Karl Grossman states
In the United States, for example, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and its predecessor agency, the Atomic Energy Commission, never denied a construction or operating license for a nuclear power plant anywhere, anytime.
NOT THAT FLIMSY LOGIC.
This is old flimsy logic that somehow unless the regulator cancels or denies a plan; they aren't doing their job.
It's just like with building inspectors. Suppose you are building a house, and the building codes require that the electrical wiring be AWG 14 gauge wire. Suppose your building contractor instead of installing 14 gauge installs the lower capacity AWG 16 gauge wire. The building inspector catches the error. What does the inspector do?
Does the inspector say, "That's it - you blew it. You violated building codes. Tear down the house. You don't get to build this house because you made a mistake.".
Although inspectors theoretically have the power to not approve a building that is not built to code; it doesn't come to that.
The builder will always make the minor repair of replacing the wire; if the threat is that the building won't be approved.
So building inspectors never have to order buildings torn down for non-compliance.
The real job of the building inspector is not to tear down non-compliant buildings; but make sure buildings are built to code.
The same is true with the NRC.
Just because building inspectors and the NRC don't deny building certifications / operating licenses as the case may be; doesn't mean they're not doing their job.
They are both making sure that the buildings / power plants are being built in accordance with law.
Grossman is well-known old anti-nuke professor of journalism or some other "soft" field.
His knowledge / command of nuclear power technology shouldn't be trusted.
PamW
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