STORYLINE

Man In Custody After Entering Thorcon Control Room To Charge Phone

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All of Lahaina will be able to sleep easier tonight after officials released more details about a frightening incident at the Thorcon Power Plant yesterday. 31-year-old Gary Puniwale was taken into custody after entering one of the plant’s control rooms, causing a partial shutdown, and panic across the island. While rumors of a possible terror attack caused understandable concern to nearby residents, authorities now say the reason for Puniwale’s unauthorized access was much more benign. According to their report, the Lahaina native was simply trying to charge his phone.

The Thorcon Plant has become one of Lahaina’s most popular attractions since being retrofitted to use element 127 (Unbiseptium) last year. Despite the concerns of many, plant officials said the switch to the controversial fuel would make the plant much safer and more efficient. Tours of the facility began soon after to help allay any fears, and demonstrate the safety of the plant. Thorcon’s Resident Site Manager Davis Carnot says Puniwale was part of one such tour.

“I can now confirm that the subject in question was able to slip away from his tour group yesterday, and somehow gained access to a control room on the lower level. Residents around the plant were never in any danger, and we are reviewing video currently to ascertain how Mr. Puniwale was able to wander away unnoticed, and enter the area. We are working closely with federal authorities and investigators to make sure nothing like this happens again, and are installing new safety and security protocols. While we believe that 127 is the key to the future of power production, we’d like to remind the public, and Gary in particular, that it will not charge your electronic devices any faster than traditional charging options. Frankly, I’m amazed that someone with the understanding and insight of Mr. Puniwale is allowed to walk around without a handler.”

Although Puniwale’s unauthorized entrance into a sensitive area seems to be a result of profound stupidity instead of malicious intent, it is little relief to some who remain concerned about the safety of the plant. Tim Durney, former investigator for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and founder of the watchdog group VeilWatch, was one of the most vocal critics of the plants move to 127. He says that the incident highlights some of the security concerns he has been warning the public about, and hopes that this incident serves as a wake-up call for those still on the fence about the safety of 127.

He says, “I’m the first to admit that it is highly unlikely anyone else as witless as Gary exists, let alone could navigate the ticket purchasing process necessary to take a tour of the plant, but there are those who wish to do harm to as many as possible out there. It’s those people gaining access to controls at the Thorcon that keep me up at night. I’ve seen firsthand the devastating effect a 127 accident can have. I hate to think about what someone with evil intent could have done in Gary’s position. If the plant had a 127 release half as big as the Veilcorp breach in Iowa, it would destroy virtually all of Lahaina. The public deserves to know just how deadly this plant in their backyard is, and we are launching a new campaign to do just that. I hope Gary’s bumbling can lead to a greater awareness in the public, and make everyone in Lahaina think about what they are living next to.”

While Durney says that more public awareness would lead to a plant shutdown, it is public announcements and news stories about the plant that Puniwale says made him interested in the facility in the first place. Gary says he now understands why his actions caused such a severe response, and apologizes for the trouble he caused.

“My knowledge about the do’s and don’ts while you’re touring a nuclear power plant wasn’t that great, but believe me, I’ve gotten the message loud and clear. I wouldn’t recommend entering a secure location inside a 127 plant to see if it could charge your phone super-fast to anyone, but I will say I’ve learned a lot over the past 24 hours. In fact, if you take away the yelling, and the threats about far away black sites, I think interrogation might be a great way to teach someone about a subject in a very short time. I feel like I have a much better understanding about how serious those “restricted area” signs are, and how the electricity inside a power plant isn’t any “stronger” than what you have at home. I apologize again, and promise not to do anything to trouble my Lahaina neighbors in the future.

STORYLINE

Thorcon Plant Announces Power Via 127 Next Year

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A large countdown clock was unveiled today in front of the Lahaina Thorcon plant. While the year-long timer clicks down to one event, a retrofit to start using element 127 (Unbiseptium) for power production, the implications mean very different things for many Lahaina residents. For some, the modification would be a source of pride, making the island the home of the most cutting edge power plant in the world. The upgrade would provide cheaper, and more efficient energy production. Others see the conversion as unnecessary and potentially dangerous. They contend that the company is risking irreparable harm to the surrounding area simply to improve their bottom line.

Constructing a nuclear power plant in this part of Maui was never an easy sell. Many were concerned that the proposed location was too close to Lahaina and that the potential harm to some of the world’s most pristine forests was not worth the risk. But the project received heavy support from Veilcorp and government officials. A push was made to educate the public of the inherent and passive safety features intrinsic to the Thorcon design. Assured of the plant’s safety, eager for cheaper energy, and keen on having a major Veilcorp hub, public sentiment finally tipped in favor of the plant. It began operations on August 3, 2029.

Now less than five years later, the proposed design changes have many worried. Tim Durney, a former investigator for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, says the plan to switch over to 127 would be a disaster. He says that the Thorcon plants safety features won’t apply if the switch is made to Unbiseptium and calls the installation of the clock something out of a bad scifi movie.

“The locals are calling it the ‘Doomsday clock’ and that’s exactly what it will become if their plans are carried out. I’ve seen the glow that 127 exposure gives everything. People, plants, even some metals, if something bad happened in this facility you’d be able to see Lahiana glowing a light blue at night from space. I was one of the investigators of the Veilcorp 127 breach in 2023. Even though that was considered a small containment failure, the released 127 destroyed acres of Iowa farmland that is still unusable. The explosions had some serious long lasting effects on survivors. We’re talking about horrible growths, deformities, and central nervous system disorders. They don’t even have names for some of the medical issues that people who inhaled 127 are suffering from. I know people who lived on the very edge of the contaminated areas who’ve suffered permanent vision impairments. Imagine always seeing sparkling light even when you close your eyes. We’ve seen huge increases in liver and bone diseases, as well as increases in cervical and testicular cancers in people from the surrounding area. To say that this element is not excessively dangerous is an outright lie.”

Thorcon’s Resident Site Manager Davis Carnot says that nothing could be further from the truth. He says the company has worked closely with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and have been consulting with Veilcorp scientists who have a deep understanding and experience working with 127. He says that the plant conversions will actually make it safer.

“I’ll admit that the messaging behind the clock rollout could have been handled better and we’re discussing moving it inside. Clock issues aside, and with all due respect to Mr. Durney, he is absolutely, 100% incorrect about the increased dangers of 127. The incident in Iowa has nothing at all to do with the technology we plan on using here. The plant will still use a liquid fuel design eliminating the need for fuel rods. In addition, 127 reacts at an extremely low temperature. In fact we’ve been able to achieve near-room-temperature superconductivity in a 127 doped palladium hydride. In layman’s terms, that means we can achieve extraordinary energy production efficiency in a way that is actually safer than our old design. Once you combine the benefits of using 127 with the added guidelines included in the preservation zone expansion, you have yourself the plans for the safest nuclear power plant ever conceived.”

Carnot says that the company understands that people are worried and will work hard to ease their fears. Just as they did when the plant was first proposed, he says the company will spend the next year holding numerous town hall style meetings where residents can learn about the science behind the new design, ask questions, and voice their concerns about the plant, the clock or anything else.

STORYLINE

Veilcorp, NOAA, and Navy unveil plan to deal with ocean plastic

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It has been estimated that the world’s oceans contain over 80 metric tons of plastic waste and debris. This plastic is a danger to a wide variety of wildlife and in extreme cases, can become a danger to navigation. While most of this waste comes from cities close to the coast, the plastic has made it all the way to the Southern Ocean. It has been a problem for decades that has only gotten worse, with viable clean-up solutions hard to come by. Now, Veilcorp thinks they have an answer. Together with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Navy, the company has a program that they say can completely clean the worst areas within a few years.

400 million tons of plastic is produced every year. Since only about 30% of that plastic gets recycled, an estimated 10 metric tons finds its way into the ocean. Back in 1997 the North Pacific Gyre, commonly called the great Pacific garbage patch, was discovered. Its discovery dominated the news as appalling and undeniable visual proof that the oceans had reached a tipping point. Today, there are 7 additional recognized gyres, spanning all the world’s oceans.

Cleaning up the garbage, plastic refuse in particular, is extremely difficult. Currents and wave action breaks down the plastic into small bits that are hard to collect and easy for wildlife to consume. Most programs focus on tackling the problem when the refuse gets to shore, but that can be too late for fish, seabirds, and ships trying to navigate through miles of trash. However, the Veilcorp plan takes the clean-up effort directly to the source of the problem.

The company plans on using miles of inflatable barriers to create an artificial shoreline. Navy drone ships will maneuver the barriers to allow ocean currents to push the debris against the barrier. Once a sufficient amount of garbage has been shoved against the artificial shore, ships will pull the ends towards each other in a V-shape. The secured debris can then be scooped up easily and brought to a transport ship. The garbage is then packaged and sent through a prototype Navy veil system to a recycling facility. The plastic is then picked out, sorted and turned into small beads called nurdles, which are in turn sold back to manufacturers.

Allowing wind and the currents to do most of the work has many hailing the program as revolutionary. Because most of the process is automated, crews can work 24/7 with little need for resupply. Besides needing an occasional shipment of the containers used to transport the unsorted refuse, the system can operate on its own without returning to port. In addition, early tests show that the barriers do an excellent job of collecting even the smallest debris. Environmentalists are hailing the joint project as one of the first solutions that may actually, “put a dent in the problem of ocean plastics.” Not everyone is sold on the idea however.

VeilWatch founder Tim Durney warns that the Navy’s inclusion in the program should have people worried.

“We’ve been warning the public about the military application of Veilcorp’s technology for years. Over and over again the government has denied these allegations. Now here they are with a gateway system on a ship. Do they really expect us to believe that they haven’t been working on other projects using this technology? They say that they are only using it to transport garbage scooped from the ocean, but that’s laughable. I don’t think you need a great imagination to envision the government scooping “enemies” up at sea and transporting them to rendition facilities. What scares me the most is that they are admitting that they have this technology. Imagine what they have that they haven’t told us about. Veilcorp has put a bow on the top of this joint venture in duplicity and is trying to pass it off as a gift to the human race. They should be ashamed.”

Despite Durney’s warnings the program is being very well received. According to Veilcorp, many other countries are interested in partnering in similar programs to clean up the waters off their shores. The company says that they plan to expand the program across the globe if it proves as effective as early tests have shown.

Veilcorp spokesperson Lisa Hunt says,

“We are excited to offer our easy and elegant solution for this gigantic problem to anyone who is interested. Despite the warnings of the conspiracy theorists, our goal is a clean ocean for all. If allowing fishermen to catch fish that aren’t poisoned, and giving children beaches free of plastic medical waste is a crime, I guess we are guilty. Our projections indicate that we have a good chance of cleaning up the entire North Pacific Gyre in just under 2 years. If successful, I believe we can all but eliminate the plastic problem worldwide in our lifetime.”

STORYLINE

Veilcorp Failure Causes Mass Evacuation

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The Iowa Department of Natural Resources along with Federal officials have called for a shutdown of a Veilcorp facility working on 127 “Unbiseptium” synthesis. A containment breach early today destroyed acres of crops and led to the mass evacuation of thousands.

According to Veilcorp officials, the containment failure only lasted a few seconds. Acres of corn were destroyed in that short time and several surrounding towns have been evacuated. No casualties have been reported.

This is already the third such breach from a 127 synthesis plant since the beginning of the year, leading many to call for a moratorium on such research.

University of Michigan physics professor and Fields Medal winner Dr. Eric Oeming say Unbiseptium may be the key to sustainable clean power. “We need to understand that this is a very new technology so mistakes will be made. However, I believe the lives saved and the knowledge gained from studying this element far outweigh the occasional destruction of some corn.”

Tim Durney of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources disagrees. “What we’re seeing here is that we clearly don’t have a handle on this. If what Veilcorp says is true, a short release of these particles can destroy everything in a half-mile radius. It is a miracle that nobody was killed. We have no idea what the long term effects might be. Until we do, we should end this research,” he said.