The first new nuclear reactor to be built in the U.S. in three decades is one step away from breaking ground. Federal regulators approved the design for the AP1000 reactor, which Westinghouse Electric Co. developed over 20 years. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission unanimously approved the design, a key certification that will be valid for 15 years.
On the day of the approval, CEO of Westinghouse Aris Candris was interviewed by ABC News Now. “Everyone has heard of what happened at the Fukushima Daiichi plant,” said Candris. “Had an AP1000 been on that site we would have got no nuclear news post-tsunami.”
The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant suffered major damage in the 9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami, which hit Japan on March 11, 2011. The tsunami disabled emergency power generators that are critical to cooling the reactor, setting up a dire situation that led to multiple partial meltdown, radiation leaks, and a massive evacuation of surrounding areas. The plant still hasn’t reopened.
Continue reading at Could New Nuclear Reactor Have Prevented Fukushima?
