The problems are so far "beyond the design capacity" of the plant that the Japanese are working in uncharted territory, said Michael Friedlander, a former senior operator at U.S. nuclear power plants.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

"We have reached the evaluation that the D-1 area of crushed rock in the premises of the Tsuruga power plant needs to be taken into consideration from the perspective of quake-resistant design, " Kunihiko Shimazaki, deputy chairman of the authority, told reporters during a news conference following a panel meeting where the report was approved.

WSJ: Panel: Active Fault Runs Beneath Japan Reactor

" Because the plant is of an old design, "radiation tends to be higher.

WSJ: Japan Plant Had Troubled History

Staff from the Environmental Health Department had been involved with the plant from the waste strategy stage, up to decisions on design and the final implementation of the project, Mr Cook said.

BBC: It is hoped to get the waste plant finished by the end of 2006

The Kulinarski plant is a newer design than that of Chernobyl, where a reactor exploded in 1986.

NPR: Russia Plans Nuclear Power Expansion

In a letter Monday to Republican congressional leaders, senior Democrats on a House panel that oversees the NRC noted that the commission recently voted to renew an operating license for a Vermont nuclear plant they said is of the same design as some of the troubled Japanese reactors.

WSJ: Obama Administration Stands Behind Nuclear Power

Finland and France, which produces more of its electricity in nuclear plants than any other big country, each have under construction a plant of the European Pressurised Reactor (EPR) design developed by AREVA, a French industrial group.

ECONOMIST: Nuclear power

But scientists say it could take another 10 years of research and construction before the design is ready to be used in a nuclear power plant in the United States.

CNN: Today/Tomorrow - Helping nuclear plants keep their cool