【世界核电系列】日本核电重启之路漫漫

Japan'sCarefulReturntoNuclearPower...



Five years after the nuclear plant meltdown at Fukushima, Japan has begun thecontroversial process of restarting its other reactors. The challenge forgovernment and industry remains no less critical, however: to continuallyimprove safety, lest they further underminepublic support for what should be a reliable, climate-friendly fuel source.

福岛第一核电站事发五周年后，日本开始了颇具争议的核电重启之路。然而质疑政府和行业的声音更加尖锐：要持续提升安全性，唯恐动摇了公众对这一可靠、环保能源的支持。

Before Fukushima led the government toclose all the country's reactors, Japan got almost 30 percent of itselectricity from nuclear. Now it's importing about 84 percent in the form ofcoal, oil and liquefied natural gas. Some 45 new coal-firedpower plants are scheduled to open, threatening to increase carbon emissionsand worsen lung-damaging air pollution in Japan. The yen's slide since 2013 hasmade those fossil-fuel imports especially expensive, driving up the cost ofelectricity for consumers.

在福岛事故迫使政府关闭全国所有核电站之前，日本有30%的电力来自核能。如今日本84%的电力依赖煤炭、石油和液化天然气的进口。约有45座火电站计划开业，加剧了碳排放和空气污染。自2013年来的日元贬值使化石燃料进口更加昂贵，推动了消费者电力成本的上涨。

While use of renewable power in Japan,especially solar, is growing at a healthy clip,it remains under 15 percent -- not enough to make up for the loss of nuclearpower anytime soon.

虽然日本的可再生能源增长迅速，尤其是太阳能，但其所占比例低于15%，无法在短期内弥补核电的损失。

That shouldn't be a problem. Under theright conditions, nuclear power should be able to provide a significant shareof Japan's clean energy, and safely. The meltdown at Fukushima has done morethan anything in history to make the Japanese people question the safety ofnuclear power, but the government has been working to allaytheir concerns. The Nuclear Regulation Authorityhas been given a strong mandate and detachedfrom the pro-nuclear economy ministry. Improved hiring rules have reinforcedits independence from Japan's powerful bureaucracy. Indeed, the slow pace ofreactor restarts thus far suggests the agency takes its responsibilitiesseriously.

核电供应的缺位不应是个问题。在正确的条件下，核电是能够为日本提供大量清洁、安全能源的。福岛核电站的熔毁让日本人民从未如此质疑核电的安全性，但政府一直在努力消除他们的顾虑。日本安全机构原子能规划厅（NRA）被授予强有力的权力，并与支持核能的经济产业省相分离。人员招录标准的提高强化了NRA相对于日本政府机关的独立性。确实，核电重启的缓慢进程表明NRA对此事的严肃态度。

Yet the Nuclear Regulation Authority stillneeds more staff and resources, as well as outside voices and expertise. Andwhile the International Atomic Energy Agency has praised Japan's new regulatoryframework, it has also warned that inspectors need to be given a freer hand to do their work properly.

然而NRA仍需要更多的人力、资源以及外界的观点和专业知识。虽然国际原子能机构肯定了日本的新监管框架，但该机构也警示监管者应获得更多自由来妥善完成工作。

To regain the public's trust, Japan'snuclear companies also need to fortify theirown safety cultures. This has to start with accepting accountability forFukushima. Executives from plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. have finallybeen indicted for professional negligence.Now employees throughout Tepco and othernuclear companies need to be empowered to ask questions and challengesuperiors.

为了重获公众的信任，日本的核电公司需要强化其安全文化。这得从接受福岛事故的责任说起。东京电力公司（Tepco）的电厂运行高管最终被控业务过失。现今东电和其他核电公司的员工需要被赋予质疑和挑战权威的权力。

Some common fears are probably overblown. Concerns about radioactive seafood, forexample, have yet to be borne out. Only oneconfirmed case of cancer linked to Fukushima radiation has so far emerged.

有一些恐惧过分夸张。例如关于海鲜辐射的顾虑有待证实。目前与福岛核辐射有关的癌症病例只有一例确认。

Nevertheless, Japanese authorities need torespect and address people's understandable worries. Ignoring them will only breed resentment and raise the risk thatinevitable stumbles will set back the whole process of restarting reactors and,perhaps one day, commissioning new ones. By demonstrating that all reactors canbe operated safely, the government, regulators and power companies can see thatnuclear again provides reliable, emissions-free power for Japan.

然而，日本当局需要尊重并解决民众的合理顾虑。忽略这些顾虑只会滋生怨恨，加剧不可避免的失误阻碍整个重启进程乃至今后启用新核电站的风险。通过证明核电站能安全运行，政府、监管者和电力公司才能预见核能重新为日本提供可靠、无排放的电力。

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