On the other hand, the commercial pressures of operating complex metal and concrete structures way beyond their design-life may lead to pressure to relax standards, that when combined with aging materials, lead to a chain of events that creates a serious accident.
We've had quite a few very narrow escapes in the US. Here's just one:
Davis-Besse
http://events.nace.org/library/corrosion/NuclearIndustry/nuc...
>High pressure inside the reactor vessel pushed the stainless steel outward into the cavity formed by the boric acid. The stainless steel bent but did not break. Cooling water remained inside the reactor vessel not because of thick carbon steel but due to a thin layer of stainless steel.
Personally, I'll support nuclear power if based on a reasonably clean low-waste producing technology, and if it can be proven that a safe passive shut-down is possible under station black-out conditions, without human intervention.
We've had quite a few very narrow escapes in the US. Here's just one:
Davis-Besse http://events.nace.org/library/corrosion/NuclearIndustry/nuc... >High pressure inside the reactor vessel pushed the stainless steel outward into the cavity formed by the boric acid. The stainless steel bent but did not break. Cooling water remained inside the reactor vessel not because of thick carbon steel but due to a thin layer of stainless steel.
Picture of corrosion here: http://www.nirs.org/photogallery/davisbesseimages.htm
Personally, I'll support nuclear power if based on a reasonably clean low-waste producing technology, and if it can be proven that a safe passive shut-down is possible under station black-out conditions, without human intervention.