The influence of knowledge flow and power on nuclear power decision-making: the case of Fukushima

Abstract

The Fukushima nuclear power plant accident left a question to people: what kinds of approaches should be taken towards nuclear energy in the future? The decisions have to be made. There were different answers to the question from different governments. In order to understand the factors which influenced the decision-making, the Fukushima nuclear plant accident was used as an example to explore the relations between knowledge flow and decision-making. The accident triggered the flow of nuclear power related knowledge. In fact, because of the accident, there were also changes of power relations between different actors/parties who were affected by the accident in either direct or indirect ways. To discuss the key actors, the connections between the actors, sources of power, and power relations related to the nuclear power knowledge flow, this paper suggests that the change of power relations affected nuclear power related knowledge flow, and also influenced decision-making about nuclear energy. It was also suggested that there are interacting and interwoven relations between power and knowledge flow.