Alabama reactor same kind as Fukushima’s

The tornadoes that swept Alabama knocked out three reactors at the Tennessee Valley Authority nuclear plant at Brown’s Ferry.  Reuters reported that they are of the same design as the crippled Fukushima reactor in Japan, and also store spend nuclear fuel rods in an unprotected place.

The Brown’s Ferry reactor weathered the tornado all right, but it is near the New Madrid earthquake fault line, where an earthquake more powerful than the Japanese earthquake is possible.

I think that the United States needs nuclear power.  But it is a bad idea to operate nuclear power plants near earthquake faults, and to continue to operate poorly-maintained reactors of outdated design.

Hat tip to Washington’s Blog for pointing all these things out.

Tags: Alabama tornado, Earthquakes, Health and safety, Japanese earthquake, Nuclear Power