Wall Street Journal (March 9)
Five years have passed since the nuclear meltdown, but “Fukushima still rattles Japan.” The nation must debate the controversial “reopening of reactors” that have largely been shuttered since the accident, even as “costly cleanup and decommissioning” are scheduled to continue for decades at Fukushima.
Tags: Cleanup, Controversial, Decommissioning, Fukushima, Japan, Meltdown, Nuclear, Reactors, Reopening, Shuttered
Bloomberg (August 28)
With all of Japan’s nuclear plants off line, many now expect the first restart won’t occur until 2015. “Delays are prompting a reassessment of Japan’s nuclear outlook. JPMorgan cut its forecast in a July 28 report to 31 reactors to restart by 2019, down from 42. Two-thirds of Japan’s pre-accident fleet may never resume due to damage, seismic conditions that don’t meet NRA guidelines and local opposition.”
Tags: Damage, Japan, NRA, Nuclear, Opposition, Outlook, Reactors, Restart, Seismic conditions
The Economist (April 12)
Rising energy demand, is leading “two of the world’s rising industrial powers, India and China,… to look at the idea of building reactors that run on thorium.” More abundant than uranium, thorium is also less conducive to weapons use, minimizing the threat that it could be misused by rogue bomb makers. China already has over 400 people working on this, with plans for a working prototype reactor by 2015.
Tags: Abundant, Bomb, China, Demand, Energy, India, Industrial, Prototype, Reactor, Reactors, Thorium, Threat, Uranium, Weapons
Time (April 30, 2013)
On the surface, relations look strong between the U.S. and South Korea, “thanks to a free-trade agreement, greater policy coordination and solidarity against North Korea’s provocations. But there is an unresolved question in their relationship: How much nuclear technology should South Korea possess?” South Korea wants enrichment and reprocessing rights. By 2030, the South seeks to supply 60% of its domestic energy needs with nuclear and aspires to be a major exporter of nuclear reactors. Wary of demands other countries might make, the U.S. remains opposed to expanding enrichment and reprocessing rights. Going it alone would “seriously strain the alliance. For now, South Korea appears set on gaining Washington’s seal of approval.”
Tags: Alliance, Enrichment, Exports, Reactors, Reprocessing, South Korea, U.S.
