Venting failures at Fukushima Dai-Ichi highlight identical risks at nearly two dozen U.S. reactors

The New York Times, in an article entitled "In Japan Reactor Failings, Danger Signs for the U.S.," has reported that the hardened vent retrofits on the Unit 1, Unit 2, and Unit 3 General Electric Mark 1 Boiling Water Reactors failed to reduce pressure (by releasing radioactive steam to the environment) due to the lack of electricity from earthquake and tsunami damage. This led to hydrogen gas build up, and then massive explosions that damaged or utterly destroyed the three reactor buildings. On April 13th, Beyond Nuclear filed an emergency enforcement petition calling upon NRC to immediately suspend the operating licenses at 21 U.S. GE BWR Mark 1s.