Today brings once again conflicting reports on the ongoing nuclear crisis in Japan. First, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, in spite of what's going on in Japan, has proclaimed the United States does not need to make any changes to our own nuclear reactor safety, from methods to structure.
A top official with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Monday that the nuclear crisis in Japan did not warrant any immediate changes in American nuclear plants. The commission’s inspectors at each nuclear site have been told to double-check that emergency precautions mandated years ago were still in place, including temporary hoses and fittings and other last-ditch backup equipment, said the official, William Borchardt, the executive director for operations. They are also to verify that plant operators know where the equipment and materials are, he said, “to make sure they haven’t fallen into disuse because they haven’t been used.”
Yeah, right.
Below are International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) slides showing radioactive levels from three days ago. One can see the sharp radiation increase and corresponding declines.