Monju operator applies for work to restart

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@earthlink.net>]

Monju operator applies for work to restart

FUKUI, Japan, Dec. 8 (Kyodo) - 

The operator of Japan's prototype ''Monju'' fast-breeder nuclear 
reactor in Fukui Prefecture asked local governments Friday to allow 
it to restart the facility, which has been shut for five years since a 
coolant leak. 

The Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute, the operator, 
submitted documents to the Fukui prefectural government and the 
Tsuruga city government that host the reactor requesting they give 
the green light for safety examinations at the plant to prepare for 
improvement work. 

If the local governments agree, the operator will conduct the safety 
examinations in about a year and complete the improvements 
some 17 months after that, institute officials said. 

Institute head Yasumasa Togo said he hopes the plant will be able 
to resume operations as soon as possible. 

Fukui Gov. Yukio Kurita said the prefectural government will 
carefully study the application. 

Since the leakage, Kurita had refused the plant's operator from 
launching any procedures leading to the facility's resumption. 

But this time he received the documents apparently due to the 
central government's issuance of a long-term nuclear energy 
program last month calling for an early resumption of Monju, 
prefectural government sources said. 

A group of residents against the plant released a statement 
protesting the application, saying local people are still concerned 
about its safety. 

Monju, with a capacity to generate 280,000 kilowatts of electricity, 
was built as a next-generation reactor capable of producing more 
plutonium than it consumes. 

However, 20 months after it first attained criticality in April 1994, 
some 640 kilograms of sodium coolant leaked from the facility's 
secondary cooling system Dec. 8 1995, causing a fire. 

A number of countries, including Britain, Germany, France and the 
United States, have decided to scrap projects for fast-breeder 
reactors for political, technical or financial reasons. 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sandy Perle					Tel:(714) 545-0100 / (800) 548-5100   				    	
Director, Technical				Extension 2306 				     	
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Service		Fax:(714) 668-3149 	                   		    
ICN Pharmaceuticals, Inc.			E-Mail: sandyfl@earthlink.net 				                           
ICN Plaza, 3300 Hyland Avenue  		E-Mail: sperle@icnpharm.com          	          
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Personal Website: http://sandyfl.nukeworker.net
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com
************************************************************************
The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html