Are you worried by the possibility of a radiation risk at Fukushima?
No. I'm not reckless, but I understand the hazards of the business. I don't think anyone is going inside the reactors, but we want to see the site for ourselves. As well as going to the Fukushima Daiichi site, where the accident happened, we are going to Fukushima Daini 11 kilometres away, which was hardly damaged, so we can compare and contrast, and report why one escaped damage and the other didn't. It may be something simple, like the less damaged plant being on higher ground, but we need to find out.
No. I'm not reckless, but I understand the hazards of the business. I don't think anyone is going inside the reactors, but we want to see the site for ourselves. As well as going to the Fukushima Daiichi site, where the accident happened, we are going to Fukushima Daini 11 kilometres away, which was hardly damaged, so we can compare and contrast, and report why one escaped damage and the other didn't. It may be something simple, like the less damaged plant being on higher ground, but we need to find out.
How many people are going?
There are about 20 of us, from a variety of nations.
There are about 20 of us, from a variety of nations.
What do you know already about the disaster?
The information I have is that the reactors closed down OK when the quake happened, and began cooling down OK, but then the tsunami came along and knocked out all the backup electricity generators and backup diesel tanks. Because the tsunami took out the off-site electrical grid too, there was no cooling system for the reactors and the disaster unfolded.
The information I have is that the reactors closed down OK when the quake happened, and began cooling down OK, but then the tsunami came along and knocked out all the backup electricity generators and backup diesel tanks. Because the tsunami took out the off-site electrical grid too, there was no cooling system for the reactors and the disaster unfolded.
There have recently been suggestions that the quake itself, not the tsunami, may have caused the problems. What are the biggest gaps in knowledge that you want to plug?
We want to establish what happened, when, and the implications. What was the physics of the event? We aim to forward our report to an international meeting of ministers convened by the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA) next month, so the world community can think about how to react better to events like this in the future.
We want to establish what happened, when, and the implications. What was the physics of the event? We aim to forward our report to an international meeting of ministers convened by the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA) next month, so the world community can think about how to react better to events like this in the future.
Do we need an international nuclear safety body that takes control and provides assistance when a nuclear accident occurs?
Certainly we need a more robust system for disseminating information, perhaps through the IAEA. All governments need advice on how to react when these things happen, and it would be better if it came from an international, independent body.
Certainly we need a more robust system for disseminating information, perhaps through the IAEA. All governments need advice on how to react when these things happen, and it would be better if it came from an international, independent body.
Do you think TEPCO, which owns Fukushima, should have asked for help earlier?
It's not for me to second-guess what Japan should or shouldn't have done. You have to remember the context, with 14,000 people known to have been killed by the earthquake and tsunami, 11,000 missing and massive destruction of infrastructure.
It's not for me to second-guess what Japan should or shouldn't have done. You have to remember the context, with 14,000 people known to have been killed by the earthquake and tsunami, 11,000 missing and massive destruction of infrastructure.
Can any good come from the Fukushima accident?
It was good to see the world community pulling together to learn lessons from it, and trying to improve existing safety standards. It also shows we should never be complacent.
It was good to see the world community pulling together to learn lessons from it, and trying to improve existing safety standards. It also shows we should never be complacent.
Is it bad news for nuclear power?
Whether or not we have nuclear power is not my concern. My concern is that if it is used, it should be used safely.
Whether or not we have nuclear power is not my concern. My concern is that if it is used, it should be used safely.
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