Texas Nuclear Energy Risks and Precautions You Should Take

American nuclear power plants are probably the safest in the world, but there are always risks for which one should prepare. The issue of nuclear power plant safety became a particularly heated issue after the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that rocked Japan, causing serious problems. At least one of the reactors on the site went into meltdown, resulting in radioactive contamination of land and water near the facility. Federal and state officials in the United States immediately took the opportunity to reevaluate the safety of plants within our borders. Issues such as these can be somewhat daunting for regular homeowners. What are some things we should know about the possibility of problems at our nuclear facilities? What can we do to protect ourselves and our families?

Although expansion plans have been in the works for many years, there are currently two nuclear facilities in Texas. Both Comanche Peak (in East Texas) and South Texas (on the Gulf Coast) boast two reactors. The reactors at South Texas have a combined output of 2800 megawatts, while those at Comanche Peak boast an output of 2283 megawatts. As part of the regulatory procedure, a number of agencies monitor these reactors and ensure they are operating safely. In fact, Bloomberg's Colin McLelland reported that one of the Comanche Peak reactors was taken offline in January 2011. Although United States nuclear output fell by 1.1% during the outage, the tradeoff was worthwhile. While the reactor was out, crews were able to replace a power transformer that, while still functioning, was making some abnormal sounds.

Perhaps the most critical line of defense is the vast number of nuclear technicians and maintenance workers who keep the reactors humming. These folks represent what may be our greatest natural resource: they're techies. It takes a lot of education and dedication to reach the point where one can be entrusted with a nuclear power plant. Americans have proved countless times that the efforts of the best and brightest can lead to great results. Those who oversee nuclear power plants understand their great responsibility.

In the event that something goes wrong at one of the Lone Star State's nuclear facilities, a Radiological Emergency Plan will go into effect. According to the Texas Department of Health State Services, professionals have a lot to do during drills or actual events. First, they must coordinate information between government officials and Texas energy companies. Further, law enforcement must create and enforce roadblocks where necessary to keep people out of dangerous areas. Mobile laboratories are also dispatched to monitor any radioactivity in the air, water or soil.

Texas is currently home to 14 nuclear waste sites. Unfortunately, spent nuclear fuel must be kept somewhere and in someone's backyard. That's why the facilities in Texas tend to be in less-populated areas. Under normal circumstances, these facilities pose no threat to you whatsoever. Waste is transported to these sites in a highly regulated fashion and extreme security measures are taken to keep the waste where it belongs. (After all, you really don't want spent uranium to fall into the wrong hands!) Should there be an accident, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Department of Homeland Security and the State Emergency Response Commission are prepared to partner with still more agencies to contain the problem and let the public know about it.

To keep your family safe during any nuclear emergency, you should follow any instructions given to you by your Texas energy company, a state official, or anyone with knowledge of the situation. Officials constantly make and revise plans with your safety in mind. If you're told to evacuate your home or the immediate area, you should do so as soon as possible. In addition to your usual emergency supplies, you should include an AM/FM radio that is powered by a crank. That way, you don't have to worry about having batteries around in order to hear Emergency Broadcast System instructions.

Indeed, Texas and the United States have an admirable record when it comes to nuclear safety. In the wake of the serious problems with the Japanese reactors, federal officials and state lawmakers called for a full safety review of the Lone Star State's nuclear plants. It's this preparation and concern that make nuclear power a viable and desirable part of the American electricity portfolio.