Shika-2: Unjust Verdict! Nuke Info Tokyo No. 129
On March 18 the Kanazawa Branch of the Nagoya High Court handed down its verdict on an appeal concerning the Shika-2 Nuclear Power Plant (ABWR, 1,358 MW). The appeal related to a civil suit...
Category: Safety
Rokkasho Update: Earthquake safety and criticality design flaws Nuke Info Tokyo 118
Step 3 of “active tests” at the Rokkasho reprocessing plant were completed on April 26th. Although numerous problems have arisen, Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd (JNFL) has not officially changed the November 2007 scheduled date...
Advanced Thermal Reactor Fails Strength Tests Nuke Info Tokyo 117
On 10 February 2007 the Mainichi Shimbun reported that in the course of tests being carried out prior to decommissioning the Fugen Advanced Thermal Reactor (ATR, 165 MW) it was discovered that concrete walls...
“Not Again”: Yet Another TEPCO Scandal Nuke Info Tokyo 117
Over the years there have been all sorts of cases of data fabrication and falsification at nuclear, thermal and hydroelectric power plants. Each time the power companies and plant makers apologize and say that...
The Deepening Puzzle of Steel Used in Reactor Pressure Vessels Nuke Info Tokyo No. 115
Degradation cannot be predicted One of the most frightening type of nuclear accidents is a sudden break-up of the reactor pressure vessel as a result of embrittlement. The pressure vessel of a boiling water...
Aging Reactors: Symposium in South Korea Nuke Info Tokyo No. 115
Photo: From left, Seok Kwanghoon, Kim Yongguk, chair Kim Sung Kuk, Mitsuhiko Tanaka and interpreter Kim Bonnyo On October 24th I attended a symposium in Busan, South Korea, concerning the life extension of...
Can safety be assured in the Monju modifications? Nuke Info Tokyo No. 110
On 7 February 2005, Fukui Governor Issei Nishikawa granted approval for the start of modifications to the Monju fast breeder reactor (FBR, 280 MW), which had been shut down for over nine years. Upon...
Pronounced aging of nuclear power plants Nuke Info Tokyo No. 106
There are currently 53 operational nuclear reactors in Japan: 30 boiling water reactors (BWR) and 23 pressurized water reactors (PWR). Of those, nine (4 BWRs and 5 PWRs) commenced operations more than 30 years...