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Monday, March 5, 2012

Vietnam pursues nuclear program

Given the interest here in all things nuclear, I thought this item from the Vancouver Sun might be worth sharing.

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Vietnam+defies+post+Fukushima+qualms+pursues+nuclear+generation+program/6249377/story.html

Undeterred by Fukushima, Vietnam is planning to build its first nuclear reactor by 2020 and 13 more in the ten years that follow. It appears they are getting help from Russia and Britain, but the story makes no mention of the United States.

As a student of history and a fan of irony, I have to wonder whether they are going to name their power station after Ho Chi Minh. Still, I don't hear talk these days of bombing anyone back to the Stone Age, at least in that part of the world. Maybe someone (John McCain?) is talking about sending a few B52s over, just for old time's sake, but I doubt it. After all, your Nikes and the Vox guitar amplifiers I sell at the Piano Gallery are now made in Vietnam. Those factories need electricity.

A lot can change in 40 years, eh?