Nuclear Power Goes Rogue

The Fukushima nuclear accident has imposed immense ripple effects throughout the global nuclear power industry. Fukushima presents a clear example of the dangers and costs of nuclear power – Japanese officials have pegged the cost of the Fukushima accident at $64 billion. As many in the developed world are reconsidering nuclear power as part of their energy strategy, nuclear suppliers turn to the developing world for sales opportunities. Yet questions emerge about safety and regulatory systems in some nations. Not all the new customers have “a nuclear-safety regulatory system worthy of the name,” argues Henry Sokolski of the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center in an essay for Newsweek. Poor regulatory systems may fail to prevent accidents and could also spur a dangerous nuclear arms race in the Middle East and Far East. – YaleGlobal