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Here are some questions we addressed and concise answers:

\item{1.Q.} Does Chernobyl justify shutting down some American reactors, either
because of definite flaws or pending more information about Chernobyl or
questions raised by Chernobyl?

\itemitem{1.A.} No. Soviet reactors and operation practice is too different. See
Section 2 for differences and section 4 for a general  evaluation of the
American nuclear program.

\item{2.Q.} Does Chernobyl justify holding up the construction or operation of some
American reactors not yet operating.

\itemitem{2.A.} No. Same reason.

\item{3.Q.} Does Chernobyl justify any extensive retrofits to American reactors?

\itemitem{3.A.} We haven't been able to identify any.

\item{4.Q.} Does Chernobyl suggest some areas that need to be looked into further
concerning American practice in designing, building, or operating reactors?

\itemitem{4.A.} Yes, a few.  See section 3.

\item{5.Q.} What is the magnitude of the Chernobyl disaster?

\itemitem{5.A} In direct or short range effects on human life Chernobyl is a 
medium sized industrial accident.  Thirty one were killed and 200 require
hospitalization.  It is small compared to many mining accidents, oil platform
accidents, ship sinkings, airplane crashes, dam failures, and chemical plant 
accidents.

\itemitem{}In direct economic loss Chernobyl is a large accident. 
The Soviets estimate \$2.8
billion in damage to the reactor complex cleanup costs and lost power.

\itemitem{}It is unknown how long it will take to put the agricultural land
around Chernobyl back into useful and safe production.  It is worthwhile to make
the comparison that the amount of land taken from agriculture is comparable to the 
land taken from agriculture by the artificial lake behind a hydroelectric dam of
comparable capacity$↑*$

\itemitem{*} A note making some comparisons in USSR.

\itemitem{} We believe the Soviets will decontaminate the land eventually.

\itemitem{} The eventual deaths due to increased cancer in the immediate area,
the rest of European part of the Soviet Union, and non-Soviet Europe are still hard
to estimate. See appendix A.: 
The larger estimates correspond to the immediate deaths from some major disasters, 
e.\ g.\ , some American volcanoes and floods. It is necessary to remember that
delayed deaths are impossible to estimate for disasters like Bhopal but are 
believed to be numerous.  All estimates are lower than those resulting from the
air pollution caused by generating comparable power from coal.

\item{6.Q.} Should the Sovies stop using RBMK reactors? Stop building more?

\itemitem{6.A.} Of course, it really isn't our business to give the Soviets
advice and they already have stated their intention to keep using them while
retrofitting safety improvement and changing operational procedures.

\itemitem{} Our opinion is that their decision may be correct for their society with
its shortage of electricity.

\itemitem{} However, we think they shouldn't build more and that their neighbors 
have a right to demand it---although no way of enforcing the demand.  They have
a reasonable pressurized water design they can use.
\bye