Fire and explosions in protected area at Davis-Besse atomic reactor

FirstEnergy's Davis-Besse atomic reactor suffered an electrical fire and explosions in the early morning hours of January 19th, according to a Nuclear Regulatory Commission "Notification of Unusual Event" as well as Cleveland Plain Dealer coverage. FirstEnergy has applied to the NRC for a 20 year license extension at the trouble-plagued reactor, which has experienced several of the closest brushes with major accidents of any nuclear power plant in the U.S. over the past 33 years. Beyond Nuclear, in coalition with Citizens Environment Alliance of Southwestern Ontario, Don't Waste Michigan, and the Green Party of Ohio, are challenging the license extension, which would represent "20 MORE years of radioactive Russian roulette on the Great Lakes shoreline!" The local Port Clinton News Herald also reported on the accident, but downplayed the risks by only quoting FirstEnergy and NRC spokespeople. No mention was made of the fact that the nuclear power industry across the board has evaded fire protection regulations for 35 years, even after the 1975 Browns Ferry, Alabama nuclear power plant fire that avoided a reactor meltdown by "sheer luck."