pd (03/14/83)
I saw the movie "China Syndrome" with Jane Fonda and Jack Lemmon (for the first time) on TV last night. The movie portrays a plausible nightmarish scenario of grevious nuclear plant accidents resulting from a combination of greed, powerlust, and plain simple human error. The real bad guys in the movie were big business and the Corporate power utility interests. I have some questions about this movie: 1) Was the depiction of the Nuclear Reactor, the Control room, the operating procedures, the attitudes of the personnel etc realistic ? Or did the movie industry do the same thing with Nuclear power plant that it does with the computer centers ? 2) Were the events that unfolded in the movie Technically feasible ? How probable is it that something like this happens ? From the point of view of QC procedures, MTBF, fail-safe mechanisms, etc. 3) The Karen Silkwood-ish incident with the man carrying the telltale X-rays of the Faulty pipes.... Do utility companys and their contractors go around doing criminal acts like that in full knowledge of their executive officers ?? 4) Does any one have any historical information on how a) The Power Utility Companies. b) The public c) The Nuclear Industry d) The NRC reacted to this Movie ?? I suggest (in the interests of conserving CPU and Communication facilities, Mail responses to me. May be there is enough interest to warrant a net-wide discussion ! Prem Devanbu
terryl (03/16/83)
Sorry to respond to the net, but since no one can get through harpo... (no, I don't want to hear about it, either). All of the control room scenes were filmed at the Trojan Nuclear power plant in Washington(state of, that is). So if that is any help, here it is.