Nuclear Energy Policy
Today's concern is as follows, since the Tokyo Gubernatorial Election campaign is going on mainly with a focus on a standpoint of each candidate about Japan's nuclear energy policy, though Japan should take into consideration states of nuclear energy handling in other nations.
China set to build 200 nuclear power plants: report
Beijing aims to cut high level of emissions generated by the large-scale use of coal
First Published: Thu, Sep 26 2013. 11 09 PM IST
Beijing: China plans to build 200 new nuclear power plants and speed up the construction of 29 more as part of efforts to cut the high level of emissions generated by the large-scale use of coal.
China’s demand for nuclear plants will reach 200, with four to six new projects being approved annually before 2015, said Jian Jingwen, deputy head of the equipment department at the State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation.
The number will touch 10 plants every year after 2020, Jian was quoted as saying by state-run China Daily.
China plans to increase nuclear power generation capacity from 10.7 gigawatts in 2010 to 160 gigawatts in 2040, the report said.If any of Chinese nuclear power plants should be in a trouble with a large scale of radioactive leakage, radioactive material discharged will flow to the east and eventually to Japan like industrial pollutants such as PM2.5. Japan cannot be free from a disaster caused by a nuclear power plant in the Chinese continent and the Korea Peninsula.
http://www.livemint.com/Politics/3s501RtDktWGT48wbF771K/China-set-to-build-200-nuclear-power-plants-report.html
January 15, 2014 7:00 am JSTWe may further check the state of use of nuclear energy for electricity in Taiwan as Taiwan is another neighboring country to Japan over the East China Sea.
S Korea to build more nuclear plants despite opposition
KENTARO OGURA, Nikkei staff writer
South Korea currently has 23 nuclear reactors, with plans in the works to build 11 more, including those already under construction. The total capacity of the 34 reactors would be 36 million kilowatts, short of the new target of 43 million kilowatts in 2035.
Furthermore, South Korea hopes to cultivate nuclear power into a major export industry. The nation vies with Japan to win orders for nuclear plant construction in the Middle East, Southeast Asia and elsewhere. Shifting from nuclear power would impede technological development in that field.
http://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/Policy-Politics/S-Korea-to-build-more-nuclear-plants-despite-opposition
Nuclear Power in Taiwan
(Updated January 2014)
The three nuclear plants comprise four General Electric boiling water reactors and two Westinghouse pressurised water reactors. Construction of the first unit began in 1972. They are all operated by the utility Taipower, under the MOEA, and were expected to have 40-year lifetimes. Five of the six units had undergone minor uprates by the end of 2008, resulting in net 44 MWe increase.
There are two 1350 MWe Advanced Boiling Water Reactors under construction at Lungmen, near Taipei. Initial plans to procure the units on an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) basis failed, and contacts were awarded to GE for the nuclear reactors, Mitsubishi for the turbines and others for the rest, making it a particularly difficult project to manage. Construction began in 1999 with intention of 2004 completion.
Following the Fukushima accident in March 2011, the AEC initiated a comprehensive nuclear safety review, and the first phase of this was completed in September. The AEC also strengthened its radiation protection capacity and contingency mechanisms, since Taiwan is very prone to seismic activity. In January 2012 the AEC said that its post-Fukushima inspections found "no safety concerns" with the six operating nuclear units. It also required Taipower itself to review the nuclear plants' safety margins by following the European Union's reactor stress test requirements.
http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Country-Profiles/Others/Nuclear-Power-in-Taiwan/
It seems to be necessary for all the related countries in the Far East, including North Korea, to hold a meeting to discuss nuclear safety. However, even the Abe Cabinet of Japan is promoting export of nuclear power generation systems to foreign countries. Prime MInister Abe flew to Turkey, Vietnam, and India to sell Japanese nuclear power plants in these months. South Korea is also eager to export nuclear reactors overseas. According to a source, S. Korea plans to sell 80 nuclear reactors abroad by 2030. Such irresponsible activities must be stopped.
The era of nuclear energy must be ended specifically as we have suffered the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.
In this context we have to pay attention to an outcome of the Tokyo Gubernatorial Election to be held on February 9. If a candidate endorsed by PM Abe should win, the momentum of restoring operation of some 50 nuclear power reactors in Japan will be accelerated, though all of them are now halted mostly due to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident which was set off in March 2011, three years ago.
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Pro 2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
Pro 2:4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
Pro 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.