Nuclear power, feel the love
By Michael J.W. Stickings
Let's not get into the usual coal vs. nuclear debate. The solution, ultimately, is neither.
You all know about Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. It may not be quite at that level, but you can add Kashiwazaki to the list:
Yeah, that might be a good idea. And I'm not about to trust Tokyo Electric Power. Whatever the danger levels, there was still a leak -- and it was still bad.
How to dispose of nuclear waste remains one of the key problems, but consider what else can go wrong. Is it worth it?
(Watch The China Syndrome, a great film with Jane Fonda, Jack Lemmon, and Michael Douglas.)
Let's not get into the usual coal vs. nuclear debate. The solution, ultimately, is neither.
You all know about Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. It may not be quite at that level, but you can add Kashiwazaki to the list:
A radioactive leak at a major nuclear plant in Japan damaged by an earthquake on Monday was worse than previously thought, the plant's operators say.
Owner Tokyo Electric Power company said 50% more radiation was discharged into the sea, following the magnitude 6.8 quake, than was earlier reported.
But the firm insisted the leak was still well below danger levels.
The mayor of nearby Kashiwazaki City has ordered the plant to remain closed indefinitely.
Yeah, that might be a good idea. And I'm not about to trust Tokyo Electric Power. Whatever the danger levels, there was still a leak -- and it was still bad.
How to dispose of nuclear waste remains one of the key problems, but consider what else can go wrong. Is it worth it?
(Watch The China Syndrome, a great film with Jane Fonda, Jack Lemmon, and Michael Douglas.)
Labels: energy, Japan, nuclear power
posted by Michael J.W. Stickings at
12:02 AM
3 Comments:
Mentioning these three events in the same breath is ludicrous.
TMI was a financial disaster, but in the end, no deaths or injuries could be attributed to the accident.
Chernobyl was a terrible tragedy, but one that can't be repeated in the West because of different reactor designs, never mind the fact that the incident itself was caused when the operators of the plant disengaged the safety systems, something that never happens in American nuclear power plants.
As for the incident in Japan, all three reactors shut down safely and automatically once the quakes began. The amount of radiation in the water that was released was well below legal limits. And the transformer fire took place in an area that had nothing to do with any of the reactors.
For more facts on this event, click here for a one-page from the Nuclear Energy Institute.
By
Eric McErlain, at 9:24 AM
If you'd like a insider's look at the good and bad of nuclear, including TMI, Chernobyl and The China Syndrome, see my thriller novel "Rad Decision". It is availabe at no cost to readers at RadDecision.blogspot.com and is also at online retailers. Endorsed by Stewart Brand, noted enviornmentalist and founder of The Whole Earth Catalog. RadDecision.blogspot.com
By
James Aach, at 1:21 PM
May not be quite at that level?
You think?
2.4 microcuries.
Do you lot even know what a microcurie is?
By
Luke, at 3:20 AM
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