Toward Post-Fukushima No. 5

5. A Mexican Perspective of Fukushima's Event
Magdalena Gris
Engineering Materials Supervisor, Laguna Verde NPP, Mexico

Introduction

was really bad, they were working without rest for

I was invited to contribute with this essay and I

more than 36 hours trying to control and stabilize

would like to present a perspective of thethe plant situation. We could imagine the gravity ofFukushima's situation after the severe earthquake

the situation hearing the story from the people whoand further tsunami and its effect in the nuclear

lived the event.

industry. Particularly I had the opportunity to visit
Fukushima-Daiichi Station last year (my gratefulIn Mexico, the news were confused and most of

to my dear friends of units 5 and 6) and it was one

theof the reasons for writing these lines. The last 19

Fortunately for the people in the nuclear business,years of my professional career I have been

we had access to more reliable information.

working at Laguna Verde NPP, what gave me theParticularly I received communications issued byopportunity to meet many people in nuclear

the NRC in the USA and some others frombusiness by participating in some international

European organizations, so we knew the sequence

efforts to address one of the biggest concerns onof the event, and concluded that the response of thethis industry, to maintain Nuclear Plants in safe

plant and its emergency systems was as expected

operation for long term, from the materials

by design. In summary, there were more than one

degradation perspective.

major

time theevent

components

information

thatwasresulted

damagedinbeyondnotreliable.

systemsanddesignbasis

In this essay, I am trying to put together myassumptions for this kind of reactors (neither any

knowledge with impressions generated after thekind of reactor). In other words, the Japaneseevent experienced by Fukushima this year.

event was something against no nuclear power
plant was prepared and in my opinion theKnowing the EventOn March 11th this year, after the earthquake inconsequences were not as severe as the Chernobylaccident.

Japan and the further tsunami, the worldwide
focus was on the tragedy that Japanese people
were suffering. My first concern was to know theThe Importance of the Right Information
As I stated before, I had access to reliable

situation of my friends at Fukushima-Daiichi NPP.

information

I emailed them asking for their families andinformation to the people in my circle of friends,co-workers. Fortunately I received an answer fromfamily and public in general, because it is

one of the friends who just told me that situation

important to know the actual event and actions

1andI

tried

topasstheright

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Toward Post-Fukushima No. 5

taken in order to have a well informed opinion. IConclusion

had heard opinions against the nuclear energy

I think it is the responsibility of those who are

before the Japanese event, and now that negative

involved in nuclear business to inform as many

opinions are increasing and making difficult for thepeople as possible that nuclear option is one of thenuclear industry keeping on its evolution. The

most reliable ways to produce energy in order tocommon opinion is that the nuclear plants are notchange the perspective that people have after thissafe, there is a high risk in its operation, and too

unexpected event.

much wrong ideas which can lead to deny not only
the construction of new plants but also the long

August 2011

term operation. It is happening at least in mycountry in my opinion. The people take any eventas an excuse to throw back the possibility to takethe nuclear option for producing energy.

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