A couple of developments at the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant in Aomori Prefecture:
Background: The plant has been constructed and has undergone the first two stages of the testing regime - tests using water and chemical tests. The third stage is to send depleted uranium through the plant. The final stage is active testing, during which spent fuel is used.
1. Uranium tests have been further delayed. There have been several delays, but the latest delay is from June to August at the earliest. It is said that this may delay the commencement of operations, currently scheduled for July 2006. The reason for the delay is that Aomori Prefecture is holding off on signing a safety agreement, which is required before these tests can proceed.
2. There is a fault in the computer software that is supposed to control the concentration of plutonium etc in order to ensure that a critical mass cannot accumulate anywhere in the plant. During chemical tests last year it was discovered that valves and concentration measurements don't function properly in many of the routes that the liquid passes through. Japan Nuclear Fuels Ltd says it will retest this problem during the uranium tests. The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency says that it is sufficient to ensure that the problem is fixed before testing with spent fuel, because there is no chance of a criticality accident occurring with depleted uranium. We argue that they shouldn't commence uranium tests until they have confirmed that the problem is fixed.
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