World leaders are getting ready to conduct stress tests on Nuclear facilities. Hello, Obama???

[jillan]

http://www.english.rfi.fr/europe/20110315-world-leaders-set-conduct-nuclear-tests

snips ~

In the wake of Japan’s nuclear fallout, world leaders are upping security measures of nuclear energy plants at home. France, Germany and Russia all say they will review their country’s standards of nuclear safety. The European Union also agreed to conduct “stress tests” on the continent’s nuclear power plants

Guenther Oettinger, the EU energy chief, said from Brussels that the tests would be conducted on a voluntary basis. He said that the 153 reactors across the continent would be checked for their ability to resist earthquakes, tsunamis and terrorist attack

The agreement was reached during a meeting organized by Oettinger, which included ministers, national nuclear safety chiefs and industry leaders.

France announced separately that it will check the conditions of every one of its 58 nuclear power reactors, Environment Minister Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet told parliament on Tuesday in Paris.

France is Europe’s biggest user of nuclear power, with 58 reactors in 19 power plants across the country. Nuclear energy provides around 75 percent of the country’s energy.

Germany said on Tuesday that it would temporarily shut down seven of its 17 nuclear reactors in order to conduct safety probes. Reactors in operation before the 1980s are intended to remain idle during a three-month moratorium.

Germany planned to be nuclear-free by 2020, however President Angela Merkel postponed the decision last year until the mid-2030s.

In Russia, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin ordered an urgent review of the country’s atomic energy sector. Speaking from Moscow, Putin said that he expected results from the investigation within one month.


The nuclear disaster in Japan has prompted governments in Britain and Italy to take another look at nuclear energy
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Oh yeah, I know, we have nothing to worry about in the US. I mean, we wouldn't be so stupid to put any nuclear power plants close to a fault line here in the USA.

[valerief]

1. The Ed Schultz Show said the US is renewing licenses for 20 years on its dilapitated

nuclear plants and will run them at 120% capacity. They're gonna blow us up real good, I think.

[jillan]

2. Does the nuclear power lobbyists really have to control everything? Why else would they do this?

This country is going off a cliff.

[valerief]

6. I'd say we were in freefall now. nt

[inna]

11. Holy shit. Yet another "thanks", Obama.

The whole thing is beyond infuriating.

[villager]

3. "Hello, Obama?" indeed. But he won't answer.

Not to us, anyway.

[notesdev]

10. What do you expect when you call at 3 AM?

[Mimosa]

4. K&R

The Europeans got smart after Chernobyl.

Antiquated plants need to be taken offline and decomissioned.

[Mojeoux]

9. K& R What She Said! nt

[AndyTiedye]

5. I'm Not Sure How I Feel About "Stress Tests".

Didn't Chernobyl start with a stress test (that failed, obviously)? :nuke: :hide:

[jillan]

8. Might as well have them all blow up at once. I'm just kidding!

ugh. It scares the crap out of me.

[wonderjust25]

7. have to be very rigorous tests. nt.