[driftdiver]

Japan does not inspire confidence either though. Japan experienced a 9.0 magnitude earthquake, followed by a tsunami up to 60 feet tall covering hundreds of miles of coastline. Japan is doing a fine job considering what they were hit with. The lesson here is that 40 year old designs need to be retired and new plants built.

[mewykwistmas]

I agree with retiring old tech, but my point was that I believe Japan has tried to hide the radiation risk. It’s all good crisis management, until people get sick years from now. See 9/11 https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Health_effects_arising_from_the_September_11_attacks

[swain_forkbeard]

“The lesson here is that 40 year old designs need to be retired and new plants built.”

Newer designs or not, a few more lessons might be:

Don’t falsify safety inspection reports at a nuclear power plant.

Maintain and test the backup systems.

Figure out a better solution for spent fuel.