43-568: The Tsuruga Nuclear Power Plant ( 敦賀発電所 , Tsuruga hatsudensho , Tsuruga NPP) is located in the city of Tsuruga , Fukui Prefecture , Japan . It is operated by the Japan Atomic Power Company (JAPC). The total site area is 5.12 square kilometres (1.98 sq mi) with 94% of it being green area that the company is working to preserve. The Tsuruga site is a dual site with the decommissioned prototype Fugen Nuclear Power Plant . Construction of two new nuclear reactors
86-775: A humid subtropical climate ( Köppen climate classification Cfa ) with hot summers and cool winters. Precipitation is plentiful throughout the year, and is particularly heavy in December and January. The average annual temperature in Tsuruga is 15.6 °C (60.1 °F). The average annual rainfall is 2,199.5 mm (86.59 in) with December as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 27.7 °C (81.9 °F), and lowest in January, at around 4.7 °C (40.5 °F). Per Japanese census data,
129-562: A draft-report presented 28 January 2013, a panel of experts of the Japanese NRA again affirmed that the D-1 fault that runs under reactor No. 2 is likely to be geologically active, because it could move in conjunction with the active Urazoko-fault located only some 250 meters from both the No. 1 and No. 2 reactor buildings. Although other outside experts will be asked to check the report "to improve"
172-627: A group of seismic researchers revealed the possibility of a 7.4M (or even more potent) earthquake under the Tsuruga Nuclear Powerplant. Before this date, the Japanese governmental Earthquake Research Committee and Japan Atomic Power had calculated that the Urasoko fault under the plant, combined with other faults connected to it, was around 25 km long. and could cause a 7.2M quake and a 1.7 meter displacement. On top of this,
215-523: A member of this group of scientists, these faults were highly likely to be activated together, and this would extend the length of the Urasoko fault to 35 km. Computer-simulations calculating the length of a fault based on its displacement, showed the Urasoko fault to be 39 km long, a result close to the length estimated by the sonic survey data, and the fault could cause some 5 meter displacement when activated together with other faults. Sugiyama,
258-542: A playground equipment manufacturer, and a Panasonic (Matsushita) facility. Education and energy research also drive the economy. Tsuruga is also known for its two nuclear power facilities - the Monju demonstration nuclear plant and the Tsuruga Nuclear Power Plant . Tsuruga has 13 public elementary schools and five middle schools operated by the city government, and two public high schools operated by
301-516: A provisional court order to delay the restart of the two reactors at the Tsuruga Nuclear Power Plant in the city of Tsuruga . The plaintiffs argued that the plant is unsafe being built on a fault, and a severe accident could occur during an earthquake endangering the health of all residents, also contaminating Lake Biwa . They also criticize the government's safety and technological standards and regulations. On 5 March 2012,
344-663: A safety inspection on 26 January 2011. In March 2015 JAPC announced that Tsuruga 1 would be decommissioned. In March 2015 the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) accepted an expert report that concluded the plant is on an active fault , which put any restart of Tsuruga 2 in doubt. On 8 November 2011 a group of 40 citizens of Otsu in Shiga prefecture started a lawsuit at the Otsu District Court against Japan Atomic Power Company . They asked for
387-467: Is a city located in Fukui Prefecture , Japan . As of 29 June 2018 , the city had an estimated population of 66,123 in 28,604 households and the population density of 260 persons per km . The total area of the city was 251.39 square kilometers (97.06 sq mi). Tsuruga is located in central Fukui Prefecture, bordered by Shiga Prefecture to the south and Wakasa Bay of
430-752: Is an administrative body of the Cabinet of Japan established to ensure nuclear safety in Japan as part of the Ministry of the Environment . Established on September 19, 2012, its first head was Shunichi Tanaka. The NRA was formed from the Nuclear Safety Commission , which came under the authority of the Cabinet , and the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA), which was under
473-504: Is currently planned. However, there have been several delays due to the need for seismic upgrades, even before the March 2011 earthquake . As of 2014, construction has not begun on the two new reactors, although a tunnel has been completed linking the tip of the peninsula with the existing Units 1 and 2 sites. The Tsuruga 1 reactor is the oldest commercial reactor in Japan. It was shut down for
SECTION 10
#1732782638979516-464: The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). After the Fukushima nuclear disaster following the March 11, 2011, earthquake , the government's safety measures were seen to be inadequate. Also, NISA, being under the umbrella of METI, which was also responsible for promoting the use of nuclear power, was seen as having a conflict of interest. As a consequence, the new agency was established under
559-518: The Ministry of the Environment . According to the law establishing the NRA, the task of working out new nuclear safety rules must be completed within ten months of its September 19, 2012, launch. Chairman Tanaka said that the Authority was determined to undertake a radical review of the existing safety standards and planned to finish the outline of the safety rules by the end of 2012. On 19 July 2013,
602-490: The Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) of Japan decided to conduct a field-survey on the Tsuruga-site to check the faults under and around the plant. On 1 December, and of necessary, 2 December, the investigative team led by NRA Commissioner and seismologist Kunihiko Shimazaki and four other experts planned to examine the site to exclude that faults running directly underneath the two reactors might move in conjunction with
645-650: The Sea of Japan to the north. Tsuruga lies some 50 km south of Fukui , 90 km northwest of Nagoya , 40 km northwest of Maibara , 115 km northeast of Osaka , 75 km northeast of Kyoto , and 65 km east of Maizuru . Among cities on the Sea of Japan coast, Tsuruga is the nearest city to the Pacific Ocean . The distance between Tsuruga and Nagoya is only 115 km. Tsuruga and Nagoya are historically close to Shiga Prefecture and Kyoto. Tsuruga has
688-576: The Sengoku period , Under the Edo period Tokugawa shogunate , large portions of the city were part of the holdings of Obama Domain and Tsuruga Domain , and prospered as a major port on the kitamaebune shipping routes between western Japan and Hokkaido . Following the Meiji restoration , the area became part of Tsuruga District of Fukui Prefecture . With the creation of the modern municipalities system,
731-734: The Dutch Consul in Kaunas , who issued visa for Curaçao and Surinam, Mr. Chiune Sugihara , Vice-Consul for the Empire of Japan in Lithuania who issued transit visa for Japan. These events are detailed at the Port of Humanity Tsuruga Museum. However, much of the city center was destroyed in 1945 during the Bombing of Tsuruga during World War II , The city expanded on January 15, 1955 by annexing
774-937: The Fukui Prefectural Board of Education. There is also one private high school and one private middle/high school. Tsuruga Nursing University is also located in the city. High speed rail service to Tsuruga Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen began on 16 March 2024. Well-known Japanese DJ Chikashi Nishiwaki also founded his eclectic club, Tree, here. The club has been host to many national and international celebrity guests such as Jazztronik, Gilles Peterson, Toshio Matsuura from UFO, DJs Ravi, Julien Love and Two Dee, and Soil and Pimp Sessions. He has also mixed music with Tyronne Noonan, former frontman of George. . Nuclear Regulation Authority The Nuclear Regulation Authority ( Japanese : 原子力規制委員会 , Hepburn : Genshiryoku Kisei Iinkai , NRA )
817-485: The NRA updated its guidelines for the distribution and use of stabilized iodine tablets. Under the old rules designed in 2002 by the former regulator, the NSA, iodine tablets were recommended for those up to the age of 40. These former guidelines were based on studies done on the health of the atomic bomb survivors of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Later studies however showed that although older people had less risk of developing cancer,
860-441: The NRA, Toyoshi Fuketa, said that the company's explanation that a change in the presentation of the seismic data was unintentional was "preposterous". The NRA halted the restart Unit 2 because of tampering with data showing a seismic fault line is active. On August 28 2024, NRA ruled that reactor No. 2 cannot be switched back on due to the risks an active seismic fault. Tsuruga, Fukui Tsuruga ( 敦賀市 , Tsuruga-shi )
903-600: The NRA-report, stating the high possibility of an active fault lying under reactor No. 2 reactor, because the arguments of the power company were unclear. Although a 24 April-meeting was planned for another hearing, it was unlikely that the NRA-team would alter its position. On 15 May 2013, the experts appointed by the Nuclear Regulation Authority presented their final report. They concluded that
SECTION 20
#1732782638979946-411: The NRA. After this, the NRA would decide whether the reactors could be reactivated or not. In a statement, JAPCO was "extremely" disappointed that the panel had not taken into account the important data provided by the operator. JAPCO made a "strong request" for another possibility for discussions. On 19 April 2013, the NRA inspection team told JAPC that it would not accept the power company's refutation of
989-462: The NRA. Japan Atomic Power apologized for the "inappropriate handling of data" but stated it had not been done deliberately. In seeking approval to restart the reactor under stricter regulations imposed following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident, Japan Atomic Power has been trying to disprove geological expert opinion, published in March 2015, that the fault is active. In August 2021 the chairman of
1032-427: The No. 2 reactor was located right above an active fault, which could undermine its safety. This made it more likely that this unit might be shut down permanently. The expected costs of this could easily lead to a bankruptcy of its owner. On 22 May 2013 the NRA accepted the conclusions of the panel of experts, that the nr.2 reactor was built on an active fault named D-1. It also asked that Japan Atomic Power should study
1075-522: The active Urazoko fault located only 250 meters from the buildings. The result of these investigations was presented at a meeting of experts on 10 December 2012. The conclusion was that the "fault zone of crushed rock called D-1, located beneath the plant's No. 2 reactor, could move in conjunction with the Urazoko fault." Kunihiko Shimazaki, the NRA-commissioner at the head of the team, told at
1118-423: The basic fees it received from its major stockholders. In March 2015 the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) accepted an expert report that concluded the plant is on an active fault. In February 2020 the NRA accused Japan Atomic Power of modifying geological data used to determine whether the fault was active or not. The NRA had found that part of the data was deleted and rewritten in documents recently submitted to
1161-452: The contents, Kunihiko Shimazaki, NRA-member and panel head said : "We're not expecting to spend much time, but I can't tell at this moment by when (the review will finish)." On 22 January 2013, officials of Japan Atomic Power Co. received a version of the draft assessment report on the geologic faults running under the reactor complex. This was just a week before the report was scheduled to be made public by an NRA-appointed panel. Although
1204-454: The impact at the spent fuel pool inside the No. 2 reactor building in case the fault would move. Japan Atomic Power criticized this decision that the approval of the report was "extremely inappropriate" because the course of the discussions was not studied in detail by the NRA, and that the issue would be further discussed when at the end of June the results of the investigations by Japan Atomic Power would be clear. One day earlier experts hired by
1247-591: The leader of this research group of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, warned that – as other faults on the south side of the Urasoko fault could become activated together – "The worst-case scenario should be taken into consideration". According to the experts, there were many other faults located under one reactor on the west side of the Urasoku fault that could also move simultaneously. If this would be confirmed,
1290-472: The leaked information was not secret, for it contained a summary of public discussions, the incident was rather an embarrassment for the NRA because it undermined its policy of transparency and neutrality. Japan Atomic Power Co. was eager to get the information, because it wanted to prepare its counter arguments in the discussions. Although no money was paid for it, Tetsuo Nayuki, the NRA-official involved,
1333-467: The location of the Tsuruga nuclear plant would be disqualified. On 6 March 2012, NISA asked Japan Atomic Power Co. to reassess the worst-case scenario for earthquakes at the Tsuruga-nuclear power plant: what damage this could do to the buildings on the site, because the Urazoko fault, running around 250 meters from the reactor buildings, could have a serious impact on the earthquake resistance of
Tsuruga Nuclear Power Plant - Misplaced Pages Continue
1376-461: The meeting, "that what appeared to be an extended section of D-1 had moved as an active fault in the past, together with the movement of the Urazoko fault". Although some local residents were stunned by the NRA-led team's judgment, the mayor of Tsuruga, Mayor Kazuharu Kawase, said that the outcome was "very tough", but that additional investigations could possibly confirm the safety of the plants. In
1419-476: The neighboring villages of Arachi, Awano, Togo, Nakago and Higashiura. Tsuruga has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 26 members. Tsuruga has a very healthy mixed economy focused on providing services to the Wakasa region, and also features a container port, a bulk terminal, a coal-fired power plant, two textile mills, a large furniture factory,
1462-480: The operator of the nuclear power plant had asked the NRA to postpone the decision, because they found there were insufficient data to do so. The expected costs of decommissioning was to bring extra financial troubles for the company. Reactor nr.2 had only been in action about 26 years, instead of the 40 years it was designed for. And while it appeared to be very difficult to restart the other reactors, Japan Atomic Power could not sell any electricity, and survived only on
1505-420: The other fault (without a name) running right beneath reactor 2 could slip and cause critical damage to the reactor induced by an earthquake caused by the Urazoko fault. By definition, a fault is "active" when it is believed to have caused a quake about 120,000 to 130,000 years ago or later. Japan Atomic Power was requested to produce a detailed assessment of the two faults under the reactors. On 14 November 2012,
1548-484: The plant to the NRA-panel. According to JAPCO, the D-1 was not active and there was no need to refer to K because it did move in earlier times. But although the content of the report could be improved in a way that it would be more comprehensible to the public, the NRA did not expect that the meeting would change earlier conclusions. At the next meeting of the panel, the report was expected to be finalized and submitted to
1591-477: The population of Tsuruga peaked around the year 2000 and has declined slightly since. Although Tsuruga promotes itself as the leading city of the "Wakasa region", the city is actually has always been of ancient Echizen Province . A settlement at Tsuruga is mentioned in the Nara period Kojiki and Nihon Shoki chronicles. Kanagasaki Castle was the site of major battles during the early Muromachi period and
1634-540: The power plant. NISA was also planning to send similar instructions to two other nuclear power plant operators in the Fukui area: Kansai Electric Power Company , and Japan Atomic Energy Agency , because the Mihama Nuclear Power Plant and the Monju fast-breeder reactor could also be affected by a possible earthquake caused by the Urazoko fault. A few weeks later, on 21 March 2012, was revealed that
1677-414: The presence of the oceanic faults were not taken into account by NISA and JAP in the assessment of the safety of the Tsuruga nuclear power plant. Analysis of sonic survey and other data provided by Japan Atomic Power analysed by a panel of experts of Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency showed the presence of multiple faults existing within 2 to 3 km from the Urasoko fault. According to Yuichi Sugiyama,
1720-443: The results of sonic research done in 2005 were ignored by JAPCO and that this data was kept secret in 2008 from a NISA research team of experts. After an on-site survey at four points of geological layers by a panel of geologists, on 24 April 2012, NISA did admit that the 35-km-long Urazoko fault that runs under the Tsuruga reactors could be active. The experts determined that an earthquake did happen there some 4,500 years ago and that
1763-427: The risk was not zero. Therefore, the age limit of 40 was abandoned. Because tablets were needed for approximately 4.8 million people who live within 30 kilometers of a nuclear reactor, implementation may take some time with only one pharmaceutical firm in Japan available for the production. Distribution would be started soon, and local governments were ordered to hold briefings for their residents. The NRA also warned that
Tsuruga Nuclear Power Plant - Misplaced Pages Continue
1806-711: The town of Tsuruga was founded on April 1, 1889. An Imperial decree in July 1899 established Tsuruga as an open port for trading with the United States and the United Kingdom . Tsuruga merged with the neighboring village of Matsubara and was incorporated as a city on April 1, 1937. Tsuruga was the only Japanese port opened to the Polish orphans in 1920, and to the Jewish refugees in 1940 thanks to Jan Zwartendijk ,
1849-484: Was fired, because he violated the strict NRA regulations that, to ensure transparency, forbid single NRA staff members to meet officials of nuclear power plant operators. On 1 February, Nayuki was transferred to his former post at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. On Friday, 8 March 2013, Japan Atomic Power Co. presented its latest analysis based on its ongoing geological investigation at
#978021