information about Fukushima published in English in Japanese media info publiée en anglais dans la presse japonaise
17 Mai 2013
May 15, 2013
http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20130515p2g00m0dm062000c.html
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Nuclear Regulation Authority decided Wednesday to issue an order effectively prohibiting the Monju prototype fast-breeder nuclear reactor from restarting, noting a series of problems with safety management.
"The Japan Atomic Energy Agency cannot sufficiently secure the safety of Monju," the NRA said in a document, referring to a delay in planned checkups of a wide range of equipment at Monju, reported last November, and subsequent blunders.
"We see deterioration in its safety culture," it said.
Under the order, expected later this month after necessary procedures are taken, the JAEA will be barred from engaging in preparatory work for resuming Monju operations until it rebuilds its maintenance and management system for the facility.
A senior NRA official said the order will likely be in place at least until around January next year because the JAEA is not expected to finish inspecting the equipment by that time.
The development is another blow to the Monju reactor, which has remained offline for most of the past 20 years or so due to troubles. Japan has been hoping the facility would play a key role in the country's nuclear fuel recycling process.
The Monju reactor first achieved criticality in 1994 but was shut down due to a serious accident involving a leak of sodium coolant and a resulting fire in 1995.
It resumed operations in May 2010, but the launch of full operations was delayed again after a device in the reactor fell inside the vessel in August that year.
In November 2012, the JAEA said it skipped necessary procedures upon delaying the inspections of nearly 10,000 devices, including those that are categorized as important for safety. A report submitted by the JAEA on the issue in January this year also included mistakes.
May 15, 2013
Monju ordered not to prepare for reactor restart
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20130515_24.html
Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority has decided to issue orders not to prepare to restart the Monju fast-breeder reactor in Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture.
The prototype reactor, currently offline, generates power using plutonium extracted from spent nuclear fuel.
The decision was made at the NRA's meeting on Wednesday. It was based on results of earlier inspections.
A government inspection last year found more than 9,800 missed checkups for equipment at the reactor.
It was later found that the reactor's operator, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency, failed to make thorough safety checks despite submitting a report promising to improve safety procedures.
At the meeting on Wednesday NRA chief Shunichi Tanaka and other participants criticized the operator for repeating irregularities.
They decided that the operator lacks appropriate safety management. They concluded that the operator should not be allowed to prepare to restart the reactor until it is ascertained under the law that improvements are in place.
Monju has been offline since a fuel exchange device fell into the reactor in August 2010. The accident occurred just as the operator was restarting it. The reactor had been shut down for 14 years due to a sodium coolant leak.
The NRA will allow the Monju operator to give its account on the matter, before formally issuing the order. This will likely delay the reactor's scheduled restart until the end of next March.
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