Japan restarted its controversial “fast-breeder” nuclear reactor yesterday, more than 14 years after suspending operations following an accident, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) said.
After getting a final government go-ahead, workers began removing control rods from the Monju Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor in the northern fishing town of Tsuruga, said Toshihisa Sakurai, a spokesman for the agency.
Monju, which means wisdom, uses a fuel mix of plutonium and uranium instead of the conventional uranium used in regular light-water reactors. Such reactors produce or “breed” more plutonium than they consume
Monju’s initial start-up in August 1995 lasted only four months. It was shut down on Dec. 8 of that year when more than a tonne of volatile liquid sodium leaked from a secondary cooling system.
No one was hurt and no radioactivity escaped, but Monju’s operators came under fire for concealing videotape that showed extensive damage to the reactor.
The accident and cover-up created widespread public concern over the safety of nuclear power.
Major industrialized nations initially rushed to develop the “dream reactors,” but technical problems, along with fears over the proliferation of weapons-grade plutonium, have led many to withdraw from the projects.
France shut down its last fast-breeder last year. Besides Japan, Russia and India are now the only nations that operate fast-breeder reactors, with China also hoping to start this year.
Japan gave the green light for the Monju relaunch earlier this year, with plans to commercialize fast-breeders by 2050.
Monju director-general Kazuo Mukai said yesterday the nuclear reactor was reactivated after one of its control rods, which had been inserted to prevent an atomic reaction, was lifted.
Dozens of workers in the control room clapped in celebration.
The reactor is expected to reach criticality — the point when a nuclear chain reaction becomes self-sustaining — tomorrow, but is not scheduled to generate power at full capacity until 2013.
Monju’s relaunch was delayed for years in part because of outrage over the cover-up.
“I never thought it would take so long to restart Monju,” said JAEA adviser Hiromi Tanabe, who recalled joining the clean-up of the leaked sodium coolant after it had violently reacted with oxygen and moisture.
“We know by now how important it is to disclose information to the public,” he said, after footage of control room operations was broadcast.
Japan has few energy resources of its own and relies on the nuclear power generated by more than 50 plants for nearly a third of its domestic electricity needs.
Opponents of nuclear power stress the risk of earthquakes in Japan, which is located at the intersection of four tectonic plates, dotted with volcanoes and is regularly hit by strong tremors.
The Tokyo-based group the Citizens’ Nuclear Information Center said: “We believe that Monju is an accident waiting to happen and that it is, therefore, irresponsible to restart the plant.”
The group said that during the plant’s long closure, its equipment and piping had aged and two active seismic faults below the site that were previously denied had now been recognized.
“We demand that the government stop playing Russian roulette with our lives and permanently close down Monju,” the non-profit group said.
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