Re: Comments on Nuclear Energy

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@ix.netcom.com>]

I will add just a few comments to the excellent response Bob Flood 
provided:

1. No satisfactory method has been found to halt nuclear proliferation or
prevent diversion of nuclear material by subversive or terrorist elements.

This statement is true, but a nuclear power plant is not the most 
obvious or desired site for a terrorist to abscond away with 
materials necessary to make a bomb. 

2. The costs and problems associated with decommissioning nuclear power plants
have not been properly analysed or accounted for in the costs of nuclear power
and governments are using taxpayers' money to subsidise nuclear power.

Many smaller scale nuclear plants have been decommissioned. All US 
nuclear utilities are required to set aside 100's of millions of 
dollars for decommissioning activities. The cost is shared by the 
customers as well as stockholders. This is the way it should be, as 
in any business venture, those that use or make investments in a 
product should share in all costs associated with that product. I 
don't believe that the taxpayers pay for any of this decommisioning 
cost. It is supported by the customers and stockholders, as far as I 
know. 


3. No satisfactory method has been found to guarantee safe operation of nuclear
power plants in the event of employee negligence or sabotage.

How can anyone guarantee anything, regardless of what is is? Can we
guarantee that a pilot won't try and commit suicide taking all thepassengers with him?
Hasn't this already happemed? While there may be acts of sabotage 
within a nuclear power plant, which has been in the news recently, 
there are many backup systems in place, including physical walkdowns 
of areas for the purpose of verifying that equipment and areas are 
opertaing in a safe condition. Guarnatees? No, but safeguards are in 
place to identify abnormal conditions and the necessary procedures 
are in place to mitigate the consequences, and more often than not, 
to proactively handle it before it even becomes a negative issue. The 
proof is in the pudding ... how many significant incidents have there 
benn involving employee sabotage where a plant has been out into an 
unsafe condition? I am not aware of any where there has been a 
serious threat of an accident.


I have my own ideas however I would like a broader perspective.

Thanks


Alex Zapantis                                  
Environmental Radiation Officer     
Office of the Supervising Scientist       Email: azapantis@dest.gov.au
40 Blackall Street                                 Phone: (int+) 61 6 274 1642
Barton ACT 2600 AUSTRALIA                 Fax : (int+) 61 6 274 1519

The Office of the Supervising Scientist is a Branch of the 
         Federal Environment	Protection Agency 



Sandy Perle
E-mail: sandyfl@ix.netcom.com

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