Saturday, February 16, 2013

#Radioactive Asia: There Will Be 100 Additional Nuclear Reactors in Asia in 20 Years


As far as Asians are concerned, the Fukushima nuclear accident seems to have encouraged them to embark on new nuclear projects.

They probably look at Japan, and say, "Well their government has said all along there is no bad effect from triple meltdowns and melt-throughs, and people don't seem to care anyway, so what's there to lose? Not much."

Japan (and probably South Korea and Russia, too) would be very willing to foot the bills anyway via the loans at preferential rates and give away other goodies (some may call "bribes") to the government officials.

Japan is downwind, but that's not even a slight concern to the nuclear makers and the Japanese government, particularly the one under the prime minister who has already started going to bathrooms too frequently during the Diet sessions. (PM Abe suffers from ulcerative colitis.)

From Nikkei Shinbun (2/15/2013), nuclear reactors currently under construction, and currently planned:

Japan: 2
Taiwan: 2
South Korea: 19
China: 56
Vietnam: 14
Indonesia: 4
India 18


Nikkei says it means more opportunities for the Japanese nuclear manufacturers, but the competition will be intense among Japan, South Korea, and Russia. Nikkei's estimate is the 50 trillion yen (US$535 billion) market in Asia alone, at 500 billion yen per reactor.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

The last nuclear bonanza! Just tells you how incredibly stupid and corrupt these cultures are to adopt such an insane system. I think you are right on the money there EX SKF, those governments probably did see how "well" Japan has dealt with the meltdowns and how "there are no problems" and thought this is proof of the safety! Note that Japanese journalists are forbidden to discuss radiation in their articles otherwise they are fired. This news blackout is in direct proportion to the ignorance of the general public in Japan who have forgotten all about the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster and its consequences. Down the memory hole! (except for those in the Fukushima area, but even there...).

netudiant said...

Not sure that these societies see much alternative to nuclear.
There is not enough coal or gas to power Asia at anything close to Japan's per capita consumption, while solar and wind have thus far been painfully short on performance and long on cost.
What is surprising to me is how little use Japan appears to be making of its unique practical experience in dealing with a nuclear disaster.
One would think that Japan's nuclear village would be brimming with insights about what to do to make future reactors less vulnerable as well as less damaging if they do fail. That would be a major marketing differentiator favoring Japanese suppliers. But thus far, that aspect has not been highlighted afaik.
Perhaps the Japanese reactor makers feel that the disaster was such a trauma that it is better not to discuss it. If so, they are badly mistaken, the problem cannot be hidden. It must be faced up to and its implications dealt with.
They should learn from Boeing, who used to have a motto for dealing with obvious problems 'If you can't hide it, paint it red!'. A problem that is highlighted is a problem that can be discussed and dealt with satisfactorily.

arevamirpal::laprimavera said...

@netudiant, good point and good quote of Boeing. Japanese nuclear industry is clearly in the denial mode, as in "If we keep quiet and lie low for a while, the accident will be forgotten and we'll be ok..."

Anonymous said...

The world's ozone layer is gone so, build, "like there's no tomorrow"....because there isn't going to be one!

Global population reduction is fully underway ...yeah! Everyone is going to get cancer from, sun rays and radiation...yeah baby!
No one person is to blame....except, everyone on the planet is to blame!

We're all idiots except for people that write on this site's content. They are smart and informed.

Crack a beer and let the show begin...we all have a front row seat to the biggest disaster the Earth has ever seen that man has made! Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!

Anonymous said...

Even with Asia trying to build 100 reactors in 20 years it won't keep up with the rate of worldwide decommissioning. There are 80 plants worldwide that will be closed in the next 10 years.

http://www.unep.org/yearbook/2012/pdfs/UYB_2012_CH_3.pdf

Anonymous said...

Asia is pacific rim of fire, vocanic & earthquake prone . Shame shame. All about Greed.................

Anonymous said...

American reactors are in the most precarios state.spent rods are at full capacity and their designs are ancient.
Nuclear energy is anything but cheap

Anonymous said...

"A problem that is highlighted is a problem that can be discussed and dealt with satisfactorily."

In Japan?? hahaha, I don't think so.

Remember, there was no accident with bad effects, so there are no lessons to share.

Anonymous said...

Now that sounds like a deal. Succumbing all sanity to all those facebook and twitter scum zombies and making sure they get their power for recharging their damned iphones. In return, all the rest of the sane people get is a nice glow in the dark. Some friggin deal that is. This makes me really sick!

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