nuclear-news

Toothless Nuclear Safety Plan adopted by IAEA

151-nation meeting endorses post-Fukushima nuclear safety plan, Washington Post    September 22  VIENNA — Members of the 151-nation International Atomic Energy Agency have endorsed a post-Fukushima nuclear safety plan but the IAEA chief says it will only be as good as the will of individual countries to enact it.

Before Thursday’s endorsement, the plan was approved last week by the agency’s policy making 35-nation board despite gripes by influential member nations that it was too timid.

Drawn up in response to Japan’s March 11 reactor disaster, the plan outlines steps to be taken by states to pinpoint weaknesses and remedy them. But these measures can only be carried out “upon request” of the nation involved.

States are “strongly encouraged to voluntarily” open their nuclear facilities to outside checks of potential weak links. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia-pacific/151-nation-meeting-endorses-post-fukushima-nuclear-safety-plan/2011/09/22/gIQAJJMwnK_story.html

September 23, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, safety