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In October and November last year, I walked through
a Nuclear Power Station with a group of foreign exchange
students.
For those of you living here in Shimane, you may
not have thought about this. All your electricity
comes from nuclear fission. Every time you fire up
the Playstation or blow-dry your hair, the Shimane
Nuclear Power Station's meters click another notch.
Located in the small town of Kashima on the northern
coastline of Shimane, this power plant boasts two
reactors, the first one starting operation in March
1974 and due to demand a second reactor was added,
becoming productive in February 1989.
Being a country with low levels of natural resources,
Japan has to import most of its energy requirements
from overseas. In the past, the country relied heavily
on fossil-fuel powered generators, but in recent years
with pressure arising from treaties calling for the
reduction of carbon emission, as well as the instability
of oil prices, there has been an escalating demand
for nuclear power stations. Today, 54 reactors dotted
around the country contribute to over a third of all
electricity produced in Japan.
It was an amazing experience to visit the Shimane
Nuclear Power Station (hereon SNPS), in that it is
something inconceivable for ordinary people to do
anywhere in the world. With the ever-present threat
of terrorism, security around nuclear plants is always
impenetrable. The security at the SNPS was tight with
high perimeter fencing and guards (un-armed though)
at the main gate. Once at the reactor buildings you
have to pass through metal detectors and receive clearance
cards. Finally, the last form of defence is a sheet-steel
automated door that can only be opened by someone
on the inside. But between you and me, I don't think
there will ever be a terrorist threat here.
The SNPS's PR department is always hard at work convincing
the citizens of the station's necessity and safety.
Naturally the town of Kashima, as well as other parts
of Japan, will have people that are against nuclear
power. Sure enough they have a point. Most of the
anti-nuclear sentiment comes from the fact that Japan
was devastated twice by nuclear weapons (it's still
the only country in history to have suffered the wrath
of such weapons). These people see it as hypocrisy
to allow atomic power to exist in their country. Another
group is conscious of the dangers involved and the
waste materials left over after fission. Others are
merely afraid of what they don't understand. The PR
department therefore plays a strong role in enlightening
the locals as to what nuclear power actually is.
From the Nuclear Science Museum on top of a hill,
you can look out over the Japan Sea and see the Oki
Islands on a clear day. Look down the valley and you
will see large white concrete buildings with two tall
vent stacks puffing happily away. This facility is
run by the PR department and is open seven days a
week from morning until evening, showcasing an assortment
of hands-on displays which explain the science of
nuclear fission and how nuclear reactors work. The
displays attract groups of school-children as well
as older folk, and offer them a fun and interesting
medium to learn about where their electricity comes
from. There is no charge, and I do recommend anyone
with free time to head up for a look. While you're
up there check out the Alice-in-Wonderland-like-uniforms
the staff have to wear.
As well as the display hall, the PR department can
organise for anyone to inspect the insides of the
reactor building. "Anyone?" I asked. "Anyone",
Mr PR replied. As long as you to apply a few months
before your visit, they will set it up accordingly.
Sure enough, as my group of Shimane University foreign
students went in, a cackling group of retirees were
coming out.
Going down the main corridor, once you pass the big
double sheet-steel doors, you notice pictures of flowers
and beaches hung along the walls. "These",
our guide told us, "are to put anxious people
at ease. It takes their mind off the fact that they
are walking down a dim concrete corridor, to the heart
of a nuclear power station."
At the end of the corridor sits the control room,
with various personnel in blue-grey uniforms sitting
in front of large monitors, in a room that looks like
the bridge of the star ship "Enterprise".
There is no area free of knobs, buttons, switches
or blinking lights.
"These guys make money" I thought to myself
when I noticed their Rolex watches.
In fact the Shimane Nuclear Power Plant generates
as much revenue as it does power. They have, to put
it bluntly, a lot of cash. Not only do they sell their
electricity to the Chugoku region, but if there is
a demand, they can also supply electricity anywhere
in Japan, and sometimes to the Asian mainland as well.
A fair amount of these funds goes towards creating
facilities in the neighbouring area (notably Kashima
town) to promote friendliness with the locals who
may object to having a nuclear facility in their vicinity.
Examples include the aforementioned Nuclear Science
Museum, a large sports park, and support of local
schools. I have visited Kashima Elementary School
and stared longingly at their one million yen Plasma
TV, their air-conditioned server units and their glittering
array of AV equipment.
But of course, all that glitters is not gold and,
no matter how safe the PR Department says nuclear
power is, there are real issues for the dangers involved.
This is where the Shimane Nuclear Disaster Prevention
Center, located near the Prefectural Government Buildings
in Matsue, plays its part. On the third floor there
is a command center where in the event of a leakage
at the power plant, the heads of various governmental
organisations can gather to make decisions for the
citizens.
I asked the speaker, "In a worst case scenario,
where the reactor building suffers an unrecoverable
meltdown, how long would it take for the radioactive
particles to reach Matsue city?" He replied "With
the wind blowing in the right direction, at an average
velocity... fifteen minutes." "However,"
he added "from the moment the controllers realise
a meltdown is inevitable there is a period of about
a day before particles are actually released into
the atmosphere, so there is plenty of time to evacuate
if it comes to that."
I asked him how locals are informed of the need for
evacuation, and he told us that cars with loudspeakers
attached would drive around the neighbourhoods alerting
everyone of the danger. "What about foreigners
in Shimane that don't speak Japanese?" I asked.
"Hmm..." he pondered aloud. "Presently,
we don't have any procedures in place."
Let's hope for our sakes at least the safety nets
are as perfect as the PR department claim they are.
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