Tokyo - Greenpeace today welcomed news that Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) tomorrow (Friday) will inform the Japanese government that it will not load the controversial plutonium MOX fuel into its Fukushima-1-3 reactor during the next year.

TEPCO's decision to be explained to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), is a major set-back for Japan's plans to use plutonium mixed oxide (MOX) fuel in nuclear reactors, and has severe consequences for European manufacturers, such as British Nuclear Fuels Ltd and the French government-owned Cogema, seeking to secure large MOX supply contracts. The 32 assemblies of MOX fuel at Fukushima, manufactured by Cogema/Belgonucleaire MOX Group, were intended to be loaded in early 2000.

"This is good news for the people of Fukushima and Japan, very bad news for BNFL and Cogema, " Kazue Suzuki of Greenpeace Japan."There is every chance that no MOX will be loaded in Japanese reactors, once the dangers of using plutonium MOX fuel, and the fundamentally poor standards of BNFL and Cogema will end this program."

Japan's plans to MOX fuel have been continually delayed over the last few years, in particular following the 1999 British Nuclear Fuels MOX quality control scandal, and subsequent doubts over the quality and safety of French/Belgian MOX fuel delivered to Fukushima. Another shipment of MOX arrived only last weekend, March 24th, also at a Tokyo Electric reactor this time in Niigata. Plans to load that MOX fuel were already in severe doubts before today's news.

The decision by Tokyo Electric follows a seven month legal battle by Greenpeace Japan and local residents, to prevent the loading of the MOX fuel in the reactor. On March 23rd the Fukushima District Court issued its decision turning down an injunction request against loading, which had been based upon demands for Tokyo Electric to release vital quality control data for the MOX fuel. In its decision, however, the court stated that refusal by Tokyo Electric and the European companies not to release data was 'inexplicable.'

The court case in Fukushima launched in August 2000, has also helped focus political opposition by the Fukushima Governor against MOX loading. Last week, Governor Sato said that, "Although I had previously given approval for MOX use, the conditions under which I had given them have now been blown to bits." March 29th, it was reported that the Governor will conduct a complete review of Japan's MOX program.

One of the most directly affected by Tokyo Electric's decision will be British Nuclear Fuels. It is seeking to open a new US$ 500 million MOX plant in the UK largely to produce MOX fuel for Japan. However it has no Japanese MOX contracts. On March 28th the UK government announced a new public consultation to help decide whether it should grant an operating license to the MOX plant. BNFL has signed contracts for less than 7 per cent of its capacity. Cogema of France is also desperate to increase MOX production in France for Japan.

"BNFL should give up on its plans to ever open the Sellafield MOX Plant. It should never have been built, has no prospects of securing business with Japan , and the only option for the UK government is not to give it a license," said Shaun Burnie of Greenpeace International.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

- Kazue Suzuki, Greenpeace Japan +90 2249 1502
- Shaun Burnie, Greenpeace International +90 2253 7306.

Briefings on MOX issues are available on the Greenpeace International web site:
http://www.greenpeace.org/~nuclear/transport/mox00