Fukushima doesn't represent the state of the art. It didn't even represent the state of the art a quarter of a century ago.
Fukushima doesn't represent the state of the art. It didn't even represent the state of the art a quarter of a century ago.
Or, we could extend their operating license each for 20 years and see if they can handle it.
We should definitely be upgrading our nuclear reactors to modern designs. While the USA mostly isn't in an earthquake zone, which reduces the risks, the reactors are definitely past their useful life, less safe than they could be, and require more expensive, dangerous, and weaponizable fuel than then should.
The problem with upgrading, of course, is political. The amount of public outcry that would occur if we started to build new reactors, even based on better designs, would make things very difficult politically.