you missed the window for Netflix’s NFL livestreams, you still have the chance to catch the reruns. As it stands right now, NFL Network is scheduled to re-air Ravens-Texans on Wednesday, Dec. 25, at 11:30 p.m. ET and Thursday, Dec. 26, at 5 a.m. ET. The channel will re-air Chiefs-Steelers on Dec. 25 at 8:30 p.m. ET and Dec. 26 at 2 a.m. ET. There is the possibility for additional re-airs but portions of the NFL Network’s programming schedule are still being determined. In addition, replays of both games will be available with NFL+ Premium ($14.99/month) in the U.S. and via DAZN internationally.

Note also that the two Netflix Christmas Day games will air on broadcast TV in the competing teams’ local markets and will be available live on U.S. mobile devices with an NFL+ subscription.

World

Zelenskyy lambastes Putin over Christmas strikes: 'What could be more inhumane?'

Published

5 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

Zelenskyy lambastes Putin over Christmas strikes: 'What could be more inhumane?'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy excoriated Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday for launching attacks against energy infrastructure on Christmas Day.

Zelenskyy suggested the attacks were “inhumane,” but said they would not ruin Christmas.

“Today, Putin deliberately chose Christmas for an attack. What could be more inhumane? Over 70 missiles, including ballistic ones, and more than a hundred attack drones. The targets are our energy infrastructure. They continue to fight for a blackout in Ukraine,” he declared in a post on X.

The Russian Defence Ministry acknowledged a “massive strike” on its part, saying it hit energy facilities that supported Ukraine’s “military-industrial complex,” Reuters reported.

“The aim of the strike was achieved. All facilities have been hit,” the ministry said.

RUSSIA BATTERS UKRAINE POWER GRID AMID RISING CONCERN PUTIN COULD ORDER BALLISTIC MISSILE ATTACK THIS WEEKEND

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy talks with the media during the European Council Meeting in Brussels on Thursday. (Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images)

Strikes against Ukrainian fuel and energy sources involved 78 air, ground and sea-launched missiles, in addition to 106 Shaheds and other kinds of drones, Ukraine’s air force claimed, according to The Associated Press.

“Unfortunately, there have been hits. As of now, there are power outages in several regions. Power engineers are working to restore power supply as soon as possible,” Zelenskyy noted.

Still, the Ukrainian leader declared that “Russian evil will not break Ukraine and will not spoil Christmas.”

US CITIZEN IMPRISONED IN RUSSIA GIVEN NEW 15-YEAR SENTENCE IN WAKE OF ESPIONAGE CONVICTION

Russian President Vladimir Putin holds his annual end-of-year press conference in Moscow on Thursday. (Alexander Nemenov/AFP via Getty Images)

The U.S. has provided billions of dollars’ worth of aid to help Ukraine fight the Russian onslaught that erupted in 2022, but Americans and their congressional representatives have been divided regarding whether the U.S. should continue supplying aid to Ukraine.

President-elect Trump, who will take office on Jan. 20, has called for a cease-fire and negotiations.

TRUMP MEETS WITH MACRON, ZELENSKYY AHEAD OF NOTRE DAME REOPENING CEREMONY IN PARIS

President-elect Trump looks on during Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix on Sunday. (Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)

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In a post on Truth Social this month, Trump declared that “Zelenskyy and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness. They have ridiculously lost 400,000 soldiers, and many more civilians. There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin.”

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.

World

Five journalists killed in Israeli strike near Gaza hospital

Published

7 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

Journalists from Al-Quds Today were covering events at al-Awda Hospital when their vehicle was struck.

Five journalists have been killed in an Israeli strike in the vicinity of a hospital in central Gaza, according to Palestinian authorities and media reports.

The journalists from the Al-Quds Today channel were covering events near al-Awda Hospital, located in the Nuseirat refugee camp, when their broadcasting van was hit by an Israeli air strike, Al Jazeera’s Anas al-Sharif reported early on Thursday morning.

Footage from the scene circulating on social media shows a vehicle engulfed in flames.

A screenshot taken from a video of the white-coloured van shows the word “press” in large red lettering across the back of the vehicle.

The deceased journalists have been named as Fadi Hassouna, Ibrahim al-Sheikh Ali, Mohammed al-Ladah, Faisal Abu al-Qumsan and Ayman al-Jadi.

Al Jazeera’s Anas al-Sharif said that Ayman al-Jadi had been waiting for his wife in front of the hospital while she was in labour to give birth to their first child.

Breaking: Five journalists lost their lives after their vehicle was incinerated in an Israeli airstrike targeting the broadcasting van of “Al-Quds Today” channel while covering events near Al-Awda Hospital in the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/oiAmxgZwO5
— أنس الشريف Anas Al-Sharif (@AnasAlSharif0) December 26, 2024

Civil defence teams retrieved the bodies of the victims and extinguished a fire at the scene, the Quds News Network said.

There was no immediate comment from Israeli authorities.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) earlier this month condemned Israel’s killing of four Palestinian journalists in the space of a week, calling on the international community to hold the country accountable for its attacks against the media.

At least 141 journalists have been killed in Israel’s war in Gaza since October 7, 2023, according to the CPJ.