nuclear-news

Japan’s old nuclear reactors to bite the dust

Japan utilities set to scrap five aging nuclear reactors  (Reuters) 17 Mar 15- Three aging nuclear reactors in Japan will be decommissioned due to the high cost of upgrading them in line with tougher safety standards set after the Fukushima disaster, their operators said on Tuesday.

Another two reactors were also likely to be scrapped, local media reports said, with announcements expected later in the week.

The moves are the first concrete sign that Japan’s nuclear industry is heeding a government request to shut down older reactors that are considered more vulnerable to natural disasters in the hope that it will ease public concerns about a restart of other reactors……..

It is the first time utilities have opted to close older reactors to comply with new safety standards set after the Fukushima disaster that limits a nuclear reactor’s lifespan to 40 years unless it can clear tough rules for a one-time extension. The deadline to apply for that extension is July 2015.

Japan’s trade ministry has been pushing nuclear operators for a quick decision on scrapping aging reactors that are too costly to upgrade, promising financial support for a smooth decommissioning.

Japan has revised accounting rules to allow utilities to spread the write-offs for reactor closures over 10 years and to pass on some of the cost to ratepayers. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/17/us-japan-nuclear-decommission-idUSKBN0MD0WX20150317

March 18, 2015 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | general