October 31, 2012

Oct 31, 2012 | Fukushima Accident Updates

  • The much-ballyhooed Japanese no-nukes policy is not written in stone. Tokyo’s no-nukes policy announcement has drawn criticism for being ambiguous, unrealistic, and done only to garner votes for Diet politicians. A Japan Times editorial says it was actually devised to keep the door ajar on the nuclear energy option in Japan. There are several key questions addressed in the editorial – (a) what prompted the zero-nuclear goal? Two words…public opinion. The business community, including Japan’s electrical infrastructure, remains deeply dependent on continuing the nuclear option. Japan Times says many social experts point out that the polls used to show the public’s displeasure probably attracted those most opinionated on the subject and may not demonstrate the opinion of the public in general. Regardless, the poll responses made headlines and the politicians catered to them. (b) What will happen to the reactors under construction? They will be completed and put in operation under the new standards being formulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Authority. (c) Why is the atomic fuel-recycling program continuing? This is a better direction than allowing the build-up of spent fuel inventories over the next 20 to 30 years (or more). Some say it is being done to placate local communities that host the recycling facilities. Others say it is intended to address weapon proliferation concerns voiced by international powers like the United States. (d) Could the no-nuclear goal be reneged-on in the future? Yes! The Prime Minister and his Cabinet refused to endorse the new strategy, keeping the door open for the Diet to rescind its proposal in the future. If the largely pro-nuclear Liberal Democratic Party of Japan returns to power, the policy might be withdrawn. It is possible that the nuclear energy issue will be prominent in the next national election. (e) How will the new policy affect Japan’s vow to cut greenhouse gas emissions? It will not be able to meet the 25% reduction promised to the UN General Assembly. That pledge was based on nuclear expanding to 50% of Japan’s electrical needs. Nukes release no greenhouse gasses while operating. Their thermal plant replacements release considerable GHGs. (Japan Times)
  • The NRA apologizes for making an error in their recent nuclear accident contamination projections. The original projection for the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa power station’s projected worst-case releases would result in more than the 100 millisievert exposure point for mandatory evacuation extending to Uonoma city, more than 10 kilometers beyond the new 30 kilometer emergency evacuation zone. As it turns out, the projections attributed to Uonoma were actually for Nagaoka city, which is almost entirely inside the planning zone’s 30 kilometer radius. Uonoma deputy mayor Taichi Nakagawa said, “I’d never dreamed [radioactive substances] could reach as far away as here.” Regardless, officials in Uonoma are not relieved. “Even though we are excluded from the 100-millisievert areas, we are not fully relieved because the nuclear facility is still (too) close,” said an employee of the Japan Agriculture Cooperative’s Kita Uonuma branch. Nagaota Mayor Tamio Mori is another who is upset, saying the NRA has reported a “lax analysis”. Tokyo’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura also criticized the mistake, “It’s quite regrettable, as local governments have a vital interest in the projections. I hope the authority will explain the revised projections sincerely to local governments so it will not cause further turmoil.” In addition, the mistaken projections have upset many municipalities other than Uonoma. The “revised map” includes changes relative to the Tsuruga station in Fukui Prefecture, Genkai in Saga Prefecture, Shika in Ishikawa Prefecture, Sendai in Kagoshima Prefecture, and Tokai Daiini in Ibaraki Prefecture. Yet another complaint comes from Fukui Prefecture, home of Kansai Electric Co.’s Oi nuclear station, with the nation’s only operating nuclear plants. Oi was the one of the three remaining power stations where radiation was originally predicted to spread furthest beyond 30 kilometers….if all four reactors at the site experienced simultaneous, Fukushima-level meltdowns and hydrogen explosions. The NRA simulation projected 100 millisievert exposures out to 32.2 kilometers for Oi. Fukui Prefecture complains that the projections did not include topographic features which could limit the spread. Hiroshi Nakatsuka, speaker of the Oi town assembly, said: “Simply releasing projections on the spread of radioactive substances will only fuel people’s fears.” Clearly, the NRA has a lot of explaining to do. (Kyodo News Service; Japan Today)
  • Rumors of the end of Japan’s nuclear industry may be premature. Hitachi says it will buy controlling interest in a major British power company, Horizon Nuclear. Hitachi is set to buy all $1.1 billion in Horizon shares presently held by two German companies; E.ON and RWE. Hitachi says it will work with Britain to build new nukes and put the first one in operation by the mid-2020s. British Prime Minister David Cameron welcomed the purchase, saying Hitachi will contribute to Britain’s electrical infrastructure, “This is a decades-long, multi-billion pound vote of confidence in the UK that will contribute vital new infrastructure to power our economy. I warmly welcome Hitachi as a major new player in the UK energy sector.” Cameron explained they are excited about Hitachi because they will bring specialist skills into the project that does not presently exist in Great Britain. British analyst Omar Abbosh says this will facilitate replacing the nukes scheduled for decommissioning by 2018. London says there could be as many as six new nukes by 2030. Babcock International and Rolls-Royce will join Hitachi in the Horizon project. Hitachi hopes this deal will attract other international nuclear business, including Central Europe and the Middle East. (NHK World; Japan Today)
  • Kepco’s preliminary findings on the geologic seam under the Oi nuclear station was presented to the NRA today. The 900 foot-long geologic anomaly has become a major point of concern because two of the Oi units are presently operating and some officials in Tokyo believe the seam might be seismic. Kepco’s new study says the seam is not seismic. The NRA says they will look at Kepco’s data and begin their own study on the issue this coming Friday. One possibility that might make Kepco’s findings moot is the NRA’s considering of expanding the siting criteria by a factor of three. Existing nuclear siting standards say no nuke can be built above or near an active earthquake fault. An active fault is defined as nothing has geologically moved in the past 130,000 years. Some on the commission want that expanded to 400,000 years. If this happens, all prior studies would have to be thrown out and a completely new investigation would have to be undertaken. (NHK World)