Wednesday, March 16, 2011

When overblown fears impede progress

The situation between Ontario and Japan is so different. CANDU reactors are built differently and we don't have major earthquakes and tsunamis here.
Amplify’d from www.torontosun.com

Halt urged for nuclear harings


By TERRY DAVIDSON, Toronto Sun

Last Updated: March 16, 2011 6:36pm

Greenpeace and Ontario’s nurses paired up on Wednesday to call for the province to halt hearings on new nuclear reactors for Ontario.


The hearings on development at the Darlington nuke plant slotted for next week should be postponed, said the environmental group and the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario.


“There has been no assessment of the cost-effectiveness of new reactors and the environmental and safety reviews ignore the potential for accidents like we’re seeing in Japan,” said Shawn-Patrick Stensil, a nuclear analyst with Greenpeace.


“The need, cost-effectiveness and safety of the reactors is in doubt ... a rethink is required,” he said.


The nurses’ association said there are lessons in the nuclear disaster unfolding in Japan.


“What happened in Japan is capable of happening anywhere there are nuclear reactors,” said Doris Grinspun, executive director of the nurses’ association.


“No doubt the nuclear experts and government leaders in Japan were confident that the sheer magnitude of this week’s disaster could never happen there,” Grinspun said.
Read more at www.torontosun.com

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