An aerial view shows the nuclear power plant in Philippsburg, October 29, 2010. Germany will shut down all seven of its nuclear power plants that began operating before 1980 at least till June, the government said on March 15, 2011. Picture taken March 8, 2011. [Photo: Xinhua/Reuters]
Japan's escalating nuclear crisis has rekindled a worldwide debate about nuclear safety. As Switzerland and Germany suspend their atomic plans, do you think it is time to reconsider the development of nuclear power?
Related News:
Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan declared a state of atomic power emergency after a massive earthquake struck the country Friday, but no radiation leaks have been detected at or near nuclear power plants, reported Kyodo news agency.
Fire broke out at the turbine building of Onagawa nuclear power plant in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan following the earthquake that triggered huge tsunami on the coasts of eastern Japan and some other Asian nations.
Earlier, Kan said that no problems have occurred so far in Japan's nuclear power stations after the quake.
But Japan's Industry Ministry said the operator of the Fukushima No 1 nuclear plant reported an abnormality Friday following the powerful earthquake which hit a wide area in northeastern Japan including Fukushima Prefecture.
The system to cool reactor cores in case of emergency stopped at the No 1 and No 2 reactors of the plant operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co, Kyodo News quoted the ministry as saying.
Alerted by the nuclear crisis in Japan, Germany has decided to shut down all seven of its nuclear power plants that began operating before 1980 at least till June, the government said on March 15, 2011, leaving open whether they will ever start up again.
