Florida Power and Light Nuclear at Turkey Point: where promises turn to salt ... by gimleteye

The nuclear disaster in Japan is unfolding according to events inside the crippled reactors that could never be imagined by people who live within its poisoned radius. In a similar accident at Turkey Point, more than a million people could find themselves in the same state of bewildered disbelief from places of refuge far, far from their homes and possessions. Consider the formation of hundreds of thousands of pounds of salt within the damaged reactors as salt water boils off. Here in South Florida, FPL -- the operator of two aging nuclear reactors with plans for two more moving forward supported by the county commission-- insists that nothing similar could happen and that its reactors are operating at the highest levels of safety. Wrong, on both counts.

FPL Turkey Point has a history of safety problems at the edge of Biscayne National Park. Its current design, to cool the superheated water from the reactors, depend on a "radiator" of cooling canals immediately adjacent to the plant. FPL also built a perimeter canal whose promised purpose was to prevent salt water intrusion. Indisputably, the perimeter canal has failed, sending an underground flood of salt water toward population centers in South Dade.

This salt water front threatens farming and drinking water wells. Rock mining is particularly vulnerable because the contamination of crushed rock by salt renders it unusable for construction. FPL not only denies the nuclear power plants are causing this problem, it has failed to abide by terms of prior agreements and commitments with the state of Florida, represented in this instance by the South Florida Water Management District.

Salt and broken promises at Turkey Point: not only do these reactors continue to run, they have recently been "uprated" to create more power... and speed the intrusion of salt water inland through the Biscayne Aquifer. As far as the two new reactors are concerned, plans for emergency backup power include the use of water directly from Biscayne Bay. In the case of an accident at Turkey Point requiring salt water to cool the plants-- if a hurricane causes power outages to stop the flow of fresh water-- Biscayne Bay and communities surrounding its waters could be at direct risk. FPL asks neighbors to stay cool, calm and collected, but based on its current operations, the company has already violated the public trust.