Nuclear accidents can happen anywhere, not just earthquake zones: Sask. environmentalist

As crews struggle to keep the nuclear plants from releasing radiation and from melting down in Japan, people here in Saskatchewan are considering the push for nuclear power in our province.

We may not be in an earthquake zone, but Saskatchewan environmentalist Peter Prebble says there's always a remote risk of what we're seeing happen in northeast Japan.

“Whenever you site a nuclear reactor anywhere in the world, there's always the remote risk of a serious accident like the one that's occurring right now in Japan,” he said.

Prebble says there are about 400 nuclear power plants around the world.

“Accidents can happen, even in countries that are very diligent about their programs,” he said, adding that with accidents come very serious effects, like radiation exposure which can cause serious and fatal thyroid cancer.

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Prebble says there's a rapid movement toward renewable energy in the U.S. and Western Europe as an alternative to nuclear power.

ahill@panow.com