Many of the reactors in Japan were designed by General Electric

[old mark]

and are similar to what we have here in the USA...

http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2011/03/14/23-u-s-nuclear-reactors-share-flawed-design-with-japan/77797/

23 reactors in the US are the same GE design...ALL have potentially serious containment problems if tere is damage...

mark

[Skidmore]

1. We're within a 30 mi. range of Duane Arnold

and they were just approved for 20 more years of operation this past year.

[fittosurvive]

2. Beware of the purveyors of pessimistic hysteria.

It is an undeniable and indisputable FACT of reality that tragic events are FAR more likely to occur in the proximity of tectonic plate fault lines and volcanoes, than nuclear reactors.

[snagglepuss]

3. I'd like to know who decided that no replacement generators needed to be

at hand when it was their being offline that created this catastrophe. GE design but I believe Toshiba built the plants. Not 100% sure.

[slackmaster]

4. I'm interested to know whether they were installed in accordance with their stated design specs

Specifically, were they rated to withstand an earthquake or tsunami of the magnitude of this event; and whether the Japanese regulatory agencies and engineers had made accurate assessments of the risks.

Every reactor, just as any other complex system, comes with stated operational parameters. I want to know if the installations of these reactors were within spec, whether they are operating beyond their expected service life, etc.

[marions ghost]

5. All these old reactors need to be shut down

n/t

[rdking647]

6. the reactors

so far the reactors ,built 40 years ago have survived a 9.0 earthquake,one of the strongest in history,a tsunami,a coolant loss,multiple explosions and there still hasnt been a massive deadly radiation release..
It seems to me that the general the reactors have stood up pretty damn good. i can think of a lot of modern equipment that could have caused a lot more destruction under similar circumstances and no one protests them.

[global1]

7. Hmmmm....... GE - We Bring Good Things To Life..........

I bet they're regretting that slogan now.