Japan formally scraps ‘Monju’ Fast-Breeder Nuclear Reactor after 22 years of its failure
The so-called “dream reactor” was designed to burn a plutonium-uranium mix, while potentially producing more plutonium in the process that could be converted into more nuclear fuel.
The reactor suffered a leakage of sodium, used as coolant, in 1995, months after it went online, a major accident that caused its initial yearslong suspension before more recent safety problems.
It was estimated that Monju would have required costly upgrades to meet new safety standards introduced after meltdowns at a nuclear plant in Fukushima that was flooded by a tsunami in 2011, with at least 540 billion yen ($4.6 billion) and eight more years of work estimated to restart Monju, officials said, citing their latest estimates.
We have decided to decommission Monju because restarting it would require significant time and cost,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said from Fukui, home to Monju in western Japan. Local officials oppose losing Monju, which rakes in subsidies and provides jobs.
Officials, however, said Japan’s spent fuel recycling plan would not change even without Monju. Opponents say Japan should give up the program and shift to direct burial of spent fuel as waste, but officials are seeking another fast reactor to replace Monju, although details are still extremely sketchy.
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