Impending Rules and 'Long-Term' Shutdowns Confuse Japan's Nuclear Sector

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Written by Richard Finlayson, Senior International Editor for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Japan's entire industrial sector, especially its nuclear power industry, is undergoing an endless round of regulation and codification. The newly established Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) has just issued draft proposals that include a draft rule that power companies must be able to contain a severe accident situation for a week without outside help. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has retroactively re-categorized 47 Japanese nuclear reactors from "in operation" to "long-term shutdown."

The NRA is working toward announcing a final version of regulations in July after a period of discussion with power companies. When finalized, these rules will be essential for power companies wanting to restart nuclear reactors that have been idled. Utilities will be able to apply for inspections and approval prior to July, although no final opinion will be given until the new rules have been passed into law.

The post-Fukushima requirement will require utilities to provide alternative, possibly mobile, power supplies and multiple sources of cooling water. All reactors will need filtered vents to allow potentially explosive hydrogen to escape safely in the event of serious core damage.

According to the World Nuclear Association, the most difficult and expensive ideas to implement are that each power plant should have a back-up control room and a method of injecting water to cool a molten core that has already left the reactor vessel but remains in containment. Power companies also should be able to deal with a severe accident for an entire week without outside help, which can be delayed in the case of a wider emergency, such a major natural disaster.

In the IAEA re-categorization of 47 of the Japanese units for long-term shutdown, 42 reactors were entered retroactively for many years, without any apparent limits, as of January 1, 2012. But the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists says that numerous questions remain. Units can remain in the long-term shutdown category without any apparent limit, but there are fundamental anomalies in the categorization of specific plants.

With a pro-nuclear government now in power, Japan's nuclear future is still uncertain. It could take a long time for nuclear plants to adapt after the NRA lays out new safety standards in July.

For related information see January 15, 2013, article - Continued Shutdown of Japanese Nuclear Reactors Leaves Many Seeking Jobs, and January 18, 2013, article - Will Plan for 1,000 Megawatt Offshore Windfarm for Fukushima be Model for Japan?

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