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Environment & Energy
In reply to the discussion: Reason for and a critical question about 2012's 6.9% decline in nuclear production [View all]PamW
(1,825 posts)31. They may have been the most gungho...
Japan was probably the most gungho for nuclear nation in the world before Fukushima.
The Japanese may have been gungho; but they didn't exhibit the competence that the USA and France have.
It is clear that the Japanese licensed a design from a US vendor; but then modified it with modifications that never would have been approved in the USA.
The Japanese put the fuel tanks for the backup diesel generators above ground at dockside for ease of refilling. However, the NRC mandates that those tanks at US plants be protected; most commonly by burying them.
So it is an apples to oranges comparison to compare a Japanese modified version of a design, to the US, NRC-approved design; particularly when it was the modification that led to the loss of backup power that caused the meltdown.
Q.E.D.
PamW
The Japanese may have been gungho; but they didn't exhibit the competence that the USA and France have.
It is clear that the Japanese licensed a design from a US vendor; but then modified it with modifications that never would have been approved in the USA.
The Japanese put the fuel tanks for the backup diesel generators above ground at dockside for ease of refilling. However, the NRC mandates that those tanks at US plants be protected; most commonly by burying them.
So it is an apples to oranges comparison to compare a Japanese modified version of a design, to the US, NRC-approved design; particularly when it was the modification that led to the loss of backup power that caused the meltdown.
Q.E.D.
PamW
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Reason for and a critical question about 2012's 6.9% decline in nuclear production [View all]
kristopher
Dec 2013
OP
Anyone familiar with near misses like Davis Besse knows that we've just been lucky.
kristopher
Dec 2013
#32
Right.That football sized hole in Davis Besse's reactor head is something the Japanese did.
kristopher
Dec 2013
#37
'Shoot the messenger' is THE go to strategy the nuclear industry uses against any and all critics.
kristopher
Dec 2013
#47
The consequences are clear enough. 2013 is going to be the worst year for accumulation of...
NNadir
Dec 2013
#29
Why on earth would a smart guy like you have expected "this time" to be different?
GliderGuider
Dec 2013
#45