Gregory Jaczko believes that all of the nuclear reactors operating in this country have a serious safety flaw. His isn't just any opinion; he is the former chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
The New York Times reported that Jaczko believes that what is known as "decay heat" -- when nuclear reactor fuel continues to generate heat after being shut down because of a chain reaction -- presents a safety problem and not one that can be fixed. He favors phasing out all of the current reactors and building smaller reactors where it would be easier to control decay heat.
Among those who disagree with Jaczko's assessment is Marvin Fertel, the president of the Nuclear Energy Institute, the industry's trade association: "U.S. nuclear energy facilities are operating safely."
