Japan, Ignoring Warnings, Extended Approval for Fukushima Reactor a Month before Disaster

[The Straight Story]

Japan, Ignoring Warnings, Extended Approval for Fukushima Reactor a Month before Disaster


Fukushima Reactor No. 1 in 2008 (photo: Kyoto News via AP)
Only weeks before the earthquake and tsunami struck Japan, government regulators approved another 10-year lease for the oldest nuclear reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi plant—even though warnings existed about the safety of the 40-year-old facility.

Regulators knew the backup diesel-powered generators for Reactor No. 1 had stress cracks, making the engines vulnerable to corrosion from seawater and rainwater. As it turned out, the generators failed after the tsunami hit the plant, causing a shutdown of the vital cooling system.

Also, it’s been revealed that plant operators didn’t bother to inspect 33 pieces of equipment related to the cooling systems, including water pumps and diesel generators, as required by the government to extend the life of the aging reactors.

With public opinion opposed to building new reactors, the industry has sought to prolong the life of nuclear plants beyond the 40-year spans that were originally intended.

http://www.allgov.com/Controversies/ViewNews/Japan_Ignoring_Warnings_Extended_Approval_for_Fukushima_Reactor_a_Month_before_Disaster_110323

[AndyTiedye]

1. Weren't Those Plants Built to Last 25 Years?

The steel reactor vessels get brittle over time from being bombarded with radiation.

[StarburstClock]

2. What's a "regulator"?

Oh I know, a paid-off stooge who's completely ignored in criminal systems.

[enough]

3. This is a vital issue for the US as well. (nt)

[Atman]

4. I'm no nuke supporter, but seriously, this would have changed nothing.

C'mon, let's use some common sense. Even if the plant hadn't had its license renewed, it isn't as if it would have been shut down in a month and the spent-fuel pools would be emptied and the rods safely stored away. Shit happens. What happened here is a lack of imagination; the designers just couldn't imagine a 9.0 earthquake and 30 foot tsunami. Until designers -- and investors -- are able to imagine space ships falling from the sky and mile-wide sink holes opening up beneath the plants, no nuclear plant is "safe." Period.

[enough]

5. US Department of Energy looking into running plants beyond SIXTY years.

These are the same plants originally designed to operate for 40 years, many of which have already hand their license extended for an extra 20 years.


http://www.platts.com/RSSFeedDetailedNews/RSSFeed/ElectricPower/8578886

Nuclear units can operate beyond 60 years, with R&D: DOE official

Washington (Platts)--23Feb2011/514 am EST/1014 GMT

No reason has yet been discovered why light-water power reactors could not operate beyond 60 years, but coordinated, near-term research efforts should address the issues, industry and government officials said Tuesday.

Co-sponsored by the US Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Nuclear Energy Institute, the three-day workshop in Washington examined "life beyond 60" issues for power reactors. The event followed on a DOE-NRC workshop held in February 2008.

NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko told the workshop that "it's very important that we guard against any potential sense of complacency about aging management and license renewal."

Some 61 of the 104 operating US power reactors have had their initial 40-year licenses renewed by NRC for an additional 20 years.

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