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 This will NOT appear anywhere on Newser ||||| Image copyright AFP Image caption Tihange nuclear power station worries Germans near the Belgian border 
  
 The western German city of Aachen has started issuing free iodine tablets to some 500,000 residents and people living nearby because an ageing Belgian nuclear plant is seen as a risk. 
  
 People can register on the city website to receive coupons exchangeable at pharmacies stocking the pills. 
  
 Iodine can reduce the risk of thyroid cancer after a release of radiation. 
  
 There have been German protests over Belgium's Tihange nuclear plant, some 70km (43 miles) from Aachen. 
  
 Reactors there and at Belgium's other nuclear plant, at Doel near Antwerp, have been shut down repeatedly for safety checks. There are seven reactors in total. 
  
 There have been shutdowns because of water leaks and the discovery of micro-cracks in some reactor units. 
  
 Belgium's federal nuclear agency (AFCN) says scientific checks on the micro-cracks, involving international experts, did not suggest that radiation could leak out. 
  
 Germany aims to switch off all its nuclear reactors by 2022. 
  
 Belgium plans to shut down Doel 3 in 2022, Tihange 2 in 2023, and the other five in 2025. But there are concerns about how Belgium will plug the 6,000-megawatt energy shortfall implied by that plan. 
  
 German authorities have urged Belgium to speed up the decommissioning schedule. 
  
 Belgium's ageing reactors worry its neighbours 
  
 Swiss vote to phase out nuclear power 
  
 Germans told to stock up for a disaster 
  
 The Aachen move to distribute iodine tablets is highly unusual, as it is not prompted by any particular emergency. Aachen got approval for it from the North Rhine-Westphalia regional government. 
  
 Iodine is concentrated naturally by the body in the thyroid gland. The pills work by saturating the gland with an iodine dose, so that any cancer-causing radioactive iodine will not enter. 
  
 Aachen's population is about 150,000, but three surrounding areas will also qualify for the free pills. Each person can get a blister pack of six pills. 
  
 Image copyright Aachen.de Image caption The people of Aachen can get free potassium iodide pills in blister packs 
  
 Emergency doses 
  
 Potassium iodide tablets are stocked centrally in Germany and are only to be taken in a civil defence emergency. 
  
 But the Aachen authorities argued that, because Tihange is so close, there would not be enough time to supply the pills to every home in an emergency - all the more so if a nuclear accident happened at night. 
  
 The dose depends on a person's age. The authorities say people older than 46 are not getting the pills, because for them the risk of serious side-effects is greater than the risk of cancer from radioactive iodine. They can be prescribed an alternative thyroid drug - Irenat. 
  
 An initial dose of potassium iodide would be two pills per adult or child aged 13 or over. 
  
 Children aged three to 12 would get one pill, toddlers half a pill and babies a quarter of a pill. 
  
 "For more than two years we've been worried about the reactor cracks getting bigger - the population has been very worried," said Rita Klösges, acting spokesperson for the Aachen municipality. 
  
 "We had talks repeatedly with Belgium about this - the mayor of Aachen was involved too. But we didn't get them to shut down the reactors," she told the BBC. 
  
 Germans will vote in a parliamentary election on 24 September, but Ms Klösges stressed that the iodine distribution had "nothing to do with the elections". "It's just by chance that this is happening now, and it only affects one small area of Germany," she said. ||||| People in Aachen often feel uneasy about their proximity to the Belgian border, and the controversial Tihange nuclear power plant located some 70 kilometers (43 miles) away. Parts of the plant are more than 40 years old. The oldest block was meant to be taken offline two years ago. Repeated reports about newly discovered cracks in the reactors send collective shivers through Aachen's population. Now, local authorities are taking a preventative measure. Starting on Friday, residents can order free iodine tablets online, in the event of a major accident in Tihange. 
  
 Usually, iodine tablets are stored in a central location, and only distributed in an emergency. But Markus Kremer, the Aachen city official in charge of environmental issues, said the city came to the conclusion that the tablets couldn't be distributed quickly enough in the case of an accident at Tihange. "That's how we had the idea of supplying a large part of the population with iodine tablets in advance," he said. 
  
 The tablets could help prevent thyroid cancer in case of radioactive contamination, and are aimed primarily at children, breastfeeding mothers and people under the age of 45. For all other people, the risk of side effects outweighs the likelihood of one day contracting thyroid cancer. 
  
 'Don't want to downplay the risks' 
  
 Kremer says the city is aware that such a preventative measure could have the unwanted effect of further unsettling Aachen residents. "In everything we've done so far, we've tried to find a sensible way of communicating the necessary information. On the one hand, there is absolutely no point in people panicking, but we also don't want to downplay the risks." Authorities estimate that more than a third of residents will take advantage of the free tablets. 
  
 Belgium's nuclear plants have also mobilized Aachen residents in other ways. Many windows and car bumpers sport stickers and flyers calling for Tihange to be closed down. This summer, activists formed a human chain stretching 90 kilometers along the road from Tihange to Aachen in protest against the power plant. 
  
 Local pharmacist Gabriele Neumann said there was already demand for iodine tablets before the city launched its distribution program. "There was particularly large demand around 18 months ago when Tihange was shut down and then restarted a few times," she said, adding her pharmacy alone sold more than 300 packages of iodine tablets at the time. 
  
 Many Aachen residents have displayed signs calling for the Tihange plant's closure 
  
 Tablets 'only a first step' 
  
 But iodine tablets alone are not nearly enough if citizens seriously want to prepare themselves for a large-scale nuclear accident, said Hans-Josef Allelein, an expert on reactor safety and reactor technology at Aachen's technical university. "We need to be clear: that's just a first step. I personally don't think this fear is founded, but if you have this fear, you should also stockpile two liters of water per person, basic food supplies, vitamin tablets, rubber boots and materials you can use to seal your doors and windows," said Allelein. But he's critical of the debate about iodine tablets specifically, and Tihange in general, saying the tone has been too hysterical. And he takes particular issue with a study commissioned on the Aachen region, outlining possible scenarios in the event of a major accident at the plant. 
  
 The study, conducted by the Institute for Security and Risk Assessment at the University of Vienna, concluded that in the event of an accident at Tihange, the Aachen region would very likely be affected by radioactive radiation. Furthermore, the study said that, depending on weather patterns, the levels of radioactivity could reach those seen during the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, leading to widespread evacuations. 
  
 Does nuclear power have a future? Deadly disaster The worst nuclear disaster of all time, the explosion at Chernobyl nuclear plant in Ukraine released massive amounts of radiation into the atmosphere. Areas close to the plant - in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia - were heavily contaminated. Heightened levels of radiation were also measured across most of Europe. The "exclusion zone" around Chernobyl remains off-limits to human habitation today. 
  
 Does nuclear power have a future? It happens again After a magnitude-9 earthquake and consequent tsunami, three nuclear reactors at Fukushima power plant in Japan went into meltdown in March 2011. There were also four hydrogen explosions. The accident released 500 times as much radioactive cesium-137 as the nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. The clean-up is expected to take decades. 
  
 Does nuclear power have a future? Sickening impact After Chernobyl, thousands of people developed cancer. In Japan too, the heavily contaminated region of Fukushima, where 200,000 people lost their homes, saw cases of the disease escalate. The number of children with thyroid cancer there is 20 times higher than other regions. 
  
 Does nuclear power have a future? Rallying against nuclear power Chernobyl fueled public opposition to nuclear power, particularly in Europe. The same happened after Fukushima. Before the Japanese disaster, the country relied on nuclear for 30 percent of its power. That has fallen to 1 percent. The government wants to continue producing nuclear power and plans to reinstall some reactors. But affected regions have successfully pushed back those plans. 
  
 Does nuclear power have a future? Nuclear industry in crisis Today, the nuclear power sector is deep in economic crisis. In Japan, the United States and France, nuclear power plants run at a loss, and construction projects for new reactors have been postponed. 
  
 Does nuclear power have a future? New-build set-backs France had high hopes for its newest nuclear reactors - called pressurized water reactors (PWRs). This technology was supposed to be safe, and the Flamanville power plant was due to be switched on in 2012. Due to security issues, that's been pushed back to 2018 at the earliest. The project will cost more than 10 billion euros - three times the original budget. 
  
 Does nuclear power have a future? Great Britain plans new reactors For years, the UK has been planning to build two new PWR reactors at Hinkley Point. Costs are estimated at 33 billion euros and groundbreaking is slated for 2019. But doubts are growing over its economic viability. The electricity it produces will be much pricier than solar or wind power, and will need subsidies to compete in the market. 
  
 Does nuclear power have a future? Aging reactors up for grabs Nuclear power plants used to be lucrative. But now, many are old and frail. Repair costs often mean they cannot turn a profit. Swiss energy corporation Alpiq recently tried to give away two of its old plants, 33 and 38 years old, to French energy company EDF - which declined the offer. 
  
 Does nuclear power have a future? Disasters abroad prompt German phase-out Three decades ago, the Chernobyl disaster galvanized Germany's anti-nuclear movement, which is often cited as the roots of the country's energy transition. In 2002, Germany passed a law that would have seen the last reactor shut down in 2022. The plan was later scrapped by Angela Merkel's government. But after Fukushima, Merkel quickly reversed her decision and the phase-out was back on track. 
  
 Does nuclear power have a future? Switching them off So far, nine of Germany's reactors have gone offline, with eight more to follow by 2022. To finance the costs of nuclear waste disposal, plant operators must pay 23.6 billion euros into a federal fund. The operators themselves are responsible for the similarly costly process of dismantling the plants, which will take decades to complete. 
  
 Does nuclear power have a future? Growing fear of accidents Across the EU and Switzerland 132 nuclear reactors are still online. They were designed to operate for 30 to 35 years - their average age is now 32 years. Malfunctions and security issues are frequently detected and protestors are increasingly calling for plants to be shut down. 
  
 Does nuclear power have a future? China pushes on with nuclear No new nuclear power plants have been built in the EU, Japan or Russia since the Fukushima disaster in 2011. China remains committed to nuclear, partly to replace coal-based power. But the country is also upping investment in wind and solar. Author: Gero Rueter (sst,jf) 
  
  
  
 Government: No basis for conclusions 
  
 At the end of last year, Green party lawmaker Sylvia Kotting-Uhl submitted a parliamentary question to the federal government in which she referred to the results of the study from Vienna. The government responded at the start of this year, saying that the study did not adequately describe the disaster and emergency measures, and that it could therefore not be used as the basis for any firm conclusions. 
  
 Even though physicist Allelein personally feels that fears about a nuclear disaster at Tihange are unfounded, he does agree with one aspect of the criticism directed at the Belgian operators of the power plant: "I have the feeling that the Belgian operators and also Belgium's Federal Agency for Nuclear Control only ever release information once it's somehow been released elsewhere." |||||
Solution:
In an unusual move, a German city is handing out iodine tablets to be used in a nuclear emergency without the justification of an actual disaster going on. The BBC reports Aachen is giving away free iodine tablets to the half a million people who live in the city and nearby areas over concern about an aging nuclear plant across the border in Belgium. Parts of the Tihange nuclear plant 43 miles from Aachen are more than 40 years old, Deutsche Welle reports. Reactors at the plant have been shut down repeatedly recently due to water leaks and micro-cracks. "For more than two years we've been worried about the reactor cracks getting bigger—the population has been very worried," a city spokesperson tells the BBC. Belgium's federal nuclear agency says international experts don't believe Tihange is in danger of leaking radiation. Iodine can reduce the risk of thyroid cancer after the release of radiation. Tablets are usually stored in a central location and distributed in the case of an emergency. But Aachen officials argued the city is so close to Tihange there wouldn't be time to get iodine to everyone if a disaster occurred. An expert on reactor safety tells Deutsche Welle he believes the danger posed by Tihange is being blown out of proportion, but anyone concerned enough to get iodine tablets ahead of time should also stock up on water, food, vitamins, and material to seal doors and windows. Residents under 46 years old have until Nov. 15 to apply online for free iodine tablets, which they can pick up at area pharmacies, the AP reports. Belgium plans to start shutting down the Tihange nuclear plant in 2023, but German officials want that timeline moved up.