The 10 most dangerous nuclear reactors in Japan are all located in the west along the East Sea facing Korea, the Asahi Shimbun reported Thursday. An all-parliamentary group of legislators who oppose nuclear power released a list of 50 nuclear power plants in the order of the level of hazards.
It said the ranking was calculated based on advice from experts on the government’s Advisory Committee for Natural Resources and Energy and took into account “reactor type, containment vessel type, years in service, average utilization rate, the number of past accidents, the reactor’s ductile-brittle transition temperature (the threshold temperature at which the metal used in its construction loses its ductility), seismological safety precautions, ground conditions and the size of the local population,” according to the daily.
The most dangerous are the No. 1 and No. 2 reactors at Oi in Fukui Prefecture. Next come reactors in Tsuruga, Mihama and Takahama, all in Fukui Prefecture, and Shimane. All 10 face Korea and the East Sea. They have been in operation for over 30 years, and have a weak ground foundation.
Experts say Korea will be exposed to greater risk than from the explosion in Fukushima in eastern Japan in March last year if an accident occurs in any of them.
An official at the Korea Hydrographic and Oceanographic Administration said, “Although most currents flow northeast in the East Sea, whirlpools of cold and hot currents can also flow from Japan to Korea. If the East Sea gets contaminated by radioactive substances, it could affect Korea.”
The No. 3 and No. 4 reactors at Oi, which are scheduled to resume operation from next month, share 26th place on the list.
