Clayton Koff

Staff Writer

For the first time in 23 years, the U.S. Department of Energy has resumed operations at the Transient Reactor Test Facility, stirring unrest amongst residents and political parties.

The Transient Reactor Test Facility (TREAT) is the number one nuclear research and development facility in the entire country.

TREAT was shut down during the Clinton administration back in the 1990s after being in operation for 35 years. Now that is has been reactivated, many people are worried that Idaho will “repeat its history of being the nuclear dump for politicians.”

Others are afraid of a potential nuclear reactor. Most of these paranoias are caused by not truly understanding what nuclear energy is. Maxwell James Daniel, the reactor supervisor at ISU was able to answer a few questions regarding nuclear energy.

Q: In layman’s terms what is nuclear energy?

A: Nuclear energy is the creation of energy by standard means. Nuclear reactors produce heat via the fission of an atom (commonly uranium). This heat is used to boil water and create steam. The steam is then pushed through a turbine. The rotation of this turbine turns a generator which produces electricity. The steam is then cooled back to water before running through the reactor again to continue cooling it.

Q: The Department of Energy has reportedly resumed operations at the TREAT facility for the first time in 23 years. How important is this research center for the economy of Idaho and the development of nuclear research and development?

A: The TREAT facility is a huge benefit to the economy of Idaho. We have a unique opportunity to test new nuclear fuels under high-stresses in a safe and effective way. Many of the new reactor designs intend to use new fuels and materials that haven’t been tested extensively. In order to properly ensure these materials behavior they must be tested under a variety of conditions. With TREAT, we can test these new materials or fuels under simulated incident conditions. This will bring new research and funds into Idaho that will then be put back into the Southeast Idaho community.

Q: Are there any drawbacks to nuclear energy or the reopening of the TREAT center?

A: A big drawback to nuclear energy is that it’s very complex academically and there’s a natural fear due to lack of understanding. There’re no drawbacks to reopening the TREAT center.

Q: How safe is nuclear energy?

A: Nuclear energy in the USA per Terra-watt hour (TWh) is the safest energy source known. When comparing the amount of energy production from each source with the number of deaths provided by these energy sources, nuclear still is the safest. Nuclear is safer than all wide-spread renewable’s, including wind, solar, and hydroelectric.

Q: What is the worst-case scenario and procedure should a “nuclear meltdown” happen?

A: Depends on what type of reactor we are talking about. At the majority of facilities, the worst-case scenario is meltdown. The procedure includes shutting the facility down, continuing to cool the reactor, and evacuating individuals from a certain distance from the facility.

Q: Anything you wish to add.

A: Nuclear is widely misunderstood and the goal of many nuclear scientists and engineers is to clear up these misconceptions. I am no different. I would love the opportunity to provide tours of the Nuclear Engineering Laboratory (NEL) to anyone and everyone who is interested. In addition, radiation exists everywhere around you. It has existed before nuclear energy and will continue to exist forever. Radiation comes from the sky above, the ground below and from the foods we eat. These are all natural sources of radiation we encounter in our daily lives without affect.