Uckheavy1

Former nuke here. The refueling process is not done by robots. The tasks involved in changing the fuel rods out are practiced for a long time before they let people do it on real fuel. They practice it so that the people involved can minimize the time that they are near the fuel. (ie one group goes in and connects the fuel to the crane rig that is used to lift the fuel off of the transport. As soon as it is connected, they back away to an area of lower radiation levels.) There are three principle methods of reducing exposure, Time ( less time equals less exposure), Distance (the further you are from the source of radiation, the less exposure you recieve), and Shielding (using appropriate materials to attenuate the radiation; high density materials like lead, tungsten, steel for gamma, water, oil, and some plastics for neutron)

Can confirm that the food on the skimmers sucks too. About the only thing we had that I think was better than what the tubers get is that we had more access to fresher veggies.

That is just one example of a small part of the process of refueling a reactor. Basically we use highly trained, well practiced people to do the work as quickly and as safely as possible.

Don't know about their submarine peeps, but their surface sailors can certainly hold their liquor. Lots of good natured insults and praise from both sides when I was in Portsmouth, England for a port visit.

Just shoot the anti-vax morons.