ISTANBUL – Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) has approved the Takahama nuclear power plant, located in central Japan, to continue operations for an additional 10 years, making it the country’s first reactor to operate beyond 50 years.
This decision is part of Japan’s broader strategy to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 while maintaining its reliance on nuclear energy, which remains crucial in the energy mix of the resource-scarce nation, according to a report by Kyodo News.
The NRA confirmed Kansai Electric Power Co.’s evaluation, asserting that the plant’s pressure vessel remains capable of withstanding neutron exposure and that the concrete structures continue to retain durability despite prolonged heat and radiation.
The No. 1 and No. 2 reactors of the Takahama plant were previously cleared for extended operations beyond 40 years in June 2016. Following rigorous safety reviews, these reactors were restarted in 2023, marking the first time they had been active since the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.
Also in 2023, the NRA gave approval for one reactor at the Mihama plant and two others at the Takahama plant, both located in central Fukui province, to extend their operations beyond the standard 40-year limit, despite being offline since the Fukushima disaster.
(Source: Anadolu) ia/mnm