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CDN Forces Reactor Online Against Safety Regulations
Socguy writes "The Canadian government has passed legislation that will reopen an Ontario nuclear reactor that produces most of the world's supply of critical medical isotopes, even though the site has been shut down for safety maintenance. Witnesses and experts were called in to the House to face questions about safety concerns and all parties eventually voiced support for the bill, which would effectively suspend CNSC's oversight role for 120 days. The Chalk River reactor ceased operating on Nov. 18. Pressure on the government to restart operations began to build after delays in the shutdown of the government-run site, which generates two-thirds of the world's radioisotopes, began to cause a critical shortage of radioisotopes."
Nobody forces me to maintain my car, but I do it anyway to avoid things like losing a wheel at highway speeds. So we have a nuclear reactor (failure scales a wee bit above losing a wheel) with the government telling them to ignore maintenance requirements? Maybe they need another reactor (I wish I had a second car) but things capable of "spectacular" failure do not need to be pushed beyond safety regs...
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On the other hand, it points to ineptness of successive Canadian governments that have failed to install better and more efficient nuclear systems.
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You're assuming that hasn't happened. Are you sure that's a good assumption?
Also, 50% of Ontario's power comes from nuclear power. Do you honestly think that this ONE reactor is providing all that power?
Please, look into things before you comment.