Alan Blind, one of the nation's foremost nuclear power experts and former design engineer at Palisades Nuclear Generating Station, is back with breaking news and updates regarding the controversial restart of the Palisades facility on the shores of Lake Michigan. Blind's career spanned over 40 years operating nuclear plants, including Palisades. In the latest podcast, Blind who is a proponent of nuclear power, details concerns and the potential for critical failure modes regarding what's going on at Palisades right now. "It's like driving a Ferrari with a learners permit ... in a snowstorm". Alan is interviewed by Journalist Roger Rapoport, producer of The Nuclear Reactor Next Door podcast series.
You will hear details, on direct, that there has "never been a restart of a (retired) nuclear reactor like this", the massive costs and risk to public dollars to do so, the reality of plugged steam generator tubes, inferior materials used at time of construction and most concerning to everyone especially political decision makers – the lack of regulatory oversight regarding process objectives with an uncertain outcome. Moreover, the company entrusted to do the work was given a huge contract fueled by public dollars with the assumption they could perform, has no previous experience necessary to do this level of complex and exacting work.
At the beginning of the 10th episode in the Nuclear Reactor Nextdoor podcast series, Alan details how he got into the nuclear power industry; his outstanding education at Purdue University, career highlights overseeing operations of nuclear power plants including his background as a start-up engineer in the mid 1970s of the (then) new DC Cook plant in Bridgman, Michigan. His career at the Cook facility spanned 21 years where he also worked in operations, maintenance, and became the site vice president. In 1998, Blind moved on to the Consolidated Edison, Indian Point Plant in New York, very close to NYC. Indian Point was ordered to shut down by NRC for a variety of reasons that included safety and evacuation protocols in the densely populated area and discharge into Hudson River. Blind also shares his work in Canada renewing an older reactor.
Alan discusses his early retirement and decision to go back to work at Palisades as Engineering Director. During this conversation with Rapoport, he details the history and operations of the Palisades Plant as well as insights impacting this lovely, quiet beachfront community on the shores of Lake Michigan, next to a nuclear power reactor.
Nevertheless, Alan Blind also makes clear what motivated him to express concerns (avoiding speculation, based on facts, direct experience and expertise and always providing recommendations and solutions) and why the industry, regulatory and political officials need to slow down the process, make certain regulatory professionals are involved, focus on new technology – not bandaid decades old, used reactor components and certainly most critical; how to contain and manage spent nuclear fuel. And that officials and decision makers respect the public dollars being spent on this and other proposed projects.
When asked "Alan, what would you say to Gretchen Whitmere if you met her in an airport?" ... "I'd say Governor, thank-you for supporting nuclear power but you chose wrong project to try and restart!" He and Rapoport are available for interviews, radio or television news shows, print media and are comfortable with meeting with elected and appointed officials.
Enjoy Episode 10 and share with friends.
