Orcutt, National Academies committee conclude nuclear plant safety study

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has posted the committee report from the second, and final, phase of the lessons learned from Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident.  The congressionally mandated study (http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=21874), conducted by 17 distinguished scientists and engineers, including IGPP’s John Orcutt, has determined that the Fukushima accident offers a "wake-up call" as to the risks nuclear fuel pools pose to health and safety.  To that end, the committee recommends "that the U.S. nuclear industry and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission improve the ability of plant operators to measure real-time conditions in spent fuel pools and maintain adequate cooling of stored spent fuel during severe accidents and terrorist attacks.” The report, "Lessons Learned From the Fukushima Nuclear Accident for Improving Safety and Security of U.S. Nuclear Plants” is available here: http://www.nap.edu/catalog/21874/lessons-learned-from-the-fukushima-nucl...