nozzle stresses

NRC: you put yourself in such a bind.

NRC: is there any new data here?

Entergy- for these nozzles, there is no new data.

Entergy- there’s a couple things we did based on our experience. Ran a different analysis on this nozzle. This is not a right angle nozzle, it has an extra bend.

Shear stresses are significant. Worked backwards to show our other calculations have a similar result, and are therefore accurate.

NRC: how many nozzles have this geometry at VY?

Entergy- this is the only one.

NRC- You cannot even show me the magnitude of the shear stress.

5 MINUTE BREAK  

Well, this is interesting. ABC News is reporting that turnout in today's primary is “absolutely huge”, and like towns like Portsmouth, Keene, Hudson and Pelham are actually concerned about running out of Democratic ballots.

[Dep. Sec. of State]Scanlan said that the Secretary of State's office is sending additional ballots to Portsmouth and Keene (traditionally Democratic strongholds), Hudson (Republican leaning with significant numbers of independents) and Pelham (large number of independents).

According to Scanlan, the ballot strain seems to be on Democratic ballots, which suggests that the undeclared voters are breaking for the Democratic primary. New Hampshire Secretary of State William Gardner predicted that 90,000 undeclared voters would vote in the Democratic primary compared to 60,000 voting in the Republican primary.

This doesn't bode well for Clinton or McCain. Could a blowout be in the works?

Long theoretical discussion, then another example of being out-of-date

Entergy: most vendors use component stresses.

NRC: Just because most vendors use it, doesn’t mean it’s correct. 25 years ago, if you told me to use that, I would. Today, I would refuse.

Nozzle calculations

Entergy: This is not VY, we’re showing you, this is a generic picture, not specific to ENVY.

Entergy:

We used a method that was commonly used 25 years ago.

Simplistically, if I model a sphere and want to model a cylinder, I could increase the diameter in the calculation because the cylinder has twice the hoop stress of the shere. This bounds the difference between the sphere and the cylinder.

“I think the non-linear aspect of it is very small.”

The nozzles introduce a discontinuity

NRC: the geometric discontinuity is in your model. You have to demonstrate to me the shear stress and nominal stress are very close.

ENVY: the nozzles we examined were not from VY.

Normal hoop stress should be 2.65. This would not cover the nozzle corner.

Entergy- we’re getting off on a tangent. We’re trying to explain what we did.

Livish blogging on AGING MANNAGEMENT

Projection uses present water chemistry. Doesn’t account for varying levels of noble metals, etc.

Used different analysis for different nozzles.

NRC: model you used for analysis was standard in the past, but is not necessarily the model to be used in the future. We wanted nozzle corner location addressed. You did not address this. What you used is based on 1970’s when computer time was so expensive.

Entergy: We will address that.

NRC: It’s even more confusing to me after I’ve reviewed your submission. I want specific numbers.

slow typing, live blogging

Entergy and NRC

AGING MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

ENVY’s AGING MANAGEMENT PROGRAM for Relicensing

I’m following a conference call at NRC HQ in MD.

13 parties in conf @ sign on

ENVY c.10 people

NRC Headquarters c. 10 people

No one from NRC Region 1! They’re supposed to be supervising everday operations.

Southern Co

Dept Envir Cons

Public may comment at end.

No transcription.

Entergy’s Jay Thayer, ex ENVY chief, introduces presenters

Entergy: “Haven’t properly communicated methodology.”

“no new information, just repackaged.”

Entergy first tries to explain what they think the NRC was asking explanations for.

Description of stress model ENVY used to calculate stress response for nozzle due to mechanical loading and thermal stress. IE, predicting failure and system breach.

“a sphere has a hoop stress half the rate of a cylinder.” ENVY took a cross section of the reactor vessel as the basis for its calculations, although the vessel is not a sphere.

Attached piping stresses: assume directionality.

Used +20% uprate for 60 year life of reactor. Is this conservative, or merely easier?

# transient cycles: 100 startups in 30 years. Used 300 in 60 years projection. Used Design basis transients.

How often will you update your projections? Right now, every cycle, 18 months. Re-forecast and re-project every month? Is there a formal process, a person whose job it is to do the reprojection every year?

Yes, someone who’s in the room. But ENVY thinks it assumptions are so conservative, it will never have to recalculate.

NRC: what will be the basis for us to evaluate your programs if you do not provide us with sufficient detail? We need to see that before we can evalute it.

ENVY: We’ll show you as we go along. You just approve the general process, we’ll let you know how it goes. We can’t get into the detail at this meeting.

( – promoted by Christian Avard)

Beyond Barack Obama’s Paranoia: It’s more than just the Deerfield Valley News

The Guardian U.K. put together this shocking seven-minute video detailing the level of control over campaign staffers, volunteers, and unfortunately… the media.

In the video, Guardian US correspondent Suzanne Goldenberg examines the surge in support for the Democratic candidate Barack Obama, and the orchestrations of his controlling campaign staff. If you were surprised from today’s diary, then this video will put it all in perspective.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/video/2008/jan/08/obama

Crossposted at Huffington Post’s Off the Bus.

WILMINGTON, VT- Reporters wanting to interview campaign staffers are having a hard time trying to get through. That’s because some campaigns are putting a tight lid on who gets to say what. The Deerfield Valley News, an independent weekly in southern Vermont, wanted to interview Brandon Riker, a former Deerfield Valley resident. Riker recently graduated from Twin Valley High School in Wilmington, VT and is taking a semester off from college to work for the (Barack) Obama campaign. The Deerfield Valley News wanted to recognize Riker and write a story on his efforts, but the Obama campaign is not permitting any interviews with full time staffers: no exceptions. Tim Foley, media liaison for Barack Obama’s New Hampshire campaign, did not know why that policy is in place and also could not specify why it was in place to begin with.

“It’s just a blanket campaign policy, it’s something we haven’t allowed and something we frankly made no exceptions for,” said Foley. The Obama campaign does allow senior staff members or volunteers to talk reporters, but Foley maintains that anyone working on a day to day for the campaign is strictly off limits. When asked why the campaign would be concerned about what staffers might say, Foley could only muster the same response. “This is something that’s come down from on high. It’s been in affect well before I’ve been on the campaign and it will be in effect until the end,” said Foley. Obama, fresh off a surprising win in the Iowa Caucus had a strong second-place finish in New Hampshire, where Hillary Clinton won by three percentage points.

Randy Capitani, publisher of The Deerfield Valley News, has worked in news media for over 25 years and said he has never seen a communications clamp down like this, by any campaign, during any election year. “I just find it surprising that a campaign that talks about ‘common sense solutions’ would put such a thumb on what is so obviously a ‘common sense feel good story,'” said Capitani. Mike Eldred, news editor for The Deerfield Valley News has worked seven years in the profession and said he was equally surprised by their policy. “I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Eldred. “We have what is probably the most secretive administration ever and you have to wonder is this something that’s going to be continued in the next administration, Obama or otherwise.”

More below the fold:

Unlike Foley, other campaigns are not as worried. Jim Harris, a national spokesman for Mike Hucakbee for President said they realize how much staffers mean to the towns they come from and if hometown newspapers are interested in writing stories recognizing their work, Harris says, “Why not?”

“We would make an exception with the excitement and all,” said Harris. “I was the news editor for the Texarkana Gazette in Texarkana, Texas and I remember doing a ‘feel good story’ on someone local who was working Ross Perot (in 1992). I don’t think that’s that’s anything unusual.” Candidate Mike Huckabee is also coming off an Iowa Caucus win and placed third in the New Hampshire primary behind John McCain and Mitt Romney.

Chris Collier, NH Hampshire, media coordinator for Dennis Kucinich for President, said whether it’s volunteers or paid staffers, they too can share their experiences. “They can talk to the media about anything except Dennis Kucinich’s policies. That’s Dennis’ job.” said Collier. “If it’s about Dennis Kucinich or why you’re involved, then we encourage participation at all levels. (Talking to campaign worker) has the feel of a real human being talking to you as opposed to someone else reading off a script.”

A John McCain for President spokesperson also confirmed interviews with staffers are granted, provided they seek permission, while a spokesperson from John Edwards and Ron Paul campaigns said interviews are granted on a case by case basis. When The Deerfield Valley News shared this information to the Obama campaign, Foley maintained that all interviews are off still off limits, regardless what other campaigns allow.

“Each campaign makes up it’s own rules and this was set from the outset by our press office,” said Foley. “Unfortunately employers have certain policies with regards to their employees. That’s particularly the case here with Brandon Riker and that’s just going to be the policy of the campaign.”

Calls made to the Clinton, Giuliani, Richardson, Romney, and Thompson campaigns had not been returned at press time.

While it’s inconclusive to say whether this policy is the norm and not the exception during the 2008 campaign, the Obama campaign will enforce it nevertheless. In the meantime, Ryker can speak to The Deerfield Valley News, provided he works for Mike Huckabee.

“He can come and work for us and we’d more than welcome to let you talk to him,” said Harris.

Per today’s Rutland Herald, Gay marriage opponents regroup:

Several prominent opponents of gay marriage will announce at a Statehouse press conference this morning the formation of the Vermont Marriage Advisory Council, a group that will hold hearings on the benefits of traditional marriage.

Stephen Cable of Rutland, the founder of the conservative group Vermont Renewal, said the formation of this traditional marriage council is in response to the pro-gay marriage leanings of the Vermont Commission on Family Recognition and Protection.

Note: these people don’t like the public hearings that are going on, so they want their own.  More below the fold:

Traditional marriage group Take It to the People will also become more active in the debate this year. Craig Bensen of Cambridge, a member of the group, said he plans to launch an effort called Let Vermont Vote – a push to put a nonbinding referendum on gay marriage before the state’s voters in November.

[…]

“Voters have never had the opportunity to weigh in on this debate,” Bensen said. “All the decisions regarding same-sex couples have come from legislators and court justices.”

Now, here’s the fun part.  Note the part I emphasized in bold up there.  In the very next paragraph of the article (again, emphasis mine):

The news comes months after both groups vowed to tell their supporters to not attend the hearings held by the Vermont Commission on Family Recognition and Protection, the group formed by the Democratic leaders of the Vermont House and Senate last summer.

The commission, however, is just focused on doing their job:

“I’ll probably consult with the other members of the commission about this, but I think we’ll be focused on completing the public hearings we have scheduled,” responded Tom Little, the chair of the Vermont Commission on Family Recognition and Protection. “I have always encouraged one and all to come to these hearings.”

The people in the anti-same sex marriage groups have had every opportunity to speak to the legislature about this and let their feelings known.  They have refused to do so because it wasn’t a friendly environment for them, so they’re forming their own little groups to oppose same-sex marriage so they can control the agenda for their meetings and not have to face serious scrutiny from people who question their positions.  

Cowards, every one of them.

Heh. This is funny. From Laura at Blue Hampshire:

…the McCain campaign revealed the stagecraft of campaign events more blatantly than I have ever seen, revealing in the process that they wanted the crowd to be uncomfortable if it would look good for the cameras. So people were forced to stand in a room that could have accommodated them in chairs, and harangued to crowd together long before the candidate arrived, and forced to listen to some of the same godawful songs more than once due to McCain’s lateness. One man even took a break from urging people toward the stage and tried to lead them in call-and-response cheers. (“Who do we want for straight talk? McCain!” etc – he gave up pretty quickly.)

Despite the view of the McCain supporters standing next to me that, being a military man, he would surely be on time, McCain, wife Cindy, and the governor of Vermont were nearly 40 minutes later than his planned arrival time (as opposed to the posted start time, 15 minutes before that). Delivery of the line “without a doubt, Mac is back” fell to Governor Douglas, who then had to encourage the crowd to applaud policy items such as middle-class tax relief but found applause came easier for the hoary old “straight talker” line. Cindy McCain did the feminized relational work of apologizing for their lateness, and then McCain took the microphone. For like fifteen minutes.

Does this sound lame. Too bad for them Caoimhin wasn’t on hand to shape things up.

(Here’s my last candidate pitch… surprised more people aren’t posting. Maybe y’all are already sick of it all?)

“It has to be part of our energy mix.”

The speaker is presidential candidate Barack Obama, and the “it” he refers to is nuclear power – an issue of some importance to Vermonters and New Hampshire residents. If you need a memory jog as to why, here ya go:

Obama is, sadly, not unique in this rhetoric.

“I think nuclear power has to be part of our energy solution.” – Hillary Clinton

Asked in early August what technologies would be included in his (Bill Richardson’s) renewable portfolio standard, he said he would promote new technologies. “We need to shift away from fossil fuels,” he said. When pressed, however, he acknowledged that nuclear power would be a part of the mix. – from The Progressive

But as the Daily Green reports, there is one candidate who sees it differently: “But the lone hard-line opponent of nuclear power is John Edwards, according to a Los Angeles Times analysis.“

Edwards reasoning is straightforward: until concerns over safety and waste management are resolved, we are simply trading one environmental problem for another. Desperate for a “magic pill” that will enable us to keep consuming as we have, make no sacrifices, and still bring down carbon emissions, many are turning to nuclear power. It’s not gonna work that way, and Edwards states that pretty clearly. This is one reason he has been endorsed by Friends of the Earth, and multiple other environmentalists and local environmental groups.

Now I’m gonna get a little more hardcore into the contrasts here, just because SPS claimed these differences were minor, but as an environmentalist, I don’t think they are. And of particular concern is Senator Obama. Whoever is in the White House could play a major role in the decommissioning of Vermont Yankee, as his or her NRC will have a large role in managing the show

What makes Obama’s rhetoric harder to dismiss as a casual turn of phrase is the fact that his contributions and accolades from the nuclear industry are not insignificant. As Jeffry St. Clair reported, “Nuclear Notes, the industry’s top trade publication, praised the senator. ‘Back during his campaign for the U.S. Senate in 2004, [Obama] said that he rejected both liberal and conservative labels in favor of ‘common sense solutions.’ And when it comes to nuclear energy, it seems like the Senator is keeping an open mind.'”

Doing what they can to keep that mind open, Exelon Corporation, which runs the largest nuclear power fleet in the country, as given Obama nearly $200,000 to run for president, and also supported his run for Senate generously.

If this wasn’t disturbing enough, when faced with scenarios whereby big energy companies have tried to muscle their way into environmentally compromising ventures to the objection of citizens groups, Obama has gone a bit limp. From HuffPo:

In July 2007, it came as a shock to those who call the shores of Lake Michigan home to learn that British Petroleum (BP) had won approval from Indiana’s Department of Environment Management — with no opposition from the U.S. EPA — to increase discharges of ammonia and toxin-containing solids by 54% and 35% respectively, directly into Lake Michigan from its Whiting, Indiana, refinery.

This particular corner of Lake Michigan, at the border of Illinois and Indiana, had been a cesspool of pollution from electric plants and steel mills for decades. Only the persistent application of environmental protections in recent years has succeeded in reducing pollution and returning these waters — and all of Lake Michigan — to higher levels of safety and cleanliness. The BP proposal could reverse years of hard work and create a huge environmental risk to the Lake’s fishery, as well as a health risk to the drinking supply of more than 35 million people.

Many environmental groups, as well as state, local, and national leaders, moved into action to try to prevent BP from going ahead with its plans. H. Con. Res. 187 condemned BP for its plan and passed the U.S. Congress by a bipartisan vote of 386-26. Congressman Peter J. Roskam (R-IL) came out against the action. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) also condemned the plan.

So where was Senator/Candidate Obama? Like most of the invited legislators, he sent staff to attend an EPA Region 5 meeting on August 14 to discuss the issue. On August 15, he sent a letter to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chair Barbara Boxer — a committee on which he sits — asking that the committee “hold a hearing to examine the recent agreement between the State of Indiana and the BP Whiting Refinery.” The letter identifies “the challenges faced by the United States as we pursue the dual goals of improved energy security and environmental restoration.”

With this tepid response, Senator Obama failed to take a stand with many of his constituents (12,000 signatures on petitions as of July 26), or with his fellow senator from Illinois and a vast majority of lawmakers in the U.S. Congress to halt this action.

This is more than a little potentially worrisome.

This is not to say that Obama has been a “black hat.” He’s pushed forward legislation to make nuclear power plants more accountable, and kudos to him for that.

But anybody who doesn’t have a pre-existing narrative of Obama as wholly virtuous and without blemish has got to look at this and be a little uncomfortable.