Duncan Hawthorne: Fukushima Explanation

(Synopsis:  The tanks for the diesel generators that back up the cooling system were swept away by the Tsunami.  Locating them so close to sea level was a known and documented issue, but the plant management did not take action.  The plants needed to vent off over pressure with Hydrogen build up.  Combustion happened and the Hydrogen ignited.  Fukushima had the capability to vent off the pressure and Hydrogen, but the politicians put in regulations that forced the plant to receive approval to do so.  The approval did not happen 14 hours after the request and the Hydrogen ignited blowing the tops off the reactors buildings and exposing the fuel.)

Duncan Hawthorne is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Bruce Power, the largest
independent power generator in Ontario.

With roughly 30 years in the power generation business, Duncan began his career as a craft
apprentice in the Scottish electricity industry and advanced to hold senior positions in power
companies in the United Kingdom, United States and Canada.

As the executive lead during the acquisition of several power plants in North America, Duncan
was responsible for the acquisition of the Bruce nuclear facility and the formation of Bruce
Power.

Duncan is an active advocate for the nuclear industry and is the Past Chairman of the
Canadian Nuclear Association and current Chairman of the prestigious Board of Governors of
the World Association of Nuclear Operators - Atlanta Centre.

Duncan’s leadership has been recognized by his peers through a series of awards such as
the Ontario Electricity Association Leader of the Year and the Ian McCrae award for
leadership in the Canadian nuclear industry. He has also been honoured by the Association of
Power Producers of Ontario with their 2004 Hedley Palmer Award for outstanding
contributions to Ontario’s electricity generation industry and by the Energy Council of Canada
as their 2005 Canadian Energy Person of the Year.

Duncan is a chartered engineer with an honours degree in control engineering and an MBA
from Strathclyde University in Scotland. He is a Fellow of both the Institution of Electrical
Engineers and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.