The China Syndrome Page #5

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I'm sorry.

I went through the quality reports.

There were irregularities

in the contractor's documentation.

So I checked the welding X-rays.

Here's a sample.

They're identical.

It's the same picture over and over.

Jack, no contractor can supply

every stupid document.

They cheated a bit, so what?

These X-rays are six years old.

- So are the welds.

- For God's sake, Jack...

Listen to me.

- We need new radiographs.

- What? That's absurd.

It would take a long time,

and cost 15 to 20 million dollars.

We've got to get back on-line today.

The company's losing a fortune.

Start her up, Jack.

Borden, get some service

water samples for health analysis.

- Yes, sir.

- Barney, did you check the pumps?

Yes. Flow and temperatures are okay.

The valve at station 47 is clear.

How are you coming, Jack?

It's almost 3:
00.

Reactor on stand-by.

Turbine on turning gear.

All right.

Load dispatch.

Load dispatch, this is Ventana.

Approaching power, normal procedure.

I'll contact you to synchronize

the generator.

We'll be back on the grid soon.

We've got a clear board, Jack.

We've got a clear board.

Follow normal sequence

for rod withdrawal.

Group one.

Group three.

Group five.

Group seven.

Group two.

Group four.

- Get these films developed.

- Mr. Royce?

- Can I speak to you for a minute?

- Sure.

- I'm a shift supervisor at Ventana.

- What can I do for you?

- We had a problem at the plant.

- But everything checked out fine.

- You're going back on the line?

- Yes.

- Did you sign for these X-rays?

- Yes. What about it?

- You kept signing the same one.

- The welds are fine.

- How do you know?

- Every weld I checked was fine.

- How many didn't you check?

- They're fine.

- But the plant may not be safe.

- It's perfectly safe.

I don't have the time to go through

every goddamn X-ray.

- How many? Which ones?

- I don't remember.

- There's plenty more.

- You know the procedures.

There's no problem.

The welds will hold for 6000 years.

- I'll go to the NRC.

- Wait, think it over!

You're talking about

a billion-dollar lawsuit.

Wait, slow down!

Don't make trouble for yourself.

This isn't some piss-ant company,

this is Foster and Sullivan.

They've got their own security men.

Do I have to spell it out?

Wait!

They have their own security men!

Redman!

We've got a problem.

- The whales will be there tomorrow.

- It was scheduled.

We advertised it.

I want to see her. And you too.

Who is it?

It's Kimberly Wells.

I need to talk to you.

This is my cameraman.

- You lied.

- It was a stuck valve.

- It was not.

- I filmed that accident.

I showed it to a nuclear engineer.

You almost uncovered the core.

We won't leave

before you tell us what happened.

Some nut told you we almost

uncovered the core, but we didn't.

The system works.

That's not the problem.

If that's not the problem, what is?

I love that plant. It's my whole life.

- What is the problem?

- The shudder.

The vibration I felt

during the turbine trip.

No one else was worried.

I found that some idiot...

...phonied the welding X-rays.

How can someone falsify

the records of a nuclear reactor?

- Holy sh*t.

- The plant's not safe.

The vibration was a warning.

It should be shut down and X-rayed.

But that means millions of dollars,

so we don't want to talk about that.

And no one will believe me.

But if they ever put too much

pressure on that pump...

- If they rupture those pipes...

- It's the China Syndrome?

That's possible.

Would you go on television

and tell the public?

When I said I'd go to the NRC,

a man threatened my life.

- Who?

- A bastard at the building company.

The same company that built

Point Conception.

If I gave you those X-rays, could you

get them shown at the hearings?

- Lowell will present them.

- He'll do it?

I'll try to get the station to send

me there, so it gets on the air.

Richard, I'm late.

I'll call you

to work out the transfer.

I can't give them to you.

Get me someone you trust.

- Don't leave here.

- Call me later.

- Stand by, commercial.

- Roll V1.

Five, four, three, two, one. Fade up.

- Where's Tasha?

- Tell Tasha we'd like to see her.

Tell her to hurry up.

Boy, is that hot!

Hello? No, she never showed up.

- Thirty seconds.

- Stand by.

Camera two, is that as wide as

you can get? Okay, lock it down.

Fifteen seconds, quiet please.

- Come to your wide shot.

- V1, set for your next piece.

- She's here!

- Tell her to hurry.

- Kimberly just walked in.

- Five, four, three, two...

This is Channel Three Update...

So nice of you to drop by.

Cutting it a little close, Kimberly.

- And Kimberly Wells.

And now, Pete Martin.

Good evening. There's been a

bombing in the Middle East...

- When am I on?

- What the hell is going on?

- Get Jacovich, I have a story.

- Richard, I want that film.

- Kiss my ass.

- You'll get the film. Get Jacovich.

- Winds of up to 100 mph.

A storm-related death was reported.

We'll get the X-rays to you

tomorrow by noon.

You're not doing it. It's not your job.

Not as you define it.

But I'm tired of birthdays

with tigers and lions.

- It's my story, I'll do it.

- Who's the guy at the plant?

- He has to be anonymous.

- Lowell will submit the evidence.

Elliot Lowell is not objective.

If you don't want it, someone will.

Some stations like hard news.

Crossing in three, two, one...

Up two, cue Pete.

Now it's time for Kimberly Wells.

What do you have for us tonight?

From Burbank, a veterinarian

who makes house calls on sick fish.

Or is it aquarium calls?

He says owners should try

to think like fish.

Then when it's time to change

the water, they'll just know.

The doctor offers classes ranging

from fin congestion and tail rot...

...to pop-eye and bladder bloat.

The most common fish ailment?

People problems. Dirty hands

and cigarette ashes in the tank.

- I guess no one's immune.

- It's quite a service.

To the Atomic Safety Board

and the public:

I speak for my friends,

who choose not to speak.

These hearings do not hear

public sentiment.

The NRC has held 60 hearings,

and not a license has been refused.

We are proceeding to build

nuclear plants...

...yet we have no program

for the disposal of nuclear waste.

Any further words are pointless.

- What do you think?

- I don't know.

You think it's the film?

Your five minutes are up.

Dr. Elliot Lowell.

Mr. Chairman?

I'm expecting some information

which will arrive shortly.

- I'd appreciate a delay.

- Granted.

What the hell are you doing?

What are you doing?

Hey, man!

What the hell are you doing?

Hey!

Hey, man!

I am also concerned about the

misinformation about nuclear waste.

Much is made of the fact

that this waste is radioactive...

...and therefore there is some

special problem produced by it.

One hears that it is necessary

to wait centuries before it is safe.

Channel 3, KXLA Los Angeles.

- Yes?

- It's Kimberly.

- Did you meet Hector?

- A couple of hours ago.

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