Fukushima Update – Compensation

Update # 44: August 5, 2011

by Nelle Maxey

I'll be taking another break from daily updates as my home fills up with family visitors next week (YAY!). I'll be back with more regular updates around mid-month.

Not a lot of news today at NHK on Fukushima. . . two stories are of interest.

Compensation payments may begin soon. Note the final sentence . . ."too little, too late".

Panel compiles nuclear compensation guidelines

"A Japanese government panel has updated its guidelines on compensating people affected by the nuclear accident in Fukushima. Nearly 5 months into the disaster, full-scale payments are now likely to start….

The guidelines' release comes 2 days after the Diet enacted a bill to launch a new entity to help nuclear plant operator TEPCO begin full-scale compensation payouts.

TEPCO has already started paying provisional damages to people affected by the nuclear accident. But the recipients and others have complained that the payments are too small and too late." Friday, August 05, 2011 19:32 +0900 (JST)

And this story has some stats on nuclear reactors shut down in Japan. Thermal plants are burning hydrocarbon fuels to generate electricity now since 72% of Japan's nuke plants are shut down.

Reactor in Niigata to be shut down for inspection

"The Tokyo Electric Power Company, or TEPCO, is shutting down a reactor at a nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture, central Japan, for a regular inspection.

The utility began inserting control rods into the No. 1 reactor of the Kashiwazaki-kariwa plant on Friday evening. The reactor is expected to reduce its power output and stop operating by Saturday morning to undergo the inspection for about two months.

The shutdown means that of Japan's 54 reactors, 39, or over 70 percent, are out of service. Only three of TEPCO's 17 reactors are operating.

The plant's No. 7 reactor is also expected to be shut down, in late August. TEPCO says it will increase its electricity supply from thermal plants.

There are no prospects for restarting the reactors.

Earlier, Niigata Governor Hirohiko Izumida said he will not determine whether to allow restarting of the reactors unless investigation results into the nuclear accident at the Fukushima plant are presented." Friday, August 05, 2011 19:36 +0900 (JST)

A Bloomberg story filed late yesterday confirms my comments on the ministry reshuffle being cosmetic only:

Japan's Change of Energy Chiefs Is Criticized as Mere Reshuffle

By Tsuyoshi Inajima and Yuji Okada – Aug 4, 2011 4:00 AM PT

"The removal of the officials is cosmetic," Hiroyuki Kishi, a professor at the Graduate School of Media Design at Keio University and a former METI official, said by phone. "The officials being removed were due to leave the ministry as part of regular reshuffles this summer," Kishi said.

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