EDITORIAL: Nuclear safety myth is raising its ugly head again

[kristopher]

EDITORIAL: Nuclear safety myth is raising its ugly head again
December 24, 2013

Electric power companies have filed formal applications with the Nuclear Regulation Authority for permission to restart 14 idled nuclear reactors on grounds the facilities meet new regulatory standards. The Abe administration is keen to allow utilities to bring their reactors back online.

But the grim reality is that efforts by local governments to develop emergency evacuation plans have not made satisfactory progress.

Before any of the offline reactors are restarted, a workable plan must be in place in preparation for a possible serious nuclear accident.

No matter what precautions are built into a safety system, a totally unexpected situation can occur at any time. That’s a bitter lesson to be gleaned from the 2011 disaster that crippled the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant.

LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN A BIND

The local governments that have been entrusted to work out evacuation plans are tearing their hair out...

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/views/editorial/AJ201312240044

[FBaggins]

1. 14? That can't be true.

I have it on good authority that only three units would be applying for restart before the end of the year.

[kristopher]

2. For insight into the way the nuclear industry is trying to rig the game

Like the OP this is a longish read, but both offer a great deal of insight into the dynamics behind a government trying to force an unpopular policy down the public's throat.

Nuclear power backers picking up steam on reactor restarts
December 23, 2013
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/analysis/AJ201312230062

More information on the way they structure bribery. This specifically involves their white elephant of a nuclear fuel reprocessing facility, but there is no reason to think the same approach isn't widespread.

Firms linked to municipal assembly members received nuclear facility contracts
http://www.democraticunderground.com/112760639