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Nuclear energy might see increased opposition after Japan crisis

[caption id="attachment_2749" align="alignnone" width="550" caption="The photo shows the second hydrogen explosion at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi No. 3 reactor in Japan."][/caption]

The ongoing nuclear crisis in Japan has sparked new life in the nuclear energy debate in many countries. And the fear for possible nuclear accidents in other countries forces politicians to reconsider and review their current energy policy stance.

The continued protests against nuclear energy in Germany has seen an upswing during these past days. About 60,000 people formed a chain around a nuclear power station in Germany this weekend to protest its continued operation. And chancellor Angela Merkel is expected to announce the suspension of the country's plans to extend the life of its nuclear power stations later today, the Guardian reports.

In USA people and politicians are starting to question President Barack Obama's plans to expand and build new nuclear power plants to meet growing energy demands in the country. The independent and strongly pro-nuclear Senator Joe Lieberman, chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, have said that the USA should "put the brakes on nuclear power plants":

"I don't want to stop the building of nuclear power plants. But I think we've got to kind of quietly put, quickly put, the brakes on until we can absorb what has happened in Japan as a result of the earthquake and the tsunami and then see what more, if anything, we can demand of the new power plants that are coming on line."

In Britain the Green lawmaker Caroline Lucas have said that the Japanese nuclear crisis strengthens the case against new nuclear construction. "You will never be able to completely design out human error, design failure or natural disaster," she said. Walt Patterson, associate fellow at London's Chatham House thinktank, said that, the financial damages of a potential nuclear accident also played a big role in shaping the energy debate in Brian and Europe.

"That is undoubtedly going to filter back to the debate in Europe as a further factor in the very dubious economics of these plants,"
he told Reuters
.

The plans to expand nuclear energy in India for around $175 billion might, in light of the current situation in Japan, see a strong public backlash, analysts and experts say:

“The Japan accident has created a very, very tough situation for India, actual implementation of nuclear power projects will now certainly take a backseat,” said Debasish Mishra, Mumbai-based senior director at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. “It will be very difficult to sell the idea of nuclear power to people for any political party after the Japan disaster.”

While the nuclear crisis in Japan might not change the Chinese government's plans to develop more nuclear power it could force China to review their energy policies. The current situation in Japan "may become a factor in the drafting of China’s energy plans, Xie Zhenhua, vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, said in Beijing."

“The accident in Japan may trigger increased public concerns over building atomic plants,” said Dave Dai, a Hong Kong-based analyst at Daiwa Securities Capital Markets Co. “China will become more cautious while developing nuclear-power plants but is unlikely to alter its long-term nuclear development plans.”

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japan ne apne per pr khud kulhadi mari bharat b usi rah pr chal rha h. Q bharat sabak nhi leta? Q bharat sarkar surksha ka dindora peet rahi h.? ab bharat sarkar fail ho choki h ab to jagne ka wakt aa gya .jan kranti bharat me nishchit h jald hi ya to bharat me jankranti hodi ya fir pone:gulami. fasla janta k haath me h .jagha _2 jankranti ka ajaz ho chuka h. aap b is jan kranti me ek hath badhae himanshu yuva (azadi bacho andolan) himanshuyuva@yahoo.in

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I really hope that nuclear energy gets the attention it deserves. In the mean time we should all be thinking of what we can do to lower the monstrous energy demand we create. Check out my website for some energy saving tips if you like. http://earthtied.com/

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Before the Fukoshima meltdown there were a number of countries  wanting to build more nuclear plants but since then there has been an about face. Germany has decide to stop nuclear while on the other hand China has increased.

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