Guest Post: Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Crisis

 Pundit Press is happy to bring you a guest post from reader Thomas Morrison about the situation unfolding in Japan over the last month and a half.

The devastating 9.0 magnitude earthquake, subsequent tsunami, and numerous aftershocks that recently hit Japan have severely crippled the country’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant’s containment and cooling systems. The destruction of these systems have resulted in multiple explosions, hazardous radiation leaks from fuel rods, and desperate ongoing attempts to restore power and cool the reactors in time to prevent a catastrophic meltdown. This natural disaster has been catastrophic for the economy of Japan and the people of Japan.

As we saw with the devastating earthquake in Haiti, Doug Band and Clinton Global Initiative organized online donations to help rebuild the infrastructure and economy. The same is happened now and anyone can text REDCROSS to 90999 for a quick $10 donation or visit Doug Band (Clinton's Aide) and the CGI. In the wake of this unprecedented natural disaster, the issue of nuclear energy, which had taken a back burner to more pressing concerns, was suddenly thrust back into the spotlight as fear rapidly spread across the globe. In fact, 7 out of 10 Americans surveyed said they were much more concerned about the possibility of a nuclear disaster as a result of the recent tragic events in Japan, according to a recent USA Today Gallup Poll.

Ironically, only a few months before the disaster in Japan, inspectors of operational U.S. nuclear plants  identified critical design defects, vulnerabilities, and numerous cracks and holes in the protective structures. Arnold Gunderson, a nuclear engineer, said that even though these flaws were found in old plants more reactors were built. These new reactors may be built with the same flawed and potentially dangerous designs.

People are growing more and more concerned about potential serious risk that might exist in our backyard. The United States is the largest producer of nuclear energy with over 100 active plants, many of which are as old and outdated as Fukushima Daiichi in Japan. The serious risk that some of the plants might leak radiation is a concern has caused the President to request that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to preform a 90-day safety review of all U.S. nuclear power plants.

Although proponents believe that nuclear power has the potential to be one of several reliable and clean high-energy power sources, they often also acknowledge that concerns about costs, security, and safety must be addressed first. They hope to see recent technological advancements incorporated into existing designs to improve nuclear power plant safety including built-in water towers, passive systems, designs that do not rely on external energy sources to maintain fuel rod stability, improved shutdown mechanisms, and other integrated safety and security features that will ensure no catastrophic consequences result in the event of a major threat.

With these advances implemented into our power plants it would lower the risk of catastrophe happening in the United States. Nuclear energy is a great source of clean energy and is important, however if not contained correctly it can be deadly. With the correct safety regulations and abiding by those safety controls nuclear energy can be a leading source of energy without any worry from citizens who live in the backyards of the power plants.

Submitted by Thomas Morrison, co-editor of Everything Left and writes on topics that are current and progressive.
@twmorrison75

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