Read more: “Special report: Rescuing nuclear power“
The first of Areva’s third-generation nuclear plants is being built at Olkiluoto, Finland (Image: Lehtikuva Oy/Rex Features)
THERE’S nothing quite like watching reactor buildings explode on live TV to destroy your faith in nuclear power. But the explosions and radiation spills at the Fukushima Daiichi power station in Japan may give an unfair impression of the risks associated with modern nuclear energy generation.
The Fukushima reactors are a 40-year-old design. A new generation of reactors, with more comprehensive safety features and power backups, would likely have fared much better. Alexis Marincic, chief technical…
