nuclear-news

Volcanoes a rare risk to nuclear reactors, but consequences would be devastating

Difficulties remain in protecting nuclear plants from volcanic eruptions October 05, 2014 THE ASAHI SHIMBUN by Takeshi Nakashima and Chikako Kawahara The deadly eruption of Mount Ontakesan in central Japan has rekindled concerns about whether Japan’s nuclear power plants, such as the Sendai plant in Kagoshima Prefecture, have adequate safeguards for dealing with such a disaster………

Active volcanoes are located near the Sendai plant, with Mount Sakurajima about 50 kilometers away and Mount Kirishima about 60 km away.

In the past, huge volcanic eruptions have led to the formation of large calderas and pyroclastic flows in the area.

Major eruptions occur in Japan about once every 10,000 years. However, nuclear plants have to implement measures depending on the risk even if the frequency of an event is low.

Nuclear plants are not designed to withstand pyroclastic flows at high temperatures. For that reason, if such flows should reach a facility, the consequences could be disastrous.

Kyushu Electric insists that the possibility of an eruption while the Sendai plant is operating is sufficiently low. The utility also says it would be possible to capture signs of a major eruption and remove nuclear fuel beforehand.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority has supported Kyushu Electric’s position.

The removal of the nuclear fuel from the reactors is expected to take several years.

However, the Mount Ontakesan eruption once again demonstrated the limits to accurately predicting volcanic eruptions.

Concerns about the safety measures at the Sendai plant were raised at a Sept. 30 session of a special committee of the Kagoshima prefectural assembly. Some members raised doubts about whether early signs of an eruption could be detected. Others criticized Kyushu Electric’s position………http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/social_affairs/AJ201410050034

October 8, 2014 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Japan, safety