ENERGY-HUNGRY WORLD DEAF TO NUCLEAR DANGERS

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was set up by the U.N. in 1957 to limit trial and error mistakes with nuclear energy, provide quality controls and oversee pacts setting high safety standards. It serves well and will continue to do vital service in a world that over the next two or three decades probably cannot do without nuclear energy. But right now the IAEA has its hands full monitoring Iran and North Korea. Mohammed ElBaradei, its head, says the primary responsibility for nuclear safety in a new facility is on that plant's operators and government.

Unfortunately, some of the newest aspirants to nuclear energy are worrisome to ElBaradei and the IAEA. To begin with, even developed nations like Japan, Bulgaria, Germany and Russia have a recent history of nuclear facility accidents.

And then, from Finland’s Tampere University of Technology, there are statistics of a not very impressive general industrial safety record of many developing nations: (1) In China, hundreds die every year in dangerous coal mines and thousands die in fires, explosions and other accidents from inadequate safety equipment and safety rules; (2) India's industrial fatality rate is 11.4 per 100,000 workers per year (accident rate: 8,700 per 100,000 workers per year); Asian nations (other than China and India) have an industrial fatality rate of 21.5 per 100,000 (accident rate: 16,000+ per 100,000 workers). The U.S. industrial fatality rate is 5.2 people per 100,000; in France, it's 3 per 100,000.

The IAEA CAN provide significant assistance in safeguards – IF the host nation allows it.

The IAEA has, over its half-century of work, developed sophisticated standards and protocols for nuclear safety. (click to enlarge)

But many developing nations do not have a great record when it comes to transparency either: The IAEA requires all nuclear accidents to be reported. Most Asian governments vastly underreport industrial accidents to the U.N. International Labor Organization. China reports less than 1% of its industrial accidents. China and India tied for 70th in the world (of 163 countries) for corruption. Vietnam was 111th. Indonesia was 130th. (2006 Corruption Perceptions Index of Transparency International)

An unnamed Viennese diplomat-in-the-know recounts a newly nuclear India’s response to Canada’s offer of advice for reactor troubleshooting: India "…did not want to know about it…national pride is more important than safety."

Possible dangers of nuclear energy’s rising popularity unnerves many
January 15, 2008 (AP via Albuquerue Tribune)

WHO
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei, Director General;

Nuclear energy development is on the rise around the world. (click to enlarge)

WHAT
Officials at the IAEA are concerned about poor industrial safety records and corruption in the many developing nations looking to develop nuclear energy facilities.

WHEN
- The IAEA was created in 1957.
- Of 100 new reactors now being planned, more than half are in China, India and other developing nations.
- An MIT report projects the need for 200 new reactors in Asia by 2050.

WHERE
- The IAEA is based in Vienna. It is a branch of the United Nations.
- China has 11 nuclear facilities and plans to bring 30 more online by 2020.
- Argentina, Brazil and South Africa plan to expand their nuclear programs. Vietnam, Thailand, Egypt and Turkey are planning their first reactors.

The IAEA even has procedures for remote safety monitoring - if the facility's government will allow it. (click to enlarge)

WHY
- Climate change and increasing competition for dwindling global energy supplies is moving many nations toward developing nuclear energy power plants.
- The IAEA expects nuclear energy to double in the next 20 years to 691 gigawatts, 13.3% of world electricity.
- The bad news: (1) Japan’s nuclear industry is still recovering from 5-year-old allegations of many dozen false inspections reports on reactor cracks; (2) Swedish operators of a German reactor last summer delayed reporting a fire; (3) The breakdown of a Bulgarian plant’s emergency shutdown mechanism in 2006 went unreported until whistleblowers prevailed after 2 months. (4) Nobody has forgotten the Soviet Union’s attempts to hide the severity of the 1986 Chernobyl meltdown.

Even in the U.S. nuclear waste management is unsolved and huge facility costs tempt builders to cut corners. (click to enlarge)

QUOTES
- Anne Lauvergeon, CEO,l French nuclear giant Areva: "We are facing a nuclear renaissance…Nuclear's not the devil anymore. The devil is coal."
- Philippe Jamet, director of nuclear installation safety, IAEA: “[Countries] have to move down the learning curve [about nuclear energy], and they will learn from (their) mistakes."
- Carl Thayer, Southeast Asia expert, Australian Defence Force Academy: "Are there special concerns about the developing world? The answer is definitely yes…Corrupt officials in licensing and supervisory agencies in the region could undermine the best of IAEA guidelines and oversight…There could be a dropping of standards, and that affects all aspects of the nuclear industry, from buying the material, to processing applications to building and running the plant."