In the wake of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that devastated coastal regions of northern Japan and the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, an ASME task force of nuclear experts is calling for a new nuclear safety construct to go beyond current safety planning to prevent extensive societal disruption caused by radioactive releases from accidents. Developing appropriate safety procedures and guidelines will be critical for the public's acceptance of nuclear energy as a baseload power source, say task force leaders.
Lack of accident planning for rare but credible natural events, such as the tsunami that overwhelmed Japan’s Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear station, must be addressed by industry, states ASME task force
"We can't have the consequences of Fukushima happen again," says Regis A. Matzie, vice chairman of the task force and a former Westinghouse Electric Co. nuclear executive. "We're calling for significantly expanding what [the industry] has to protect against—a significant sociopolitical and economic impact on society."
After the accident in northern Japan,the surrounding area suffered radiological contamination that resulted in the relocation of more than 100,000 people. Economic losses cascaded through the Japanese and global economies as Japan shut down all of its nuclear generating stations. Around the world, governments began to reconsider nuclear energy's future, with Germany also planning to shut down its reactors.
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