We usually eat dinner about 7 pm while Jeopardy is on. Tonight's Final Jeopardy question surprised me.
The answer was (wording may not be exact):
"This nation has the world's most nuclear reactors at 104, one more than the next leading nation."
The question, or the answer to the answer, or what nation are they talking about is...the US.
We have not built a reactor in the last 20 years or more, so I was surprised that it was the US with the most. My guess was France and while they generate the highest percentage of their electrical power from nuclear reactors, they do not have the most.
However, I am not sure we should be proud of our leadership.
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Jerry I live about 15 miles from a Nuclear site Hope Creek, Artificial Island in S. Jersey. My Dad and brother and his wife, and a brother in law worked there. I have never feared that site, and they say it's perfectly safe but if there was a disaster then we would go so fast we wouldn't know what hit us. I guess thats one way of looking at it!
ReplyDeleteNo, But seriously, I have been here since I was 11 and don't fear nuclear plants at all.
Sue - Two things.
ReplyDelete1. You probably would not go fast. The most likely accident is a radiation release rather than a huge explosion. Radiation kills you also, just slower.
2. If they are so safe, why is the government the only one who will insure them?
In my hometown paper this morning... Sharif Mobley, the New Jersey man under arrest in Yemen accused of being an al-Qaida member and killing a guard, worked at my friendly neighborhood nuke plant for 6 years!
ReplyDeleteWe need better background checks! :-)
I'm still not afraid...life is too short to be afraid of everything out there.
I agree with the afraid part. I've had people ask me why I live in California with "the big one" looming over our heads. I say the same thing. Live is too short to worry about it.
ReplyDeleteI am a big supporter of nuclear power. The only downside that I can see is disposing of the waste. The government is the only insurer because of that less than one-tenths or one-tenths of a percent chance of an accident. That, and of course, the government is really the only entity that understands the concept. I was surprised to hear we led the world in the number of plants. I think we need more, a lot more....
ReplyDeleteDisposing of the waste is a BIG downside. However, there are some new technologies out there that may help with the waste part. Here are a couple:
ReplyDeleteTraveling Wave Reactor
Fusion-Fission Hybrid Reactor
Jerry when I lived in South Florida, I lived within 2 miles of one. I used to take my boat out into Biscayne Bay motoring right by it within a few hundred yards on weekends. Basically, I simply put it out of my mind, for the same reason that I put earthquakes out of my mind when I lived in California...the same as you.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct however, the biggest danger is a leak. Nasty way to die, for sure. I know one thing, coal based plants are killing us with pollution for sure.