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Former TVA Chairman Glenn McCullough breaks down why America’s power plants were designed with natural disasters in mind.
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-- for the markets.
After the -- disaster in Japan.
The first thing the people worry about after -- -- of course nowadays is those nuclear plants.
One plant in Virginia temporarily lost -- yesterday I needed backup generators to continue its cooling operations.
Joining us by phone now is -- -- he's the former head of the valley authority which is a major all right -- men and saudis dug your own camera that's what you're on the -- -- on down the forest.
You know you used to operate nuclear plants and I've got a question which everybody has been asking me.
If you gets a shall we say a magnitude 9 quake on the eastern seaboard.
And it -- right close to one two a nuclear power plant.
Will you tell us and our view is that -- -- debt safe.
No risk whatsoever will you say that.
The -- what I will tell you is that nuclear plants in the US are designed.
To withstand.
In the expected besides the logical event.
Or other natural disaster you've been talking about our hurricane -- I mean in the past four months nuclear stations in the US have withstood.
Tornadoes floods -- an earthquake in Virginia.
In the safety systems and the plant themselves have worked as they're designed to constructed.
Two to work no safety margins have been have been violated.
I'd be the first to say that the nuclear power plants in yesterday's earthquake came through with flying -- so mean that they operated as they were supposed to operate but then.
Those who oppose nuclear power will always come back at you and say now wait a minute.
There is risk a we don't like risk because we remembered what happened in Fukushima in Japan.
OK that was a tsunami but we remember that.
I think Glenn like it or not that the nuclear industry takes -- case when you get this kind of both -- action.
Well the nuclear stations yesterday twelve problem declared an unusual event.
Power was not curtailed.
The nuclear stations continued to generate clean safe reliable electricity and you mentioned north and a north Anna did lose off site power the diesel generators kicked DN male power has been restored.
Thought no one safety was it was a unity He needed question so in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has inspectors on every side.
Nuclear power plants in the US or built to withstand any sort of psychological.
-- whether.
Natural disaster that there might be thrown Adam.
And plants in the US have performed as they were designed to perform safely.
Not so we -- you.
-- -- thank you very much indeed for joining us up very short notice we do appreciate as a thank you.
