Japan Proposes Extending Lifespan of Nuclear Power Plants

Japan Proposes New Rules to Extend Nuclear Plant Lifespans

On March 24, Japan's economy ministry proposed a set of new rules that could allow nuclear power plants to operate beyond their current 60-year limit. This move is part of a broader strategy to maximize the country's nuclear energy capacity by extending the lifespan of aging reactors.

The new rules define how to implement regulations that will take effect in June. These regulations will allow periods when a nuclear plant's operations have been suspended for extended regulatory reviews or a court order to not count towards its 60-year lifespan.

This means that reactors like the No. 1 reactor at the Takahama nuclear power plant, which remained offline for 12 and a half years following the 2011 earthquake, could now be operated for up to 72 years.

However, reactors that were taken offline due to operator negligence or misconduct will not be eligible for extensions. This includes the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant, which was shut down for 32 months due to inadequate counter-terrorism measures.

Under the new rules, the economy minister will approve extensions beyond 60 years on a case-by-case basis. The ministry will also decide whether periods of inactivity due to local approval and pre-operation inspections will count towards the plant's operational lifespan.

This policy shift towards greater reliance on nuclear energy has allowed for extensions of up to 20 years, subject to approval from the Nuclear Regulation Authority. To date, all eight reactors that have applied for extensions have been granted approval to operate for 60 years.

The government's push for longer operational lifespans for reactors is part of its broader energy strategy, which aims to "maximize the use of nuclear power." Facing the financial and safety challenges of building new reactors, the government seeks to keep existing ones operational for as long as possible.

However, globally, no nuclear reactor has operated beyond 60 years and questions remain about how to ensure the safety of aging reactors.