Various ways to look at things

April 15, 2015

Editorial: Court ban on restarting Takahama nuclear plant serves as serious warning

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/perspectives/news/20150415p2a00m0na003000c.html

The judicial branch of the government sounded an alarm bell when the Fukui District Court banned Kansai Electric Power Co. (KEPCO) from restarting two idled reactors at the utility's Takahama Nuclear Power Plant in Fukui Prefecture.

KEPCO attempted to resume operations at the power station's No. 3 and 4 reactors that have passed safety inspections by the government's Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA). However, the court issued a provisional injunction on April 14 ordering KEPCO not to reactivate these reactors, pointing out that the new standards for inspections are too lax.

We have insisted that Japan should eliminate nuclear power as early as possible by expanding the use of renewable energy, promoting energy-saving measures and abiding by the government's rules that nuclear reactors should be shut down after 40 years in operation. Based on this idea, we believe that the minimum necessary reactivation of idled nuclear plants should be permitted

However, the court appears to be of the view that the safety of residents in areas that host atomic power stations cannot be protected unless the danger posed by nuclear plants is completely eliminated or restarting nuclear plants is totally banned in this quake-prone country.

If an accident is to occur at a nuclear plant, it would threaten the lives, livelihoods and assets of residents of extensive areas around the power station over an extended period. Considering these risks, we should take seriously the judicial branch's warning that current moves to hastily restart idled nuclear plants without sufficient debate would lead to the revival of the myth of nuclear plants' infallible safety.

In its latest decision, the district court pointed to the need to stiffen safety standards to guarantee that absolutely no accidents will occur at nuclear reactors that meet the standards. In other words, the court deemed that no risk should be permitted in restarting nuclear reactors.

After applying to the NRA for safety inspections, KEPCO upgraded its prediction of the maximum shaking of an earthquake that could hit the area hosting the Takahama plant from 550 gals to 700 gals and that of the maximum tsunami from 5.7 meters to 6.2 meters and emphasized that the measure has enhanced the safety of the power station.

However, noting that five earthquakes with stronger vibrations than assumed have hit areas that host atomic power stations over the past decade, the district court said the possibility cannot be ruled out that a more powerful temblor than KEPCO predicts could hit Takahama. The court concluded that such a quake could destroy the plant's facilities and damage reactor cores.

The court then pointed out that these risks cannot be completely eliminated unless the prediction of the shaking of possible quakes hitting the plant is significantly raised. It also cited the need to fundamentally reinforce facilities and equipment, such as external power sources and the coolant water supply system, to increase their quake-resistance to the maximum level, as well as erect walls around pools for used nuclear fuel.

KEPCO had intended to go through necessary procedures with an eye to restarting the reactors in November this year, but the court's provisional injunction will force the company to review its schedule.

The views that the court expressed in its latest decision also apply to many other nuclear plants that their operators are aiming to restart. The injunction was handed down by the same presiding judge that also banned KEPCO in May last year from restarting the No. 3 and 4 reactors at its Oi Nuclear Power Plants. The judge apparently handed down these decisions based on his common ideas on safety of nuclear plants.

The pros and cons of restarting idled nuclear reactors have a huge impact on people's livelihoods and economic activities. It would be too excessive if the restart of any nuclear plant were disapproved to pursue zero risk. However, the court's warning that nuclear reactors should not be restarted without addressing numerous problems should be taken seriously.

April 15, 2015(Mainichi Japan)