1 down 449 to go: Ikata nuclear plant shut down over fears of Fukushima-style meltdown

ikata-nuclear-plant-shut-down-over-fears-of-fukushima-style-meltdown

A Japanese high court in Hiroshima on Wednesday, December 13, 2017, revoked a lower court decision that allowed Shikoku Electric Power Company to continue operating unit 3 of its Ikata nuclear power plant in Ehime Prefecture. The unit is one of five reactors that have so far restarted after Japan shut down all of them in the wake of March 2011 disaster at Fukushima NPP.

The high court suspension order is the first in a series of similar injunctions, according to The Japan Times. It mandates that the plant operator shutter the No. 3 unit at the Ikata power plant until the end of September 2018. The ruling blocks the planned resumption in January of the unit, which is currently offline for regular checks after it was restarted in August 2016.

The high court questioned a decision by the Nuclear Regulation Authority that potential risks associated with volcanic eruptions would not breach the stricter regulations introduced following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis.

The plaintiffs, four residents from Matsuyama in Ehime and Hiroshima, claimed that in calculating the size of a potential earthquake, the utility had underestimated the fact that the reactor lies above the epicenter of an anticipated Nankai Trough mega-quake, and that it is located near a geologic fault.

YouTube video

Shikoku Electric said the court’s decision is 'unacceptable' and plans to file an appeal.

After the March 2011 disaster at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, Japan ordered shut down of all its 54 nuclear reactors for safety checks. Five have so far cleared inspections: Kyushu's Sendai units 1 and 2; Shikoku's Ikata unit 3; and Kansai's Takahama units 3 and 4.

As of April 2017, 30 countries worldwide are operating 449 nuclear reactors for electricity generation and 60 new nuclear plants are under construction in 15 countries.

Featured image: Ikata Nuclear Power Plant. Credit: Amake

Share:

Commenting rules and guidelines

We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:

  • Treat others with kindness and respect.
  • Stay on topic and contribute to the conversation in a meaningful way.
  • Do not use abusive or hateful language.
  • Do not spam or promote unrelated products or services.
  • Do not post any personal information or content that is illegal, obscene, or otherwise inappropriate.

We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.

One Comment

  1. All the current nuclear fission reactors in the world including the ones under construction can be replaced by 40-50 nuclear fusion reactors ( depends on the size). But, of course fusion reactor based on the real fusion process that takes place in the Sun, not on thermonuclear reactions that take place in the minds of theoretical physicists

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *