A Closer look at New Jersey’s nuclear plants and what we should learn from Fukushima Dai-ichi

New Jersey’s four operating nuclear power reactors produce about half of the state’s electricity. Two of the reactors are boiling-water reactors with old designs nearly identical to those of the damaged nuclear reactors in Japan. After the Japan disaster, will New Jersey take a closer look at how they produce their electricity? I found this very interesting article that includes an interview of Jan Beyea, a nuclear physicist in New Jersey. He explains why he is so pessimistic about our ability to improve safety at existing nuclear plants in the United States. He states that “there is no political pressure to act on the kinds of improvements that I and others have advocated for over 30 years, which would likely have made a big difference in Fukushima.” The industry is not going to spend the money on such improvements unless it absolutely has to, which will only happen when government regulations force them to. Change is only going to come from the people forcing the government to make the regulations that we need. 

http://blog.nj.com/perspective/2011/05/nuclear_physicist_jan_beyea_wo.html

-Melissa Carter