TEPCO to close four reactors at Fukushima
STEVE CHIOTAKIS: Japan’s government says its decommissioning four of the nuclear reactors at Fukushima. And now it’s ordering new safety measures at all of the country’s nuclear plants.
The BBC’s Mark Worthington is in Tokyo with the latest. Hi Mark.
MARK WORTHINGTON: Hi Steve.
CHIOTAKIS: So does this mean Japan won’t get power from these reactors ever again?
WORTHINGTON: Yes, that’s exactly what it means. They’re so badly damaged that they can never be used again. It’s going to be a long time before we can even get to a point when that decommissioning can start. But the big issue at the moment is there are a number of other plant that aren’t producing power. And we’ve been told today they’re not going to be up and running again for at least another month until safety measures there can be reassessed.
CHIOTAKIS: And how is the country going to replace, you know the energy sources?
WORTHINGTON: That’s going to be the real challenge. There’s a lot of talk now that the reconstruction in the areas devastated by the tsunami will be very much focused on renewable energy. But in the short term, there are going to be huge shortages. And whether they bring in some kind of day light saving or power rationing, the challenges are going to be enormous.
CHIOTAKIS: Do they look the rest of the world for help in that?
WORTHINGTON: Increasingly they are looking to the rest of the world, both for help and for ideas. Japan is coming increasingly to realize that the challenge with the nuclear power plant and the challenge with it’s energy shortage is something that’s going to require all the help it can get.
CHIOTAKIS: The BBC’s Mark Worthington in Tokyo, Mark thanks.
WORTHINGTON: Thanks Steve.
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