3 ms·
After the Fukushima catastrophe, it was clear that the unknown unknows are worse than anticipated. Sad thing is, Germany should have pumped a whole lotta more
by k__ 5y ago
After the Fukushima catastrophe, it was clear that the unknown unknows are worse than anticipated.
Sad thing is, Germany should have pumped a whole lotta more money into renewables and their research.
- didericis 5y agoFukushima was not a case of unknown unknowns. That style of reactor requires active cooling to prevent meltdown, and the cooling failed. The consequences of the cooling system failing were known, as were the vulnerabilities of the cooling system. They just didn’t add enough safeguards/didn’t account for the backup failing. There’s an argument that you can’t add enough safeguards to account for all possible ways an active cooling system could fail, which is perfectly reasonable/a good argument. Thats’s why next gen nuclear reactor designs don’t require active cooling. People citing Chernobyl and Fukushima strikes me as rhe equivalent to people citing the Hindenburg when talking about flying; I’m pretty sure both reactor designs could be thought of as the design equivalent to the hydrogen blimp. People’s minds are stuck on an image of a blimp on fire when thinking about flying even though modern passenger jets exist.
- SEJeff 5y agoClearly we think alike. Glad to see someone else pointing out to Luddites the folly of comparing modern nuclear tech to the tech of the 1970s. Using the Hindenburg vs airplanes is a perfect equivalent.
- k__ 5y ago"consequences of the cooling system failing were known" So the problem isn't unknown unknowns, but people simply don't caring enough about potential consequences? That just makes it worse and nuclear an even less of an option.
- aaronmdjones 5y agoAs my sibling comment describes, this wasn't unknown. TEPCO (the company operating Fukushima) themselves commissioned a report into the suitability of their emergency systems, came to the conclusion that a generator and switchgear room in the basement of a building next to the sea was a bad idea, and then did nothing about it for several years. They were also told this repeatedly by other agencies.
- urthor 5y agoGermany pumps a disproportionate amount of money into renewables though. The Energiewende makes them one of a tiny handful of countries worldwide that is actively interested in alleviating greenhouse gases.
- k__ 5y agoI hope it is enough. And I hope the Ukraine issue will lead to more and not switching back to nuclear again. But with the Greens in the government, chances are good.