I posted comments in an attempt to put the risks in perspective, because fly ash is not considered to be a radioactive waste, hazardous waste or toxic waste.

I was a Coal Apologist, according to the other commenters!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingston_Fossil_Plant_coal_fly_ash_slurry_spill

And in the meantime, you could try to tell me what I am supposedly missing.

Refrain from “presentism”…the plant was built in the late 1970’s and they didn’t have access to 1980’s papers then.

They likely didn’t have internet access, until the 1990’s.

They probably didn’t read proceedings from the SS of America.

In the real world, companies operate to make a profit. They don’t usually pay people to read scientific journals. Typically, an authoritative or government body periodically reviews scientific papers on a frequency of something like every 10 years (called secondary research) and they recommends or regulate changes that all companies have to follow.

We do know that TEPCO consulted with the Japanese Society of Civil Engineers to get the best tsunami risk estimates of the day. The estimates were not made by TEPCO employees.

I also NEVER claimed that they “didn’t underestimate the risk”. I only asked for evidence that they did. They may have, humans make errors.

I would like to point out that I live a short distance from a single-reactor nuclear plant that is a) the same exact design as Fukushima’s plants and b) has one of the best, if not the best, safety records of any commercial power plant in the US ever.

Wonder what would you say, if they shut it down and replaced it with three ‘clean’ coal power plants citing your very words

The nuclear power industry has proven itself capable of making avoidable yet severe mistakes, the nuclear power apologists such as you have made it clear that they are NOT going to engage in a rational conversation, and the markets, which are supposed to be the all knowing rational being we rely on to make our decisions for us, have turned their back on their conservative handmaidens and told nuclear power that they are not interested.

It was built above the tsunami line!

(Like WAY above the line!)

If the design was what mattered that tells us nuclear plants can be made to withstand the larges natural disasters.

and the answer appears to be ‘YES’