Editorial
Resumption of operations at Monju nuclear reactor brings concerns over safety, costs
The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA)'s prototype fast-breeder Monju nuclear reactor resumed operations on Thursday, 14 years and five months after a sodium leak forced it to shut down in 1995.
Resuming operations of a facility that has not been in service for a long period of time requires extreme caution. The JAEA undoubtedly has conducted thorough inspections of the reactor, and we can only hope that they continue to proceed with extra care.
It is possible that problems will arise, including issues with old facilities. When such problems do occur, however, it is crucial that transparency be maintained.
The Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation -- a predecessor organization of the JAEA -- was involved in a cover-up after the 1995 accident, which led to a significant loss of confidence in the organization and the facility itself. It would be impossible to regain the public's trust if a similar incident were to take place again.
A major pillar of the Japanese government's atomic energy policy is a nuclear fuel cycle in which plutonium would be extracted from spent nuclear fuel. The fast breeder reactor is a key component of this policy, and in addition to short-term safety concerns surrounding resumed operations, many challenges lie ahead.
As the recent resumption of operations is the equivalent of a test run, the reactor will not be generating electricity right away. Many hurdles must be overcome before power generation starts a year from now, and before full-capacity operations slated to begin in three years can actually take place.
Even after the reactor reaches full capacity, however, it will be a long time before the reactor can be put to commercial use. Monju is still in its prototype phase. It will subsequently undergo a demonstration reactor phase before it can be developed into a commercial fast breeder reactor, which the government hopes to do by the year 2050. With the delays in Monju's operations, however, it is unclear whether lessons gained from running Monju will be reflected in the demonstration reactor, for which preliminary development discussions have already begun. Plus, it is still unknown what sort of costs the development will entail.
Commercial viability is dependent on whether the reactor will be economically efficient. So far, some 900 billion yen has been used in Monju's construction and operation. Considering that it is expected to cost approximately 20 billion yen every year from now on to keep it in operation, this is not something to be taken lightly.
The position of fast breeder reactors on a global scale has also been changing. The U.S. and France are keeping a close eye on Monju's technology as a way to reduce spent nuclear fuel by recycling it. It is important to consider the future of fast breeder reactors in light of such trends.
There is one more major issue surrounding Japan's proposed nuclear fuel cycle. Nuclear reprocessing plants -- which, in addition to fast breeder reactors, constitute a core element in Japan's nuclear energy policy -- have been plagued by a series of problems. Completion has been delayed on numerous occasions, and the process of converting high-level radioactive waste into glass has run into various problems. Most recently, difficulty in retrieving bricks that have fallen into the furnace has pushed back completion of a reprocessing plant even further.
Demand for nuclear power has received a boost in light of concerns over global warming measures. However, fast breeder reactors cannot be considered on the same level as light water reactors. Accurate assessment of safety and cost issues will be of utmost importance.
Click here for the original Japanese story
(Mainichi Japan) May 7, 2010