Japan’s nuclear watchdog approved new regulations Wednesday that will allow reactors to operate longer than the previous limit of 60 years as the nation looks to increase the share of power generated by nuclear energy.
But realizing the plan could take time, as new legislation is needed in order to put the recommendations into practice. The government aims to introduce such legislation during next year’s parliamentary session, where a tough debate between supporters and opponents of extending the use of nuclear power is likely.
The decision came a day after the Osaka District Court rejected a local effort to halt operations at the 46-year-old Mihama No. 3 reactor, in Fukui Prefecture, operated by Kansai Electric Power Co. (Kepco). It also comes after a trade ministry panel last month recommended operations beyond 60 years, and as Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s government pushes continued use of older nuclear plants in the years ahead to meet national carbon reduction goals for 2030 and 2050.
It also came the day before the government’s green transformation executive committee is expected to decide on a new energy policy, which will include rebuilding nuclear power plants and extending their operating periods.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority, which monitors safety at nuclear reactors and can approve restarts, already allows utilities wishing to operate a reactor beyond 40 years to apply for a one-time 20 year extension if they meet enhanced safety measures, particularly steps to guard against natural disasters.
But Wednesday’s decision means reactors approved for 60 years will continue to be monitored and evaluated with the possibility of having their operational life extended.
“After 30 years, plant operators will submit, within every 10 year period afterward, plans on how they’ll deal with aging facilities they want to continue operating. Those plans will have to be approved by the NRA, otherwise the plant will not be allowed to continue to operate,” Shinsuke Yamanaka, chairman of the Nuclear Regulation Authority, told a news conference Wednesday.
That means an operator could, after the initial 30 years, get permission once a decade to extend the life of a plant to more than 40, 50, or 60 years.
The changes could give Japan’s aging nuclear power plants a new lease on life. Most of them have been offline since the triple reactor meltdown at the Fukushima No. 1 power plant after the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami.
Of the 60 commercial nuclear reactors across the country, only 10 had been restarted as of Monday. Seven others have received NRA approval to restart and final preparations were underway toward them coming back online. Another 10 reactors were undergoing safety inspections for restarts, and 24 reactors, including seven reactors at the damaged Fukushima plant, were undergoing decommissioning.
Restart applications have not been made for nine reactors.
Of the 36 reactors not being decommissioned, four, including three operated by Kepco in Fukui Prefecture and one operated by Japan Atomic Power Co. (JAPC) in Ibaraki Prefecture, are over 40 years old.
They include Kepco’s Mihama No. 3 reactor, the only reactor over 40 that is currently operating beyond the original 40-year limit. Kepco’s 48-year-old Takahama No. 1 and 47-year-old Takahama No. 2 reactors have received approval to be restarted and are undergoing final preparations to do so. Also approved for restarts is JAPC’s 44-year-old Tokai No. 2 plant.
In August, Kishida announced that from the summer of 2023 he wanted to bring another seven reactors back online, for a total of 17, as part of the government’s larger green transformation strategy. Japan has pledged a 46% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 (compared to fiscal 2013 levels) and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
In addition, the government aims to have nuclear power provide 20%-22% of its electricity by fiscal 2030. Renewables are expected to account for 36%-38% of total power generation capacity by then, with thermal sources (coal, oil and natural gas) making up the remainder.
Renewable energy accounted for 20.3% of Japan’s electricity generation in fiscal 2021, while nuclear power accounted for 6.9%.
Source: The Japan Times