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The-accidental-century-prominent-energy-accidents-in-the-last-100-years

Professor Andrew Sovacool's extremely informative monograph "The Accidental Century," which looks at power plant disasters in the twentieth century in great detailFull description

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TheAccidentalCentury-ProminentEnergyAccidentsintheLast100Years

reportby

BenjaminKSovacool

AssistantProfessor,LeeKuanYewSchool

PublicPolicy,NationalUniversity

Singapore

Weliveinariskysociety,yethavedifficultyproperlyweighingtherisksregulation,qualityassurance,safetycultureandtheeffectivenessofthatweface.ManypoliticiansconsiderthespreadofHIVIAIDStobethemedicalresponse.world'smostsignificantpublichealthconcern,yetmorepeopleperishfromheartdisease,influenza,diabetes,suicideandmalaria.Policy-makersintheUSconsiderthe'waronillegaldrugs'aseriousendeavour,yetmorepeoplediefromoverusinglegalover-the-counterdrugs.Millionsofpeopleareafraidofflyinginanaeroplane,yetpreferprivateautomobilesthatplacethematgreaterriskofbeingkilledinanaccident.Theseexamplesillustratethatwhatweperceiveastheriskiestactivitiesmaynotbeso,andunderscorethatthemostvisiblerisksmaynotalwaysbethemostsignificant.Oneofthesetypesoflessvisiblerisk,onegrowinginfrequencyandimportance,ismajoraccidentsintheenergysector.Thisarticletakesahardlookatprominentenergyaccidentsbyasking'Whathavebeenthemostsignificantenergyaccidentsofthepast100years?'and'Whataretherisksinvolvedwithdifferentenergysystems?'

EnergyAccidentsintheLast100Years

Toanswerthefirstquestion,twostudies,oneconductedinEuropeandoneintheUS,providemuchfoodforthought.Thefirststudy,conductedbythePaulScherrerInstitute,involvedcollectingdataonmajorindustrialaccidentsfrom1945to1996andrecorded13,914incidents.'Anastounding31

oftheseaccidentswererelatedtotheenergysector.

ThemanagersofthedatabasenotedthataccidentrateswerehighestincountriesnotbelongingtotheOrganisationforEconomicCooperationandDevelopment(OECD).Theyfoundthatthemostsignificantimmediatefatalityrateswereassociatedwithliquidpetroleumgas(LPG),followedbyoil,coalandnaturalgas;sevenofthe10accidentswiththelargestfatalitiesinvolvedoilorLPGenergysystems(see

Table

1).

Theynotedthatthefrequencyandseverityofaccidentsdifferedpredominatelyaccordingtoflawsindesign,

BenjaminKSovacoolisanAssistantProfessorattheLeeKuanYewSchoolofPublicPolicyattheNational

UniversityofSingapore.HeisalsoaResearchFellowin

theEnergyGovernanceProgrammeattheCentreon

AsiaandGlobalisation.DrSovacoolhasworkedasa

researcher,professorandconsultantonissues

pertainingtoenergypolicy,theenvironmentandscience

andtechnologypolicy.Hisresearchinterestsarein

scienceandtechnologystudies,withanemphasison

barrierstonewandinnovativeenergysystems.HehasworkedinadvisoryandresearchcapacitiesattheUSNationalScienceFoundation'sElectricPowerNetworksEfficiency

andSecurityProgram,theVirginiaTechConsortiumonEnergyRestructuring,theVirginiaCenterforCoalandEnergyResearch,theNewYorkStateEnergyResearchand

DevelopmentAuthority,OakRidgeNationalLaboratory,SemiconductorMaterialsand

EquipmentInternationalandtheUSDepartmentofEnergy'sClimateChangeTechnologyProgram.DrSovacoolistheco-editor(withMarilynABrown)of

EnergyandAmericanSociety:ThirteenMyths

(2007)andtheauthorof

TheDirtyEnergyDilemma:What'sBlockingCleanPowerintheUnitedStates

(2008).Heisalsoafrequentcontributortojournalssuchas

Electricitylournal

and

EnergyPolicy.

Severalinterestingconclusionsrelatespecificallytotheoilandgassectors.Intermsoftheoilsector,theauthorsnotedthathigheroilconsumptionovertimehasincreasedthenumberofsevereoil-relatedaccidents,resultinginagreaternumbersoffatalities.The'riskiest'stagesappearedtobewhenoilwasbeingdistributedthroughregionalpipelinesandtrucksortransportedtorefineries.Thesetwostagesaccountedformorethanthree-quartersofalloil-relatedaccidents.Maritimeaccidentswerethemostfrequenttypetooccurduringtransportationtorefineries,whereasroadaccidentswerethemostfrequentduringregionaldistribution.ThemostdangerousenvironmentforoffshoreoilactivitieswastheNorthSea,whichhadthehighestshareofsevereoffshoreaccidents.Accidentsandoilspillsrelatedtooiltankersandplatformswerelessdamagingthanthosecausedbyindustrialriverrun-off,operationaldischargesfromtankers,sewagedisposalandnon-tankerformsofmaritimetransportation(suchasunderseapipelines).Forthoseaccidentsrelatedtotankersandplatforms,distancefromthecoast,weatherconditionsandsensitivityoftheareasexposedstronglyinfluencedtheextentofenvironmentalandsocialdamages.Intermsofthenaturalgas,LPGandliquefiednaturalgas(LNG)sector,theyearlynumberofaccidentsincreasedsignificantlyfrom1970to1985butthendeclined.Thestagewiththehighestnumberoffatalitieswaslong-distancetransport,followedbylocalandregionaldistribution.Nearlythree-quartersofallnaturalgasaccidentswereassociatedwithpipelines,andabout21

oftheseaccidentsinvolvedmechanicalfailure.WhenthedataonLPGaccidentsareseparated,morethanhalfoccurredduringtransportbyroadandrailtankers,andthedominantcausewasimpactfailure.Accidentsrelatedtonaturalgasweredistributedevenlyacrossmanycountries.Thesecondstudy,publishedintheMay2008issueof

EnergyPolicy

(andwrittenbythecurrentauthor),assessedmajorenergyaccidentsworldwidefrom1907to2007

Thestudyidentified279incidentstotallingUS$41billionindamagesand182,156fatalities,withthenumberofaccidentspeakinginthedecadebetween1978and1987,whichhadmorethan90accidents'Thestudyfoundthataccidentsatdamswerethemostdangerous,accidentsatnuclearpowerplantsthemostexpensiveandaccidentsatoilandgaspipelinesthemostfrequent(see

Figure

1).

Thesixmostsignificantenergyaccidents,intermsoffatalitiesorpropertydamage,involveddifferentenergysystems.TheShimantanhydroelectricfacilityinChinafailedcatastrophicallyin1975,causingalmostUS$9billioninpropertydamageand171,000deaths.EquipmentfailuresandoperatorerrorcontributedtothelossofcoolantandapartialcoremeltdownattheThreeMileIslandnuclearreactorinPennsylvaniain

132

TOUCHBRIEFINGS2009

bsovecoolssnus.edu.sq

TheAccidentalCentury-ProminentEnergyAccidentsintheLast100Years

Table

TenMajorEnergyAccidentswiththeLargestImmediateFatalities,

1969-1996

EnergySystemDateLocationStageofEnergyChainImmediateFatalitiesInjuriesEvacueesCost(US$millions,

1996)

Oil

December

1987

PhilippinesTransporttorefinery

3,00026

Oil

November

1982

AfghanistanRegionaldistribution

2,700400

Hydroelectric

August

1979

IndiaPowerplant

1,500150,0001,024

Hydroelectric

August

1993

ChinaPowerplant

1,25033627

Hydroelectric

September

1980

IndiaPowerplant

1,000

LPG

June

1989

RussiaLong-distancetransport

600755

Oil

November

1994

EgyptRegionaldistribution

580140

Oil

February

1984

BrazilRegionaldistribution

5081502,500

Oil

June

1995

SouthKoreaRegionaldistribution

500952

LPG

November

1984

Mexico

Regionaldistribution

4987,231200,0002.9

1979,causingUS$2Abillioninpropertydamages.AmishandledsafetyFigure

MajorEnergyAccidentsbyDecadeandSource,

1907-2007

testattheChernobylnuclearreactorinKiev,Ukraine,killedatleast4,056peopleanddarnagedalrnostUS$7billionofpropertyin1986.ANigerianNationalPetroleumCorporationhigh-pressurepipelinecarryinggasolinerupturedandexplodedin1998,killingmorethan1,000peopleandinducingUS$54millioninpropertydamages.In1989,the

ExxonValdez

ranagroundinPrinceWilliamSoundandspilled250,000barrelsofcrudeoil,causingmorethanUS$4.1billioninpropertydamage.Theoiltanker

Prestige

rupturedoneofitstanksduringsevereweatherin2002andspilled20rnilliongallonsoffuelintotheseanearGalicia,Spain,causingUS$3.3billioninpropertydarnages.Atleast30majoraccidentshadrnorethanUS$100rnillionindamages,andatleast30accidentshadmorethan100fatalities(see

Tables

2and3).Indeed,theassociatedrisksfromenergyinfrastructurehavechangedandalteredovertime.Accidentsatcoalfacilities,particularly

100908070605040

.Oil

•Nuclear

•Naturalgas

..Hydroelectric..Coal

Environmentalprotectionduringtransfers

ARTA

isaninternationallyoperatingmanufacturerofhighprecisionfittingsfortheOil-,Gas-andChemicalIndustry,OurHasarenearFrankfurt,Germany,

ARTA

hasbeenamarketleaderforover40yearsandourcustomersarethe"whoiswho"intherespectiveindustrieswithrepresentationsinmostcontinents.The

ARTAASK

DrybreakCouplinghasgainedinternationalacclamationforitsdecadeslongreliabilityeveninthemostcriticalapplications.Innovationslikefiresafetechnologyandproductselectivityhavelongbeenimplemented,Theintroductionofthe

ARTANTS

EmergencyBreakawaymorethan30yearsagowasgroundbreaking.Onlynowthebenefitsofsuchadevicehavebeenfullyacceptedintheindustry,Thelongexperienceinallcriticalindustriestogetherwiththe•widerangeofsizesmakethe

ARTANTS

worldwidethe.numberonechoiceinEmergencyReleaseSystems.The

ARTAASK

and

NTS

receivedmultipleinternationalrecognitions.Additionally

ARTA

offerstwosystemsforthesafetransferofpoisonousgases,corrosiveandflammableliquids:Thefillingunitallowsforaonestepconnection;designedasamultidocksystem,itsimultaneouslyhandlesproducttransferandvapourrecovery.Variousoverflowprotectionsolutionsareavailable,dependingontheapplication.Theadditionaluseofthe

ARTAASK

DrybreakCouplingresultsinspill-freedisconnectionofthehose.The

ARTA

Defillerisadrum-emptyingdevicewhichservesasasimplesolutiontocompletelyevacuateavarietyofcontainers,binsordrums,anenvironmentalintoday'sworldoffluidhandling:'Itisconnectedtoapumpthatstopsrunningthemomentithitsair.

.',ART~

Annaturen-un~'TankgeriitebaUGmbH

Co.KG

P.O.Box1248.

D-6~571

Diez-GermanyTel.+49(0)6432

~91

4740:·Fax:+49(0)6432-914712,e-mail:info@arta-gmbh.de.http://www.arta-gmbh.Cte-"

~A'~,-

TheAccidentalCentury-ProminentEnergyAccidentsintheLast100Years

Table

MajorEnergyAccidentswithMorethan

US$100

MillioninDamages,

1907-2007

FacilityDateLocationDescriptionCost(US$millions,1996)Coalmine6December

1907

Monongah,WestVirginia,USUndergroundexplosiontrapsworkersanddestroys162railroadbridgesleadingintothemineLNGplant20October1944Cleveland,Ohio,USExplosionatLNGfacilitydestroysonesquaremileofCleveland

890

Oiltanker13June1968EconomicExclusiveZone,The

WorldGlory

oiltankerexperiencesfullfailure,

110

SouthAfricaspilling11milliongallonsoffuelHydroelectric8August1975HenanProvince,ChinaShimantanDamfailsandreleases15,738billiontonsofwater,

8,700

causingwidespreadfloodingthatdestroys18villagesand

1,500

homesandinducesdiseaseepidemicsandfamineNuclear24November1989Greifswald,EastGermanyElectricalerrorcausesfireinthemaintroughthatdestroyscontrolUD$443linesandfivemaincoolantpumpsandalmostinducesmeltdownHydroelectric5June1976IdahoFalls,Idaho,USTetonDamfailsandreleases

300,000

acrefeetofwaterthat

990

floodsfarmlandandtownssurroundingIdahoFallsOiltanker15December1976Nantucket,Massachusetts,USTheoiltanker

ArgoMerchant

runsagroundandspills7.5million267gallonsoffuel,causinganoilslick

100

mileslongand70mileswideNuclear22February1977JaslovskeBohunice,Mechanicalfailureduringfuelloadingcausesseverecorrosion

1,700

Czechoslovakiaofreactorandreleaseofradioactivityintotheplantarea,necessitatingtotaldecommissionOiltanker16March1978Porstall,Brittany,FranceTheoiltanker

AmocoCadiz

experiencessteeringfailureand111runsaground,spilling68milliongallonsoffuelOiltanker19July1979Tobago,CaribbeanTwoverylargecrudecarriers,the

AtlanticEmpress

and

120AegeanCaptain,

collideatsea,spilling111milliongallonsoffuelNuclear28March1979Middletown,Pennsylvania,Equipmentfailuresandoperatorerrorcontributetolosofcoolant

2,400

USandpartialcoremeltdownatThreeMileIslandnuclearreactorOiltanker6August1983CapeTown,SouthAfricaTheoiltanker

CastillodeBellver

catchesfire,spilling14375milliongallonsNuclear15September1984Athens,Alabama,USSafetyviolations,operatorerroranddesignproblemsforce

110

sixyearoutageatBrownsFerryUnit2Nuclear9March1985Athens,Alabama,USInstrumentationsystemsmalfunctionduringstart-up,

1,830

convincingtheTennesseeValleyAuthoritytosuspendoperationsatallthreeBrownsFerryUnitsNuclear26December1985ClayStation,California,USSafetyandcontrolsystemsunexpectedlyfailatRanchoSeconuclearreactor,ultimatelyleadingtotheprematureclosure672oftheplantNuclear11April1986Plymouth,Massachusetts,USRecurringequipmentproblemswithinstrumentation,vacuum

1,001

breakers,instrumentairsystemandmaintransformerforce

emergencyshutdownofBostonEdison'sPilgrimnuclearfacilityNuclear26April1986Kiev,UkraineMishandledreactorsafetytestatChernobylnuclearreactor

6,700

causessteamexplosionandmeltdown,necessitatingtheevacuationof

300,000

peoplefromKievanddispersingradioactivematerialacrossEuropeNuclear4May1986Hamm-Uentrop,GermanyOperatoractionstodislodgedamagedfuelrodatexperimental267high-temperaturegasreactorreleaseexcessiveradiationtofoursquarekilometressurroundingthefacilityNuclear31March1987Delta,Pennsylvania,PhiladelphiaElectricCompanyshutsdownPeachBottomunits2and

400

3duetocoolingmalfunctionsandunexplainedequipmentproblemsNuclear19December1987Lycoming,NewYork,USFuelrod,wastestorageandwaterpumpingmalfunctionsforce

150

USNiagaraMohawkPowerCorporationtoshutdownNineMilePointUnit1Oilplatform6July1988NorthSea,UKAnaturalgasleakcausesexplosiononOccidentalPetroleum'S

190

PiperAlphaoilrigNuclear17March1989Lusby,Maryland,USInspectionsatBaltimoreGas

Electric'sCalvertCliffUnits1

120

and2revealcracksatpressurisedheatersleeves,forcingextendedshutdownsOiltanker24March1989PrinceWilliamSound,TheExxonoiltanker

Valdez

runsagroundandspills

250,0004,100

Alaska,USbarrelsintoPrinceWilliamSoundOiltanker5June1989CanaryIslands,SpainTheoiltanker

Kharg

5catchesfireandspills

19,500,000

165gallonsofoilOiltanker21January1993AndamenSeaTheoiltanker

MaerskNavigator

collideswiththe

Sanko

169

Honour,

spillingtwomillionbarrelsofoilOiltanker15February1996Pembrokeshire,Wales,UKTheoiltanker

SeaEmpress

runsagroundandspills19million114gallonsoffuelNuclear20February1996Waterford,Connecticut,USLeakingvalveforcesNortheastUtilitiesCompanytoshutdown254MillstoneUnits1and2;furtherinspectionrevealsmultipleequipmentfailuresNuclear2September1996CrystalRiver,Florida,USBalance-of-plantequipmentmalfunctionforcesFloridaPower384CorporationtoshutdownCrystalRiverUnit3andmake

extensiverepairs

Nuclear16February

2002

OakHarbor,Ohio,USSeverecorrosionofcontrolrodforces24-monthoutage143ofDavis-BessereactorOiltanker13November

2002

Galicia,SpainTheoiltanker

Prestige

rupturesoneofitstanksduringsevere

3,300

weatherandspills20milliongallonsofoilintotheseaandalongFrench,SpanishandPortuguesebeaches

134

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