Current operating reactors don't have the design, constructions and operational flaws of Chernobyl. Current reactors don't have large positive void coefficient, instabilities at low power levels, manual controlling, slow control rods movements, computers from the 1960s.
Your mobile phone can do more computation in a milisecond that Chernobyl could do in minutes.
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SKALA (Russian: СКАЛА, система контроля аппарата Ленинградской Атомной; sistema kontrolya apparata Leningradskoj Atomnoj, "Control system of the device of the Leningrad Nuclear [Power Plant]", lit. "rock") was the process computer for the RBMK nuclear reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant prior to October 1995. Dating to the 1960s, it used magnetic-core memory, magnetic tape data storage, and punched tape for loading software.
SKALA monitored and recorded reactor conditions and control board inputs. It was wired to accept 7200 analog signals and 6500 digital signals. The system continuously monitored the plant and displayed this information to operators. Additionally, a program called PRIZMA (Russian: ПРИЗМА, программа измерения мощности аппарата; programma izmereniya moshchnosti apparata, "Device power measurement program", lit. "prism") processed plant conditions and made recommendations to guide plant operators. This program took 5 to 10 minutes to run, and could not directly control the reactor"
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As a side note, there are currently still 7 RBMK reactors in operation, in Russia. But they use modern computers, modern instrumentation and control, different composition of nuclear fuel.
Nuclear power, as actually implemented in most human societies, is obviously not so great. If it was, we'd have far more of it.
And while the combination of natural disasters & war with nuclear power is great for pushing people's emotional buttons, the reality isn't particularly bad. What % of the casualties from the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami were related to the Fukushima plant? What % of the casualties in the Ukraine war have been related to the nuclear plants there? Yes, Putin can talk big about doing all sorts of creepy-scary things related to those nuclear plants. Especially if his doing so gets the sorts of reactions that he wants. But Putin can also talk big about using nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons in Ukraine. Or just order the destruction of a hydroelectric dam - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kakhovka_Dam - which caused plenty of death and destruction.
Comments
Nuclear's great until you have a natural disaster or war. Then every single reactor is a potential Chernobyl. The less of those around, the better.
Current operating reactors don't have the design, constructions and operational flaws of Chernobyl. Current reactors don't have large positive void coefficient, instabilities at low power levels, manual controlling, slow control rods movements, computers from the 1960s.
Your mobile phone can do more computation in a milisecond that Chernobyl could do in minutes.
" SKALA (Russian: СКАЛА, система контроля аппарата Ленинградской Атомной; sistema kontrolya apparata Leningradskoj Atomnoj, "Control system of the device of the Leningrad Nuclear [Power Plant]", lit. "rock") was the process computer for the RBMK nuclear reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant prior to October 1995. Dating to the 1960s, it used magnetic-core memory, magnetic tape data storage, and punched tape for loading software.
SKALA monitored and recorded reactor conditions and control board inputs. It was wired to accept 7200 analog signals and 6500 digital signals. The system continuously monitored the plant and displayed this information to operators. Additionally, a program called PRIZMA (Russian: ПРИЗМА, программа измерения мощности аппарата; programma izmereniya moshchnosti apparata, "Device power measurement program", lit. "prism") processed plant conditions and made recommendations to guide plant operators. This program took 5 to 10 minutes to run, and could not directly control the reactor" "
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_Nuclear_Power_Plant
As a side note, there are currently still 7 RBMK reactors in operation, in Russia. But they use modern computers, modern instrumentation and control, different composition of nuclear fuel.
This is absolutely not true.
Actually, nuclear is safer than, say, hydraulic power.
With that said, it requires a country with good governance and an independent safety regulator (like in France).
Nuclear power, as actually implemented in most human societies, is obviously not so great. If it was, we'd have far more of it.
And while the combination of natural disasters & war with nuclear power is great for pushing people's emotional buttons, the reality isn't particularly bad. What % of the casualties from the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami were related to the Fukushima plant? What % of the casualties in the Ukraine war have been related to the nuclear plants there? Yes, Putin can talk big about doing all sorts of creepy-scary things related to those nuclear plants. Especially if his doing so gets the sorts of reactions that he wants. But Putin can also talk big about using nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons in Ukraine. Or just order the destruction of a hydroelectric dam - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kakhovka_Dam - which caused plenty of death and destruction.
And the waste, and the environmental impact on fuel mining, and the deconstruction, and the inherent risks, but otherwise yes, it’s great!