Blog #9
Luke Thompson
As the world looks on in horror at the nuclear crisis in Japan following a 9.0 magnitude earthquake, many countries are evaluating their own policies regarding nuclear energy. Turkey, in particular, is facing new opposition to a nuclear power plant scheduled for construction.
First licensed back in 1976, the site chosen for the plant is Akkuyu, in the Southeast part of the country. Chief among the concerns surrounding the plant is the fact that an active tectonic fault lies almost directly beneath the planned location. A shifting fault line beneath the nuclear power plant could result in a crisis similar to the Fukushima disaster.
In addition to these concerns, many fear the possibility of environmental damage in the area surrounding the plant. Without any clear plan for disposing of the nuclear waste left over from the energy production process, many believe that the surrounding area could become a nuclear dump site in the near future. Others point out that the extremely hot water released from the reactors after being used for cooling could heat up the sea water by 5 degrees, killing much of the local marine life.
I believe that when calculating the pros an cons of an energy source one must look at the process from start to finish. As Turkey, along with the rest of the world, reevaluates nuclear energy, the sustainability of the power source needs to be weighed against the long-term environmental hazards resulting from the use of this technology.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/25/idUS122778134920110325?pageNumber=1
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