U.S. Nuclear Energy Policy and Regulation

Hour 1

The Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster in Japan is raising significant questions about the use of nuclear energy in the United States.  With 104 operating power plants in the U.S., some as old as the Fukushama plant, many people are wondering about the health and environmental safety of nuclear power, highlighting lax regulation that could compromise plant safety as a major concern.  Today we talk about the disaster in Japan, the long-term consequences and what it means for nuclear energy in the United States.  We also take a closer look at the relationship between the nuclear industry and the nuclear regulators – is it too close for comfort? Our guests are JOSEPH CIRINCIONE, president of the Ploughshares Fund, and FRANK VON HIPPEL, a Princeton University nuclear physicist.

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[audio: 040511_100630.mp3]