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For a while it seemed like it would be Japan since they were experimenting with a breeder reactor way back in the ‘80s. After a bunch of false starts it really

by Lammy 6y ago

For a while it seemed like it would be Japan since they were experimenting with a breeder reactor way back in the ‘80s. After a bunch of false starts it really seemed to be happening in 2010 but then of course the Fukushima accident happened the next year and put a stop to everything: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monju_Nuclear_Power_Plant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monju_Nuclear_Power_Plant It’s just frustrating to see energy programs fail due to public opinion shift brought on by random perfectly-timed coincidence since there’s not really anything to blame or at fault. Like how The China Syndrome talks about “an area the size of Pennsylvania” and came out exactly twelve days before the actual Three Mile Island accident lol

lispm 6y ago
The closing of the Japan breeder had nothing to do with public opinion. It was a long list of technical failures and accidents, plus extreme costs which broke its neck. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monju_Nuclear_Power_Plant#Detailed_history https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monju_Nuclear_Power_Plant#Deta... Like: 'On August 26, 2010, a 3.3-tonne "In‐Vessel Transfer Machine" fell into the reactor vessel when being removed after a scheduled fuel replacement operation.' Plus the Fukushima earthquake (and the following tsunami) showed that a lot of Nuclear installations in Japan were not safe against heavy earthquakes.