Japan's 1st pluthermal nuclear power generation begins

Tuesday 10th November, 02:45 AM JST

TOKYO —

Pluthermal power generation using plutonium-uranium mixed oxide fuel began Monday for the first time in Japan at a reactor at the Genkai nuclear power plant in Saga Prefecture, Kyushu Electric Power Co said. Pluthermal power generation, seen as a pillar of Japan’s nuclear fuel recycling initiative, has commenced around 10 years behind schedule.

The 1.18 million-kilowatt No. 3 reactor loaded with MOX fuel was activated Oct 5 and the fuel reached late that night a critical state where a self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction is attained. The pressurized light-water reactor began generating electricity at 1:48 p.m. and Kyushu Electric plans to gradually raise its output to 100% capacity in a week to 10 days.

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4 Comments

Yelnats at 03:06 PM JST - 10th November

10 years behind schedule. Almost a whole generation behind schedule.
syaka at 12:41 AM JST - 11th November

@ Yelnates

better late than never!
stirfry at 02:10 PM JST - 11th November

everyone in saga is gonna be glowing in the dark within a year, but kyushu electric will tell them its safe
stipend at 02:19 AM JST - 12th November

@ stirfry - Ha-ha-ha!

@syaka - Better never IMO. Give this a thought..

MOX fuel has no history in Japan. It's less stable than uranium. It's untested here. Japan's experimental and only "fast breeder" reactor Monju, was a cover up. A full on nuclear plant built, open half a year.. and mothballed. Just a massive white elephant and your taxes blown.

MOX is one of the most dangerous substances known to man yet it is sent on the high seas around the Cape of Good Hope! back to Japan after reprocessing in France.

http://cnic.jp/english/newsletter/nit130/nit130articles/mox.html

We have every reason to be critical of government and industry here.

The byproduct of MOX fuel is weapons-grade plutonium. Is Japan going nuclear? Let's all hope not, but it now becomes possible.

In theory this enriched plutonium was supposed to be fed into Japan's fast breeder reactor Monju and disposed of in that way. Monju is dead in the water. It can't be done.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/perspectives/editorial/news/20091106p2a00m0na003000c.html

fast-breeder reactors and reprocessing plants -- crucial to Japan's envisioned nuclear fuel cycle -- have been met with numerous stumbling blocks, and their future remains unclear.

In other words: Weapons-grade plutonium is about to start piling up on these shores. While this alone presents very serious dangers in Japan, it also has the potential of igniting the next arms race -that of plutonium stockpiling. You've got that much nuclear warhead material ready to go, then so will I - could easily become the next mantra of every nuclear powered nation.