Lastly, there is the hazardous prospect of decommissioning Ontario's two dozen ageing nuclear reactors, which line the shores of Lake Ontario and Lake Huron.

ECONOMIST: Environmental management faces moving targets

And the looming block obsolescence of its existing nuclear energy infrastructure -- which currently supplies 8% of total U.S. daily consumption -- means that, unless steps are promptly taken to prepare, certify and bring on-line safe, modern replacement reactors, America will become still more vulnerable to threats, or actual interruptions of, its overseas oil supplies.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center For Security Policy

With all three of its reactors now off-line, the operator has been unable to sell electricity to its utility customers.

WSJ: Panel: Active Fault Runs Beneath Japan Reactor

The two reactors at this site came on line in 1984 and 1986.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center For Security Policy

Four more large reactors are expected to come on line by 2025, according to the World Nuclear Association, an industry lobby based in London.

FORBES: Brazil's Senate OKs Tax Breaks for Nuclear Power

One engineer who has played a front-line role in helping cool the meltdown of Fukushima's three reactors spoke unwittingly to The Economist.

ECONOMIST: Cleaning up Japan��s nuclear mess

In time, all but the six reactors of Fukushima Dai-ichi should come back on line, leaving a baseload generation deficit of roughly 6, 000 mw.

FORBES: Options For Replacing Japan's Busted Nukes

New reactors can be made even safer, of course, but the bottom line is that Fukushima passed the test.

WSJ: The Panic Over Fukushima