August 5, 2016
Akahata editorial (excerpts)
The Abe government and nuclear power authorities are accelerating the move to promote nuclear power generation. Even five and a half years after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear meltdown, the disaster has not been brought under control and many residents are still unable to return to their homes. The government move is angering many people, including the sufferers of the Fukushima disaster. The government authorities and power companies should abandon their attempt to restart offline nuclear reactors, extend the operation period of old reactors, and build new nuclear power facilities.
Following the Fukushima nuclear meltdowns, the Nuclear Reactor Regulation Law limited the operation period of nuclear reactors to 40 years. Nevertheless, the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) is attempting to allow the Kansai Electric Power Company to continue operating the No. 3 reactor at its Mihama nuclear power plant (Fukui Prefecture) over the time limitation, following the precedents set by two reactors at the Takahama nuclear power station (Fukui).
As an “exception”, the Nuclear Reactor Regulation Law permits an operator to extend the operation period for up to 20 years. However, the NRA is clearly aiming to undermine the legal rule itself.
The purpose of the restriction on the operation period is to prevent accidents at aged nuclear reactors. The NRA is supposed to check if an old reactor can be run safely for over 40 years. However, on the grounds that it costs much time and money for a utility to implement additional measures to ensure the safety of old reactors, the watchdog agency has judged that those reactors “meet” the safety standards if an operator just replaces some pieces of equipment such as cables with new ones. In the screening process, the NRA has also failed to confirm the seismic performance of key components of nuclear reactors. It is outrageous that the agency gives priority to extending the running period over residents’ safety.
It is dangerous that Shikoku Electric Power Company is planning to resume operations of a reactor at its Ikata nuclear power plant (Ehime Prefecture) as early as August despite the fact that the facility is standing on the same tectonic fault line that has caused a string of earthquakes in the Kyushu region since April. The government of Yamaguchi Prefecture should withdraw its approval for the reclamation work for the planned construction of the Kaminoseki nuclear power complex in accordance with the demand of local residents.
The Abe government formulated the Strategic Energy Plan which puts emphasis on nuclear power generation as a “key base load power source” and has stated that it will restart nuclear power plants if they pass the NRA safety standards. In addition, the government claims that in order to cover 20-22% of total electricity output in 2030 with nuclear power, it is “essential” to build new nuclear power facilities along with extending the operational period of reactors and reactivating idled reactors. The need now is to stop the Abe administration from implementing its energy policy which is heavily dependent on nuclear power generation.
Past related article:
> Sufficient electricity can be supplied without nuclear reactors [July 25, 2016]
The Abe government and nuclear power authorities are accelerating the move to promote nuclear power generation. Even five and a half years after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear meltdown, the disaster has not been brought under control and many residents are still unable to return to their homes. The government move is angering many people, including the sufferers of the Fukushima disaster. The government authorities and power companies should abandon their attempt to restart offline nuclear reactors, extend the operation period of old reactors, and build new nuclear power facilities.
Following the Fukushima nuclear meltdowns, the Nuclear Reactor Regulation Law limited the operation period of nuclear reactors to 40 years. Nevertheless, the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) is attempting to allow the Kansai Electric Power Company to continue operating the No. 3 reactor at its Mihama nuclear power plant (Fukui Prefecture) over the time limitation, following the precedents set by two reactors at the Takahama nuclear power station (Fukui).
As an “exception”, the Nuclear Reactor Regulation Law permits an operator to extend the operation period for up to 20 years. However, the NRA is clearly aiming to undermine the legal rule itself.
The purpose of the restriction on the operation period is to prevent accidents at aged nuclear reactors. The NRA is supposed to check if an old reactor can be run safely for over 40 years. However, on the grounds that it costs much time and money for a utility to implement additional measures to ensure the safety of old reactors, the watchdog agency has judged that those reactors “meet” the safety standards if an operator just replaces some pieces of equipment such as cables with new ones. In the screening process, the NRA has also failed to confirm the seismic performance of key components of nuclear reactors. It is outrageous that the agency gives priority to extending the running period over residents’ safety.
It is dangerous that Shikoku Electric Power Company is planning to resume operations of a reactor at its Ikata nuclear power plant (Ehime Prefecture) as early as August despite the fact that the facility is standing on the same tectonic fault line that has caused a string of earthquakes in the Kyushu region since April. The government of Yamaguchi Prefecture should withdraw its approval for the reclamation work for the planned construction of the Kaminoseki nuclear power complex in accordance with the demand of local residents.
The Abe government formulated the Strategic Energy Plan which puts emphasis on nuclear power generation as a “key base load power source” and has stated that it will restart nuclear power plants if they pass the NRA safety standards. In addition, the government claims that in order to cover 20-22% of total electricity output in 2030 with nuclear power, it is “essential” to build new nuclear power facilities along with extending the operational period of reactors and reactivating idled reactors. The need now is to stop the Abe administration from implementing its energy policy which is heavily dependent on nuclear power generation.
Past related article:
> Sufficient electricity can be supplied without nuclear reactors [July 25, 2016]
