The French Nuclear Safety Agency has announced that it will allow the operation period to be extended by 10 years to 50 years, mainly on the condition that the safety measures for nuclear power plants built in the 1980s are strengthened.
This was announced by the French Nuclear Safety Authority on the 25th.
According to it, for a reactor with an output of 900,000 kW class built from the end of the 1970s to the 1980s, the operation period, which was previously 40 years, will be extended by 10 years to 50 years.
As a condition for the extension, it is required to strengthen the preparation in the event of a serious accident such as a meltdown in which nuclear fuel melts down, and to improve the resistance to earthquakes and fires.
There are 32 target nuclear reactors in France, and the Nuclear Safety Authority will determine whether the necessary safety measures are taken for each by inspection every 10 years.
The French government has announced a policy to reduce the ratio of nuclear power generation to 50% in 2025 from more than 70% in 2015 as the domestic nuclear power plants are aging, but after that, alternative energy The time of achievement was delayed until 2035 because it was not widespread and was not realistic.