"Catastrophic Failure" at Vermont Yankee

Nothing is scarier then the terms "catastrophic failure" and "nuclear power plant" used in the same sentence. Looks like a blow to the people who are pushing for more nuclear power plants to be built. Of course Yankee is older than dirt; newer ones would be much safer.

This is the polar opposite of spin doctoring. An insulator just broke in the switchyard. Since insulators are basically the same make up as the clay elephants (or whatever) we made in 2nd grade, its not unreasonable to have one shatter form extreme environmental stresses. The problem is the use of the word "catastrophic" to describe the failure. Technically from an engineering viewpoint, the insulator experienced a catastrophic failure. The problem arises when the media mixes the word "catastrophic" with "nuclear power plant" that a generally naive public gets all riled up. The probem arises when the media mixes the word "catasprophic" with "nuclear power plant" and a generally naive public gets all riled up.

The problem was more of the fact the plant lost power for a while, and whether that was intended or accidental. Without the generators producing power none of the safety equipment or monitoring equipment worked.
"He disputed a characterization by NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan that the plant's "fast transfer" -- in which the reactor gets electrical power from the New England power grid to operate during an emergency even as it goes off-line itself -- didn't occur as it was supposed to."
That is what dropped the water level down so low (1/2 way). I do agree insulators will break, but a hot reactor needs to make sure that it still has water. The plant people claim the delay was intentional, and I have to assume they know what they are doing.