Faultline beneath Tsuruga reactor believed to be active

By Risa Maeda

National Dec. 11, 2012 - 07:00AM JST ( 14 )

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14 Comments

10

Rick KisaDec. 11, 2012 - 07:35AM JST

A fault line extending from below the reactor was assessed to have moved in the past in tandem with another nearby fault, Kunihiko Shimazaki, an NRA commissioner who led the seismic panel, told the meeting

I thought the whole of Japan is messy with fault lines constantly criss-crossing each other everywhere! i mean a nuke plant does not even need to be on fault line to be damaged because one day, a fault line will after all surface near or beneath it! Were the Fukushima nuke plants on fault lines? Better to conclude that Japan is sitting on dangerous tectonic plates/ring of fire and therefore not fit for nuke plants. Makes more sense to me to imagine along those lines......
6

SquidBertDec. 11, 2012 - 07:53AM JST

Faultline beneath Tsuruga reactor believed to be active

I call BS, it was already known to be active, now they believe it might be official.
6

marcelitoDec. 11, 2012 - 07:57AM JST

Good. Sounds like it shouldn't have been built above that fault in the first place. But I,m sure Japan Atomic Power REALLY didn't know about the fault when they decided to build the plant, did they... Btw, I,m sure we can be fully confident about the results of the further seismic studies that Japan Atomic said they will conduct. Anyone for a bet...?:)
4

FarmboyDec. 11, 2012 - 08:53AM JST

A Japan Atomic official who attended the meeting said the company would carry out further seismic studies

Until they can find a scientist who says what they want to hear, I imagine. In any case, good for this group for telling the truth under what must have been a lot of pressure from the nuke folks to say otherwise.
1

Dennis BauerDec. 11, 2012 - 09:07AM JST

Stating the obvious wow
8

zichiDec. 11, 2012 - 09:15AM JST

TEPCO, knowingly built their Niigata plant on a fault line, its the largest nuclear plant in the world, with 7 reactors.
1

alliswellinjapanDec. 11, 2012 - 09:17AM JST

Known fact confirmed over 30 yrs ago. Should serve as a big lift for anti-nuclear parties incl DPJ. Interesting how this came out at this particular timing just before the election.
3

cabadajeDec. 11, 2012 - 09:32AM JST

But I,m sure Japan Atomic Power REALLY didn't know about the fault when they decided to build the plant, did they...

It isn't a matter so much of knowing that it was there (This is Japan. It would have been more surprising if a fault line hadn't been in the area). The question is what the estimated risk was. Just like every other possible environmental threat out there.
4

smithinjapanDec. 11, 2012 - 10:04AM JST

"Japan Atomic Power Co may have to decommission one of its reactors..."

How much do you want to bet that, after pretending they had no idea and didn't try to cover it up, Japan Atomic Power Co. will NOT agree to decommission the plant but stress its necessity, especially with 'winter power shortages looming', etc.?
3

herefornowDec. 11, 2012 - 10:49AM JST

In an article on Japan Times it quoted the head of Japan Atomic Power Company as saying this conclusion was "completely uacceptable". LOL. The arrogance of that man. In other words, how dare the NRA, which is charged with protecting public safety, actually try to do its job, at the expense of Japan Inc. Incredible. Youcan bet if the LDP wins, they'll find a way to re-start it.
2

nandakandamandaDec. 11, 2012 - 10:49AM JST

Quote: "While Tanaka has no authority to order a permanent shutdown, his comment implies he will not allow the reactor to be restarted, forcing a decision on Japan Atomic over whether to mothball the unit."

And this is what Tepco's lawyers know. The NRA has no authority to legally order a shutdown, not the way the law is presently written. The law allows for shutdown orders in an immediate emergency which is thought to include a missile attack, plane crash, terrorist attack, etc. Tepco got permission to build the thing from the government. They built it, and they say they will be the ones to decide whether or not to shut down the No.2 reactor at Tsuruga.
2

DisillusionedDec. 11, 2012 - 10:56AM JST

Wow! A negative result! I guess someone didn't receive their brown paper bag full of cash. I bet there is an updated report released very soon that is contrary to this one.
3

wanderlustDec. 11, 2012 - 11:58AM JST

TEPCO, KEPCO and the other utilities with NPPs all blatantly ignored these findings more than 30 years ago, claiming that these professors of geology knew nothing about nuclear power. Maybe they didn't, but they knew a lot about plate tectonics, seismic activity and the risk of accidents. Any nuclear engineer who agreed with their views was deprived of funding, fixed at assoc. prof level, and kept out of the media.

The nuclear village will have to come up with some new spin to convince people these reactors can be re-started, or distribute more brown papers bags...
1

edojinDec. 11, 2012 - 07:55PM JST

Not to worry ... the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan is expected to win big in Sunday's election ... and if they do, they will once again cover up the nuclear problems and say that everything is fine and dandy ... much like they did several years before the tsunami destroyed the nuclear power plant in Fukushima Prefecture.