There is no question that those tragic events shook public confidence in the industry and softened political resolve in parts of the world. While lessons will be learned and factored into the design, siting and operation of future plants, the big challenge facing the industry is how to earn and rebuild public trust. In many peoples' minds, nuclear power is a paradox of benefit and risk - or, perhaps more accurately, the perceived risks. The public perceptions of nuclear power do not always match reality. The socio-political and economic conditions that gave rise to the worldwide renaissance in nuclear power in the decade prior to Fukushima still remain. The reality is that the global challenges of climate change and energy poverty still require solutions. Many countries are deploying or considering nuclear power for the first time because it is the only mature technology capable of generating base-load electricity that is clean, secure, affordable and dependable. Despite the need behind it, nuclear power is a contentious subject. Radioactivity is, after all, hazardous and invisible. In the early days it was shrouded in intellectual and military secrecy. Today the concerns are more about safety, radioactive wastes and proliferation. On the safety question, despite the incidents at Fukushima, Chernobyl and Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania, the track record of nuclear power still makes it the safest option for large-scale baseload electricity production. But while the likelihood of an accident may be low, the public is equally concerned about consequences, or perceived consequences.
展开▼
