Nuclear meltdown risk in UAE

I've been constantly following the nuclear plant explosion in Japan post yesterday's earthquake and it brings to mind stories my parents used to tell us about the Three Mile Island episode from back home. It appears no radiation leaked from that site but there were many cases of thyroid cancer amongst other serious ailments.

Considering the UAE is finalizing a deal to build nuclear reactors for peaceful purposes and especially since it is situated on a fault line, I get the jitters about all after affects post explosion, meltdown etc. in case the earth moves at the magnitude (8.9 on the Richter) similar to the current Japanese earthquake.

Will the authorities reevaluate their decision considering the Japanese predicament?

To Go Nuclear or Not?

I think nuclear energy is right for the Gulf and particularly the UAE. It is being considered (Gulf News). Some reasons why it is right to go nuclear:

• It takes time to develop such an industry, this is an opportune time to begin.
• It requires a substantial investment, which the UAE can afford.
• Although some would prefer that solar energy replace petrochemical, the science is just not there for the scale of energy resources the UAE will need.
• The risks that nuclear energy production pose can be adequately dealt with if a carefully devised plan is executed. The UAE has time to do this if it starts now.
• Despite having been shunned by many, nuclear energy has over the years proven to have a quiet record of success (in Japan, France, and even the USA), one major mishap (Chernobyl) notwithstanding.