nuclear-news

Japan not able to find truly independent nuclear power regulators

  Japan Struggles to Find New Nuclear Regulators WSJ, By MARI IWATA TOKYO   July 24, 2012,—Racing against a legislative deadline, the Japanese government
is trying to find regulators who understand nuclear technology—but aren’t close to the nuclear industry.

Cronyism has been widely blamed for contributing to the meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co. following the huge earthquake and tsunami that struck northeastern Japan in March 2011. In a scathing investigation commissioned by parliament, a panel concluded: “The Tepco Fukushima nuclear-power-plant accident was the result of collusion between the government, the regulators and Tepco.”

On June 20, parliament gave the government three months to set up a
new body, with five board members and a supporting staff, to take over
the lead regulatory duties from the Nuclear and Industrial Safety
Agency, which was part of the same ministry that heads nuclear-power
promotion.

The challenge is finding people from outside what industry critics
call “the nuclear village,” a community of people who move between
nuclear-plant makers, utilities, government regulators and academia
(where they serve as experts on the industry).
apan’s nuclear-crisis minister, Goshi Hosono, has acknowledged the
problem of collusion with the previous agency, saying he won’t appoint
“people from the village” to the new organization’s leadership. Under
his guidelines, anyone who has worked for nuclear-power operators or
plant producers, or received ¥500,000 (about $6,400) or more a year
from such firms over the previous three years, won’t be considered.

But some analysts say the stricter rules risk bringing in people who
don’t understand the sophisticated new technologies that may be the
best way to ensure future plants are safer.

“Japan may not have a sufficient number of experts” qualified to lead
the new organization, said Hirofumi Kawachi, energy industry analyst
at Mizuho Investors Securities.

One apparent candidate to head the commission—his name was floated to
local media—already has run into troubles over what critics call a
lack of transparency in his selection. Shunichi Tanaka, a 67-year old
former deputy chairman of the Cabinet Office’s Atomic Energy
Commission and a nuclear reactor scientist, is relatively unknown
outside the industry.

In addition to the five board members, the agency will need an
estimated 485 employees. That gives it little choice but to bring in
many people from NISA, the former regulator.
If we allow the former NISA bureaucrats to form similar cozy
relationships with the industry, we would see the same outcome,” said
Kenichi Oshima, professor at Ritsumeikan University who specializes in
the economics of nuclear plants and their host communities.

As one step toward more effective regulation, Mr. Oshima proposes
eliminating the interpretive room left by vague rules.

“All humans can be corrupt, including myself,” he said. “To prevent
that, the best thing is clear regulatory steps and penalties.” He
cited a rule at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission banning senior
officials from holding private meetings with power-plant operators.
That idea has been endorsed by Mr. Hosono, the minister in charge, who
has said any exchanges between the five board members and
nuclear-industry people should be recorded and made public.

Takumi Fujinami, senior researcher of the Japan Research Institute,
who studies energy-policy economics, agrees that straightforward rules
are needed. “It would be more realistic to make clear regulatory steps
rather than the prime minister pledging to take all responsibility,”
he said….
Compounding Mr. Hosono’s problems is the need to move quickly. There
already have been widespread complaints about delays in forming the
new agency, even as two reactors in western Japan have been restarted
to help avoid power shortages during the peak summer period. The law
establishing the agency requires it be up and running by Sept. 20. Mr.
Hosono said it will review the safety of all reactors, including the
two already back on-line.

With up to 100,000 people in Tokyo protesting weekly against the use
of nuclear power, and new studies suggesting some plants may rest on
unstable earthquake faults, the agency has its work cut out.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443295404577546271738870982.html

July 25, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Japan, safety