Japan reactor leaks coolant -Reply

[CLAUDE A. FLORY <FLORYCA@GWSMTP.NU.COM>]

In general the U. S. nuclear industry has been open with the public and
customers.  One incident at a foreign reactor is not indicative of the U.S.
nuclear power industry no more so than Chernobyl was indicative of U.S. nuclear
reactor design and operation.

What other industry measures effluent releases down to barely detectable levels
and reports every curie released?  What other industry measures air, water, and
milk for nuclear plant generated activity when results are consistently
negative?  What other industry has an emergency response organization which
notifies local, state, and federal organization for any event which could be a
precursor to an accident? 

Claude Flory
Senior Scientist
Northeast Utilities
floryca@nu.com (W)
claude.flory@worldnet.att.net (H)

>>> "Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@ix.netcom.com> 12/24/96 01:04pm >>>
The following article was received via Reuters. It makes some 
interesting points:

5. This quote is evident of the industry's unwillingness to be open 
     with the public and customers, in general .. " subsequent 
     efforts by the PNC to play  down its significance fuelled doubts 
     about the safety of nuclear reactors and galvanised opposition 
      to their construction. 
---------------------------------
  TOKYO, Dec 24  - 
  Last December an estimated two to three tonnes of liquid  
sodium leaked from a cooling system in the reactor, known as 
Monju, forcing a manual shutdown of the reactor. 
  Monju's operators, the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel  
Development Corp (PNC), said there was no damage to the 
environment from the accident. 
  But the incident and subsequent efforts by the PNC to play  
down its significance fuelled doubts about the safety of 
nuclear reactors and galvanised opposition to their 
construction.