Even under 'normal' circumstances, it is said that people living close to a nuclear power plant suffer from cancer more often than other people. In fact, everyone is exposed to radiation almost all the time for example while we are sitting in class. Only the remaining forty per cent of rays are composed of man-made risks. But when operated incorrectly, an occurring nuclear meltdown would be disastrous. When talking about a possible meltdown in Germany, people tend to exaggerate the actual risks.
All reactors comply with the latest western standards on nuclear technology.
A comparison of our cutting-edge reactors with Chernobyl certainly is unfair, but not every catastrophe is caused by human failure. An earthquake striking a power station is something even the best technicians cannot prevent. The Soviet-designed reactors however which are used by our eastern European neighbours are even more troubling. These '60s-vintage reactors are outdated and dangerous. Most of them lack the containment.