Japan set to extend maximum lifespan of nuclear plants beyond 60 years

"We can assure you that strict regulations will never be compromised," said Shinsuke Yamanaka, chairman of the Nuclear Regulation Authority.

Well, that's all settled

However, that period can be extended once by 20 years if safety upgrades are made and a reactor passes the regulation authority's screening.

Extended until disaster really happened, just wait for another Fukushima.

Oh boy. I wonder this statement will age as well as the nuclear power plants.

The NRA plans to create a system 

well, that should take 20 years in itself....

*"We can assure you that strict regulations will never be compromised," said Shinsuke Yamanaka, chairman of the Nuclear Regulation Authority**.*

Tell that to the hundreds of thousands of people who were displaced after the manmade Fukushima disaster.

It's easy to win a game when you keep changing the rules to suit yourself.

Decommossioning and rebuilding these aging plants is way too expensive to make it a viable option. Therefore, they must keep on refurbishing them which is also at a huge cost. Tell me again how nuclear power is cheap and safe. The Australian government is talking about building nuclear power plants in Australia. The massive costs of building and maintaining are ridiculous and the Australian people are against it 100%!

Not really up to them.

Like the Fukushima plant, the life span could end abruptly

The US has also increased the life limit of its nuclear reactors.

https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/whats-lifespan-nuclear-reactor-much-longer-you-might-think

"We can assure you that strict regulations will never be compromised," said Shinsuke Yamanaka, chairman of the Nuclear Regulation Authority.

Unless it is a matter of protecting TEPCO form liability.

Force TEPCO to use its recent healthy profits to convert all its reactors to safe thorium salt reactors.

Whatever. Just keep my electric bill down.

Or in principle, you could build one in Tokyo Bay. Until the next disaster on this extremely geothermally active chain of islands. They're safe, in principle.

Japan should be focusing on geothermal energy for a start. Toshiba et al should be developing plants in Japan instead of Indonesia, etc which are going in that direction. But no.

All the power companies including TEPCO are covered by the nuclear liability law which limits the amount to ¥120 billion. Reactors cannot be transformed into another fuel type.

Why don't we use molten salt reactors?

Another basic problem with MSRs is that the materials used to manufacture the various reactor components will be exposed to hot salts that are chemically corrosive while being bombarded by radioactive particles. So far, there is no material that can perform satisfactorily in such an environment.

I would personally prefer the regulator do away with silly, irrelevant rules like operating life and instead rely on standards that operators have to meet. Else operators could get away with meeting minimum rules but not operate safely.

Businesses want certainties - sure. But Nukes is not something you can write a set of rules and let the dogs loose.

The possible change is in line with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's goal of extending the lifespan to reduce carbon emissions and provide a stable electricity supply. 

Boy, what a way to sugarcoat that STUPID decision

We can assure you that strict regulations will never be compromised," said Shinsuke Yamanaka, chairman of the Nuclear Regulation Authority.

Yeah... we feel assured...

That reminds to replace my iodine supply…

9 reactors in 5 power plants were actually operating. Currently, reduced to 5. Likely 9 will operate again during the winter.

No. 3 and 4 units at the Oi nuclear power station.

No. 3 and 4 units at the Takahama nuclear plant.

No. 3 reactor at the Mihama nuclear plant,

all run by Kansai Electric Power Co. in Fukui Prefecture;

Sendai nuclear station's units 1 and 2 in Kagoshima Prefecture.

Genkai power station's No. 3 reactor in Saga Prefecture.

No. 3 unit at Shikoku Electric Power Co.'s Ikata power plant in Ehime Prefecture.

"We can assure you that strict regulations will never be compromised," said Shinsuke Yamanaka, chairman of the Nuclear Regulation Authority.

Didn't they say the same thing before the 2011 disaster..???

What could go wrong.....

As a matter of fact, I ALWAYS carry a small emergency pack with me everywhere I go. Swiss Army knife, iodine, two Surgical masks, my trusty Geiger counter (today 0.167) and I actually do have a prepared shelter with food and water and batteries. There are four NPPs near me, two have had accidents including deaths. I always keep my cars over three quarters full of gas.

be prepared, older NPPs are extremely dangerous. Just research the state of French NPPs…

You’ll be happy when you have electricity to keep you warm this winter.

"We can assure you that strict regulations will never be compromised," said Shinsuke Yamanaka, chairman of the Nuclear Regulation Authority.

If Fukushima Daichi is anything to go by then we are all doomed.

Failure after failure is what these incompetent people are.

"Accidents will happen, they only hit and run..."

You’ll be happy when you have electricity to keep you warm this winter.

I have solar panels that produce six times more than we use and get a small income. No radiation, no burning fossil fuels.

and a reactor passes the regulation authority's screening.

I wonder how they do that part and which suicidal authority is willing to do it, because they’ll be dying within a few seconds from extraordinarily high radiation.

Quote: “However, that period can be extended once by 20 years if safety upgrades are made and a reactor passes the regulation authority's screening.”

Last time they mandated ‘stress tests’ but then decided that these could be ‘virtual’ on the computer and not on the actual structures.

PS I expect they did not want to stress anything.

I have solar panels that produce six times more than we use and get a small income. No radiation, no burning fossil fuels.

That is simply great.

I have solar panels that produce six times more than we use and get a small income. No radiation, no burning fossil fuels.

That is simply great.

I'll second that. Well done!

This is what happens when you have a one party government.

40 will become 60. Ducks will become geese. And up will become down

@Bobcatfish. “40 will become 60.”

It has. They have already extended the permitted working life of their NPPs from 40 to 60 years.

This new proposal is about going beyond the outside limit of 60 years. No age limit at all? 100 years+? Who knows? The sky is the limit!!!