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Early Implications for Nuclear Industry and Policy Makers After Fukushima

IN THIS ISSUE: After Fukushima, 5 early lessons from Japan's nuclear crisis, reactors on fault lines getting fresh scrutiny, China freezes nuclear approvals, India's 'No First Use' nuke policy to continue, Malaysia seizes 'possible' nuclear weapons parts.

Published on March 17, 2011
 

After Fukushima: Early Implications for Nuclear Industry and Policy Makers

James Acton, Toby Dalton, Mark Hibbs, Eli Levite, George Perkovich | Carnegie Endowment

Fukushima

Amidst the drama of the worst seismic catastrophe in Japan's recorded history, the Japanese government and its nuclear industry have been struggling since last Friday to meet their greatest-ever challenge: preventing a power reactor core melt accident similar to that which occurred at Three Mile Island in the United States three decades ago.

The scope of this challenge to Japan is almost inconceivable. When a force 9.0 earthquake struck off the Pacific coast on Friday, March 11, two nuclear power stations, Fukushima-Daiichi and Fukushima-Daini, with a total of ten reactors, suffered a loss of external power. Shortly after the seven operating reactors at these stations shut down automatically in response to the shock, emergency cooling systems-needed to remove decay heat from the reactors' radioactive fuel-ceased operating. Without external power, the cooling systems were reliant on local backups that, according to Japanese experts, were damaged by the devastating tsunami that followed the earthquake. Full Article

For more insight, see Carnegie's continuing coverage of the Fukushima reactor crisis.  
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Second Chances: Containment of a Reactor Meltdown (The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists)
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Japan is desperately racing to prevent three power reactors from melting down after last week's devastating earthquake and tsunami. This is an almost unthinkable challenge.     Full Article

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When Japan's Daiichi Fukushima nuclear power station was built, everyone knew it was in an area prone to earthquakes. But no one counted on this one.     Full Article

 
 
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China's vast nuclear push is likely to slow after the government ordered a safety crackdown on Wednesday in the wake of Japan's nuclear crisis. The announcement by China's State Council, or cabinet, was the clearest sign yet that the crisis at a quake-ravaged nuclear complex in northeast Japan could drag on China's ambitious nuclear energy expansion, by far the world's largest.     Full Article


 
 
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India will continue with its 'no first use' policy on nuclear weapons, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna on Wednesday declared, rejecting BJP leader Jaswant Singh's suggestion for a revisit of the doctrine. However, he maintained that the nation would continue to hold a 'credible minimum deterrence' against nuke threats. 'Our policy (no first use) remains as it exists. Government is committed to safeguard India's security interests in consonance with our declared doctrine,' Krishna said, replying to a debate on the demands for grant for his ministry, which the Lok Sabha later passed.     Full Article

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Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.