Special plans have already been developed to protect the public in the event of a nuclear incident in your area. These plans give specific attention to people who – like you – live, work or visit within 10 miles of a nuclear power plant. Procedures are in place to help protect you and other members of the public in the unlikely event of a nuclear emergency. If necessary, area officials would declare an emergency and take measures to ensure public safety. This site addresses procedures for the Diablo Canyon Power Plant area. Although it specifically addresses a potential nuclear incident, much of the information is useful in any major emergency.
LEVELS OF EMERGENCIES AT NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
Nuclear power plant emergencies are classified into one of four classifications described below. At each level, DCPP would notify local, state and federal officials. These agencies would take action as outlined in their emergency plans.
UNUSUAL EVENT — A minor, unplanned event has taken place, or a security threat may have occurred. No risk to public health and safety.
ALERT — A plant safety system has been damaged or may have been damaged, or a security event may have taken place that involves risk to site personnel or damage to site equipment.
SITE AREA EMERGENCY — A radiological release may be expected to occur or has occurred, or a security event may have taken place that damaged plant equipment. The release would not be expected to exceed federal exposure limits beyond the plant site boundary, an area about 1,000 yards from the reactor.
GENERAL EMERGENCY — A significant release of radioactivity has occurred or may occur, or a security event may have taken place that results in loss of physical control of the plant. Protective actions may be directed in several of the Protective Action Zones
ABOUT RADIATION
The term radiation is very broad and includes such things as light and radio waves. It is most often used to mean ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation is particles or rays given off by unstable atoms. Radiation is produced inside a nuclear reactor when the uranium atoms split or “fission.” This also produces heat which is used to generate electricity.
The risk from radiation exposure can be reduced by shortening the time of exposure, getting farther away from the source, and shielding or blocking the source. It is known that whole-body radiation doses of more than 10,000 millirem over a short period of time can cause a slight increase in a person’s risk of developing some types of cancer years after exposure. In other words, if you were to receive a short term exposure of 11,000 millirem (11 rem), your estimated risk of developing some type of cancer would increase by 0.05 percent.
During an emergency, if doses of radiation are expected to be greater than 1,000 millirem (an amount greatly below what would be necessary to see an increased risk of developing cancer), protective actions such as evacuations or sheltering in place would be directed. The purpose of these actions would be to keep people away from the radioactive materials that might be released during a severe accident.
DCPP’s design makes a large release of radioactive materials extremely unlikely. The safety systems at the plant are designed to control and contain the release of radioactive materials under accident conditions. The federal and state limits on radiation exposure established for the public, guide emergency planning for protective actions. The emergency plans for DCPP and San Luis Obispo County are designed to minimize the exposure to the public by using the protective actions of evacuation and sheltering in place.
NUCLEAR POWER GENERATION - THE PRESSURIZED WATER REACTOR
In a pressurized water reactor, there are three separate and enclosed water loops. Within the first loop, water, under pressure to prevent boiling, flows through the reactor fuel core and is heated by nuclear fission. The heated water passes through the steam generator where it transfers its heat to the water in the second loop and is then pumped back into the reactor to be reheated. The water in the second loop boils into steam and rushes with great force into the turbine where it strikes blades causing an attached shaft to spin. The other end of the shaft spins inside a generator, producing electricity. Within the third loop, cooling water, drawn from an outside source, condenses the steam after its energy is spent. The cooling water is returned to its source while the reconverted water is pumped back to the steam generator.
POTASSIUM IODIDE
POTASSIUM IODIDE (KI) is not an “anti-radiation” pill. It is only a supplemental protective measure, secondary to evacuation or sheltering in place. KI protects the thyroid gland against exposure to radioactive iodine in the unlikely event of a radiological release from a nuclear power plant. If ingested in an appropriate and timely dosage, KI may block the uptake of radioactive iodine by the thyroid gland. However, KI does not protect other parts of the body from exposure to radioactive material that may be released during an emergency.
The San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department has made available a two day supply of potassium iodide (KI) in tablet form for residents who live or work within a Protective Action Zone (PAZ). Participation in the pre-distribution program is voluntary. KI can also be ordered from several commercial manufacturers by telephone, mail, or via the internet.
Should a nuclear power plant emergency occur that involves a release of radiation, government officials may direct evacuation or shelter in place as a protective action. The ingestion of KI tablets may also be directed as a supplemental protective measure.
KI will not be available at Monitoring, Decontamination and Reception Centers. You must pick it up in advance of an emergency at one of the pre-distribution locations.
KI should only be ingested after specific instruction by a state or local public health official.
Click here to download a KI Voucher
KI PRE-DISTRIBUTION LOCATIONS
SLO COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT LOCATIONS
Grover Beach: 286 South 16th Street
San Luis Obispo: 2191 Johnson Avenue
Additional information is available on the San Luis Obispo County Office of Emergency Services website, www.slocounty.ca.gov/oes/ki
HOW MUCH POTASSIUM IODIDE (KI) TO INGEST
One Tablet = 65 milligrams of KI
* Adolescents approaching adult size (equal to or greater than 150 pounds) should receive the full adult dose.
EMERGENCY PLANNING AGRICULTURAL
In addition to the EPZ, an Ingestion Pathway Zone (IPZ) which extends in a 50 mile radius from DCPP has been designated to assist officials with the protection of the food supply following a radiological release during an emergency at DCPP.
POSSIBLE EFFECTS FROM A RADIOLOGICAL RELEASE TO AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS AND AREAS
Radioactive materials released during an emergency at a nuclear power plant may be dispersed by wind and deposited on land, crops, livestock, food, and water supplies causing contamination. Contamination is the presence of radioactive materials where they are not wanted. The impact on agriculture will depend on the extent of the radiological release, quantity and type of radiological materials deposited, weather conditions and many other factors. Contamination may be minor and may not cause any ill effects.
AGRICULTURAL ACTIONS
For agricultural areas within the 50 mile IPZ, the main goals of local and state officials will be to prevent contamination of the food supply and to keep contaminated products from going to market. To accomplish this, officials will utilize information regarding the release of radioactive materials and provide instructions and actions the public should take. Sampling and analysis will determine the area of contamination and any products affected.
Following an emergency, the public will be provided specific instruction on actions they should take. Instructions will be based on power plant conditions, the extent of the radioactive release and the levels of contamination. In all cases, public health and safety will be the first priority.
SEVERAL OF THE ACTIONS WHICH MAY BE TAKEN TO PROTECT AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS, ANIMALS, AND OTHER COMMODITIES INCLUDE:
• Quarantine of food, animals, and other agriculture commodities
• Temporary or permanent restriction of agricultural activity
• Recommendation of placing animals on stored feed
• Restricting the movement of commodities and animals until they have been determined to be in compliance with health standards
• Decontamination or special handling of contaminated animals and other commodities
• Temporary holding of commodities from outside the quarantine area to be certified to meet destination shipping requirements
• Stopping and inspecting all vehicles coming from or passing through designated areas
EMERGENCY PLANNING AND GOVERNMENT RESPONSE
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program assists state and local governments in the development and conduct of radiological emergency preparedness activities for areas with commercial nuclear power plants. The County of San Luis Obispo, in coordination with the cities, special districts, and emergency response agencies throughout the Emergency Planning Zone, plan, train and conduct exercises to ensure public health and safety can be protected should an emergency occur. These efforts are closely regulated and evaluated by federal officials through continuous reporting, inspections, and certifications.
Government officials and emergency response agencies need your help to ensure they are successful in their planning and response efforts. By thoroughly reading this information and preparing your family, you will help lessen the consequences should we be faced with a small or large disaster.
The information is only a snapshot of the emergency planning efforts that are conducted throughout San Luis Obispo County on an ongoing basis. For additional information or questions regarding the Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program, contact the County Office of Emergency Services at (805) 781-5011 or www.slocounty.ca.gov/oes.