Jeff Kingston

Not only was TEPCO aware that there was a risk of a monster wave, it also considered building a bigger sea wall to protect the plant from the risk it knew existed. In the end, however, TEPCO decided not to build the $1 billion sea wall that would probably have prevented the meltdowns, what would have been a bargain in retrospect given the estimated $626 billion taxpayers will pay over the next four decades for decontamination and decommissioning the stricken reactors.