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AP/Press Association Images

Japan may scrap nuclear plant over seismic fault

Geologists say an existing Japanese nuclear plant may be sited over an active seismic fault – indicating that it will probably have to be scrapped.

GEOLOGISTS SAID TODAY that a Japanese nuclear plant may be sited over an active seismic fault, indicating that it will probably be scrapped.

All five experts tasked by the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) with investigating the tectonic situation underneath Tsuruga plant in Fukui prefecture said it showed signs of geologically recent movement.

Under government guidelines atomic installations cannot be sited on a fault – the meeting place of two or more of the plates that make up the earth’s crust – if it is still classed as active.

“Active” faults are those that, amongst other things, have moved within the last 120,000-130,000 years.

All but two of Japan’s nuclear reactors remain offline after they were shuttered for regular safety checks in the aftermath of the 2011 crisis at Fukushima, when a huge tsunami generated by an earthquake caused meltdowns.

They must now get the go-ahead from the newly-formed NRA before they can be restarted.

Shunichi Tanaka, head of the regulatory body, said: “I have the impression that we will never be able to go ahead with a safety review (of Tsuruga) for resumption.”

If the body formally decides that the plant, which houses two reactors on the Sea of Japan (East Sea) coast, is sitting above active faults, it is likely to be decommissioned.

The body is separately considering whether the Oi nuclear plant, Japan’s only working atomic power plant which has two reactors and is also in western Japan, sits on an active fault.

Hundreds of thousands of people were made homeless by the Fukushima accident and tracts of prime agricultural land were left unfarmable.

Anti-nuclear sentiment is running high in Japan, which used to rely on the technology for around a third of its electricity needs.

- © AFP, 2012

Read: Accident at Sellafield would have “no health effects in Ireland”

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    Mute sleepy joe
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    Dec 27th 2023, 3:25 PM

    Keep your jabs

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    Mute Tezmond McVicar
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    Dec 27th 2023, 3:37 PM

    @sleepy joe: They’re not jabs. If you’d bothered to wake from your sleep and read the article you’d know that.

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    Mute D Farrell
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    Dec 27th 2023, 1:23 PM

    If some of the parents, pointlessly commenting on FF v SF v FG politics here, instead brought their children to the free flu vaccine clinics today (or tomorrow), the HSE would be better able to cope with unavoidable accidents.

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    Mute bruce banner
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    Dec 27th 2023, 1:14 PM

    So… Upping the chance to spread covid just to use up surplus flu jabs.. Seems counter productive.

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    Mute John Mcmahon
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    Dec 27th 2023, 12:58 PM

    Could the journal post the list please
    Or a link even?

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    Mute John Mcmahon
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    Dec 27th 2023, 1:01 PM

    @John Mcmahon: found it thanks

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    Mute Wombleman
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    Dec 27th 2023, 5:50 PM

    I wonder if we would be allowed have a referendum on restricting some peoples access to the internet?

    If you answer ‘yes’ to any of the usual conspiracy nonsense then you are officially blocked and barred from any kind of internet access – this will help you by not allowing you to be hoodwinked into believing any other utter rubbish and it will help society by preventing you from spreading your tripe.

    Before anyone says I’m being a fascist etc I’m proposing a fair referendum where the will of the people decide the outcome – if the looneys win then I’ll accept that I live in a country of looneys (I really doubt they will though, thanks be to God!!)

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