Nick wrote:
Matt wrote:

On 15 Mar 2006 10:30:52 -0800, "Weatherlawyer"
wrote:


Nuclear power plants can run almost indefinitely at 2% output but these
rates are rarely reached 24/7 especially no in summer.


2% ?

Chernobyl reached 100%, for a little while

Quite nearly right.

The graphite cored ones are pretty safe at 2%, not that I am advocating
them. If more efficiency is required as it was demanded by the Tories
during the miner's strike the balance hits a diminished return at some
rate I am not familiar with.

There is a greater need for vigilance of course and breakages may
damage the graphite. It is contaminated graphite that renders the power
station obsolete, or rather unusable.

That at least is my limited understanding. They are facinating devices
though. It seems now that the region surrounding Chernoble is a
flourishing wildlife zone now. An as yet unknown factor is the take up
in sub soil fungii.

Apparantly a tree fed with radio-identifiable fertiliser can transport
it into the soil and from the interaction with that tree's particular
subsoil partner, to other trees in the region that are partnered with
the same fungus.

Perhaps they are helping dilute the concentrations. Or concentrating
them where they won't be found until some politician builds a show
house on the site one day.