Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. Completed the first nuclear power plant countermeasure construction in Japan for more than 40 years Reported to Fukui Prefecture

Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. Completed the first countermeasure work for nuclear power plants over 40 years in Japan Reported to Fukui Prefecture September 18, 18:56

Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. has completed the measures to extend the operation of nuclear power plants, which is limited to 40 years in principle, for the first time in Japan at two nuclear power plants in Fukui Prefecture, and reported it to the prefecture.

Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. has indicated a plan to restart the company next year, but Fukui Prefecture has indicated that the highest priority is to restore the trust of the company, which has been suffering from scandals, and that it is not possible to discuss the restart immediately.

Deputy General Manager Hitoshi Mizuta of Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. Nuclear Power Business Headquarters visited the Fukui Prefectural Office on the 18th and reported that the countermeasure construction for over 40 years of operation was completed at Takahama Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 and Mihama Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 on the 18th. Did.

In response, Hiroyuki Noji, General Manager of the Safety and Environment Department of the prefecture, said, "Although the construction has been completed, the trust of Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. has been impaired, and it is not possible to immediately proceed with discussions on restarting." He expressed the idea that the restoration of trust, which was lost due to the problem of receiving a large amount of money by former executives, is the highest priority rather than the discussion.

This is the first nuclear power plant in Japan that has completed countermeasures for over 40 years of operation.

Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. has indicated that it plans to restart Mihama Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 in January next year and Takahama Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 in March next year, but procedures such as the consent of the local government will be required in the future, and will the restart proceed as planned? The key point is Kansai Electric Power's efforts to restore trust.

Safety challenges

In order to operate a nuclear power plant beyond the operation period limited to 40 years in principle, not only does it meet the regulatory standards that are the prerequisite for restarting, but also how much the reactor and containment components have been in the operation so far. Nuclear Regulatory Commissioner after conducting special inspections to see if it has deteriorated, evaluating whether sufficient earthquake resistance is ensured even during the extension of operation, and establishing a long-term maintenance management policy. It must be reviewed and approved by the Society.

According to Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc., at Takahama Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 and Mihama Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3, which have completed safety measures for over 40 years of operation, pipes and steam generators have been replaced in the past as a measure against aging. No problem was pointed out in the examination of the regulatory committee regarding the extension of operation this time.

On the other hand, since most of the reactor vessels cannot be replaced, Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. will conduct regular sample surveys to see if the metal of the material becomes brittle due to the effects of radiation, and will ensure the safety of the extended period.

Yukio Yamaguchi, Co-President of the Nuclear Information Center, an NPO that has made policy proposals on nuclear power, said, "There is no example of a nuclear power plant that has been operating for more than 40 years in Japan, and it is sufficient whether the knowledge and evaluation so far are really correct. I feel that it has not been verified. I am still worried about how strict the safety can be checked by the operator, "he said, saying that nuclear power plants that have been operating for more than 40 years need to be monitored more closely than usual. I'm pointing out.

In addition, Professor Satoshi Yanagihara of the International Nuclear Engineering Research Institute, Fukui University, who is familiar with the decommissioning of nuclear power plants, said, "If you operate for up to 60 years, radioactive waste will continue to increase, so you need to think about a treatment method. When the nuclear power plant Unit 3 restarts, it is expected that the work will be complicated because the decommissioning work of Units 1 and 2 is being carried out on the same site, and how Kansai Electric Power will manage it. It will be an issue, "he said, pointing out that it is necessary to take measures so that the increase in radioactive waste due to long-term operation does not affect the decommissioning work that is proceeding on the same site.