On the Japanese accident and nuclear energy

2011/03/15 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Teknologia
• Energia

Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant. photo March 14

Source: DigitalGlobe

Sources on the nuclear accident in Japan:

Graph of the BBC, accident step by step Special section of the magazine Nature Twitter more followed Latest news from the IAEA Japan Nuclear Security Agency Noticias.lainformacion.com: The minute: situation of reactors at the Fukushima Nuclear Science and Engineering at MIT

Some published in the journal Elhuyar on nuclear energy (chronological order):

• Nuclear... Yes, yes? / 01/12/2007 In favor or against nuclear energy? In recent times the debate has resurfaced, as some experts believe that the solution to the energy problem will be the installation of nuclear power stations. And they give reasons: economic, environmental and political, among others. It remains to be seen if the opinion of the majority is going to be enough to change and how much the gravity of the crisis will influence, but the nuclear industry has already set itself face to the future.
Interview with nuclear physicist Igor Peñalva in 2007 at the Norteko Ferrokarrila
• Interview with Abel González, president of the EANA (International Atomic Energy Agency) in 2002: Abel González: "Governments have not explained that they have sufficient responsibility to use nuclear energy" / 01/07/2002 IX Spanish Association of Radiation Protection (SEPR). On the occasion of the congress, Abel González was at the Euskalduna Palace in Bilbao and we had the opportunity to chat with him. In his opinion, nuclear energy is the best option that exists so far to supply the world in a proper way, but for this it is necessary a great responsibility and the present governments have not acted responsibly to date.
Do we need nuclear energy? June 2001, magazines Physics World (pp. 16-20) 'Do we need nuclear energy?' Under the title an interesting debate was published. Two high-level experts participated: The nuclear physicist Peter Hodgson says yes. Economist Dennis Anderson affirms that the possibilities of renewable energies and other types of energy should be studied before. Given the relevance and importance of the subject, we have decided to offer this debate in Basque, with the permission of the magazine Physics World.
• Nuclear power plants. Once closed, what? 01/12/2000 In most industrial activities it is easy and relatively inexpensive to destroy old factories and obsolete equipment. However, the presence of nuclear energy makes the process much compliant for its radioactivity. Once closed, nuclear power plants cease to be a valuable source of electricity to become radioactive waste of steel and cement.
Last breath of Chernobil / 01/12/2000

Basic encyclopedic content prepared by Elhuyar:

Encyclopedic Dictionary of Science and Technology Dictionary of Energy Article on Nuclear Reactor Scheme of a Nuclear Reactor

Additional information:

Radioactive heritage for 300 years / 01/12/2008 (Elhuyar magazine) is a plot of El Cabril Enresa. It is located in Córdoba, in the mountains of Albarrana, between hills of oaks and pines. On your way it is not difficult to see deer and other wild animals. 12 kilometers before arrival, a sign indicates that it is a private road restricted access. There is no talk of radioactivity, but in it are stored medium and low grade nuclear waste of radioactivity. We have visited and taught us how they keep and control these waste. Radioactive waste warehouse / 10/22/2008 / (Teknopolis) Report on the electric model of the Basque Country in Elhuyar magazine: In Euskal Herria there are several models of electricity generation, but what is generated is not enough to cover consumption.