Reply #240: Yes, old technology is a problem

[divvy]

These older nuclear plants have lot's of old technology in them. There are many reasons - 1) it is almost as expensive to modify the plant as it is to build one, 2) reluctance to be the first to upgrade (risk of being first), 3) plants built in early 70's were built with 10 year old design (and parts). The reports of high radiation in ground water seem to indicate a full core meltdown breaching the reactor and containment. Rehulator, it is sad, but those people left in the evacuation area... I don't know what to say. There just doesn't seem to be much good news from the scene.