jrl@harpo.UUCP (jrl) (04/24/84)
While it is interesting to debate nuclear power vs. coal, the real issue
seems to come down to who is responsible for any errors that might occur in
the construction and/or operation of the plant. I for one believe that
nuclear power is the energy source of the future (fusion, not fission). The
recent revelations about current plant safety can be regarded as a lesson
to be learned if we expect fusion plants to be accepted by society.
A machine is only as safe as the care and materials put into it. There
are all sorts of ways to cut corners on construction of nuclear plants and
therefore increasing the 'take'. As of now the penalities for such actions
do not deter the Costa Nostra run construction companies from cutting corners
and creating a situation that might kill a million people 10 years down the
road due to sub-standard materials. A hundred thousand dollar fine is no
deterrent since it can be paid and then the status quo is resumed.
What I suggest is that anybody in charge of construction and operation
of nuclear power plants be subject to execution if it is found out that corners
were cut during construction and in the operation of the plant. If this were
true than many people would have been killed already. The TMI incident could
have been quelled before any damage was done if people knew what they were
doing. But as usual the blame was passed along standard lines.
Of course I might be flamed for my harsh views on penalties for screw-
ups but we can't forget that in the case of nuclear power a mistake can cost
many lives not to metion the economic impact of having to depopulate and
seal off a hundred mile radius due to the lust for the buck. The harsher the
penalities the less likely that transgression will occur. Just think of all
the toxic waste that would have been properly disposed of if the penality
for midnight dumping included dumping the toxic waste on the estates of
the management in charge of such disposal.
Another round of cynicism from the keyboard of harpo!jrl