On March 20, 2020, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) convened the first of a series of telephonic public meetings between the NRC staff and nuclear industry representatives to manage “regulatory issues” emerging out of the fast moving Novel Coronavirus (COVID19) pandemic. Central to those issues is the potential impact of widespread absenteeism from a highly contagious and debilitating virus on the industry’s highly specialized workforce and the challenges it presents to the reliability of the nuclear industry’s electricity production and the protection of the public safety from a nuclear accident.
This was not the first industry gathering to publicly discuss planning and preparedness for a global pandemic that can impact nuclear power safety and productivity. In July 2007, representatives from seven U.S. nuclear utilities gathered to prepare a report that summarized, “It is possible that there will be a pandemic, potentially severe, in the foreseeable future” and recognized, “The prospect of a pandemic is not widely cast as a true strategic matter in the energy/utilities sector.” But what we are […]
I recently read an article saying that a simple ionizer can help eliminate viruses. It may be a partial solution; at least worth the cheap cost to have these ionizers installed in all areas of every Nuclear facility as a deterrent which may help to eliminate or at least make the virus less spreadable. I think it should at least be tested on the Coronavirus, to determine if it may be helpful.
PS: I also wonder if an ozone generator would help eliminate or at least slow down Coronavirus. I use both ionizers and ozone generators in my home to try to make it safer during this pandemic.