Posted on 12/23/2022 6:33:35 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Japan has announced a major U-turn in its energy policy after the Asian nation adopted a new policy promoting greater use of nuclear energy, effectively ending an 11-year prohibition and phase-out that was triggered by the Fukushima disaster.
Under the new policy, Japan will maximize the use of existing nuclear reactors by restarting as many as possible, prolong the operating life of old reactors beyond their 60-year limit and also develop next-generation reactors to replace them.
The proposed legislation marks a complete reversal of the nuclear safety measures the country adopted after a powerful tsunami hit caused three of its six reactors to suffer meltdowns. Fearing a public backlash, the Japanese government has desisted from building new reactors or replacing aging ones.
The situation could not be more different in Europe, a region facing one of the most severe energy crises. Ten months since Russia invaded Ukraine, European governments long opposed to nuclear power have shown little change in their attitudes, “We’re not talking about a nuclear renaissance, as such, but maybe more of a change of tide,” Nicolas Berghmans, an energy and climate expert at the France-based Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI), told Al Jazeera.
The same case applies to fracking. Proponents of fracking hold that Europe’s shale gas potential is needed now more than ever, though Germany, France, the Netherlands, Scotland and Bulgaria have all previously banned fracking, and show no signs of changing their minds any time soon. The UK is the only exception here: Britain’s former Prime Minister Liz Truss announced that the UK is lifting a 2019 moratorium on shale gas fracking
(Excerpt) Read more at oilprice.com ...
A wise decision.
Big wind
and Big sun
when winter comes
can’t get it done
But Big nuke
it ain’t no fluke
plenty of juice
for everyone
Smart...and necessary.Just don’t build plants in danger zones.
Indeed. The whole ban idea was foolish. Japan has no easy alternatives.
Japan also has a major natural gas project with Russia, and they told the US to stuff it when the Neocons tried to get Japan to cancel it.
Alas, most of Japan is in quake and/or tsunami danger zones. Problem at Fukushima was they downscaled their nightmare. They had old tales and old markers showing tsunamis even worse than this, but didn’t plan for them. Their floodwall was too low and their backup generators were positioned too low.
The best thing in this change is working towards next generation nuclear plants. A variety of paper options there which reduce or eliminate meltdown risks. Japan can probably get them to work. And then get rich selling them to us once we throw off the green Biden yoke.
Anyway, nobody died due to the Fukushima reactor problems.
Lots of people died from the tsunami and some people even from being scared of the radioactivity.
But nobody from the direct effect of this nuclear disaster.
The human race always returns to insanity. Boiling water nuclear power plants are far more of a threat than nuclear bombs.
It seems like the entire planet is a danger zone. :)
>>Just don’t build plants in danger zones<<
As far as nuclear plants go, Japan IS a danger zone.
Nuclear is a great source of energy...that is until you have a Fukushima, 3 mile or Chernobyl level 7 disasters.
Not to mention tons and tons of radioactive waste being buried in various places with half-life decay of thousands of years.
http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2017/ph241/hock1/images/f1big.jpg
“Anyway, nobody died due to the Fukushima reactor problems.” -
True, and 30,000 drowned from the tsunami. Also all the evacuation zones are now allowed to be inhabited, although most of the people who left didn’t return. They apparently scraped off the topsoil of thousands of acres and dumped it somewhere. Note for the cost of the proposed Green New Deal which didn’t pass - about 2 trillion - we could build 1000 nuclear power plants and never have to worry about oil, gas, or windmills. Yes they would be everywhere, but they could be built on the sites of the retired oil/gas plants. So driving down I-95 instead of the Edison generating station, there would be nuclear plants. Makes sense to me. I’m, a lot more worried about the next virus being cooked up in Wuhan than radiation risk, or climate change risk.
Good for them.
TEPCO were morons. WHO builds a nuclear facility near a shoreline ... IN earthquake country??
Exactly, me too!
The new reactors don’t melt down.
Japan is a serious nation. Germany, EU, not so much.
Their other oversight, was to not have installed tech to remove any build up H2 gas in the rooms, which had been standard improvements to the same basic reactor designs in the US for years, and which would have prevented their severe post-tsunami complications of hydrogen explosions. Which spread the radioactive material around and greatly complicated their clean ups.
AND with the backup generators placed where easily flooded...
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