(CNN) -- The massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan one year ago understandably raised questions about the safety of America's nuclear energy facilities. Americans should know that all U.S. nuclear energy plant safety systems have been verified by the companies operating them as well as deemed safe by the independent Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Equally important, the industry is proactively applying lessons learned from Fukushima Daiichi and is making nuclear power, which provides 20% of America's electricity, even safer. The nuclear energy industry is working with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on the steps to be taken to enhance safety at America's reactors. To further strengthen the plants' ability to withstand extreme events, the commission will require U.S. facilities to install additional instruments to monitor the level of water in used reactor fuel storage pools and add protection from extreme natural events such as floods and earthquakes, no matter how infrequent they may be.
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Marvin Fertel: After Fukushima, industry has made sure U.S. nuclear reactors are safe
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Fertel: Nuclear power provides 20% of U.S. electricity; industry has its own watchdog agency
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Nuclear energy industry working with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on safety, he says
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Fertel: Companies buying more equipment for safety in extreme circumstances
Within days of the Fukushima accident, the U.S. industry launched intensive inspections to evaluate the readiness of the operators and equipment to respond to events similar to what happened in @placeholder, including managing an extended loss of power for vital safety systems, and seismic and flooding challenges.