Nuclear startup Oklo gets thumbs-down from regulators

Re:Nuclear startup Oklo gets thumbs-down from regulators by PaulHoule on Friday January 14, 2022 @08:54PM (#29942846)

It's meant to be serious and funny at the same time.

Sodium fires are a real problem but they are manageable. If you detect the fires and put them out they are a minor problem. If you let the fires get out of control, let them wreck the equipment room next to the reactor, then try to cover up how bad the damage was to the media that is the Japanese experience with Monju.

People don't realize that Japan led the world in nuclear accidents from 1990 until Fukushima. There is something badly wrong with their safety culture that led to problems at Tokaimura and Monju and their choice to not install a proper backup electrical system at Fukushima. Choosing not to spend $1M to fortify their diesel generators that would have saved billions and billions. Remember it is a choice.

USA and Russia have dealt with the problem realistically and run beautiful and clean machines with sodium coolant. This is one of the nicest industrial facilities I have ever seen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0Cx2nZTgQg

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Re:Nuclear startup Oklo gets thumbs-down from regulators by jason0597 on Monday January 17, 2022 @08:26PM (#29973782)

> There is something badly wrong with their safety culture

I would not be surprised at all if their hierarchical culture and fear of speaking up to superiors played into a lot of these accidents.

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