MANY BE PEOPLE HAVE SEEN
THE LIMERICK PLANT BUT FEW
INSIDE THE GATE.
WE HAVE AN EXCLUSIVE BEHIND THE
SCENES LOOK AT A PLACE SO MANY
OF US RECOGNIZE.
MAY NOT UNDERSTAND.
YOU PROBABLY NEVER KNEW
THOUSANDS OF GALLONS OF LOCAL
WATER POURED DOWN THE SIDES OF
THESE COOLING TOWERS
WE GET ABOUT 18,000 GALLONS A
MINUTE FROM THE SCHUYLKILL
RIVER.
HE TOOK US WHERE NO CAMERAS
HAVE BEEN BEFORE
WE WALKED UP NINE FLIGHTS OF
STAIRS TO ONE OF THE PLANTS
COOLING TOWERS
WE MAKE ELECTRICITY OVER 2
MILLION PENNSYLVANIANS AND
BUSINESSES
NUCLEAR POWER BEGINS WITH THE
SPLITTING OF ADOMS.
A PROCESS CALLED FISION
IT ROTATES, IT'S CONDENSED
AND SENT BACK TO THE REACTORS TO
COMPLETE THE CYCLE
THESE COOLING TOWERS DO WHAT
THEIR NAME SUGGESTS, COOL DOWN
THE STEAM, IT'S CONSIDERED A
SOURCE OF CLEAN ENERGY BECAUSE
IT DOES NOT EMIT CARBON
IT'S DIFFERENT FROM SOLAR OR
WINDS IN THAT WE HAVE A TWO-YEAR
SUPPLY OF FUEL AT LIMERICK, A
CONSTANT POWER OVER 94% ALL THE
TIME.
ALWAYS ON FOR THE TWO-YEAR
PERIOD.
Reporter: THE NUCLEAR PLANTS
MAKE UP ABOUT 93% OF THE STATE'S
CLEAN ENERGY BUT THE PLANT'S
OPERATOR EXELON DOES NOT HOW
MUCH LONGER ITS PLANTS WILL
CONTINUE TO OPERATE DUE TWO HIGH
COSTS AND LACK OF FINANCIAL
SUPPORT FROM THE GOVERNMENT.
THEIR HOPE IS LAWMAKERS AT THE
FEDERAL AND LOCAL LEVEL WILL DO
MORE TO SUPPORT NUCLEAR ENERGY.
THE LOSS OF LIMERICK OR THE
REST OF THE PENNSYLVANIA NUCLEAR
FLEET WOULD BE DEVASTATING
THE PRIMARY CONCERN WITH
NUCLEAR POWER IS THE POTENTIAL
FOR EXPOSURE TO RADIATION
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO SOMEONE
CONCERNED ABOUT THE RADIATION
WELL, TYPICAL WORKERS GET
LESS RADIATION IN A YEAR THAN
TWO DENTAL TALL X-RAYS,
RADIATION IS A BY-PRODUCT OF
NUCLEAR ENERGY BUT IT'S
MANAGEABLE, CONTROLLED AND WE
HAVE SAFE CONTROL ASSOCIATED
WITH BOTH WORKERS AND THE
PUBLIC.
Reporter: SAFETY WAS
CONSTANTLY ON THE MIND OF OUR
GUYS
WE LIVE HERE, WE WORK HERE.
JUST LIKE YOU.
WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT AND
AGAIN, SAFETY OF OUR PLANT IS
OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
IN LATE OCTOBER THE GENERAL
ASSEMBLY PASSED A RESOLUTION
SUPPORTING NUCLEAR ENERGY.
THAT RESOLUTION URGES A FEDERAL
COMMISSION TO INSURE NUCLEAR
POWER RECEIVES PROPER
COMPENSATION AND SUPPORT.
