Tuesday, November 27, 2012

IAEA Confidence Man for Nuclear in the Wake of Unprecedented Nuclear Disaster

 

UPDATE 1-South Korea urged to restore trust in nuclear power: International Energy Agency calls for independent nuclear regulators By Meeyoung Cho http://www.cnbc.com/id/49935961

* Says public should have faith in transparency of nuclear power
* Reactors closed after scandal over fake nuclear safety documents
* South Korea should raise competition in electricity, gas markets-IEA

SEOUL, Nov 23 (Reuters) - South Korea needs to rebuild public trust in nuclear power by boosting transparency and improving regulation, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Friday, after safety scares have closed reactors and threaten to trigger blackouts over winter. 

Asia's fourth-largest economy lacks its own energy resources and depends heavily on oil and gas imports while 23 nuclear reactors usually supply a third of its power. The country plans to add 11 more by 2024.

But the nuclear sector has suffered a big blow after an investigation into fake safety documents for parts led to two reactors being shut and after an extended shutdown of another reactor where microscopic cracks were found.

Unveiling a report on South Korea's energy policies, the IEA backed the country's nuclear programme, but said more needed to be done to restore faith in a sector also facing greater global scrutiny after last year's Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan. 

....There is a lot at stake for South Korea, which also wants to play a growing role in the global nuclear industry, and aims to export 80 nuclear reactors by 2030, which could be worth a total of $300 billion, according to government plans. A $20 billion deal with the United Arab Emirates has already been signed.

....The South Korean government has been criticised for a lack of transparency over safety in its nuclear programme and for the dual supervisory and promotion roles of its regulators.
...Six reactors are currently offline, with one restarting earlier this week, according to government data.

(Additional reporting by Somang Yang and Jane Chung; Editing by Anthony Barker and Ed Davies)

Majia here: Fukushima should be a wake up call to the world. Nuclear power is not safe, nor is it energy efficient, nor sustainable.

Carbon based energy is not a long-term solution either.

We need to envision and work toward a sustainable future fueled by energy sources that are less environmentally damaging and limited.

We are running out of time.

The IAEA is a not working toward the interest of humanity, but rather reflects the sociopathic arrogance of the nuclear mafia and industry.

The people of South Korea should forge their own, sustainable non-nuclear path forward.
     

 

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