A contradiction in terms?

September 16, 2012

basically the same information three times

Japan OKs proceeding with nuclear plants already under construction

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20120916p2a00m0na006000c.html

AOMORI (Kyodo) -- Japan has no plans to stop the construction of nuclear plants that have already received government approval, industry minister Yukio Edano said Saturday.

The minister of economy, trade and industry made the remark only a day after the government endorsed a new energy policy pledging to try to phase out atomic power generation in the 2030s, following last year's Fukushima nuclear disaster.

"I am not considering changing (construction plans for) nuclear power plants for which the industry ministry has given the go-ahead," Edano said during his talks with local leaders in the northeastern city of Aomori.

Before the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, the government had authorized the construction of two nuclear power plants in Aomori Prefecture and one reactor in Shimane Prefecture.

Under the new energy policy, the government has decided not to allow utilities to build new reactors while limiting the operation of existing reactors to 40 years. Should the government finally endorse the operation of Electric Power Development's new Oma nuclear plant in Aomori Prefecture, the plant could run until the middle of the 2050s.

Following Edano's remark, Electric Power Development Co. said the Oma plant "plays an important role in the stable supply of electricity and the nuclear fuel cycle," adding that the company will "do all it can to make a safer plant."

Chugoku Electric Power Co. said that a third reactor being built at its nuclear plant in Shimane Prefecture should not be recognized as a new plant, which the government has pledged not to build under the new energy policy.

Edano told reporters after the meeting with the leaders, including Aomori Gov. Shingo Mimura, "The fact that the government has already permitted the construction carries significant weight."

Edano said approval of the newly established Nuclear Regulation Authority would be necessary to start operating these plants.

Local leaders of Aomori hosting nuclear fuel cycle facilities, meanwhile, expressed doubts over the government's new energy policy, with Mimura indicating concerns about how the zero-nuclear power policy will affect public and industrial activities.

"Will the government be able to promise to secure a stable electricity supply for future generations?" he asked Edano during their talks, which were open to the media.

Under the new policy, the government also decided to keep seeking the recycling of all spent nuclear fuel for reuse while aiming to end nuclear power generation.

Given this, Mimura urged Edano to clarify the future of the nuclear fuel-cycle policy and how to deal with spent nuclear fuel and plutonium that is extracted during reprocessing.

Junichiro Miyashita, mayor of Mutsu where the construction of a temporary storage facility for spent nuclear fuel is under way, said it is contradictory to have a zero-nuclear society while maintaining reprocessing.

New reactor projects still on: Edano

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120916a2.html

Kyodo

AOMORI — Construction of new nuclear plants will be allowed if the government has already approved the projects, trade minister Yukio Edano said Saturday.

The minister of economy, trade and industry made the remark just a day after the government endorsed a new energy strategy that pledges to phase out atomic power by the 2030s.

"I am not considering changing (construction plans for) nuclear power plants for which the industry ministry has given the go-ahead," Edano said in talks with local leaders in Aomori.

He was referring to the already authorized plan for Electric Power Development Co. to build a nuclear plant in Oma, Aomori Prefecture.

Under its new energy policy, the government said it will not allow utilities to build new reactors and will limit the runs of the existing ones to 40 years. Should the government ultimately back the Oma plant project, it could run until the mid-2050s.

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has also OK'd plans to build a new Tokyo Electric Power Co. plant, also in Aomori, and a third reactor for Chugoku Electric Power Co.'s plant in Shimane Prefecture.

Edano said after the meeting with the leaders, including Aomori Gov. Shingo Mimura, "The fact that the government has already permitted the construction carries significant weight."

Edano also said the approval of the newly established Nuclear Regulation Authority will be necessary to start these plants.

Local leaders in Aomori, where nuclear fuel-cycle facilities are located, voiced misgivings over the new energy policy, with Mimura questioning how the zero-nuclear policy will affect public and industrial activities.

"Will the government be able to promise a stable electricity supply for future generations?" he asked Edano at the talks.

Under the new policy, the government plans to continue the program to recycle all spent nuclear fuel for reuse, while also aiming to end atomic power.

Given this, Mimura urged Edano to clarify the future of the fuel-cycle policy and how the nation will deal with spent nuclear fuel and the plutonium that is extracted during reprocessing.

Junichiro Miyashita, mayor of Mutsu, where a temporary storage facility for spent fuel is being built, said a zero-nuclear society and reprocessing are incompatible.

September 15,2012

Construction of Oma nuclear plant to be continued

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20120915p2g00m0dm065000c.html