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On December 24, 1996, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued its Information Notice 96-70. It dealt with the Year 2000 Problem.
The document says: "The Year 2000 issue affects everyone. . . . Neither industry nor the Federal government has yet identified the scope of the problem." Here are a few areas of concern:
measuring radioactive decay security control radiation monitoring surveillance testing accumulated burn-up programs
But there is something very peculiar about this notice. In the final paragraph, we read: "This information notice requires no specific action nor written response." It lists phone numbers to call if the recipients have questions.
When the year 2000 draws closer, what will bureaucrats at the NRC do? Shut down all 107 nuclear power plants, which produce 20% of our electricity? Or risk the public's wrath over fears of a Chernobyl incident? I think we should expect them to act bureaucratically: according to the book.
But if they shut down the nuclear power stations, what happens to the national power grid? Gridlock?
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