Two Major Reactors Die

Kansai Electric Power Company decided on Friday to decommission Reactor #1 and #2 of Oi Nuclear Power Plant in Fukui and reported it to national and local government. Two years before the expiration of their life in new regulative standard, forty years, the company realized that extending the life of those two reactors would not be reasonable in terms of a business feasibility. It is likely that some other aged reactors in Japan will follow Oi.

Those two reactors started its operation in 1979. Having 1.175 million kilowatts of electric power generation for each, they have been major electricity supplier to Kinki area covered by KEPCO. Nuclear Regulation Authority set a standard that every nuclear reactor needed to end its operation within forty years except some reactors with extremely strict safety measures. KEPCO found that it would cost ¥200 billion for each reactor to extend its life. Additional safety measures would not compensate its benefit obtained by the extension.

After the severe accident of First Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant in 2011, 12 reactors had decided to end their operation, because of unreasonable cost for safety measures. But it was the first time for a reactor with 1 million kilowatts of power or more, except #6 Reactor in First Fukushima located in the same site of exploded reactors. KEPCO has to maintain other seven reactors with ¥830 billion of additional investment for safety measures. It simply cannot afford to maintain two old nuclear reactors in Oi.

The decision of KEPCO will affect the policy of other electric power companies in Japan. Reactor #2 of Ikata Nuclear Power Plant, Ehime, is 35 years old now. Its owner, Shikoku Electric Power Company, will decide whether the reactor can be maintained with further safety measures. Reactor #2 of Genkai Nuclear Power Plant in Saga owned by Kyushu Electric Power Company is also reaching its expiration.

There are a number of suspended reactors in Japan. Reactor #2 of Tsuruga Nuclear Power Plant owned by Japan Atomic Power Company and Reactor #1 of Shika Nuclear Power Plant in Ishikawa owned by Hokuriku Electric Power Company have not passed the examination of NRA, due to possible active rift underground of the site. Reactor #2 of Shika and Higashidori Nuclear Power Plant in Aomori owned by Tohoku Electric Power Company also have the same problem.

The government of Japan has a plan to rely 20% to 22% of whole electric power in Japan on nuclear power generation. It requires operation of about 30 nuclear power reactors. It is highly difficult to persuade the public for building further reactors. Politically dependent on traditional interest of major power company, Shinzo Abe administration still insist on nuclear power generation for future energy strategy.