Duane Arnold meets high safety standards

On Monday, a misleading article titled “Safe enough?” made incomplete comparisons between Duane Arnold Energy Center and the nuclear reactors in Japan. As operators of Iowa's only nuclear power plant, we believe Iowans should have all the facts.

While the article painted broad strokes with regard to the nuclear industry, it omitted a number of specifics concerning Duane Arnold's recent successful reverification of all of its severe accident strategies. These strategies and equipment ensure the safety of the plant even during a total loss of electric power, flooding, tornadoes, fire, explosions and other natural or man-made occurrences - events that could be similar to Japan. The article also ignores the fact that our federal regulators independently verified these findings and confirmed that Duane Arnold, and all other U.S. nuclear power plants, “remain safe.”

Further, the article makes reference to a recommendation of the Fukushima task force regarding hardened venting systems. Unfortunately, the author fails to mention this technology has been in place at Duane Arnold for decades.

After Japan, Americans are understandably asking questions about safety. Here in Iowa, local residents should know that we are, and have always been, committed to the highest standards. As we continue to learn from the events in Japan, we are committed to work to make this and every other nuclear power plant even safer and stronger.

Dean Curtland

Plant general

manager

Duane Arnold

Energy Center

Palo