Kyoto University has announced that one of its research reactors will be shut down four years later due to the deterioration of the reactor and the lack of recipients for spent nuclear fuel.
The decommissioning work will be carried out in consultation with the national government in the future.
The Kyoto University Research Reactor Institute has installed two small reactors called "KUR" with a maximum output of 5000 kW and "KUCA" with an output of 100 watts at a facility in Kumatori-cho, Osaka, and is operating for research purposes. doing.
Of these, the "KUR" built in 1963 was announced to end operation in May 2026, four years later.
Regarding the reason for the termination of operation Kyoto University is aging, the deadline for collecting spent nuclear fuel is approaching, and it is difficult to comply with new regulatory standards based on the accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. Is listed.
The decommissioning work to dismantle the reactor will be carried out in consultation with the national government.
On the other hand, the other reactor "KUCA" will continue to operate and be used for training researchers.
Ken Nakajima, director of the Kyoto University Research Reactor Institute for Nuclear Science, said, "I have a strong feeling for the reactor, which has been used by researchers nationwide since its installation and has achieved excellent results. I want to create a system that will not be delayed. "