risks...this is a very esoteric technology...the challenge is for those of us who do understand those realities to do an effective job of communicating them...and the audience is understandably very large.
Speaking of Fukushima...here are some notes that don't make the news...es
>None of the reactors was put out of action by the nearby 9.0 Tohoku earthquake shocks
>Two of the five Fukushima reactors were constructed higher up on the bluff and kept operating after the Tsunami
>There were no deaths attributed to acute radiation syndrome
>Over 1,600 people died due to evacuations of sick and elderly patients from care facilities...subsequent evaluations showed that radiation level standards requiring evacuation were set too low and were later increased by a factor of 350 (see change in U.S. EPA standards)
>Newer 'GEN-IV' reactor designs that inherently avoid the aftermath of the Fukushima core meltdowns are being developed, and one of them has received Nuclear Regulatory Commission approval for its design...a test reactor build is being planned.
None of this is to say that Nuclear Power doesn't require careful attention in design, construction and operation...but the overall track record, in terms of public safety, is outstanding.