Faulty fast-breeder reactor ‘Monju’ should be dismantled
November 6, 2015
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2015 November 4 - 10 [SOCIAL ISSUES]
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The Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) decided on November 4 that it will advise the minister of science and technology to replace the operator of the fast-breeder reactor “Monju” in Fukui Prefecture. Monju, now operated by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency, has been suspended since it suffered a serious accident 20 years ago.
Monju is a prototype nuclear reactor which generates electricity by using reprocessed plutonium, which is extracted from spent nuclear fuel. It has been widely publicized as a “dream reactor” to complete the nuclear fuel cycle because spent plutonium will supposedly reproduce itself if it is reprocessed successfully.
Plutonium, which is highly radioactive and is also used to make atomic bombs, is extremely difficult to handle. Meanwhile, unlike conventional nuclear reactors whose cores are cooled by water, a fast-breeder reactor needs coolant containing sodium. Sodium explodes violently on contact with water. Thus, operating a high-speed breeder reactor is technically difficult and extremely dangerous.
In fact, Monju caused a sodium leak accident in 1995 one year after it reached the critical stage, and operations have since been suspended for 20 years. Other countries also tried to develop fast-breeder reactors, but they, including the United States, have abandoned their projects one after another due to the danger. Even if Monju continues to exist, there is little possibility that it could be put back online.
Given these circumstances, the project to develop Monju should be scrapped. Even when it remains offline, its maintenance cost is about 50 million yen a day. The state authorities should give up on restarting the useless breeder reactor and dismantle it.
Past related article:
> NRA orders Monju fast breeder reactor to stay offline [May 14, 2015]
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