Monju playing up again

October 29, 2014

New safety breaches at prototype Monju reactor

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20141029_27.html

Oct. 29, 2014 - Updated 08:38 UTC+1

Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority says the operator of the prototype fast breeder reactor Monju violated safety regulations by failing to repair dozens of surveillance cameras.

The facility in Tsuruga, central Japan, has been idle since a sodium leak accident in 1995. Liquid sodium was used to cool the experimental reactor.

In May last year, the NRA ordered the operator, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency, to halt preparations for resuming a test run after about 14,000 pieces of equipment were found to have gone uninspected.

Then last month, 54 of the plant's 180 surveillance cameras set up after the accident were found to have gone unfixed for up to 18 months.

On Wednesday, the regulator criticized the operator for lacking willingness to reform itself.

NRA Chairman Shunichi Tanaka questioned the agency's stance on safety. He said the authority will continue checking whether conditions at Monju have improved.