Sakharov Opposes A-Plant Shutdowns

Soviet dissident Andrei D. Sakharov was quoted Saturday as saying he opposed a shutdown of nuclear power plants despite disasters such as Chernobyl.

Sakharov, a physicist who helped develop the Soviet hydrogen bomb, was quoted by the West German newsmagazine Der Spiegel as saying that taken together, all coal-powered plants in the world cause more damage to people and the environment than Chernobyl.

Last April 26, a blast ripped through the No. 4 reactor at the Chernobyl plant 80 miles north of Kiev. At least 31 people subsequently died and radiation damage was detected over much of the world.

But Der Spiegel quoted Sakharov was quoted as that “100% safe nuclear reactors must be designed, and I intend to take part in these discussions.” He did not elaborate.