Hello

I suppose I should begin by introducing myself. My name is Sarah Pilsner, and it is very likely that you will never meet anybody who knows more about nuclear energy than I do.

Long story short, I graduated from the University of Illinois in 1979 with a degree in Nuclear Physics. I found a job at Iowa's Duane Arnold reactor and worked there for a couple years before finding my dream job with the NRC- that's the United States' Nuclear Regulatory Commission- as an inspector.

The NRC oversees all reactor safety and licensing, materials safety, and waste management in the US. My job is mainly to inspect plants as part of their license renewal procedure, routine stuff mostly, but when there are accidents at plants, I am often called in to investigate and determine how the accident was caused.

Accidents? you are probably wondering, unless you investigated Chernobyl, what accidents?

I hate to break it to you, but there are plenty of nuclear accidents, even here in the US. Some are minor. Some are near-Chernobyls. Some are publicized, but many are ignored by a largely pro-nuclear media.

When I graduated, an idealistic and wide-eyed young adult, I was as pro-nuclear as they come.

However, based on my 26 years of experience with nuclear accidents, I have concluded that nuclear power simply isn't safe. The next devastating nuclear accident could happen anytime, and it's effects would be felt for generations.

I started this blog to share my knowledge about nuclear power- the truth about nuclear power- with the world. It would be irresponsible for me to do otherwise.