Notes on Nuclear Power [Citation Needed]

[athelind]

... This is just a quick note. No substance, no references, no citations.


A lot of people are up in arms about how the situation in Japan underscores the "dangers of nuclear power".

To this point, the radiation leaked into the environment is minimal. Things are Very Bad Indeed if you're within a certain radius of the plant, but my suspicion is that the increased health risks and hazards caused by this amount of radiation will still be substantially less than those caused by fossil fuel plants.

Let me emphasize this:

The environmental and human impact of a complex of nuclear reactors failing catastrophically after a major disaster is less than that of fossil fuel plants in the regular course of their operation.^{[Citation Needed]}

I will endeavor to find numbers to confirm or deny this next week, after I return home.

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Yes, I just used the Lorax as an icon in a possibly-pro-nuclear post.

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Comments

[hinoki.livejournal.com]

No argument there regarding site planning, but even that could've been accounted for if they'd used a backup power supply that was designed to be, if not directly submerged.. indirectly. Like that in a submarine.

They certainly designed a core and supporting superstructure that withstood the earthquake. It was the Tsunami that bit them in the arse on this one.

[moonfires.livejournal.com]

Submarine power supplies are designed to work underwater, but still inside the dry confines of the sub :>

[hinoki.livejournal.com]

*grin* That's why I said 'indirectly' submerged. Stick the backup power supply in a shell that's designed to get wet, so that the PS doesn't. :)