KEPCO must clear hurdles to restart nuclear reactors at Takahama plant

The latest approval marks an important step toward making good use of nuclear power as the nation’s key energy source.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority approved extensions of up to 20 years for the operational periods of the Nos. 1 and 2 reactors at Kansai Electric Power Co.’s Takahama nuclear power plant. The reactors were put into commercial operation more than 40 years ago.

The new regulation system, with stricter safety standards adopted after the accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, limits the operational period of a nuclear reactor to no more than 40 years, while approving an extension of up to 20 years under exceptional circumstances. Such an extension has been approved for the first time.

Operating a nuclear power plant upon confirmation of the reactor’s safety, even if it has been in operation for more than 40 years, will be highly advantageous in ensuring a stable supply of electricity.

However, restarting an aging reactor is not easy. KEPCO must steadily clear a number of hurdles.

The biggest hurdle is upgrading facilities and systems. The plant has about 1,300 kilometers of cables, 60 percent of which will have to be replaced with fire-resistant cable. The company will take measures such as wrapping fire-resistant sheeting around the rest of the cable.

Solid concrete casings must also be built for the tops of the reactor vessels as a precaution against serious accidents. In the central control room, the control board, which plays a pivotal role in maintaining the safety of the reactors, will be replaced with the latest type of panels. It is vital to make sure the complex control system is functional.

KEPCO aims to complete the necessary work by the autumn of 2019 for restarting the reactors. The NRA will carry out strict inspections as the work progresses. The NRA will confirm the seismic resistance of some of the major facilities inside the reactor vessels by simulating an actual earthquake shock.

Huge expense

It is also vital to win the understanding of local communities for the nuclear reactors to be restarted. KEPCO needs to explain carefully what work it is carrying out and the need for restarting the reactors.

The work will require a huge sum of money — more than ¥200 billion. Restarting the reactors is expected to help KEPCO increase its profit by ¥9 billion a month.

It is hoped that by moving ahead smoothly with a series of procedures, KEPCO will present a model of a nuclear power station designed to operate long into the future.

The NRA, for its part, must also streamline the screening procedures. It is also important for the mechanism of the systems itself to be reviewed.

Even if an electric power company tries to apply for an extension of the operational period for a nuclear reactor with plenty of time in advance, the application period is limited under the current system. Should the screening fail to be completed by the actual day marking 40 years from the start of a reactor’s operation, the reactor in question will be decommissioned.

Undoubtedly the screening schedule will therefore become precarious. This will cause problems in the screenings of other reactors. Even this time, screenings for applications to restart other reactors have been delayed.

Another fundamental question is whether limiting the operational period of a nuclear reactor to 40 years is scientifically rational.

The government has set a target of having nuclear power account for 20 percent to 22 percent of the nation’s total electricity for fiscal 2030. To realize this target, not only the extension of the operational period of existing reactors, but also the replacement of antiquated nuclear power plants and the building of new and additional reactors must be studied.

The Japan News