Jap Disaster Boon For Nuke Power — Today’s lead headline in the New York Times reads in part “Nuclear Risks Loom” regarding the troubles in Japan, and an above-the-fold story says that “U.S. Nuclear Push May Be Impeded.”
Other major media outlets have said the same thing.
Is it true?
This article by Barry Brook on BraveClimate.Com, a pro nuclear power site, claims the Japanese plants have held up surprisingly well and that reports of a nuclear disaster are vastly overblown.
The truth will come out in the next few days but if what Brook says turns out to be correct the disaster will be anything but an impediment to the nuclearization of our energy supply. Considering that it would mean that the ancient plants maintained their integrity during a 9 magnitude earthquake and 30-foot tsunami, it would actually be an incentive.
We will soon see.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the consequences of the meltdown is minimal, however the die is cast a la deep water drilling moratorium. In the immortal words of Rahm Emanuel “Never let a crisis go to waste.” Europe is already reacting (pardon the pun) by shutting down future nuclear projects.
Let’s build nuclear plants by the scores.Let’s drill for oil, put up windmills and sunpanels. Let’s go for cheap, safe energy.