Tony Irwin appeared on The Today Show to discuss the restart of the world's biggest nuclear plant in Japan.
Watch Tony's full interview:
Interview Transcript
Michael Wipfli (Host): Japan has voted to restart the world's largest nuclear power plant nearly 15 years after the Fukushima disaster, but the decision has not come without controversy.
Samantha Armytage (Host): For more, we are joined by nuclear commissioning expert Tony Irwin. Tony, good morning. This is being described as a watershed moment. This is a big deal. What's behind uh behind the decision to resume these operations?
Tony Irwin (Nuclear Expert): Really, Japan are looking for their future energy plan. So their energy plan, they're only in the seventh edition now. It comes out revised regularly and it's based on what they call the three Es. So the first thing is energy security. They're very very keen on because energy security is your national security.
Michael Wipfli (Host): Sure.
Tony Irwin (Nuclear Expert): The second one is energy economics and the third one is the environment. So what they're looking at is what's the best mix going forward. And out of that mix they're saying 20% nuclear plus 50% renewables plus the rest coal and gas. So it's a progression towards their future energy security.
Michael Wipfli (Host): Right. So the concerns of many of the locals in Japan are they valid or not to be concerned?
Tony Irwin (Nuclear Expert): No. So there's obviously been great lessons learned from Fukushima not only in Japan but all the way around the world. So it comes back to the fundamentals of how you make a reactor safe. So you start with looking at the external hazards. So earthquakes, yes, we can make them proof against earthquakes. Even at Fukushima, world's fourth worst earthquake, all the reactors still shut down safely,
Michael Wipfli (Host): Right?
Tony Irwin (Nuclear Expert): Earthquakes. Okay. But then of course they got a uh overwhelmed by the tsunami. So you know, have you got sea defenses against a tsunami? Can you make it safe if you lose all the outside grid supplies? Because if you have an earthquake, transmission systems start collapsing. You know, substations collapse.
Samantha Armytage (Host): And Tony, this is a highly new highly earthquake prone country, Japan. Have they has has nuclear power plants come a long way in 15 years since the Fukushima disaster?
Tony Irwin (Nuclear Expert): No, it's it's it's always been good against earthquakes, you know. Even Fukushima say all the reactors shut down safely. Right. It's the tsunami that causes.
Michael Wipfli (Host): is it tsunami proof now? Is anything tsunami proof?
Tony Irwin (Nuclear Expert): Yeah. Because you just need adequate sea defenses. But the other thing is then you also need adequate cooling of the reactor afterwards. So you need a different systems to be able to make sure it's cool. You need diesel supplies protected not where they can be overwhelmed with water etc. So lots of things have happened to improve the whole safety of reactors.
Samantha Armytage (Host): Okay. Well, with the Japanese now moving to nuclear well going back to nuclear reopening plants like this, what does this mean for the world? Is the world going to be looking at Japan going nuclear is the answer going forward?
Tony Irwin (Nuclear Expert): Well, it's one of the answers to the mix. I mean, there's no perfect solution to electricity supply. It's, you know, what's the best mix for you? They've decided 20% nuclear. A lot of countries have decided sort of at least 20% nuclear because it's the only low emission supply that's independent of the weather.
Samantha Armytage (Host): Right?
Tony Irwin (Nuclear Expert): It's the only one you've got if you know if you're looking long term at the environment and it's obviously part of the mix.
Michael Wipfli (Host): It's a fascinating topic.
Samantha Armytage (Host): Tony Irwin, it's fabulous. Um we need to let you go because you've got to go to the fish markets, do your shopping.
Michael Wipfli (Host): Have a great Christmas mate.
Samantha Armytage (Host): Merry Christmas. Thank you for coming in so early on Christmas Eve.
Tony Irwin (Nuclear Expert): Thank You Both.
Today Show (Michael Wipfli): Enjoy the prawns, mate.