Fukushima Follies

A Japanese court has ruled that former managers must pay almost $100 billion for failures which led to the 2011 nuclear accident:

https://www.rt.com/news/558915-fukushima-court-disaster-nuclear/

In my view, this is ridiculous.

The accident was as severe as it was because someone made the decision to build the plant at sea level instead of higher up on the bluffs facing the coast. In my view, whoever made that decision and the people who approved the "safety assessment" saying it was OK are the ones who ought to be fined.

Back here at home, a similar situation almost occurred at the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station in Berwick, PA. The initial design was to build the plant on the river bottom. Fortunately, before it was built a severe flood occurred in the river which persuaded the company to move the site up on the river bank.

Risks with severe consequences but small probability of occurrence are often discounted in such safely assessments. Years later, we all are stuck with the consequences. The least we could do is learn from our mistakes.

But I can tell you right now the nuclear industry hasn't learned a damn thing. And neither have the so-called "regulators".