Europe Hits the Panic Button Over Nuclear Power

The EU’s energy commissioner declared that all of Europe’s 143 nuclear reactors would be reviewed for safety and said of the Japanese crisis, “There is talk of an apocalypse and I think the word is particularly well chosen.”

Germany, meanwhile, shut down seven plants built before 1980.

Some have more cause for concern than others. Eighty percent of France’s electricity is generated by atom splitting.  —PZS

The Telegraph:

Guenther Oettinger, the EU’s energy commissioner, warned that a third explosion and fire at the Fukushima plant on Tuesday heralded the world’s worst nuclear disaster.

“There is talk of an apocalypse and I think the word is particularly well chosen,” he said.

Mr Oettinger said that “stress” testing was needed to ensure that Europe’s 143 reactors could withstand earthquakes and other emergencies.

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