Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

SUN EDITORIAL:

Considering nuclear safety

Nation should conduct a full and through review of power plants, regulation

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced Wednesday it would take a look at the safety of American nuclear plants after the tragedy in Japan.

Chairman Gregory Jaczko said a task force of regulators and experts will spend several months studying the situation in Japan, providing updates along the way.

“Examining all the available information from Japan is essential to understanding the event’s implications for the United States,” Jaczko said. “We will perform a systematic and methodical review to see if there are changes that should be made to our programs and regulations to ensure protection of public health and safety.”

Considering the scope of the problems in Japan, the review is welcome. There will certainly be things to change and improve. For example, a recent Nuclear Regulatory Commission audit found that potentially serious safety issues at American nuclear power plants are going unreported because of “contradictory and unclear regulations.”

That’s troubling, and American regulators have to make sure the country’s reactors are safe.

Over the years, American nuclear power officials have repeatedly minimized safety concerns, saying the industry was well prepared for any situation and plants could withstand just about anything that could happen.

But the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant on Japan’s Pacific coast was crippled this month after being hit with the type of disaster nuclear planners said would never happen — a massive earthquake followed by a monster tsunami. The plant’s main and backup systems failed, and in the days since, there have been several explosions and radiation releases.

The result of the disaster has been awful. People who live near the plant were quickly evacuated, and emergency crews have had trouble doing their work because of high levels of radiation. In the days since the disaster, crews have had to retreat several times because of the danger. Plant officials said there is an indication at least one of the reactors was breached, and that will further complicate their efforts and add to the long-term consequences.

Citizens in several areas of Japan have been warned against letting infants drink tap water. As well, there are concerns about the radiation levels in milk and several types of vegetables. Seawater samples showing increased levels of radiation have raised concerns about the safety of fish, a staple in the Japanese diet.

Several countries, including the United States, are either banning or limiting the import of Japanese food products.

Japan’s nuclear industry has come under fire before for safety problems, and regulators have been seen as ineffective. The United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency has even expressed its concerns over the safety at Japanese nuclear power plants, and that is understandable. The country has had several problems over the years.

Given the scope of the problems in Japan, American regulators must be rigorous in their inspections and investigation into nuclear power here.

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