Hi

Here in France, we also feel concerned about Japan.
Of course, we've seen the destructions due to the earthquake and the
tsunami on TV and the half-million homeless people.
But the nuclear accident is invading TV screens, even if the related
effect is still very far from the several tenth of death due to the
earthquake and the tsunami.

The nuclear debate here in France has special resonance because unlike
most of the other European countries :
- 80% of the French electric energy is produced by PWR Nuclear units
(world record, even if France has less nuclear units -58- than the USA)
- Until now, a large part of the French population support nuclear energy...

It seems that French politicians are much more concerned about a
population population panic than the population itself that knows that
"zero risk" doesn't exist and accepted that risk long time ago...
and I don't think that would change rapidly : the main concern of the
people being their slow but long running loss of jobs and buying
capability.
Here seismic activity is very low and tsunami quite unlikely to damage
our nuclear plants as in Fukushima and discarding nuclear production of
electricity for a still hypothetical risk looks like an unaffordable luxury.

To answer to Matt, remotely operated equipment ("heavy" or not) do exist.
Most of them are used for normal maintenance operation, and shipped from
one plant to another.

But to be effective, these equipments has to be brought to the damaged
plant and connected to an electric source.
One problem in Fukushima, is that the surrounding region is devastated.
The plant has no remaining HV lines to the grid and the diesel
generators has been damaged by the tsunami.
According to French TV, this morning, TEPCO contend that some diesel
generators are available...
it should be possible to pump water into the reactor vessels at last!

Philippe (from France)