Equipment failure caused Byron event

Plant officials say it was a broken insulator at the facility’s switchyard that caused Monday morning’s “Unusual Event” at the Byron Generating Station.

The incident was reported at around 10 a.m. Monday, and the plant’s Unit 2 generator remains off-line. On Monday morning, Unit 2 automatically tripped off-line due to a loss of off-site power to the unit.

When the loss occurred, the facility’s diesel generators activated to provide back-up power. The steam release that began when Unit 2 came off-line stopped at approximately 3 a.m. on Tuesday.
Byron technical experts have completed repairs to a failed insulator, which was the source of the power loss, states an Exelon news release. A comprehensive investigation into why the insulator failed is ongoing, the release states.

“We will send off for failure analysis to see if we can learn why it failed,” said Paul Dempsey, communications manager for the Byron Generating Station.

Plant officials say there was no health or safety risk to workers or the general public during the incident, since the facility’s back-up systems all functioned correctly. Even so, Exelon Nuclear has notified the appropriate local, state, and federal authorities of the incident.

An Unusual Event is the lowest of the four emergency classifications established by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. It is unclear when Unit 2 will be reactivated, but in the meantime, the plant’s Unit 1 generator continues to supply electricity.

On Tuesday, personnel from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency collected samples from around the Byron plant to confirm that the steam release during Monday’s event poses no hazard to the public. The samples will be taken to the agency’s Springfield lab for analysis and results should be available in a few days, states an IEMA news release.

Patti Thompson, a spokesperson for IEMA, said the sampling will allow her agency to determine whether there are any dangerous levels of radioactive tritium present in the environment surrounding the plant. The agency does not expect there to be any elevated levels, but the sampling and testing will confirm this, Thompson said.

“Nothing indicates to us that there should be elevated levels, but we want to do our own independent testing,” Thompson said.

As part of this process, IEMA personnel are collecting water and vegetation samples. Some of the samples will be in the same locations as routine sampling that was conducted by the agency within the past month. Other samples will be taken elsewhere.

Thompson said the new samples will be compared to the samples taken a short time ago, which will make the process easier.

“Hopefully, within the next few days, we’ll have results and we can let the public know,” Thompson said.

Warning - treat all power wires as live

Any fallen power wire should always be treated as live until proven otherwise, the general manager of Electricity Ashburton says.

His comments come after the tragic death of a North Canterbury man who was electrocuted on a rural North Canterbury property at the weekend.

Brendan Walker, 39, died and his wife Sarah is in a comfortable condition in hospital with burns to her feet and hands after going to his aid, while the couple's seven-year-old son Ethan is being hailed a hero after running back to the house to raise the alarm.

The incident was triggered by a small fire which burnt through the power pole and released the bracket which held the insulators, which were attached to the wire.

The insulator and bracket fell and dragged the power line down to about a metre off the ground.

Mr Walker was checking on cattle on Saturday morning when he saw three cattle lying in a paddock.

He drove his quad bike over to get a closer look and appeared to have driven into the same power line which killed the cows, and was electrocuted.

Electricity Ashburton general manager Gordon Guthrie said fires did occur on power poles from time to time, when insulators broke for whatever reason.

Generally if a power wire touched the ground, it would short out. But in this case the wire did not appear to have hit the ground so had remained live.

Mr Guthrie said power wires should always be treated with extreme caution.

"You should treat every wire as live," he said.

"These things can happen and you've just got to be aware of it."

Any downed power wires should be reported to authorities immediately.

It's believed the fallen power line which killed Mr Walker was carrying more than 1000 volts.

Mrs Walker and her son came across the scene when they left the house to check their letterbox. She was shocked by the power line while trying to help her dead husband but Ethan escaped injuries, police constable John Eagle said.
Power to the line was cut off directly after the incident, but had since been repaired by MainPower.

MainPower manager Peter Hurford said the company declined to comment on the incident until they had spoken to police.
In 2009, Mid Canterbury husband and wife Lionel and Shirley Donaldson were killed on their Mayfield farm after an auger hit overhead power lines in their farm yard.

A coroner's inquest found that Mrs Donaldson may also have been going to her husband's aid when she too was electrocuted.

Mr Guthrie said machinery like augers and irrigators hitting power lines did happen from time to time in Mid Canterbury and people should always be aware of overhead lines.

Boy, 7, in tragic mercy dash

A 7-year-old boy has been praised for a mercy dash after his father was electrocuted by a fallen power line and his mother was left severely injured with serious burns.

Ethan Walker ran to raise the alarm after father Brendon, 39, was killed when he rode his quad bike over a power line carrying more than 1000 volts on the North Canterbury farm where he was working.

Mr Walker was discovered by wife Sarah and Ethan when they went out to check the letterbox for mail.

Mrs Walker tried to help him but suffered severe burns to her hands and feet.

Constable Jon Eagle was full of praise for Ethan. "This young man has been confronted by everyone's worst nightmare but has had the presence of mind to run back to the house and call for help."

Friends and neighbours of the Walkers have been devastated by the tragedy, describing it as a "raw time" for the district.

On Saturday morning, Mr Walker headed out to check his cattle and when he saw three lying in the paddock, he drove his quad bike over for a closer look, said Mr Eagle.

But he drove over the same power line that had killed the cows and was electrocuted.

Mrs Walker was hurt when she tried to help her dead husband.

"The 7-year-old boy reports touching his father," said Mr Eagle, "but luckily there was no current or anything there so he didn't get a shock himself. He described his father as clicking, so obviously he could hear power there somewhere."

Ethan ran home - about 250m - and told his sister, Allanah, 9, before they phoned their grandmother in Queenstown, who called 111.

"It's an isolated rural farm," said Mr Eagle, "and if it wasn't for his actions, we wouldn't have been there as soon as we did."

Mrs Walker was airlifted to Christchurch Hospital, where she remained last night in a stable condition. Mr Eagle said she was answering questions, but was still quite "tired and confused".

Relatives from around the country had gathered to be with the children, who had been to see their mother in hospital.

Brendon's brother Scott Walker said Ethan and Allanah were doing well and were with family - including six cousins aged 4 to 12.

He said his brother was a good man who was loved and would be missed.

Scott Walker said he and his family wanted to thank neighbours and the emergency services who helped Brendon and Sarah.

He said his sister-in-law was "up and about" and was waiting to hear whether she would need plastic surgery.

The cause of the tragedy has been established. "There has been a small fire at the top of the power pole, which has burnt through the power pole itself and it's released the bracket that holds the insulators that are attached to the wire," Mr Eagle said.

Septic tanks could be at risk

Though Fergus Falls got some snow on Wednesday, cold temperatures beforehand combined with not much snow could spell problems for some residents’ septic systems. Two local septic service owners weighed in on the potential problems and how to prevent them from backing up your system.

Frost digs deeper in years when snow doesn’t act as an insulator, sometimes reaching and freezing septic systems – particularly the “drain field,” where the excess material in the septic system drains, and the line between the septic tank and the home.

Nature’s Call Septic Service owner Doug Green said the best time to protect against the winter freezes has already passed.

“Ideally, everyone takes precaution in the fall instead of (waiting) until it’s too late,” Green noted.

For people who are concerned about their systems in the fall, Green recommended not composting, trashing or burning all of your fall leaves.

“(Grow) your grass longer, or maybe leave some leaves or put some bags of leaves over your tank,” he said.

If you’re late to insulate, there still may be time, according to Fergus Power Pump owner Mitch Okerstrom, explaining that thick blankets, mulch and straw are also effective insulators.

“Anything to cover that drain field, if possible,” he said.

After insulation is taken care of, it’s important to make sure that no “ice dams” clog up the line between the septic tank and the house.

“Fix any leaky toilets or anything like that,” said Okerstrom, explaining that the slow flow of a small amount of water is much likelier to freeze. He and Green also said that some furnaces also feed small amounts of condensed water into the septic system. That can be harmful if not supplemented by other water.

Normally, said Green, freezing of small amounts of water isn’t an issue, as home residents typically use large amounts of hot water via showering, laundry or washing dishes.

When on vacation, however, “have someone run hot water into your system for three to four minutes every day,” he recommended.

“Usually the problems we do see are people who take a week off,” he said.

Okerstrom also urged caution with cooking supplies.

“Avoid all your greases from going down the drain,” he said. “That’s huge. Especially in the cold, they will coagulate (in the pipes).”

If your system is freezing, there are a few early warning signs, including frequent backups, slow drains, or a frequent gurgling sound when faucets are drained. A consistent, strange odor in the home when the water is on is another key indicator.

If homeowners aren’t careful, said Green, they may end up needing a fix that can impact time and money.

“I have had situations where the drain field has frozen up and I’ve had to pump the septic tank every time until spring,” he said, remarking that typical septic tanks fill up every two or three months. Another method requires a machine called a steamer which pumps steam or hot water through the pipe leading to the tank.

If a septic service is needed, he remarked, make sure that you know where your septic tank and its access are.

Though he said homeowners should still be vigilant, Okerstrom said this week’s weather could make things easier.

Winter has arrived, albeit late

Although late, winter has arrived! We finally have some snow AND some consistent freezing temperatures.

Many of the little wetland pools in my forest are at least partially frozen, with thicker ice extending from the edges and thinning out toward the middle. This is called border ice. Solid ice usually, but not always, forms along the shore of a pond or stream first. The water is typically shallow along the shore and so the water temperature drops faster and freezes quickly on a cold night. In the case of rivers and streams, the water moves slower along the shore and so ice forms more easily along the edges. If conditions stay cold, the border ice will grow gradually toward the center until the entire pond freezes over.

Each lake, river, pond and stream has its own nuances. For example, because the water is moving more quickly than in surrounding areas you will find thinner ice where a river narrows or where channels form between islands. Likewise, ice thins where streams or springs enter a pond or lake. The marsh near my house usually has thinner ice near the shoreline where it is shallow and sunny.

We are lucky that water has the unique thermal properties that it does. If water was like most substances on Earth, its density would be greatest when frozen and it would sink — ice would form at the bottom of water bodies first.

However, unlike most substances, water is less dense when frozen and therefore ice floats. The peak density of water is around 4 degrees Celsius and it decreases, or gets lighter, at temperatures both above and below this. If water didn't do this it is unclear whether life on Earth could exist; all bodies of water would freeze from the bottom up and potentially freeze solid, causing real problems for most aquatic species.

Consider this: because the maximum density of water is at 4 degrees Celsius, the layer of water that forms at the bottom of deep bodies of water — the hypolimnion — can remain at around 4 C year-round. The heavy, cold water just sits there. In the winter, lakes stratify, meaning the layer of cold liquid 4 C water remains on the bottom, warmer water in the middle, ice on top. The ice on top acts as an insulator, protecting the warmer water from freezing air temperatures, further ensuring that the lake or pond doesn't freeze solid.

It is in these cold but unfrozen depths that life such as algae, insect larvae and fish can safely overwinter. These aquatic organisms are all cold-blooded, their body temperatures following external temperature changes; as the lake cools their metabolism slows and they become sluggish. Obviously this whole freeze-thaw system works; when spring comes and northern lakes, ponds and rivers shed their icy covers, aquatic organisms shrug off their winter torpor and come back to life.

Red Means Run author Brad Smith: ‘I have an aversion to cops’

Brad Smith’s hands look as if they’ve done everything but pecked at a keyboard or held a pen. He’s worked as a farmer, signalman, insulator, truck driver, bartender, schoolteacher, maintenance mechanic, roofer and carpenter, but it’s only when you reach the last line of his biography that the fact that he’s a writer becomes apparent.

Between 2000 and 2007, Smith published four novels — the above-mentioned title plus All Hat, Busted Flush, and Big Man Coming Down the Road. He was marketed as a throwback, a bit of a roughneck, an outsider. Now, after a five-year-absence — Smith prefers the term “sabbatical” — he returns with a new publisher and a new book, Red Means Run, the first of two that will arrive in stores by the end of summer.

“I never stopped writing. It just seemed like the industry was kind of in a slump for a while,” says Smith, nursing a beer at a popular King Street West restaurant in downtown Toronto, a long way, mentally if not geographically, from the 80-year-old farmhouse near the north shore of Lake Erie he calls home .

“I didn’t have a publisher,” he explains — he parted ways with Penguin, who’d released his last three books — “and I wasn’t even really looking for a publisher, to tell you the truth, because I didn’t know what I wanted to do. But I kept writing.”

Red Means Run introduces the reader to Virgil Cain, an ordinary man who constantly finds himself in extraordinary circumstances. Not long after the novel opens, Mickey Dupree, a slick criminal defence lawyer, is found dead on the local golf course, the shaft of a five-iron staked through his heart. Cain, a former minor-league catcher, is the only suspect, and with good reason: Dupree successfully defended the man charged with murdering Cain’s wife, Alan Comstock, a drug-addled music producer who likes his beer cold and his guns loaded. After realizing the police aren’t looking for anyone else, Cain breaks out of jail and goes on the lam, determined to find the killer before the cops find him.

“Virgil came pretty easily to me, because I know that guy,” says Smith, sporting a shaved head and a grey goatee. “He’s probably a more idealistic version of me. A better version of me.”

Smith, a fiftysomething native of Canfield, Ont., knows all about troubled men with checkered pasts; he’s had his share of run-ins with the law and is intimately familiar with the inside of a cell. In fact, it was time spent in a courthouse jail over 30 years ago that inspired the scene in which Virgil undertakes his own Great Escape.

Anna DeVries, his editor at Scribner in New York, believes Smith’s damaged hero, and the parade of miscreants that populate the novel, will ultimately appeal to readers.

“We are calling it country noir, but it definitely fits in with that tradition of writers, … in terms of Richard Russo, Dennis Lehane and Elmore Leonard, who have these characters who are a little more experienced in the life department, and may have a few bumpy roads behind them that they’ve come down. And I think that really appeals to readers — to see that this hero is flawed but resilient.”

Red Means Run marks the first time Smith has written a book with a series in mind. He’s been asked by publishers before, but has always refused. “To me, a series represents cops — you know, the savvy detective, whatever. It’s pretty procedural and, frankly, some of the stuff I read it like the same book over and over again.”

At the first meeting with his new publisher, the idea of a series was broached again, and again Smith said no. “I’ve been arrested a lot, so I have an aversion to cops,” he laughs. “But then I got thinking about it a few weeks later, and I said ‘what if I can do a series with an Everyman … just a blue collar guy that I know, like the guys I wrote about in One-Eyed Jacks or Busted Flush?’ There’s similarities there. None of them are dancing to ballet.”

Crow’s Landing, the further (mis)adventures of Virgil Cain, is due out in August; that novel finds Virgil reeling in a snowstorm’s worth of cocaine while fishing in the Hudson River. He’s under contract to write a third book, and is also developing a TV series, about a doctor who is sentenced to 500 hours of community service at a downtrodden downtown hospital after being convicted of drunk driving.

“It’s better than shingling,” he says.

Lifetime: Season of excuses

It's better to embrace the cold weather than to curse it!

Before getting into today's challenge, it's a good time to catch up on your lifestyle progress.

If you have been following these LifeTime segments, the most important changes that you have made to your lifestyle include adding physical activity to your days, eating more vegetables and fruits, learning how to self-regulate and paying attention to your emotions, and setting appropriate goals while giving up on unattainable goals.

All of these strategies combined are likely to result in a more confident, healthier, and happier you in all aspects of your life. If you have missed segments, or forget the main premise of any of them, go back and re-read and watch/listen to the messages.

Relatedly, if you are trying to make small and achievable changes to your lifestyle, you have undoubtedly thought about adding more physical activity to your day. Maybe you have been doing this for some time, or maybe you made a recent resolution to do so…regardless, the cold winter weather is likely to be a big barrier to physical activity both because it may limit the type of activity you like to do, or make doing activity more difficult or less enjoyable.

The good news is that there are ways to conquer the weather – and doing so will probably lead to greater feelings of accomplishment and confidence. It all comes down to planning and preparation (have you heard that before?!) – dressing for the elements is the best defense against harm and injury, and makes winter weather bearable if not enjoyable! I have one word for you – layers.

The key to layering is based on heat exchange and controlling moisture. You want to have a base layer used to keep moisture at bay (best materials are wool or polyester), at least one insulating layer (think wool or fleece), and an outer shell to protect against the elements. See the specifics on layering in the downloadable document.

Also, since air is a very good insulator, layering allows you to have more pockets of air between your body and the elements. And, wearing multiple layers allows you to adjust the level of insulation you need during physical activity by removing and adding layers as needed.

One thing to keep in mind is to keep clothing snug for all layers. Baggy clothes trap warm air, but with every movement that air is forced out through the large openings. If you are not a big fan of sporting tights for your walk, try wearing shorts over your tights .

Bottom line for layering: moderate-intensity exercise in relatively dry but cold weather can generate enough heat to maintain the body's core temperature without the need for thick and heavy clothing. Look for lighter-weight, functional materials and layer appropriately.

Also, people with higher amount of body fat will retain more body heat than individuals who have less body fat. So, leaner individuals might need more insulation. Layering is a personal choice and can make exercise more enjoyable and safe.

In addition to clothing, there are other "tools" that might be useful when exercising in the cold winter weather.

Winter traction devices are usually made of rubber and have metal points one the bottom to give you traction on ice . Traction is very important for walkers, joggers, and runners and gives confidence to people who are worried about balance on ice.

You could use short ski poles or walking/trekking sticks to help with balance while walking in the winter . You want to use sticks that have a strap on the one end with the handle, preferably a metal spike on the other end, and that allow you to have a 90-degree angle at your elbow when the end of the stick is resting on the ground beside your small toe. If you are considering purchasing a trekking stick, talk to the experts at the sport/outdoor specialty shop to ensure you are buying the right pole(s) for your needs.

There are lots of varieties of chemical heat packs that you can get and "activate" to give you immediate heat where you need it. This is an inexpensive way of keeping your extremities warm.

There are many outdoor sports that you can do in the city or within close proximity – cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, skating to name a few– and you can rent the equipment for a day to get acquainted with the sport before purchasing your own equipment. Consider tubing and tobogganing as well; fun activities that involve moderate-to-vigorous physical activity walking back up the hills. Winter activity can bring out the child in all of us if we let it!

Engaging in physical activity in cold weather is relatively safe for healthy, consistent exercisers. However, if you have a history of heart disease or if you are out of shape, overweight, and suffer from high blood pressure, there may be higher risks to being physically active in the cold. This is because cold weather places added stress on the heart. There are ways of reducing the risks, such as warming up before going outside , starting your exercise slowly when you get out , and wearing layers. Talk to your physician and/or a trained kinesiologist before starting any exercise program.

Stay hydrated. You might not feel the need to drink water when you are exercising in the cold, but fluids are as important in cold weather as they are in the heat. Dehydration can affect your body's ability to regulate heat. Also, if you are going outside to be physically active, try to avoid consuming alcohol and caffeinated beverages because they promote dehydration.

Pay attention to the temperatures you feel and see . Frostbite is a serious condition that you want to avoid. If you do go out in the extreme cold temperatures, end your workout early if it is snowing or freezing rain because this moisture and the cold temperatures increase the risk for frostbite. This condition is also exacerbated with high windchill factors .

Eliminate your expectation that your athletic performance will match your warmer day work-outs. Focus on the process rather than outcome – physical activity in the snow and ice requires more energy expenditure, so you might go out for less time but you are likely to burn as many calories. Enjoy being outside while exercising, and think about all the people driving by or looking out of their windows thinking "now that is commitment to be working out in weather like this"

The challenge for the next two weeks is for you get outside and do some physical activity – practice layering, use the clothes you already own and see how you do before considering spending big bucks on new clothes. You don't need to look like the big athletic companies sponsor you – you need to stay dry and warm to enjoy your time outdoors.