While many other nations are ending their nuclear power programs as a result to the Fukashima Disaster, the United States is still planning on going ahead with a major expansion of nuclear power.
We are drowning in debt and many other cheaper, clean, safe, non polluting alternatives are becoming available. Yet President Obama has proposed an additional $36 billion in new nuke loan guarantees to add to $18.5 billion set aside by the Bush Administration.
http://highstrangeness.tv/0-18735-obama-...While the nuclear industry has not had any major disasters since Three Mile Island in this country, we do have several plants that are of the same design as the Fukashima plants. As a matter of fact our plants have half the backup batteries and have much more spent fuel than Fukashima.
http://nuclear-news.net/2011/05/21/us-nu...While we haven't had any major disasters, we have had continuing leaks and "Events" which are increasing in severity and quantity because the plants which had a 25 year design life are becoming increasingly brittle with age. Most of the plants are about 40 years old now , and the underground pipes and electrical cables are corroding and leaking more and more.
An Associated Press investigation shows. that radioactive tritium has leaked from three-quarters of U.S. commercial nuclear power sites, often into groundwater from corroded, buried piping.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/201...In response to the increasing danger, and the increasing number of leaks, the Nuclear Regulatory Agency has continuously been relaxing the rules and regulations to allow the plants to continue operating.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/201...The most dangerous plant in the United States is the Indian Point Nuclear plant. While it sits above two faults it was not designed for them, and there are 20 million people within 50 miles. The evacuation plan is a joke because regular traffic often comes to a standstill. There are more spent fuel rods at Indian Point than any other plant in the North East, and their cooling pools are vulnerable to attack. Simply blowing up a wall will drain a pool.
http://merliannews.com/Environmental_Awa...The only nuclear plants being built in the world today, have horrendous cost over runs and unending delays. Normally they take ten years to build, but by then there will be many cheaper safer alternatives and nuclear power will be obsolete. Isn't it time to start investing in clean safe alternative energy?