Some shareholders urge utilities to end nuclear power generation

[yuiyoshida]

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Antinuclear shareholders on Thursday urged major power companies to end nuclear power generation as Japan nears restarting nuclear reactors that have remained idled amid safety concerns following the 2011 Fukushima crisis.

But nine utilities including Tokyo Electric Power Co., the operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi complex, voted down all antinuclear proposals at their general shareholders' meetings, with company officials expressing eagerness to reactivate nuclear plants as soon as possible to improve their business conditions hurt by the halt of all nuclear reactors in the country.

The shareholders' meetings were held at a time when a nuclear plant in southwestern Japan is expected to be the first to go back online, possibly this summer, under tighter post-Fukushima safety requirements.

At TEPCO's meeting, Katsutaka Idogawa, former mayor of Futaba town in Fukushima Prefecture -- currently uninhabitable due to radiation contamination -- said pulling out of nuclear power is "the only way for the company to survive."

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20150625p2g00m0bu066000c.html

[FBaggins]

1. They pretty much recycle this story every June

All nine reactor-owning companies in Japan have their stockholder meetings at this time and there are always a bunch of protesters (some of whom buy a few shares so that they can attend and be reported as "shareholders" when they demand an end to nuclear power).

To be fair, there are also some local politicians for communities that themselves own a stake in the company.

But they always add up to a small minority and the dozens of essentially identical proposals lose by wide margins.

[aspirant]

2. So do you think Japan

will be nuclear forever?

Every June until the end of time a handful of protesters will be voted down.

[RobertEarl]

4. Been almost 4 years no nukes running

Of course, from all indications, Japan will be nuked for 100's of years.

To those on the west coast of NA... pay attention to what's happening in the ocean.

[FBaggins]

5. Forever is a very long time

We'll have all switched to fusion (or something better) within the next century or so - or perhaps we'll all be dead - long before "forever" comes.

But yes... Japan is likely to restart about half of their existing reactors, complete a couple that they have under construction, and then move on to newer models in a decade or so.

[RobertEarl]

3. Too cheap to meter!

What a lie that is!!

The fact is that nuclear power is the worst, least cost effective, most environmentally damaging, most anti-life form of electric power man has ever imagined.

The waste will be around for centuries. And the costs for keeping that waste out of food and water will be the most costly thing for any survivors of Fukushima type disasters.