Latest news with #NuclearRegulationAuthority
The Mainichi
a day ago
- Business
- The Mainichi
Japan extends life of nuclear reactors beyond 60 years
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A law enabling nuclear reactors in Japan to operate beyond 60 years took effect Friday, scrapping a limit imposed after the Fukushima crisis, with the government viewing the power source as vital to the country's energy mix. Under the new system, the life of a reactor will, in principle, be extended beyond 60 years by no longer including offline periods for safety reviews or suspensions ordered by courts that are not due to the inappropriate actions of an operator. The law replaces rules allowing the operation of reactors for up to 40 years, with extensions up to 60 years possible if approved by regulators. The rules were introduced in 2013 following the Fukushima nuclear disaster that was triggered by a massive earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. The legislation was enacted in 2023 after the government led by then Prime Minister Fumio Kishida shifted from the previous policy of reducing reliance on nuclear power, saying in 2022 that the country will fully utilize nuclear plants to cut carbon dioxide emissions and realize a stable energy supply amid Russia's war in Ukraine. The No. 1 reactor at Kansai Electric Power Co.'s Takahama nuclear plant, the country's oldest unit that began operating in November 1974, could be granted permission to continue for 72 years as it was offline for about 12 years due to a safety assessment by the Nuclear Regulation Authority and other reasons. The offline periods to be exempted from total service life do not include suspensions due to inappropriate actions by operators, such as when Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. was slapped with an effective ban on operating the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in Niigata Prefecture for insufficient antiterrorism measures. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will assess the extension periods of nuclear reactors beyond 60 years. The law also stipulates that operators of nuclear plants that have been running for 30 years or more must compile long-term plans for facility management at least every 10 years and obtain approval from the Nuclear Regulation Authority. The regulator will assess the soundness of nuclear reactors and the concrete used in such facilities as well as the feasibility of operators' plans to address parts shortages.
Japan Today
a day ago
- Business
- Japan Today
Japan extends life of nuclear reactors beyond 60 years
A law enabling nuclear reactors in Japan to operate beyond 60 years took effect Friday, scrapping a limit imposed after the Fukushima crisis, with the government viewing the power source as vital to the country's energy mix. Under the new system, the life of a reactor will, in principle, be extended beyond 60 years by no longer including offline periods for safety reviews or suspensions ordered by courts that are not due to the inappropriate actions of an operator. The law replaces rules allowing the operation of reactors for up to 40 years, with extensions up to 60 years possible if approved by regulators. The rules were introduced in 2013 following the Fukushima nuclear disaster that was triggered by a massive earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. The legislation was enacted in 2023 after the government led by then Prime Minister Fumio Kishida shifted from the previous policy of reducing reliance on nuclear power, saying in 2022 that the country will fully utilize nuclear plants to cut carbon dioxide emissions and realize a stable energy supply amid Russia's war in Ukraine. The No. 1 reactor at Kansai Electric Power Co's Takahama nuclear plant, the country's oldest unit that began operating in November 1974, could be granted permission to continue for 72 years as it was offline for about 12 years due to a safety assessment by the Nuclear Regulation Authority and other reasons. The offline periods to be exempted from total service life do not include suspensions due to inappropriate actions by operators, such as when Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc was slapped with an effective ban on operating the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in Niigata Prefecture for insufficient antiterrorism measures. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will assess the extension periods of nuclear reactors beyond 60 years. The law also stipulates that operators of nuclear plants that have been running for 30 years or more must compile long-term plans for facility management at least every 10 years and obtain approval from the Nuclear Regulation Authority. The regulator will assess the soundness of nuclear reactors and the concrete used in such facilities as well as the feasibility of operators' plans to address parts shortages. © KYODO
Nikkei Asia
14-05-2025
- Business
- Nikkei Asia
AI helps labor-short Japan keep nuclear plants safe
TOKYO -- Japanese nuclear power plant operators are finding ways to incorporate artificial intelligence into safety processes, aiming to maintain safety standards as they grapple with a personnel shortage. In a March discussion forum with power companies, Nuclear Regulation Authority Chairman Shinsuke Yamanaka suggested that AI could be used in inspections -- to spot corrosion early in containment buildings, for example.
Yomiuri Shimbun
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
‘Approval' of Tomari nuclear power plant: Early restart will support industry
A stable supply of inexpensive electricity is important not only for household finances but also from the perspective of industrial competitiveness. The restart of nuclear power plants that have been shut down in various locations should be expedited. The Nuclear Regulation Authority has acknowledged that the No. 3 reactor of the Tomari nuclear power plant, which is operated by Hokkaido Electric Power Co., has effectively passed the NRA's safety screening. The power company aims to restart the reactor in 2027, and it is expected to significantly improve the region's power supply capacity. The Tomari plant had supplied about 40% of the electricity consumed in Hokkaido, but it was shut down in May 2012 following the accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc.'s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. Currently, Hokkaido relies on thermal power generation for about 80% of its electricity, creating an unbalanced power structure. Hokkaido Electric has reinforced its facilities, including with the use of emergency generators and pump trucks, in order to comply with new regulatory standards established after the accident. A 19-meter-high seawall is also under construction. It is hoped that every possible measure will be taken to ensure safety. Hokkaido's electricity demand was once expected to continue to fall due to the declining population and advances in energy-saving technologies. However, in recent years, there have been a series of plans to build semiconductor factories and data centers, and there are now concerns that there will be a power shortage. Rapidus Corp., a domestic manufacturer of cutting-edge semiconductors, will begin mass production at its factory in Chitose, Hokkaido, in 2027. SoftBank Corp. will build a new data center in Tomakomai in the prefecture. Given these increases in demand, the restart of the Tomari plant, including the No. 1 and No. 2 reactors, which are currently undergoing safety screenings, is essential. In July 2013, Hokkaido Electric applied for the safety screening to restart the Tomari plant shortly after it was shut down. However, the screening was prolonged due to uncertainty over the existence of active faults on the site, resulting in it taking nearly 12 years. During that time, the 2018 Hokkaido earthquake, which hit the prefecture's eastern Iburi region, caused a large thermal power plant to shut down, resulting in a power outage across the entire prefecture. Russia's aggression against Ukraine has led to a global surge in prices of liquefied natural gas, which is used as fuel for thermal power generation. Electricity rates tend to be cheaper in areas where nuclear power plants have already resumed operations, creating a disparity with areas where operations have not resumed. If the Tomari plant resumes operations, electricity rates are likely to decrease in the future. Restarting nuclear power plants will reduce carbon dioxide emissions and help combat global warming. Furthermore, it will meet the security demands for securing energy needed domestically. In the case of the Tomari plant, the screening process took a long time. While preventing serious accidents is obviously important, the disadvantages of keeping nuclear power plants shut down are also significant. Improving the efficiency of safety screenings and shortening the screening period are also important issues. (From The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 1, 2025)
The Mainichi
30-04-2025
- Business
- The Mainichi
Hokkaido nuclear reactor clears Japan's safety review for restart
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Nuclear Regulation Authority effectively endorsed on Wednesday the restart of a reactor at the sole nuclear power plant on Japan's northern main island of Hokkaido, approving a draft report that concluded the reactor had cleared its safety review. With semiconductor and data center businesses projected to boost the prefecture's electricity demand, Hokkaido Electric Power Co. plans to restart the Tomari plant's No. 3 unit, Japan's newest reactor, after completing the construction of a seawall by around March 2027, among other mandatory safety measures. After the company applied for the review in July 2013, the authority checked whether the utility's plan satisfies its new safety standards, enforced following the 2011 nuclear accident in Fukushima Prefecture triggered by a massive earthquake and tsunami. The focus of the review included whether geologic faults on the premises of the power plant were active. The nuclear watchdog is still reviewing the safety of the No. 1 and No. 2 reactors. Hokkaido Electric has upgraded its quake-resistant design for the facilities to cope with more intense acceleration of seismic waves -- from up to 550 gals to 693 gals -- and raised the height of potential tsunami it can withstand from 7.3 meters to 17.8 meters. The utility had built a 16.5-meter-high seawall in 2014, but it will raise it to 19 meters based on the regulatory body's advice on the possibility of liquefaction of soil. The reactor will also be ready for an accumulation of volcanic ash to a depth of 40 centimeters. The cost of construction related to safety measures for the No. 3 reactor, which started operation in December 2009, has ballooned to about 515 billion yen ($3.6 billion) from over 90 billion yen for all three reactors. The Tomari power station began the operation of the No. 1 reactor in 1989 and the No. 2 unit in 1991, but all three reactors had halted by May 2012 under the stricter safety regulations implemented after the nuclear disaster. The Sapporo District Court ordered the Tomari nuclear power plant to remain offline in May 2022 due to safety concerns. The case is currently being heard at the Sapporo High Court.
