This is a bit out of my league but it's D&D and we're all experts on all topics here. I understand most western reactors don't use graphite as the control medium but as we saw in Fukushima even those type reactors can explode. From what I recall those explosions were caused by hydrogen build up. While those explosions weren't nearly as powerful as an actual A-Bomb they certainly did spread radiation and one of the things that gives me pause on nuclear is that even in a country like Japan that has a very good safety reactor an accident that can cause a failure of cooling systems can lead to a much larger disaster.
West: Vladimir, your rep has sunk to zero, maybe even below Nickelback. Putin: Hold my rigorously-filtered vodka shot. (shells active nuclear reactor)
I doubt that the guys shelling it have a clue.......I mean wtf is the reason for shelling a power plant he is going to need? DD
Al Jazeera bringing more good reporting, this time about the bad news from southern Ukraine, including *maps*. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/3/why-capturing-ukraine-kherson-important-for-russia e.g. Losing Odesa will really stink. I hate Putin and pretty much anyone who takes/follows orders from him. He's going to end up on history's pile of loser cretins. And a bunch of choads will get to say, "I was just following orders." Congrats, I guess, asshats.
The reactors built in places like Chernobyl with positive void coefficients (means they absorb less neutrons when water turns to steam) should never have been operational in the first place and don't exist anywhere in the west. And Japan was just ridiculous given the amount of warnings they were given by various agencies including international ones that their reactors were not safe against and earthquake and tsunami. In addition the Fukushima reactors had laughable containment buildings and had they been up to American standards none of that radiation would have escaped even with the earthquake and tsunami. I know this because my father built nuclear plants for a living in the US and commented on both of these disaster and was actively involved in ensuring the safety of American nuclear power plants from a construction standpoint (including terrorist attacks). Modern US reactors containment buildings have been fortified to easily withstand a direct hit from a 747 or a truck bomb. We should have transition fully to nuclear across the planet using one standardized design for all plants and we'd have probably been able to avoid the climate disaster approaching. As for the Ukrainian nuclear plants - for the most part, I don't think this is a huge risk but certainly worrisome. From what I read they have robust containment buildings (Chernobyl didn't even have them!), so it's unlikely shelling is going to cause a nuclear disaster but its still nuts for Russia to land ordinance anywhere near a nuclear facility. The biggest risk to a nuclear power plant is the lost of power to cool fuel rods. Stop cooling the fuel rods and they heat up and melt through basically anything and there is a risk of a steam explosion. I am surprised Ukraine isn't shutting down the plants to minimize that risk (needs less cooling if its shut down).
Yes. Biden has done a great job mending bridges and working with allies to make a real difference with the sanctions. I'll give him credit for that.
