An American Fukashima

Three years ago today, an earthquake-induced tsunami devastated Japan’s Fukashima nuclear power complex. The flooding knocked out power required to cool reactors and their spent fuel ponds there, causing dangerous – and continuing – radioactive contamination.

After the disaster, we learned that those siting the reactors ignored markers that had for centuries warned against building anything below the high-water mark of previous tsunamis.

Today, we are on notice that American nuclear plants – and our country – could face an even greater calamity if the power goes out and stays out here. That could well happen if we fail to take steps now to protect our vulnerable electric grid against man-caused or naturally occurring assaults.

Will we heed such warnings, or like the Japanese, suffer horrific consequences for failing to do so?