Margaret Harding: 'Everyone involved in nuclear science and technology is committed to a culture of safety'

ONLY ON THE BLOG: Answering today’s five OFF-SET questions is Margaret Harding, president of 4 Factor Consulting, LLC.

With almost 30 years of experience in the nuclear industry, she was Vice President of Engineering Quality for GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy. She earned a BS in Nuclear Engineering from Iowa State. Harding served on the Technical Advisory Board for WizNucleus, a start-up IT company providing cyber-security and other IT services to the nuclear industry.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said that radiations levels at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant had increased to “levels that can impact human health.” As you follow the story, what are your main concerns about these nuclear plants in the most devastated areas?

The continuing integrity of the vessel and the containment, as well as, of course, the health and safety of my dedicated colleagues in the Japanese nuclear industry working around the clock to protect their fellow citizens and of Japan’s electric sources.

How well do you know the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant? Are workers routinely rehearsed for this kind of disaster?

I’ve never been to the Fukushima Daiichi plant. And while I’m not personally familiar with Japanese safety drills, I can tell you that everyone involved in nuclear science and technology is committed to a culture of safety. For example, in the United States, operators routinely and frequently participate in training to keep their emergency response skills sharp.

 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission in the U.S. said this past weekend that it sees no radiation at harmful levels reaching the U.S. from damaged nuclear power plants in Japan. Just how harmful is the radiation that's been released in Japan so far, and to the region?

It’s impossible to answer without good solid scientifically verifiable data. Remember, however, that radiation can be beneficial as well as harmful. And there are many types of radiation, some are more easily managed than others, but we simply do not have enough information. At a time like this, it’s vital to avoid making hasty assumptions until we have facts.

How concerned are you about a meltdown at Japan's reactors? And if there were one, what would that mean?

While there isn’t any direct evidence of core meltdown, it is pretty clear that significant damage has occurred in these cores. Whether or not they have melted or partially melted is not of immediate concern. As Three Mile Island demonstrates, core melt is not a huge radiation concern. You see, at Three Mile Island, while there was complete core meltdown, no meaningful amounts of radiation escaped because of the integrity of the design.

The Three Mile Island accident occurred in Pennsylvania in 1979. Many researchers concluded that the release of radiation did not lead to any additional cancer deaths in the area, but the accident served as a wake-up call in terms of plant safety. Do you consider the nuclear power plants in the United States safe from natural and man-made disasters?

Yes, each plant is designed and licensed for the natural disasters that might occur in the region they are being built in. So, a plant not on the coast wouldn’t have a sea wall, but it might have flood protection. A plant located in an earthquake prone area is required to have more significant seismic protection. And the design of the plants in the US has been affirmed to withstand, for example, the impact of a full sized passenger jet.

What could the nuclear industry do to make plants here even safer?

The nuclear industry is composed of incredibly dedicated and knowledgeable men and women who have devoted their professional careers to this energy source. At every step, including before and after Three Mile Island, and certainly after this tragic incident, they have been and will continue to be striving to learn from events to be safer and to keep delivering electricity to the grid for the benefit of their fellow citizens around the world