Media Release: Nuclear plants are built to withstand earthquakes

In recent days, anti-nuclear groups including the Smart Energy Council and Australian Conservation Foundation have falsely purported that the recent earthquakes in NSW would pose a risk to potential nuclear reactors. 

These claims are not based in fact. Yet, unfortunately, we have witnessed members of the media run with this false story.

We believe that this disinformation must be called out and call on anti-nuclear groups and the media to engage with experts prior to publishing such claims.

The facts about nuclear and earthquakes are clear:

• No nuclear reactor has ever had an incident as a result of an earthquake.
• What about Fukushima? All 6 reactors of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant were not significantly impacted by the initial magnitude 9 earthquake. They were automatically shutdown when the earthquake was detected. The accident was as a result of the proceeding tsunami which isolated the plant from its backup diesel generators required to provide electrical supplies to pump water required for cooling the fuel. These days, reactors are designed with passive safety systems in place meaning that even in the case of a tsunami and the reactor loosing electrical supply, the fuel will still be able to be cooled.
• Nuclear plants in seismically active areas have been designed specifically to deal with seismic conditions with structures that are capable of isolating key structures from seismic conditions. 
• The IAEA has guidelines for nuclear plants to be built to withstand earthquakes. It can be read here. This was applied when building the OPAL research reactor at Lucas Heights, Sydney.
• According to the World Nuclear Association, it is estimated that 20% of reactors worldwide operate in areas of significant seismic activity including in the US, Japan and South Korea. Earthquakes aren't an issue for them so claims they would be in Australia are simply absurd. 

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