Fukushima Accident

This catastrophe has significantly reduced the growing enthusiasm for nuclear as a part of the solution for post- fossil fuel future.

• Significant interest around the world to decommission older nuclear plants and those more vulnerable to natural threats
• Germany has committed to develop renewable energy sources to replace nuclear plants which now supply close to a quarter of its electricity
• Fukushima along with a boom in the production of natural gas (hydrofracking) has further reduced the prospects for building new nuclear plants in the United States

March 11, 2011 — earthquake and tsunami in Japan — serious damage to nuclear power complex, failure of cooling systems, meltdown, release of radioactivity