No retreat on nuclear power

It is sensible for the Tennessee Valley Authority to gather information about the tsunami-related problems at a nuclear plant in Japan before TVA decides whether to complete a nuclear reactor at its Bellefonte plant in Northeast Alabama. But the events in Japan are no reason for U.S. nuclear power projects to be delayed beyond what commonsense caution demands.

A catastrophic earthquake and tsunami damaged the nuclear facility in Japan, releasing some radiation. But while the quake and tsunami killed thousands, no one has died from the radiation release in Japan. And the United States' own worst nuclear power-related incident, at Three Mile Island in 1979, neither killed nor seriously injured anyone.

In fact, the United States has a remarkably strong record of nuclear safety. And of local importance, reactors at plants in the TVA region have rigorous, multi-layered safety protocols. Those factors should be key considerations in future nuclear power projects in this area.

Still, out of an abundance of caution, TVA has delayed its decision on completing a reactor at Bellefonte, while it studies the situation in Japan to determine whether there are lessons that can be applied here.

That is appropriate, so long as reasonable postponement does not become unreasonable retreat. Nuclear power is, after all, a vital part of our ability to meet our energy needs.

Consider the unhappy result when, in response to the incident in Japan, Germany hastily took some of its nuclear power plants off-line. Germany suddenly became a net importer rather than a net exporter of energy. From the first half of March to the second half, Germany doubled its imports of electricity from France, while German power exports to the Netherlands and Switzerland stopped almost completely, according to news accounts.

That's simple cause and effect. Germany, the United States or any country can choose to restrict or eliminate the use of nuclear energy, but that does not make the need for energy disappear. And when you curtail one type of energy production, you boost demand for other types of energy and increase their cost.

Caution on nuclear energy is understandable. But the use of nuclear power should be based on facts and experience, not on alarmism.

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