Fresno group continues to push for nuclear power plant

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The possibility of a nuclear meltdown in Japan comes as a Fresno group continues to push for a third nuclear power plant in California.

Despite the tsunami-induced threat overseas, Fresno Nuclear President and CEO John Hutson maintains the energy source is safe. "100 times .01 is still less than smoking a pack of cigarettes every day.

You get more radiation than that, more radiation from a smoke detector, more radiation from an MRI, from a dental exam," said Hutson.

Fresno Nuclear wants to build a clean energy park in west Fresno County with both nuclear and solar energy and a de-salinazation plant.

Hutson said unlike Japan's nuclear reactors, which were built in the 1970's, the Fresno Energy Park would have better containment systems to prevent the release of radiation.

"Worst case scenario, if something unforeseen happened, and it melted, it would stay there. There would be no outside radiation, nothing melting through, no Jane Fonda's, none of that stuff. It's completely 100 percent safe," said Hutson.

Nuclear technology has come a long way. But in Japan, the threat of a nuclear disaster is still very real. "This is an extremely serious situation and we're not out of the woods yet," said Joe Cirincione, a nuclear policy expert.

The future of a nuclear power plant in Fresno remains to be seen, but John Hutson says the Central Valley is the perfect location for a plant, not only delivering water, but also creating energy independence.

"I feel threats. Every time Homeland Security turns orange or red, I feel threats. I don't feel threats from peaceful nuclear," said Hutson.

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fresno, fresno county, nuclear, japan, local, amanda perez

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