Japan's Nuclear Safety chairman Haruki Madarame's recent admission at a parliamentary investigation that the “safety requirements” of the 40-year-old Fukushima Dai-ichi plant for “tsunami and power losses were too loose” goes against the grain of expecting the unexpected when dealing with nuclear power reactor safety. If overdependence on nuclear energy to power a country perched on the Pacific Ring of Fire, the world's most active earthquake zone, is bad enough, the choice of a basement to house the backup power generators that should kick in during an emergency is absurd. If the 9-magnitude earthquake of March 11, 2011 knocked off power supply from the grid, the tsunami that soon followed killed the backup power to the units. It has now come to light that Japan's Atomic Energy Commission head, Shunsuke Kondo, was fully aware of the faulty design of the plant. In fact, the rot runs even deeper. Madarame admitted that the “country's regulations are flawed, outdated and below global standards.” He said “the root of the problem lies” in Japan spending time making “excuses as to why we don't have to follow” the International Atomic Energy Agency guidelines even when other countries implement them.
The operator, TEPCO, is equally culpable. For instance, it missed safety checks at Fukushima over a 10-year period up to two weeks before the March 11 quake. The undoctored nuclear-reactor manual has revealed how ill prepared the company was in dealing with contingency measures. The 2007 earthquake that hit seven reactors at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant revealed that the company had knowingly built the reactor on top of a seismically active fault line. Fabrication and falsification of data has been its forte. Unfortunately the company was able to get away with these violations. The reason for this is not difficult to find. Nuclear regulators and operators make for strange bedfellows, but sadly, that has been the case in Japan. For instance, ignition of hydrogen has been cited as the cause of explosion at the units. But can that throw up heavy metals like plutonium-238 up to 45 km from the units? Two members of the Diet in a paper in the December 15, 2011 issue of Nature have also questioned the veracity of TEPCO's claim of meltdown magnitude. Unfortunately, the interim report submitted by the cabinet-constituted committee has failed to address such issues. Considering the recent admissions by the regulator and the track record of the operator, should the world rely on them to know the truth? Only a thorough investigation by truly impartial and independent scientists can provide the answers. That can happen only if the Fukushima plant is nationalised.
Very simple to say but not very simple to do. Considering the Japan case, India should try to take more measures to keep the reactors away from the public and also not near the seismic zone. At the same time, we need more reactors for power generation as our country needs more power to suffice the population.
I think India should take the lesson from Japan while building its nuclear power plants across the country.It would be clear negligence if we also repeat same mistake which Japan did while constructing nuclear power plant.The governemnt should set up an independent board comprising of sceintists from Bhabha and other prestigious indian atomic institutes.They may also invite noble laureats(in nuclear field) and scientist from Japan while discussing the pros and cons of nuclera site and before commissioning in any project.So,it is better to learn from the other's example than to be become a example.
To Nikhilesh Kumar
Excuse me! The plants at Fukushima are nowhere under control and
recent reports say they are heating up again and water has been poured
in gallons for a year and this will continue for years with the radio-
active water placed in large expensive metal tanks. Please check the
CNN upload on youtube entitled CNN;Look Inside Fukushima's meltdown
zone a year later" to see the state of affairs today in Fukushima and
also check the video upload "Japan's exclusion zone's lone resident"
by PigMine3. @ Vijayanthi Please note the plant manager was diagnosed
with serious cancer and resigned and check videos on the crew and how
they are not sure what's going on at the plants. Over 200 workers of
the Fukushima plants after meltdown simply disappeared (dead probably)
Tepco has no clue. Two other workers died on duty but the powerful
nuclear industry cited these as deaths from heart attacks. Over 50% of
children in Fukushima have irradiated thyroids and will end up sick
with cancer
Rebuild Japan Initiative Foundation a private firm, commissioned highly qualified scientists and others and prepared a report regarding the consequences after the multiple meltdowns,action of disaster management regimen during the crisis and the role of the gov., administration and business leaders and how the so called iron triumvirate's lack of coordination and lurking trust issues emerged and assumed gigantic proportions in the aftermath of that terrible tragedy. The report is said to be highly critical about some powers in the gov.repeatedly playing down the magnitude of the crisis while at the same time dreading about the worst case scenario that would have required the entire population of Tokyo to be evacuated. The then PM of Japan who ordered the staff not to abandon the plant as per the wishes of TEPCO's president has accepted the problems regarding the release of crucial information during that period.The plant manager and his crew brought the situation under control.
A cleverly framed article to subtly entice fear among the readers
against India's Nuclear program. A thoughtful retrospection of facts
will enlighten us that this 40 year old plant was built in technically
advancing nascent japan, that although it was hit by Tsunami of 20
feet high along with 9-scale earthquake which rendered all back-up
defunct, no one died and the plant was brought under control in due
course of time.
As for relating the concern to India's Nuclear program, it posses more
than 20 nuclear reactors and running successfully for more than 20
years of span. All the upcoming plants are equipped with latest safety
measures.
Indeed, Japan is one of the most technologically advanced nations. Moreover, the
Japanese are known to place greater emphasis on quality than short-term cost
savings. If they lack the technological and regulatory acumen, then no other
country can claim to have safer nuclear plants. As a matter of fact, investigations in most European states have shown this although the governments are keen to play these down.
Unfortunately, nuclear capability is seen as a matter of national pride, and this misplaced pride will yet cost us dear. There have been several small nuclear accidents at Indian reactors, none of which made for much coverage in the news. The fears of people living around Kudankulam are justified. A photo of the planned reactor site shows the Bay of Bengal right next to the reactor site. After the 2004 tsunami and Fukushima, anyone can put two and two together. Anyone, except the scientists, politicians and others obssessed with nuclear power.
UPA govt was in extreme hurry to finalize the nuclear deal risking all it's allies support. Now also they are in a hurry to commission the plant at all cost risking the lives of people. Minister Narayanaswamy declares that 12 or13 reactors will be operational before the end of next year in Tamilnadu. why is he in such a hurry? As your editorial on Japan shows that something fishy agenda was there for building nuclear power plant on such faulty earth quake zone when it was known to top atomic energy functionaries. Under such a puzzling circumstances, it is better to wait till a full fledged report to appear on the Fukushima reactor. So koodankulam can wait to know the truth.
What can India learn from this while pushing for nuclear energy? It is another matter India never learns anything from outside as its ruling elite considers they already have all wisdom in the world...!
If country like Japan has such loopholes in regulation, what must be the case in India? We do not have independent, impartial nuclear reguatory authority. While energy is must needed for this nation's progress, at what cost we are going to have it? >India needs to be transparent and innovative to progress.
Please Email the Editor