Energy News  
Japanese Nuclear Plant Starts Tests

Japan's first plant to extract plutonium and uranium from spent nuclear fuel started its test run at Rokkasho village in Aomori prefecture, northern Japan. Photo courtesy of Jiji Press and AFP.
by Harumi Ozawa
Tokyo (AFP) Apr 03, 2006
Japan's first plant to extract plutonium and uranium from spent nuclear fuel started test runs Friday in hopes of providing much-needed energy despite protests from residents and environmentalists.

The 17-month test is expected to lead to full-fledged production next year in the northern village of Rokkasho, providing a new form of energy to one of the world's biggest oil importers.

"Everything went smoothly without any obstruction," said Kazuhiko Shimada, a spokesman for the plant's operator, Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd.

The company raced Friday to sign last-minute agreements with surrounding communities pledging safety before beginning the long-delayed tests.

The plant will eventually produce uranium-plutonium mixed oxide (MOX) fuel, which would boost the electricity generated by existing reactors through recycling. More than 30 MOX reactors now operate in Europe.

Concerned residents and environmentalists of the only country attacked with atomic bombs have held periodic protests against the plant, which theoretically could also process weapons-grade plutonium to produce energy.

About 100 protestors gathered at the front gate Friday to protest the launch of the tests at the Rokkasho plant which lies on the northern tip of Japan's main island of Honshu.

"I really feel frustrated and sad," said Keiko Kikukawa, 57, a local farmer who has protested the project for years.

"I've worked for such a long time to stop this test run, which is not necessary at all," she told AFP by telephone.

Protesters have pointed out that even though the plant would create the new type of fuel, Japan does not yet have any reactors that can operate on it.

The city of Genkai in southern Japan on Sunday accepted a plan by regional power utility Kyushu Electric Power Co. to begin using MOX fuel at one of its reactors.

But the Genkai reactor would not be able to process MOX fuel until the business year to March 2011 at the earliest and lies more than 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) from Rokkasho, in Aomori prefecture, raising further concerns about safety.

The Japanese electric industry has planned to use the plutonium and uranium extraction method since 1997 and had set a plan to operate 16 to 18 nuclear reactors by the year to March 2011. But the goal has been stalled by a series of accidents and scandals.

Construction of the Rokkasho facility began in 1993 but the start of operations was delayed by problems including a design flaw.

"I believe this reprocessing plant will contribute a lot to the nation's energy policies," Aomori governor Shingo Mimura said Tuesday.

Japan counts on nuclear energy for 30 percent of its electricity but is almost entirely dependent on imports for its oil.

Greenpeace complained about the waste that would be generated by the plant and the potential military link.

"Reprocessing is a daily nuclear accident due to the massive discharges of nuclear waste authorized by government agencies, which have no regard for public health or the wider environment," the group's Shaun Burnie said.

Source: Agence France-Presse

Community
Email This Article
Comment On This Article

Related Links
- Civil Nuclear Energy Science, Technology and News
Powering The World in the 21st Century at Energy-Daily.com



Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


Germany Still Needs Nuclear Power Economy Minister
Tokyo (AFP) Mar 23, 2006
German economy minister Michael Glos said Wednesday his nation still needs nuclear energy, calling for a review of the previous administration's decision to shut down its atomic power plants.







  • The Challenge Of Fueling The Chinese Replicator
  • 3-D Imaging To Enable Clean Energy Technologies
  • Coal-Based Jet Fuel Poised For Next Step
  • Russian Oil Pipeline To Avoid Pacific Wildlife Bay

  • Malawi Urged To Protect Its Forests
  • Australia And China Poised To Sign Uranium Deal
  • Japanese Nuclear Plant Starts Tests
  • Germany Still Needs Nuclear Power: Economy Minister

  • The 'Oxygen Imperative'
  • NASA Studies Air Pollution Flowing Into US From Abroad
  • Carbon Balance Killed The Dinos
  • Earth's Turbulence Stirs Things Up Slower Than Expected

  • Alaska Timber Projection Study Reveals Market Trends
  • China Playing Central Role To Laundering Stolen Timber
  • US, Japan, Europe Drive Chinese Imports Of Illegal Wood
  • Amazon 2050: Implementing Law Could Save Massive Area Of Rainforest

  • Plants Give Pests A Sock In The Gut
  • Changes In Agricultural Practices Could Help Slow Global warming
  • Brazilian Farming Will Doom 40 Percent Of Amazon
  • Scientists A Step Closer To Protecting World's Most Important Crop

  • Research On The Road To Intelligent Cars
  • Volvo Promises Hybrid Truck Engines Within Three Years
  • Carbon Fiber Cars Could Put US On Highway To Efficiency
  • Ventilated Auto Seats Improve Fuel Economy, Comfort

  • Lockheed Martin Delivers F-22 Raptor To Second Operational Squadron
  • CAESAR Triumphs As New Gen Of Radar Takes Flight
  • Northrop Grumman to Provide F-16 Fleet To Greek Air Force
  • US Offers India Advanced Fighter Aircraft

  • Could NASA Get To Pluto Faster? Space Expert Says Yes - By Thinking Nuclear
  • NASA plans to send new robot to Jupiter
  • Los Alamos Hopes To Lead New Era Of Nuclear Space Tranportion With Jovian Mission
  • Boeing Selects Leader for Nuclear Space Systems Program

  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement