Further Depending on Nuclear Power

Nuclear Regulation Authority on Wednesday decided to allow the reactors of No.1 and No.2 in Sendai Nuclear Power Plant extending their lives from 40 years old to 60. After realizing uncontrollability of nuclear power, Japan introduced a rule that basically prohibited using a nuclear reactor beyond 40 years old, with exception of 20-year extension only once. The administration led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida changed the rule to extend their lives beyond 60 years old. The country heavily depending on fossil fuels is going to rely on nuclear energy, rather than on renewables. 

The reactor No.1 of Sendai is 39 years old and No.2 is 37 years old. The owner of those reactors, Kyushu Electric Power Company, submitted a request to NRA for extending the period of those reactors’ operation. After the examination on the pressure vessels in which nuclear fuels are contained, NRA concluded that the reactors are available even their lives are extended to 60 years.

 

One year after the severe accident in Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, the government of Japan amended Nuclear Reactors Regulation Act, which determined the life of a reactor as 40 years old. In the discussion over the amendment, no scientific evidence for the length of reactor’s life was presented, but the legislation was a determination of the government for limited use of nuclear power. Liberal Democratic Party, one of the opposition parties at the time, supported the amendment. Finally, with concern of all the reactors beyond 40 years old would be decommissioned, the exception of 20-year extension was added.

 

Kishida asked his cabinet to reconsider the life of nuclear reactor last year, and the administration changed the rule this year to make all the reactors able to survive beyond 60 years by counting on intervals for inspections as extra lifetime. The administration also amended Electricity Business Law, in which the power of deciding extension of reactors will be vested on Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry instead of NRA. The amendment will be enacted in 2025.

 

Sendai No.1 and No.2 became the fifth and sixth reactors that was allowed to live beyond 40 years, following No.1 and No.2 in Takahama Plant, No.3 in Mihama, and one in Tokai Daini. Although the government decided in February to allow building new nuclear reactor, the energy business sectors are negative on it, because of extremely high cost. It is predicted that the electric companies will prefer extension of existing reactors’ life.

 

Some residents around Sendai plant are worried about the future of the reactors. While some groups submitted signatures to the assembly of Kagoshima prefecture, demanding an ordinance for referendum on the extension of reactor’s operation, it was dismissed with majority of opposition. There also remains questions for insufficiency of the evacuation plan or deterioration of reactors with aging.

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