GreenWorld, NIRS' blog, is at www.safeenergy.org
April 15, 2015
Europe is not prepared for a Fukushima-level accident
Apparently we have a European theme going this week. At least that’s where the major reports and news seem to be coming from...
Today, Nuclear Transparency Watch (NTW), composed of activists and experts from across the continent, released the results of a year-long investigation into the preparedness of European governments and nuclear utilities for a Fukushima-level nuclear accident in the densely-populated region.
What they found, which will be no surprise to us in the U.S. at least, is that Europe is not prepared to effectively cope with such an accident. What the report didn’t get into for the most part is that many European nations have even less-stringent regulations for emergency planning and evacuation than does the U.S., for example, sometimes even smaller evacuation zones than the inadequate 10 mile (18 km) U.S. zones--although some countries do distribute potassium iodide to people inside emergency zones much better than do most, possibly all, U.S. states.
Of course, the ultimate solution to emergency planning issues is not to have them in the first place--by closing all nuclear reactors and storing radioactive waste as safely as possible. Even with perfect preparedness and regulation, the notion of being able to evacuate highly-populated areas like those around Indian Point, Limerick, Diablo Canyon and more, and similarly-sited reactors in Europe, is pure folly. But until we finally win those fights--and we will--the most effective emergency preparedness possible is vital to protect public health and safety.