11MAR2012
Today is the first anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, a disaster that in spite of claims that the reactors have achieved 'cold shutdown, seems to be still happening, with reports the day after cold shutdown was supposed to have taken place, of 're-criticality' taking place.
This disaster was at least 40 years in the making: It not only revealed no new or unknown safety phenomena whatsoever, but the possibility of an accident like this had been known ever since three General Electric engineers resigned from GE in 1975, saying that the GE Mark1 Boiling Water Reactor – the reactor type at Fukushima – had inherent safety flaws.
In addition, both in Japan and elsewhere, there had been repeated concerns expressed by geologists and engineers over earthquake safety and over the effets of large tsunamis, such as one that took place in eastern Japan in the ninth century.
What is shocking is that, faced with well-known safety concerns, TEPCO did nothing.
What should be even more shocking, is that faced with yet another disaster that is as or more serious than Chernobyl, some governments even now talk of building further nuclear power plants.
Fukushima shows there is no mystery to the dangers of nuclear power whatsoever. With all of Japans nuclear powerplants shut down at least for now, it couldn't be clearer that nuclear power is far from being the solution to global warming.
A commemoration of Fukushima with high-profile speakers and music is to be held at the Tom Mann theater 136 Chalmers St, 3-6pm Sun11Mar2012.
Contact for this Press-release John Hallam, People for Nuclear Disarmament, 9810-2598(h) 9319-4296
Contact for Tom Mann theatre event:
Contact: Peter Watts,0432 483 066 | Yukiko Hirano,0414 758 295 |
Natalie Wasley,0429 900 774