Because you need power and nuclear is the best way? Consider the facts: 1. The reactors in question here are now two technological generations old; they are ol

Because you need power and nuclear is the best way? Consider the facts: 1. The reactors in question here are now two technological generations old; they are old, fragile designs compared to more modern designs. 2. Japan just experienced one of the biggest earthquakes in world history, followed by a tsunami of a scope that makes Kurosawa's war scenes look like moving Legos around. 3. Despite this, there have been no catastrophic reactor failures. Zero. We're not out of the woods yet, but the smart money is on there being a couple minor incidents and no major incidents as a result of all this. I'd say the decision to build nuclear plants instead of, say, dozens and dozens of coal plants (which would have killed a lot of people by now with their pollution) is looking pretty smart.