Eliot Brenner
Public Affairs Director
Four years ago, just six weeks before the nuclear accident at Fukushima, the NRC initiated this blog. As we said at the time: the blog is intended to serve as a vehicle for informing, explaining and clarifying the actions, roles and responsibilities of the NRC, raising awareness about our agency and its mission, and – most importantly – giving us another opportunity to hear from you.
We believe the blog has served that purpose well. In the past four years, we have published some 540 posts on a wide variety of subjects from tiny jelly fish affecting a nuclear power plant to updates on Hurricane Sandy and posts on nuclear history (some of our most popular posts). Posts have been written by staff throughout the agency and the regions, including the Chairman and Executive Director for Operations, as well as technical staff and public affairs officers. We have strived to model plain language in our blog posts – contrary, perhaps, to some of our official communications – so that these subjects are more readily understood by the public, for whom the blog is intended.
We have also found the blog to be a lively source of comments. Some 4,800 comments have been approved and posted in the past four years. A quick review of the comments reflects how liberally the NRC applies its blog comment guidelines. At times, though, comments may contain personal attacks, “four-letter-words,” or other violations of our comment policy. When that occurs, we remove that verbiage (and note that) and then post the comment. We also may occasionally move some comments to our Open Forum section if they’ve strayed too far from the original post. Very few of the submitted comments are not posted (with the exception of duplicates).
Over the past four years or so, there have been more than 650,000 views to NRC blog. We’re happy the information is reaching an audience. If you have suggestions for topics for future blog posts, please let us know in the comments below.
I should note that the blog is the oldest but not the only social media platform the NRC uses. We also use Twitter, Facebook and YouTube and the photo gallery platform Flickr as well.
U.S. NRC Blog 
Thank you to those who have commented on the blog. There does seem to be some veering off from the original topic in some of the comments, though. Please note that the Open Forum section is available for any comments that are unrelated to the blog post under which they are submitted.
Moderator
Your quote, my point- “I’m a degreed nuclear engineer, a veteran of the naval nuclear propulsion program, and formerly an NRC-licensed operator.”
You should know better, particularly since you are involved with the current SMR project. It almost seems you are projecting anger in your name calling, e.g. “…insulting, irrelevant, lying screed…” your words Mr. Williamson, and they are not irrelevant words.
Do you communicate with employees under your charge, who may disagree with a course of action you may take, with insults? Or, is it your position that the public commenting within who may disagree with you are fair game for hurling insults, since you think they are “lying screeds?”
#RealNuclearWasteConfidence means the trolls are not the smartest people in the room. #KeepinItSimpLeSmartie #TSLA
You probably have that on a bumper sticker, huh? That copy/paste function is good stuff.
Hopefully the NRC will now upgrade their BLOG so that their moderation is almost instantaneous, so that real discussions can take place, instead of what we have now, which is a listing of statements which does little to actually promote the free exchange of ideas relating to the use of Nuclear Energy.
Fukushima PROVED that Nature can destroy any land based nuclear reactor, any place anytime 24/7. If the NRC fails to accept that TRUTH, then they are merely pushing the Pro Nuclear Industry line that Nuclear is safe…
I’m a degreed nuclear engineer, a veteran of the naval nuclear propulsion program, and formerly an NRC-licensed operator. What’s your point?
Danny Williamson
Thank you. I really appreciate this, truly informative.
FUD comes from the reality of unknowns in everyone’s life, no matter the experience, education or perspective. Only human ego rejects the truth of the impact of expected unknowns, like random and unpredictable seismic activity. Do you really WANT another Fukushima?
Yeah, i think the people who said that have never actually been in a major earthquake. That it becomes an official position shows us the work we have to do. A position not based in the science of seismic realities, which the scientist will tell you is uncalculable except after the fact. #AdrenalineJunkies is all i can reason to explain the policy if it’s not a deal done with, as we are recently learning, one of our more corrupt public utilities here in California.
FUD has many definitions. A couple in the Urban dictionary are not appropriate to list; another is fear uncertainty and doubt; still another is a urinary device, there is even the Fud Restaurant in Kansas City. Since we are discussing technology. I think you are talking about the fear, uncertainty and doubt acronym.
Because someone may not agree with your position on nuclear subjects does not mean that FUD is applicable. It may mean they have more experience than you and a higher level of education, plus they may know something about the subject which you may not or you may not have considered.
Those who prefer to call people names are a problem, particularly if they are involved in the nuclear industry as it demonstrates a propensity for actions not conducive to resolving problems or open discussion about problems. Problem identification and resolution is an integral part of systems management. Think about that Mr. Williamson. and think about, although I may not agree with you in your stated position, many of my friends and I gave much to our nation so that you may say the things you say on this blog.
Again I say, thank you NRC for the opportunity to express opinion, fact and facilitation of discussion on the NRC Blog.
The nrc blog has been helpful in communicating information about the nuclear industry. thank you
You may have had the best of intentions in starting this blog, but it’s been hijacked by the FUD-mongers who are free to post any insulting, irrelevant, lying screed they can dream up….with practically no counterpoint from the blog owners. I honestly don’t know why you bother.
I read yesterday that the NRC said Diablo was safe from a quake. That means you are a bunch of knuckleheads!
love joey xoxoxo Joey Racano: ‘Weapon of mass discussion’
http://www.OceanOutfallGroup.com
Oh, shoot, i love your blog … or our blog really, huh?! I sooooo appreciate it exists, even if in an iReality that has yet to understand #RealNuclearWasteConfidence cannot exist with nuclear material on an earthquake fault! In the real world, out there, offline, here, in California. #nepalearthquake will send the plates readjusting again, will it be our turn next? Sigh. Thanks for ALL you do.
The NRC Blog is an excellent interactive communications tool. Many thanks!