 Nuclear reprocessing plant begins test-runs using depleted uranium Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd. on December 21 began test runs of its nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Rokkasho Village in Aomori Prefecture using depleted uranium for the first 12 months, followed by six-month test-runs with spent nuclear fuel for the first time in Japan. The safe disposal procedure for radioactive wastes from the reprocessing plant is not yet established, despite greater risks and higher costs. Akahata on December 22 reported that the government and power companies are trying to go ahead with the fuel-reprocessing plan at any cost because of the limited space available for spent nuclear fuel storage. This is a result of their lack of a long-term policy for nuclear power generation, and future generations will be forced to pay for it, stated Akahata. Nuclear power plants leave spent nuclear fuel. At present, Japan has about 40 tons of plutonium extracted from spent fuel, enough to produce thousands of atomic bombs. Waste emitting high-levels of radioactivity with a long half-life is also left behind after plutonium and uranium are extracted. The government and power companies promote the "nuclear fuel cycle" program in which plutonium extracted from spent fuel is used as fuel to generate power again. Initially, they planned to have plutonium burnt in fast-breeder reactors but were forced to suspend the plan due to the 1995 sodium leakage accident in the "Monju" reactor. Therefore, they decided to promote a "plutonium-thermal use" project in which MOX fuel (mixed oxide of plutonium and uranium extracted from the spent fuel) burnt in light-water reactors is used as fuel for power generation. (end) |