Re: Wasn't Fukushima a "fail-safe" design?
" Protecting emergency power supplies, including diesel generators and batteries, by moving them to higher ground or by placing them in watertight bunkers"
This in particular was pointed out _DURING CONSTRUCTION_ by GE engineers, who demanded that the generators be moved to higher ground for safety reasons.
The Japanese management smiled, nodded and completely ignored the demands.
During the crisis, they refused outside help until it was much too late (the USA had emergency generating equipment ready to go from Okinawa, but couldn't move until authorised. It could have been onsite before the batteries gave out) - in a series of cockups reminiscent of Japan Airlines flight 123.
The meltdowns were 100% avertable right up to about 6 hours before they happened. It took a goodly amount of hubris and spectacular series of management screwups in the years leading up to and the hours after the tsunami to allow them to happen. It's worth noting that quite a few other plants along that coastline were hit and _none_ were damaged, because they'd taken note of the safety issues and sorted them. Having caused 1500+ deaths in the ensuing panic evacuations, TEPCO manglement should be stripped of their pensions and permanently barred from ever doing business again.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
