Japan OKs extension of tsunami-hit 40-year-old nuclear reactor

The only lesson the nuclear corruption kings learned is they can get away with anything.

Well, the agreement seems to be that they will build the wall and switch this reactor back on, and keep it going until 2038, with no possibility of further extensions. The problem is that even though this is being reported, we still do not know exactly what damage any of these reactors suffered either in the earthquake or in the tsunami.

Only in Japan! Wonder if the people will still just shrug and say "shouganai" when they have to evacuate permanently due to meltdown. Japan's next "Three out of top five!" rankings is going to be meltdowns of NPPs. Not if, but when.

Insanity.

We never learn.

‚ Japan's resurgent nuclear industry‘

Is that so? An industry has to make money.

Many staff members of Japan's nuclear authorities are full of person from economy-industrial ministry who want to thrust nuclear power.

Even rule that keep independency of nuclear regulation has been ignored completely in Japan.

Japan's nuclear regulation has been gradually but surely loosened in the shade of other topics year by year.

This is insane, it's going to continue past it's use by date. And the public don't benifit at all. Notice as these time bonds come back on line your power bill has not reduced at all!

The Tokai Daini plant sustained damage from a 5.4-meter tsunami, but shut down automatically, according to Japan Atomic.

Ahh...just what "damage" was sustained? If it is of the same design as the Fukushima reactors and this reactor got hit with that large of a tsunami, why hasn't there been more information about "it"?

Were there any other reactors that suffered damage? Just how much is NOT being told?

So, a nuclear power plant that was constructed in the 1970’s with a lifespan of 40 years has been granted a further twenty years instead of being closed down as it was designed to be? What a surprise that is, NOT!

Most of Japan’s reactors are approaching their lifespan dates and the nuclear energy cartels have done nothing about replacing them. There was one large plane under construction, but construction was scrapped. The only way Japan can achieve 20% nuclear power is by extended the lifespan of all its ageing reactors. Let’s not forget that, in ten years time, this nuclear power plant will be generating electricity with 50 year old technology and equipment. Yes, that’s 50 years old! They have to be flipping kidding, don’t they?

Japan approved? I don't remember voting?

...must complete safety upgrades, and the nuclear operator will build a tsunami protection wall..

But already approved! The Nuclear Regulatory Authority is a joke.

No smithinjapan not ONLY in Japan. Only in your little mind only in Japan.

Opening a nuclear power plant in Japan is so risky and reopening it is almost unthinkable.

But money and apathy will probably slide itself into first place, past what should be done.

A nuclear accident in Kansai would WRECK Japan. It has 10 times the economy of Fukushima

Looks almost identical to Fukushima Daiichi in shape and location.

Let's hope that besides the new GIANT (?) wall, they will have taken in all the other lessons from Fukushima, such as moving the emergency generators from the basements to higher ground.

Bye bye.

A nuclear accident in Kansai would WRECK Japan. It has 10 times the economy of Fukushima

Not sure why you mentioned Kansai, but I think Kanden's nuclear plants are all on the Japan Sea coast, as far from Kansai's economic center as the Fukushima plant is from Kanto's economic center.

This is insane, it's going to continue past it's use by date.

40 years isn't a 'use by date'. It was a rough guess made before the world had enough data from operating reactors. Since that guess was made the world has collected lots of data on how the components of reactors hold up to the radiation flux over time. And the data shows that 40 years was extremely conservative, that the major components can easily withstand 60 or more years.

with a lifespan of 40 years

being closed down as it was designed to be

Nope. It was a guess until actual long term operating data could be collected and analysis.

Albaleo

Thanks for that, I was wrong.

I live in Osaka and I thought they were referring to Ibaraki City over around here.

Well...the further away the better.

For clarity, this is located just north of Tokyo on the Pacific Ocean.

http://www.japc.co.jp/english/power_stations/tokai2.html

Nuclear power doesn't produce any CO2. We need it to fight global warming/climate change.

Tragic mistake.

Simply because of the words "same basic design as ... Fukushima" everyone is throwing a hissy fit. How many people on here were in Japan on 3/11/11? And how many of you remember the REASON for the meltdown? TEPCO didn't want to scrap their reactor by adding seawater although it was an option. Their greed led to the meltdown, not because the design is flawed.

This is insane, it's going to continue past it's use by date.

Unlike in video games, nuclear power plants don't explode when they go over their expected life expectantcy, just like people who are now over 100 didn't die the day they hit their 70th birthday.

As much as I am an opponent of Nuclear Power, Japan simply doesn't have the resources neither fiscal nor natural to produce enough cheap and clean energy at the moment. So until we perfect underground combined cycle power generation, I'll stick to cheaper electricity bills and nuclear power.

Opening a nuclear power plant in Japan is so risky and reopening it is almost unthinkable.

I have to ask why. I see a lot of almost hysterical comments about Fukushima. Yet the tsunami that caused the problem killed 16,000 people and displaced many many more. The nuclear power plant issue seems almost insignificant in that context.

So instead of removing the threat of another tsunami/earthquake nuclear disaster, they renewed it! Whaaaat

The brown envelopes must have been something

Japan simply doesn't have the resources neither fiscal nor natural to produce enough cheap and clean energy at the moment.

Wow that's laughably wrong. Biogas, geothermal, hydrothermal, heliothermal, all before even getting to solar panels. Getting insulation in homes to 100% stop kerosene usage. Combined heat and power from industry. And on and on....

You do know that the same technology that made plasma screens makes solar panels right?

Japan's energy shortages and fossil fuel dependencies are by choice, not because of available design or technology

The reason you don't think so is that you're not looking

@smithinjapan...well said! You’ve nailed it!

@thepersoniamnow...He stated what he thought was a fact and actually it is! Can you actually give us another example of this kind of thing happening elsewhere? Stand behind your comment and show us examples and evidence!

Prevention comes before cause. They don’t understand ...

Japan simply doesn't have the resources neither fiscal nor natural to produce enough cheap and clean energy at the moment.

That’s a very strange comment considering Japan has had no electricity shortages in the nearly 8 years since all the nuclear power plants were shut down, don’t you think?

Nuclear power doesn't produce any CO2. We need it to fight global warming/climate change.

No, nuclear power doesn’t produce ‘as much’ CO2 as other kinds of electricity generation. However, it does produce something far worse. It produces nuclear waste, which, at this point in time, Japan has no idea what to do with.

Japan's nuclear regulation had insisted extension of use of nuclear plants as "rare exceptions".

actually, they approve extension of nuclear plants many time.

Nuclear industries often use climate change as excuse that justify restart of nuclear plants 

But Japan is natural disaster country.

Japan's potentiality of renewable energy is beyond nuclear industries.

for example,power supply at Kyushu area is sufficient even if nuclear plants did not restart.

I don't want to live anywhere near these plants. I can't imagine that local residents are too happy either.