The next Chernobyl?

[CatInASuit]

Iran's nuclear reactor at Bushehr is rapidly being completed by Iranian and Russian scientists to a deadline that is politically motivated. Instead of building it to ensure that it is safe and fit for use, the government has decided that any further delays would be a blow to national pride and it must be complted by the deadlines at all costs.

Latest reports show that worries of the Stuxnet worm attack and the desire to have a working nuclear power station make it likely that Health and Safety issues around the plant are not paramount. If anything was to go wrong during activation, it is likely the scale of any disaster would be similar to Chernobyl.

I really hope this is more scaremingering than anything else, because the world does not need another Chernobyl. Aside from the fact it is in an earthquake zone, if it did fail, it is right next to the Persian Gulf and any radiation leak would hit pollute those waters.

More on the story here

[What Exit?]

Iran is such a safe stable nation to have a nuclear plant. What could possibly go wrong?

Ironically if this was really about power needs, they have an ideal location to build huge solar farms for only a little more upfront money and without the International, health and waste issues. I wonder what the chance of a stray missile from Pakistan or Iraq accidentally blowing up the plant before the fuel arrives. Of course the odds are that the fuel is already there.