Toward Post-Fukushima No. 17

17. My Thoughts and Reflections
Tom MorganPresident, Maracor Software & Engineering, Inc., USAI am honored to have been asked by JANUS tothe environment.

provide my thoughts and reflections on the recent
accident at Fukushima Daiichi. I have been

The Fukushima Daiichi event is the third

involved with the Japanese nuclear industry sincesignificant accident to occur since civilian nuclear

the early 1980s, and have supported JANUS

power was introduced. The Three Mile Island andprojects to improve nuclear plant maintenance andChernobyl events were caused (or made muchsafety in Japan since the early 1990s. In the US,worse) by human errors. The Fukushima Daiichi

my primary role has been in the assessment andaccident had a different cause: a natural disaster

reduction of the risks of severe accidents usingthat was far greater than was thought to betechniques

Risk

possible. In this case, the plants at the Fukushima

Assessment (PRA). So, I have been following theDaiichi site were subjected to conditions beyond

developments associated with the accident and its

those imagined by the designers and operators ofrecovery

professional

the plant. It appears that the plants performed

perspective and because of my long association

better than they were designed for, given thesewith Japanese colleagues and the Japanese

extreme conditions; however, the design margins

nuclear industry.

that existed within the plants were not sufficient toknown

actionsasboth

Probabilisticfromaprevent serious core damage from occurring. More
The accident at Fukushima Daiichi has caused
tremendous

theearthquake might show that some decisions orenvironment in the areas surrounding the plant.

actions by the plant staff or others may not have

For TEPCo, this accident has caused muchbeen the most optimum or effective; however, thefinancial harm and I know that the employees ofprimary cause of the accident remains the tsunami

TEPCo feel a great personal responsibility for theitself. I believe that the plant staff worked

events that occurred, even though the cause of thediligently with the tools and knowledge that they

accident was largely outside of human control. The

had available to help delay the onset of damage

people of Japan are now more anxious about theand to lessen its impact where possible.

useoflosses

nuclearforpower.

thepeople

However,anddetailed examination of the events following theall

energyproduction methods have costs or drawbacks; otherAmong the most important lessons to be learned

sources of power may be more expensive, be limited

from this event is that the “impossible” must

to only certain locations where it is viable (e.g.,always be considered, especially when working

solar or wind power), or may pose other hazards towith1technologies

thatcanhave

significant

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Toward Post-Fukushima No. 17

consequences, such as nuclear power production.

To my colleagues in the Japanese nuclear

As engineers, it is sometimes easy to be lulled intoindustry (engineers, operators and maintenancea false sense of security by believing that a designpersonnel), I urge you to incorporate the lessons

has been created that can withstand all possible

learned from the event into each of your plants,

situations. This accident demonstrates that oneand to communicate openly with the public about

can never be too prepared for unforeseen events. In

how these changes have made the plants safer andthe field of PRA, we consider the possibility ofmore reliable. Do not hesitate to plan for theextreme

low“impossible”, even if you may not be able to exactly

probability, as part of the spectrum of accident

define what those events might be. Public trust

scenarios that we evaluate. While PRA has been

will not be regained overnight, and it is onlyused to some extent in Japan, greater use of suchthrough years of consistently safe performancetechniques, with an “open mind” for consideringthat the public will recognize the value of nuclear

events that could overwhelm the design features

power to society.

events,eventhosewithvery

built into each plant, should be encouraged. Doingso should help lead to better training for plant staff

After the accident at Three Mile Island in the US,

and better preparedness overall to respond to anuclear

wider range of possible situations.

significant changes that improved safety and also

plantsthroughout

theworld

made

improved plant performance. I am hopeful that,
I would remind the citizens of Japan, who areusing the knowledge gained from the unfortunate

now debating the future of energy production inFukushima Daiichi event, the nuclear power

your country, to consider both the benefits andindustry will once again experience a period ofrisks of nuclear power. Your nuclear plants areimprovement that will benefit power plants in allvery well-designed and operated, and the lessons

countries.

learned from the unfortunate events at Fukushima
Daiichi will be used to make other plants in Japan

August 2011

and throughout the world safer. Nuclear power
creates the electricity that is needed to power
Japan’s economy without carbon emissions andother environmental pollutants. The risks ofserious accidents are understood by the staff ofeach plant and many layers of defensive measures
are provided to help prevent the release ofradioactivity to the environment.

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