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Sakharov Opposes A-Plant Shutdowns

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Associated Press

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.

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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.

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