Japan's aging nuclear plants may be checked at least once a decade

Oh, we're completely safe now, then. (eye roll)

Once a decade? What could go wrong?

What were the previous requirements? every 20 years? never?

Once a decade, here another idea, once every disaster happened.

Should be checked at least every five years or more.

(Should be doing whatever we can to wean ourselves off of nuclear power.)

Given most are already past their best before date, a slightly more frequent inspection regime might be more appropriate, say ten times? Once a year is the very least and unannounced if it is to have any credibility.

Uum....usually when things age, there are more, not less inspections. Take for example human or pet physical check ups, your JCI (Japanese Car Inspection), driver's license renewal for the elderly, or aging aircraft just to name a few; I mean even MS stopped supporting the venerable Win XP. This line of reasoning from the regulators is back asswards!

Once? If my car is checked every year then these can as well

You seriously can't make this stuff up! Once a decade for plants which are already past their used by date??!!!

Most corrupt, inept bunch of useless government lackeys one could ever find anywhere in the world!

It’s global standard. In Britain and France, there’s no limit to operating life of nuclear reactors and they are only checked once a decade. Those two countries must have their share of “most corrupt, inept bunch of useless government lackeys” too.

LOL at the above comments. There are different types of checks and inspections. Inspections happen every year. A full check up happens every 10 years for various tech reason. The US navy has the same policy.

France does not have powerful earthquakes but they have had large-scale floods which could affect the nuclear power plants.

Most of the Japanese reactors were supplied by Hitachi and Toshiba and manufactured in Hokkaido. The reactors have to be shut down every 2 years for inspections and refueling which takes 6 months.

The nuclear plants for all and likely more reason need frequent and complete inspection. Just as our bodies as they grow older. This said, the quality of inspections must be secured.

Fukushima is a case study in ubiquitous sloppiness.

Seems reasonable most decision makers in Japan don’t get checked at all. Most would fail their drivers licence but can make decisions like this. What do you expect?,care, concern.?

@jansob1,

You have nailed it.

Every single care home in Japan,every farm is calling out for workers yet there is such a shortage.

I can imagine the worst of the worse being employed by the Japan Nuclear Village.

In the years following 3/11 many nuclear engineers left the country to work elsewhere. Many universities cut back on their courses. Even many of the so-called nuclear gypsies moved on.

All the major parts of a reactor need replacing every 25 years.

The big question I who will do the checking? I suspect TEPCO and other electricity suppliers that have a history of cover-ups and poor checking.

These reactors are still there and are going to still be there, so the risk is still there. So you might as well use them, and get some benefit. So unless your'e going to demolish/scrap them, you might as well as use them.You'll reduce CO2, help in the fight against global warming and keep costs down. At least until you have enough renewables,thermal, or hydro come online.

@Farmboy spot on!

I can imagine a TEPCO employee splashing water with his hands around the plant every decade. Pass!, We did everything we were legally obligated to do?

This article is explaining why Germany denuclearized for a good reason, while LDP elites under Korean control are still stubborn.

More problems to come then…

Japan's superannuated nuclear plants that are not designed to can endure to use over 60 years have poor seismic resistance less than general houses, one inspection per decade is just pretence or excuse in Japan where huge natural disaster often occurr.

11 years from Fukushima nuclear disaster, Japanese authorities completely ignores lessons. LDP government or major power industries and regulation agency are about to be in one body as same as before Fukushima nuclear disaster.

I'm basically anti-nuclear but with the current energy crisis restarting the TEPCO Nigata NP could provide enough power for the whole of Eastern Japan.

The Fukushima reactors withstood the earthquake and went into shutdown when it happened. The reactors and their buildings could not withstand the tsunami.