NUCLEAR STRESS TESTS IN JAPAN

JAPAN MAY BE NUCLEAR FREE BY MAY

Tsuyoshi Inajima and Chisaki Watanabe

Bloomberg, July 8, 2011

Japan may have no nuclear reactors running by May next year should the round of tests announced by the government this week cause further delays to restarting units idled for maintenance, a Bloomberg survey shows.

Shikoku Electric Power Co. today said it delayed starting a reactor that was due to resume in two days. About two-thirds of Japan’s 54 reactors have been shut down by the March earthquake and tsunami or because of regular checks, leading to power- saving measures in parts of the country.

The so-called stress tests on nuclear stations were announced two days ago by Trade Ministry Banri Kaieda, almost three weeks after he declared all reactors safe. The turnaround prompted a mayor to yesterday retract his approval for Kyushu Electric Power Co. to start two units that were due to resume operations in April.

“It would have made sense if stress tests were announced before Trade Minister Kaieda said Japan’s nuclear plants are safe,” said Tetsuo Ito, the head of the Atomic Energy Research Institute at Kinki University in western Japan. “Residents around reactors must feel really insulted.”

The remaining operating units in Japan, the world’s third- biggest user of nuclear power, must be idled by May next year, according to schedules provided to Bloomberg by Kyushu Electric, Shikoku Electric, Tokyo Electric Power Co., Kansai Electric Power Co. and the other power companies. The U.S. and France are the biggest users of atomic power.

(...) [artículo aquí]