Kyushu Electric says no special precautions needed over volcano

Oh, phew! Well, if the very company that would have to pay more money to further ensure safety against disasters says it's okay and they needn't do anything else then it MUST be true!

We are not currently taking any particular response

I wonder if this was the same type of response the guys over in Fukushima made when asked if there's a risk of a Tsunami hitting the plant and and pretty much rendering the whole region uninhabitable.

Mirai Hayashi: "I wonder if this was the same type of response the guys over in Fukushima"

Same attitude, for sure. Same response? no. They didn't give any response to any of the many professionals who warned them -- just ignored the facts and let stupidity rule. In Kyushu they are probably cursing TEPCO for having to report and keep up appearances so often, on top of other things.

Too glib by half. Although I would assume that everything is on a knife edge considering past events, saying "nothing special" is being done borders on lunacy.

They would say that!!!

Kyushu Electric says no special precautions needed over volcano

Of course they would say this! Who remembers the CEO of TEPCO telling everyone there was no meltdown in Fukushima for the first three weeks after the disaster? Who remembers Abe stating, "It's under control!" to the IOC to get the Olympics? You cannot believe anything this government or the electrical companies say.

So come on guys... what IS the threat? You're convinced their is a risk. You're convinced that it's not safe.

So, using science and facts. What is the risk to the nuclear reactor from Sakurajima.

Because 'it's a volcano' is not remotely relevant.

Do you expect them to say anything else?

Their attitude: It's only a problem when it's a problem and then it becomes a problem we couldn't possibly predict.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and much of Japanese industry want reactors to be switched on again to cut fuel bills,

Hardly, they can not share the real reason.....more power, means more money, higher profits. They are in bed together and when the people finally wake I hope it's not too late.

Believe me folks, if another giant caldera is to be formed, it is basically good by to Japan, and the reactors would just be swallowed up. These calderas are similar to the ones in a string leading out of Yellowstone. Same situation. Do not worry. Life is good.

Seriously, volcano's!

Before event "Its no problem, we have the highest safety standards in the world"

Immediately after event. "Oh no-one could have predicted the amount of volcanic dust.. its clogged some important air and water filters causing overheating, and some electrical shorts in some equipment but there is no meltdown, its all under control"

Sometime after the event, when its obvious its not under control. "There appears to be a meltdown, it seems contained, we really have no idea whats going on or how to fix it"

Let's hope Sakaurajima is listening.

people relax please you are not educated about this issue, im sure they are doing there best to prevent a meltdown stop being afraid of nothing

Does anyone on this thread have a clue about what a giant Caldera is?

Please look it up. Then make a comment. Very interesting geological phenomena.

Another Atricle to keep on record for future use. Though I hope and pray that I'm wrong.

The posters here that really think that nuclear power and earthquakes can mix need ....help! Were the Fukushima, Kobe, Phuket earthquakes et al predicted? No, because we have no exact science that can predict earth movements far beneath the earth's surface! Thus, it is far better to err on the side of caution......

My concern is not at the Sendai nuclear power plant, which is 60 km away from the Sakurajima caldera. It's the people of Kagoshima--who are very close to the volcano--that needs to be ready to pack their bags and leave on extremely short notice if we have another eruption like what happened in 1914, an eruption that left a huge pile of ash in the city and turned what was once an island into a peninsula on the east side of Kagoshima Bay.

No special measures? Wrong answer!

If they cannot think of anything that could go wrong, its an accident waiting to happen.

Already one of us laymen have pointed out hot ash that could fall. Sure, I don't think it will be that big of a problem, but you never know.

Anyway, the primary special measure they need to take is stop using uranium and plutonium in the ring of fire. We have this wonderful reactor fuel in modern times called thorium. They really should look into it and stop gambling with people's lives and health.

My usual comment that is so applicable to the nuclear industry - 'Delusion & denial, lead to danger, disaster & destruction'.

The precautions by Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority for volcanic eruptions were “wanting in a number of important respects” and did not meet international standards, said John Large, chief executive of Large & Associates, a nuclear engineering consultancy

Any links to this report?

Also, John Large seems to get his funding from antinuclear groups, so I will be taking his work with a pinch of salt.

Well its like a game to them ,they play lets wait and see. If we do nothing the people will blame us but we can blame nature so that is how it goes safety last , people last , energy first for profits before life risk assessments.

Does anyone on this thread have a clue about what a giant Caldera is? Please look it up.

Congratulations on learning a new word. Keep it up.

Well, the nuclear fear-mongers are out in force today! Seriously, the plant is 52 km away and there are mountains between it and Sakurajima. Even Mt Vesuvius's worst eruptions had a radius of about 15 km only.

Even if there was an eruption that did affect the plant, it would be the least of our worries. Any problem with the nuclear plant would be obscured by the more than 1 million dead of the Kagoshima region.

Anyway, feel free to downvote me as you always do to anyone who brings logic and facts into any discussion on nuclear power.

kchoze: Even if there was an eruption that did affect the plant, it would be the least of our worries. Any problem with the nuclear plant would be obscured by the more than 1 million dead of the Kagoshima region.

After the big one? One million dead around Kagoshima, yes, and a radiation plume covering Japan.

I am always amazed at just how tone deaf people, companies and organisations can be.

In this case, it is just amazingly shocking at how tone deaf Kyushu Electric is. Clearly those running the show there have no idea of what PR and crisis management is all about.

The Sendai facility is not just any facility. It is the first nuclear facility to go back on line since the events of March 2011. And this was something that was adamantly opposed by a decent percentage of the population.

So, one would think that Kyushu Electric and, indeed, the politicians and regulators would be extra sensitive to anything and everything related to the Sendai facility. Right???

Clearly not.

There are two things at work here: the "facts", and perception. And Kyushu Electric is fundamentally wrong in how it is approaching both.

According to Kyushu Electric, the "facts" indicate that nothing could ever happen to the Sendai facility as a result of Sakurajima and therefore no special preparations are being taken. Right. Nothing here to see. Nice reassurances. Now move along.

EXCEPT: Isn't that the same BS that was said about Fukushima? Facts are never as they seem. And, given what what happened in Fukushima, shouldn't the assumption be that the facts may be wrong and that the worst case scenario could happen?! So, a fail on the handling of the "facts".

Then there is the PR aspect of it. In the wake of Fukushima, what is more reassuring? Well, nothing really going on and the risks are low, so we really aren't taking any special measures. Or. We take this very seriously. We are preparing for the worst case scenarios out of an abundance of caution, to include these scenarios. We don't believe it will ever come to that, but we want to be prepared.

Now, which do people think inspires confidence and reinforces a perception that Kyushu Electric is on top of things?! But, no, of course not. It is the "Hey, all is good, go back to your summer holidays and leave this nuclear energy stuff to those of us who know what we are doing." Sheeesh! A big fail on managing "perception.

Brilliant crisis management.

So come on guys... what IS the threat? You're convinced their is a risk. You're convinced that it's not safe. So, using science and facts. What is the risk to the nuclear reactor from Sakurajima. Because 'it's a volcano' is not remotely relevant.

The fact that none of you have been able to produce a single risk from Sakurajima to the nuclear plant kind of speaks volumes and one can conclude that there is no threat to the nuclear plant from Sakurajima.

Farmboy.. instead of sarcasm, why don't you answer the simple question.

What is the risk from Sakurajima to the nuclear plant. Because it's not a tsunami, it's not pyroclastic flows, it's not earthquakes, and it's not an explosion firing rocks 50 km away.

So what is it? No-one has produced a single piece of scientific evidence to suggest there is a risk. Because for the simple fact.

There isn't one.

I'd suggest you look into the difference between volcanic and tectonic earthquakes. I asked the other day if there was any evidence of volcanic earthquakes causing significant damage as they are typically localized. The larges under st Helens is a 5.5 because there is a difference in pressure release and magma moving.

Pyroclastic flows will affect me in New Zealand far greater than they will affect the nuclear power plant.

I'd your only concern is a tectonic earthquake like we saw in Tohoku then it isnt relevant to an article on a volcano and further evidence that Sakurajima is not of any concern to the nuclear plant.

but did not need to take any special precautions after authorities warned of the risk of a larger-than-usual eruption.

First thet start restarting the reactors against public sentiment - and then ignore the need to operate them safely. Their arrogance and crass incompetence is astonishing

The danger was always nearby calderas.

An interesting article here:

http://www.anti-atom.ru/en/node/5789

Kyushu Electric says no special precautions needed over volcano

noooooo! of course noooooot!! What are we ALL thinking!?!?!?!?