The Tennessee Valley Authority is taking steps to help the population nervous of nuclear power following last year’s reactor disaster in Japan. TVA began the process of demystifying nuclear power in January by allowing media member to watch workers unload and prepare new nuclear fuel rods, each holding about 300 thumbnail-sized pellets of 4% uranium 235 for Sequoyah Nuclear Plant’s upcoming refueling.
The utility wants to make a case for nuclear energy with the public, in support of its plan to increase nuclear power and energy efficiency while decreasing the use of coal power in the coming years. TVA wants people to be aware that despite three significant nuclear accidents, nuclear power has been in use for nearly 60 years and that the industry has learned a great deal from these tragedies and plans to be more open about the consequences of making electricity with its six reactors at the Watts Bar, Sequoyah and Browns Ferry nuclear plants.
In the wake of the one year anniversary of the disaster, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued some post-Fukushima orders to regulate U.S. commercial nuclear reactors by implementing several recommendations for enhancing safety based on lessons learned from the accident.