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UN Atomic Watchdog Calls for Robust and Enhanced Nuclear Safety

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)Yukiya Amano today called for robust safety standards and full transparency, both of which are vital for restoring public confidence in nuclear power in the wake of the Japanese power plant crisis.

"The worries of millions of people throughout the world about whether nuclear energy is safe must be taken seriously. Rigorous adherence to the most robust international safety standards and full transparency, in good times and bad, are vital for restoring and maintaining public confidence in nuclear power." Mr. Yukiya Amano, (IAEA

The situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant remains "very serious," he told the opening of the 10-day conference. The plant suffered major damage from the earthquake and tsunami that struck the country on 11 March and has been spewing radioactive contamination into the environment ever since.

Mr. Amano reported that, as of the end of 2010, more than 60 IAEA Member States had informed the agency that they were considering introducing nuclear power programmes. Almost all of the 29 countries which already had such programmes planned to expand them.

In the light of the Fukushima Daiichi accident, some countries have announced reviews of their plans for nuclear power.

Source: United Nations