Solar Flares and Nuclear Plants: Not A Good Combination

We know now that nuclear plants can explode when disconnected from power grids and/or when power grids fail.

In this video, nuclear engineers Mr Arnie Gunderson and David Lochbaum discuss how vulnerable nuclear power plants are to electrical disruptions. Their analysis even addresses the many vulnerabilities of the "back-up" generators

http://fairewinds.com/content/why-fukushima-can-happen-here-what-nrc-and-nuclear-industry-dont-want-you-know

We know that major storms and earthquakes can produce power disruptions.

Unfortunately, solar storms can also produce power disruptions. ENews is now reporting on this dangerous possibility

http://enenews.com/solar-storms-threaten-nuke-plants-power-outages-could-last-years-decades-risk-significantly-outweighs-major-earthquakes/comment-page-1#comment-116729

Here is some background:

NASA recently warned of upcoming increased solar activity

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/04jun_swef/

Massive solar flares could, in all likelihood, take down grids. Many people have in fact been warning of this danger.

Anne and Stock@hawaii.rr.com both provided this excellent link at Enews explaining the origin of our contemporary understanding of solar flares in a 19th century major eruption

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2008/06may_carringtonflare/

Jebus of Enews posted this excellent link for an academic study of solar flares and nuclear plants

https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/mragheb/www/NPRE%20402%20ME%20405%20Nuclear%20Power%20Engineering/Solar%20Storms%20Effects%20on%20Nuclear%20and%20Electrical%20Installations.pdf

In addition to producing nuclear metldowns, a massive solar ejection capable of bringing down power grids would also produce massive food supply chain disruptions.

Our food supply systems are incredibly lean and also very vulnerable (e.g., http://www-staff.lboro.ac.uk/~mmad2/POMS_paper_022809.pdf)

In the past, people did not rely on electrical machines for their food. Many people grew their own food or supplemented food they purchased with home grown food.

Now we rely on electricity for our food and few of us produce any of our own.

A massive disruption to our electrical grid would be devastating.

In addition to shutting down nuclear power plants, we need NOW to start promoting local food production, especially when produced in sustainable ways.

SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL WHO POSTED ON THIS IMPORTANT SUBJECT AT ENEWS. MY VERY SHORT ESSAY HERE IS INDEBTED TO THEIR LINKS AND TO ALL OTHERS WHO I'VE RECENTLY DISCUSSED THIS WITH!