Preventing recurrence of severe accidents at nuclear power plants. Think up disaster prevention along with citizens for nuclear safety

Nuclear power generation carries with it inherent risks associated with radioactivity. The accident that occurred at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant was the manifestation of such a risk. National and local governments, scientific communities, utility companies, manufacturers, and all other stakeholders were reminded of their responsibilities with respect to their roles involving nuclear power. The accident also served as a keen reminder of the importance for them to address the essence of nuclear safety. They need to ensure safety according to their roles in the design, operation, and disaster management of nuclear power plants. Risk assessments are vital as they allow stakeholders to provide substance to the necessary safety measures, divide the requisite roles amongst themselves, and verify their effectiveness in preventing abnormal events, mitigating their impact, and preventing and mitigating any damage from an accident involving the release of radioactive substances. More extensive risk assessments are recommended to cover hitherto neglected disaster management and cleanup measures in the aftermath of an accident. Doing so is expected to make power plants considerably more resilient to accidents and ensure nuclear safety. (author)