2011 July 23 « nuclear-news

Nuclear industry’s massive costs have been underestimated

Kenichi Oshima, a professor of environmental economics and policy at Ritsumeikan University, has done some calculations and has reached a completely different conclusion….

“If we were to funnel funds earmarked for reprocessing and the nuclear budget, it would be very feasible to get power generation with renewable sources of energy off the ground.”

Contrary to power company figures, cost of nuclear power generation highest: research Mainichi Daily News, 23 July 11 Utility companies across the country continue to tout the low cost of nuclear energy on their websites. Continue reading →

July 23, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Japan | Leave a comment

All radioactive beef to be bought by Japanese govt?

Government may buy all radioactive beef, Asahi.com 23 July 11, The central government is considering buying all beef with levels of radioactive cesium exceeding government standards in an effort to try to address rising consumer concern and falling prices for Japanese beef. Continue reading →

July 23, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Japan, politics | Leave a comment

Move to keep old Japanese nuclear reactors beyond use by date

UPDATE 3-Japan utilities push to extend life of nuclear plants, Jul 22, 2011

* Kansai Electric files to keep 40-yr-old Mihama reactor running

* Chubu says to beef up tsunami defences at Hamaoka by Dec 2012

* Debate intensifies as safety fears square off vs economy worries

By Kaori Kaneko and Osamu Tsukimori, TOKYO, July 22 (Reuters) – Two Japanese utilities moved on Friday to extend the life of reactors at a pair of central coastal nuclear plants, fuelling already fierce debate over energy policy in the wake of the Fukushima radiation crisis.

Continue reading →

July 23, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Japan | Leave a comment

Doubts on the credibility of Japan’s nuclear regulator

The errors will adversely affect the operations of all nuclear power stations across the country, casting a damper on the planned stress tests from the outset..

..Goshi Hosono, state minister for the nuclear crisis, is aiming to separate NISA from its parent body, the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry, which is promoting nuclear power generation in Japan. However, structural changes alone are insufficient. Whether NISA can function as a nuclear safety regulator will be severely tested.

Errors in nuclear plant data highlight checking system insufficiencies, Mainichi Daily News, By Takuji Nakanishi, Mainichi Shimbun, 23 July 2011 The discovery of errors in data incorporated in a report on the No. 3 reactor at the Genkai Nuclear Power Plant in Saga Prefecture illustrates problems with its operator’s checking system and the government regulator’s ability to examine safety data. Continue reading →

July 23, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Japan, safety | Leave a comment

The massive costs of disposing of spent nuclear fuel

Contrary to power company figures, cost of nuclear power generation highest: research, Mainichi daily News, 23 July 11 “……There’s also a problem that’s specific to nuclear energy. As Oshima points out, massive amounts of money are needed to dispose of spent nuclear fuel, Continue reading →