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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1973-12-06, Page 3the n co week are n will 'at c I on t ront *en e in rise co nton rred t to El fetors ute's s rec that t cool inev da ting Wil best a is in li busin 0 sratube ig Co. i dista st Frid Dune co 'ersity visito Id Arth ureau f Mr. a )f Nels .ole in t tor H Che 'R e Cen est wee of 'Fr Jniversi rich sto ighting Breck are has tor. May st shou ifter t irection he Arth i anoth on Thu hts, wh three -a ght Lef .h filled hall r. R. i the pla 0 rs went night ;atives f icil. Th Red) Wo er Shea e; and :ending cell, Fra )11, Davi recht a of t was al and w 1,040 - lmost, t by whi )63. tors of t ;lub ha tion of under t man it 3 Hou C.N. of Ea on, Tow Ater fro ailways t the eff !called I for th buildin Robert e Ontar inced th wit, MP been on th ly's eta griciiltu mission ,ublic j hite intervenes bWid from pa9• 1 the plaza, therefore, will not in- one dwelling unit or for mobile n1ent in Goderich troduce a new food chain to the home parks. trip and Colborne Town- area and thereby threaten local Exempted are municipal os made early Thursday grocery business. It will simply structures, government struc- and by the next mor- . mean a new location for an tures, or ,, structures by ingword was out. already establi tietonly were council fry ed by the Wawa, the el making arrangements with a franchises in the township ''for representatives of Colborne new and major food chain the purpose of rovidin a ser- nehiP were irate to which could probably bring im- vice to the public." g ver the freeze could proved selection, quality\ and Nothing in the order pre%ants ly affect several projects prices to district shoppers. the repair c uretion that of for their municipality, Also from past discussions any bulding or structure Rally divorced from shop- among planners concerning-- damaged or destroyed by_ plaza development.• plaza development in or causes be and the 'control of Friday it had been Y noon arour d Goderich, it has been the owner or the strengthening the Hon Mr. White repeatedly stated that while the or restriction to a safe con- 5erved notice that the,area canro,babl osed for the, p Y support a clition of any building or struc- was imp plaza, the location is of the ut- ture or part of such building or le of Thursday, and that most importance/ structure. ncement put the building it already acquired by Planners seem generally The "freeze" on Goderich e in jeopardy. agreed that a shopping mall Township has already averted r�eW'hite, speaking on the should be located in the down- a new problem. On the day of town core area - or as close to it the "freeze," reports Deputy - e said he could not permit as possible. Planners also reeve Ginn, a Toronto man ser - municipality without plan - seemed generally agreed ved notification he wished to restrictions to threaten a t underway' in a com- throughout all the discussions appear before Gtuderich Town - encumbered by the that of the two possible ship Council to talk about a, it), locations for a plaza - Highway proposal to construct a shop - rung process. ., lad that's where the matter 21 or Highway 8 - Highway 8 ping plaza - the third one to be appears to be the better site. proposed for the district this the Rockledge plaza presen- althc,ugh it -was learned The reason for this opinion year. _ appears to,be because Highway Ginn said the caller was ad-. Rockledge vice-president 8 carries a heavier traffic load vised Of the freeze and told the Smith this week that tors for that company are and a substantially different chances of getting a permit in to determine the type of traffic than is using the Goderich Township to build a poringfamed Blue Water Route. plaza were slim at the present dity of the building permit m Goderich Town shed outlet. telephone or telegraph com- m- The Rockledge proposal, on panies, the Hydro -Electric hip the other hand, claims its Power Commission of Ontario ec- strength mayy lie in the fact it is and gas companies holding iY i cAt this point in time, time. court. It is hoped to have a - While the argument goes on court ruling within 30 however, neither Goderich Town Council or ,,Goderich between the two municipalities, TownshipCouncil is showingcounty council is beginning to the matter of the Suncoast Cil look seriouslyat restructuriti' ,,.I is ant)ther problem. much concern for the location g. e is every indication that of any proposed shopping mall. Here again, Hon. Mr. White tonight's meeting (Dec. 6, 7 The decisions .to ,date would figures highly. He has recom- ot Goderich Town Coun- seem to have been reached on mended that counties in On- the sole basis of tax revenue tario take some concrete steps to the individual ,municipalities towaji municipal boundary - and the municipality which changes etc. and there are gets the shopping plaza will many people who believe that if, have a --welcome revenue extra and. -when restructuring in Bylaws 39 and 40 to finalize rezoning on the Suncoast rty and make the a_.development.,_ __will_ _ be .. ded. Huron County takes place, the Disbelieved that Toronto is to apply to roads and sewers happy with the procedures and lighting and all the portion of Goderich Township PP. necessary services for modern for which the plaza is proposed wed by Goderich Town will probablyfGbe attach.hed to the Weil in passing the bylaws, living• T Gerry Ginn, deputy -reeve of own ooderic is recommending that the p One vital question. still as be rescinded to. avoid Goderich Township, probably _ s eaks fc!._ the whole of council remains unanswered. t�xiiplication, _. __. P _ t'.�..,__._...._.__._.v._....__., --Since `.Godyerich .Township $ ublic meeting is planned' there when he says that he is a i c p p"little disappointed" that the Council gave tentative ap- December 21 to hear any pp prays\ to the building permit ions to the Suncoast Hon.„. Mr. White imposed the freeze on Goderich Township for Rockledge Properties Ltd. al...- on November 19, is there reason HI the businessn-ten oppose without discussions. Ginn feels there is "more than one side of to suspect that the intent of oast? that motion will preclude the The Signal -Star interviewed the story.” Schaefer by telephone ' Asked` whether he felt talks actual issuance of the permit, resday and learned • the between Goderich Township on November 29 and that Hon. inessmen of Goderich had and the Town of Goderich Mr. White's Order will not of would have aided smooth feet the building permit already ocgment" on the situation.,, in the hands of Rockledge? *e have discussed .all the shopping plaza development in the area, Ginn said not only The November 19 motion of Wines but there ., have r - Goderich Township read: That no decisions," -said' would serious discussions bet- this Township agrees to issue a efer, ween the two municipalities building permit to Rockledge SOME IMPRESSIONS have helped in the past, they would still be beneficial. Properties Ltd. to construct a The animosity which shopping centre on their There is little doubt 'that the property on part lot three (3) ple of Goderich generally Goderich Township felt for the that shopping plaza is Town of Goderich over the Mt. Con. when written ap- ed in the district. It has threat of a first provals, have been received freeze, from (a) Ministry of the er been "Clearlydemon- suggested by Goderich planning , vironment; (b) Ministry of En - ted what the majority., of -consultant Dave Barber last v'ran tent; ^tion and Com- , pers in the district are ex- summer, has not been abated ins in a local shopping s by Goderich'reluctance to munications; (c) Huron County Health Unit; and when I, however. . hold talks with Goderich evidence has been produced There is not much difference Township on the matter. that a performance .band of size between the tvt+o plazas According to Ginn, urban- Fifty Thousand ($50,000.00) sed for - the area. The rural relations in Herron dollars will be posted with the kledge plaza is proposed as County may have suffered a Township of Goderich before tl}' larger than the.Sun- -severe set-back.because of the any construction is commenced._ st pt�ia but both have happenings in recent, days. But for the present,. neither talons for a food store, a "Things had been going of the plaza developing com- srtment-type -store and along pretty well," said Ginn. _ ral other smaller shops. "We were getting some place. �, panies have approval ahead. Events of the past to week goRockledge proposal in- Goderich Township wanedahead. have moved probably too e►arestaurant. Parking for members met with Colborne quickly to promote thoughtful Suncoast proposal is repor- Township 'elected represen- decisions of councils in at -Just over 700 cars, for tatives Tuesday evening t„o hear Goderich and Goderich Town- kledge, up to:2,000 parkin a bit mor•,e about the freeze im- ship, appear to be deliberately posed on them. ars to be t by the Hon. Mr. John White. ora t-. O slowed by the "freeze" imposed Ile f he food 'store terms of the edict by Hon. Mr. It only remains to watch and o the major differences They found that under the lay lit. Indications are that if White, prohibited uses in the wait for the matter to be sorted Suncoast plaza becomes townships include the building out in the days to come. A and P will be the of structures for commercial Right now, nobody really k store tenant. I ' ustrial uses, tor knows whether there will be tons made by Sun -more a than one single-family one plaza, twoplazas or no ith n the uses, for incl neat' as been reasoned that . dwelling on a lot, for more than plazas. INSLIE Guaranteed Tender MARKET LTD. ON;tTHE SQUARE 524-8551 STEAKSSAVE Porterhouse, T Bone, and Sirloin LB. ‚1.47 Centre slices - save 32c Ib. - LB. 1 BACK BACON 637 Made fresh daily SAUSAGES LB. 89c Boneless - Pot ROAST BEEF LB. 98c /•Y 0 OPEN FRI.EVENINGS TILLS p•m. Sive with err Wholesale Prices - We buy Direct Prow Prodreers GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 19'13 ---PAGE .3 Goderich' delegation meets with Ontario Hydro to discuss nuclearpower development in A delegation of eleven Goderich residents, who have become concerned with the safety aspects of the drive to bring nuclear power generators on the line, travelled to the Bruce Nuclear Power Develop- ment on Wednesday evening and met with representatives of Ontario Hydro. The delegation were given a rundown of the station and its method of operation by officials there ' arid an explanation of future expansion plans at the site before the meeting was opened to general discussion. When that discussion got un- derway at about 8:00 p.m. there seemed to be no turning back and questions were still being asked at 12:30,4,-m. Although considerable con- cern has been expressed by critics of nuclear power generation in connection with safety --as it relates to runaway radiation ,inside a reactor due to mechanical failure,- the cen- tral question posed by the local group dealt with the environ- mental effects stations like Bruce Nuclear have during nor- source. The use of atomic coolant, keeping the bundles o: mal operation over a long term. power remains a great fuel rods which fill the reactor The nuclear power suppor- challenge but groups all across down to the desired tem- ters agree that in splitting the the world, and right here in perature. atom to produce heat for the western Ontario, are beginning The big fear is that the reac- power system, radioactivity is to ask if such uses are really tor might suddenly lose its also "produced. They add fe? water through some accident however, that because of very he latter question is asked and, as a result, become strict control of the process; the in terms of the present nuclear • drastically overheated. This is amount of radioactivity to 'power production systems and which man is exposed hardware. Are those systems (measured in units called reins) - safe, or could they prove, in the event of accident, more deadly than the military use of nuclear energy? This problem has esculated over the past few years due to a runaway energy crisis. About :30 nuclear plants are already in operation. and another 135 are already in the planning or construction stage. By 1985, in the United States alone, it is estimated that 10 percent of the energy used will be produced by such stations and by the year 2000 30 percent. Such a program will mean more and more nuclear power plants and critics point out that as more plants' are put into operation the odds of accident steadily increase. Just how justified the fears ,,about safety in nuclear plants are remains unclear. The major difficulty in effectively ex- ploring the problem is the lack of solid information on long term operation, of such plants since they are relatively new and no emergency system for such 'a reactor has ever had to meet a full blown crisis. As a result no one can say for sure what would happen if something serious did go wrong. What could go wrong? To ex- plore that question let's take a super -simplified look at what makes a nuclear reactor tick. In this case a nuclear reactor of the type manufactured and in use in the United States. We'll look at Canada later. Nuclear plants have two main ingredients, fyel and coolant. Basically the fuel produces the heat and the coolent tranfers that heat. In the case of the nuclear plant the fuel is uranium — the United States, enriched uranium, in Canada just plain old uranium. Pellets of uranium dioxide, containing about three percent U-235, for- med in a hydraulic press and to close tolerances. Each pellet is a cylinder about half an inch in diameter and one half inch Ring. These pellets are inserted in a long seamless tube, made of an alloy can zircalloy. These fuel rods are about 12 feet long with a .003 .inch gap between the pellet and the cladding. When the reactor is• fueled there are enough of these rods, containing enough U-235, to make 100 atomic bombs. No one is very concerned about a nuclear plant ex- ploding like a bomb. Even the most severe critics agree that it could not happen because the three percent U-235 used in nuclear fuel doesn't do what the near pure U-235 in a bomb can do. What most concerns the critics ,f nuclear power wastes over' the years since at _ generation is that the heat the moment there is no way to generated by the nuclear fuel permanently dispose of them. might reach a temperature Afterward the local group capable of melting its contain - said they were pleased that On- ment. This would release vast tario Hydro. representatives amounts of deadly radiation to were willing to take time to the atmosphere. meet with them but indicated That possibility brings in the they were still not satisfied that other ingredient of such ri nuclear power was the best station water. alternative to the meeting of in- There are two kinds of light creasing demands for power. water reactors, one'known as a Storage of nuclear waste pressurized water reactor and remained a major concern. The the other known as a boiling group feel that no type of water reactor (PWR and storage facility can justify the bequeathing of this problem to future generations. Although Ontario Hydro say the problem is manageable, the group - feel it unfair to leave such a serious problem to corning generations for management. It would be more sane, they feel, to cut down on energy requirements 80 that the demanded production of power would not have to be met through such methods as nuclear power. Nuclear power is just not the answer they say. • The group feels that although on its basic level the economy should serve to provide for mankind's needs it has now become divorced from that role and has become ab- solute rather than relative, especially where demands for energy are concerned. They recommend a serious look at the whole system, Both Ontario Hydro and the concerned Goderich residents agree however, that if nothing else was accomplished at last week's meeting at least a forum was set up in which opinions could be expressed. Worldwide controversy over atomic energy BY RON SHAW BWR). In both reactors the essential activity is the same, There is a raging debate un- heat produced by the fissioning derway in North America, and uranium turns the water into indeed the whole world, which steam and' that,.stea in then may prove to be one, of the most turns a turbine t -p oduce elec- important of the age. Is the tricity. atomic production of electricity In the great debate of really safe? nuclear power„ safety the key Not so long ago the use of , issue has come to hinge on the atomic power for peaceful pur- fact that in both the BWR and poses was considered the great the PWR, the water serves a challenge, and the most double function. It -not only ser - rational move man could make yes to transfer the heat to the with his new found energy turbine but it is also used as a is small compared with that from other sources such as bomb test fall out and natural background radiation. "Radiation is a natural phenomenon," , the Hydro representatives explained in their presentation to the_group,._ "as gold. as the universe and some atomic radiation from outer space „reaches us every day in the form of cosmic ' rays. • "We are also exposed to natural . radiation from the ground and the sea around us. People themselves are naturally radioactive. "Potassium for instance, without which we cannot live, is slightly radioactive. All this background radiation is part of 'our natural environment." Real knowledge of radiation dates from work carried out by various scientists at the turn of the century. "Since then we have learned how to measure it, use it and control it," the group was told.- . Radiation released from a nuclear power plant is ex- tremely small according to the Hydro spokesmen. "In fact if a person. were to stand at the boundary of such a plant con- tinuously for 365 days of the year he would receive only about one or two millirem. (thousandths of a rem), they A' ay. "'As' comparison a worker on the 56 floor of the Toronto Dominion Center would receive about 2 millirem more than a worker on the ground floor because of cosmic radiation." Questions from -the Goderich group revolved around whether or not scientists now knew all they needed to in order t safely harness the atom. They pointed out that only 70 years ago next to nothing was -known about the atom and the effects of'radioactivity, especially over the long term. They were less concerned with the immediate effects of radiation on those living in the immediate area of the generating, station than they were in what' the long term genetic effect might be. Again they pointed to the short time in which man has been gathering" knowledge about radioactivity .and argued that genetic effects might not make themselves evident for hun- dreds or thousands of generations. Their concern basically hinged on the question, "Do we have the right to take actions which could detrimentally af- fect future generations?" Considerable concern was also expressed in regard to the safe storage of nuclear wastes from the reactors. The delegation expressed apprehen- sion of a build up of such known in jargon as LOCA or "loss of coolant accident." This situation would occur if the largest pipe in the cooling system were to severely rup- ture, sending the water gushing out under extreme pressure. If such were the case an emergency cooling system is supposed to kick in and flood the reactor and control rods s are to slam -home in the core, dam- ping the fission' process. Supporters of the theory that nuclear reactors are safe 'believe -that -the water flooding into the reactor through un- broken pipes, and . pushed by pressurized nitrogen, will cool the core and avert disaster. Critics believe however, that by the time the emergency coolant water reaches the core it would be so hot the water would turn into, high pressure steam which would either block the entry of more coolant or force it out through the' rup- tured pipe.- This would mean the core continues to heat. The critics then say the core temperature would rapidly rise to a point where (at about 2700 degrees F) the chemical reac- tion of zircally and steam changes. Instead of, being cooled by the steam the alloy .rY metal would be further heated by a chemical reaction that liberates hydrogen and the core would get hotter and hotter. If such were the case the core would reach a temperature of about 4,000 degrees'F and melt, forming a glowing, radioactive at Bruce Nuclear, is far less likely to fail in such dimen- sions. Water pumped . through a Canadian reactor is circulated through separate systems. . Furthermore the fuel is uranium in its original state, ball weighing 100 'inns. nat-._enriched as in the case of This ball would then be resting within the huge pressure vessel of carbon steel (six to eight inches thick) which contains the high pressure core for safety sake. It is calculated however, that the molten core would melt through this container in about 30 minutes. The cooling system is con- tained in a structure of reinfor- ced concrete, about three to four feet in thickness, . with a steel liner and a nine foot thick concrete slab as its base. It is estimated the molten core would break through this slab in about 24 hours. This core, it is assumed, would form a molten glob and sink somewhere under the sur- face of the earth. No one knows for certain what the damage would be. Much of the radioac- tive fission products inythe core are gaseous isotopes like xeon, krypton and iodine and vast amounts would be liberated into the atmosphere. Could - it ever happen? The critics say it is uncomfortably probable while supporters of nuclear - power say such a disaster is highly improbable for two reasons. First, the odds of such a serious break in the water system occurring are ex- tremely small and second, the odds that the emergency cooling system will work are high. So much for the American system and dangers. What about Canadian nuclear power plants like the one at the Bruce Nuclear Generating . Station north of Kincardine? Although it is not impossible, and for many still too probable, it would seem the reactor type in use throughout Canada, and American, sy,tems, and the water used is heavy water as opposed to U,S. light water reactors. The uranium is contained in metal. assemblies known as fuel bundles and these are inserted into tubes running through a tank like reactor. When the fuel is surrounded by heavy water moderator a chain reaction of atom splitting is set up. Just as in the U.S.- reactors this causes the fuel inside the tubes to become hot and this heat is used to produce steam to turn the tubines which rotate ,the generator to produce electricity. In Canada's CANDU reactor themoderating water is pum- ped through separate tubes. surrounding each of the fuel bundles as opposed to water in the U.S. reactor system simply flooding the reactor core. This. reduces the possibility of one -break, in the right pipe, leading to a full scale nuclear accident. Critics however, while willing to admit that the Canadian system ,:has.. advan- tages, still note that con- sidering the dreadful outcome of a nuclear accident any chance of an accident may be too much to live with,. Supporters. of nuclear power in Canada continue to express confidence in' 'the emergency systems and their ability to fun- ction -.properly if a nuclear ac- cident should occur. And there the debate rests at stalemate. As the nuclear critics point out only years of experience- with nuclear power generation will show whether the possibility of accident is as real as some feel and in such a • case if the emergency systems will work as they are designed to. There were nine participants In six classes from Goderich at the Southwestern Regional Judo Tournament In Stratford recently and this group brought back a number of honors for the local club. They are (left to right, front) George Dleroi; third In the nine years of age and under; Karl Krohmer, first in that age division; and Mike Gibbs who captured a thbd In the 12 years and under caitegory; (back) brown belt Instructor Helmut Krohmer, who helped the local squad tie for second place In the team standings with Windsor; Glenn Osborne, third In the 11 years and under group; and Bill Ross who brought home a first for his efforts In the 14 years and under division. (staff photo) y.•y.ga,.w.v..