Other
- +18
James M. Acton, Saskia Brechenmacher, Cecily Brewer, …
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Source: Getty
In The Media
Tsunami Still More Devastating Than Nuclear Threat
The earthquake and subsequent tsunami that caused substantial damage to Japan’s nuclear reactors should encourage nuclear regulators to reconsider the magnitude of natural disasters that they design plants to withstand.
Published on Mar 16, 2011
Source: NZHerald
Carnegie’s James Acton explained to the Associated Press that the developments at reactor units 2 and 4 since March 15 are of greater concern. An explosion inside the containment structure at reactor unit 2 is especially worrisome – the explosion may have damaged the containment structure itself, making it even more difficult to prevent leakage of radiation. A fire in the spent fuel pool near reactor unit 4 is also a distressing development.
Acton said that Japanese regulators are very serious about safety. The earthquake that struck Japan, however, was larger than what the reactors were prepared to survive. A similar event occurred in 2007, with far less devastating results. The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant automatically shut down in response to a 2007 earthquake, which was also of greater magnitude than the reactor was designed to survive. In both instances, nuclear power plants faced greater natural disasters than anticipated. As a result, Acton said, nuclear regulators must reconsider whether plants are designed to withstand the full range of catastrophes they might face.
About the Author
James M. Acton
Jessica T. Mathews Chair, Co-director, Nuclear Policy Program
Acton holds the Jessica T. Mathews Chair and is co-director of the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
- Unpacking Trump’s National Security Strategy
- Trump Has an Out on Nuclear Testing. He Should Take It.Commentary
James M. Acton
Recent Work
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
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