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Japan's regulator approves 50-year-old nuclear power plant for first time
Tokyo, October 16, 2024, 07:00 — Regnum News Agency. The continuation of operation of the first power unit of the Takahama Nuclear Power Plant in Fukui Prefecture, which will turn 50 years old in November 2024, has been approved by Japan's Nuclear Regulation Agency. This was reported by Kyodo News on October 16.
Regulators have given the first green light to a power unit that has been in service for more than 50 years in Japan. After a series of inspections, regulators found the unit to be safe and granted a 10-year permit.
Japan has adopted an amendment to a bill requiring safety inspections 30 years after a nuclear power plant begins operating in 2023 and every 10 years thereafter. The law previously limited the lifespan of a nuclear reactor to 60 years and required additional permits if it had only operated for 40 years.
Regnum News Agency reported earlier that in August last year, Primorye scientists discovered elevated tritium levels in water samples from the Far East Sea. The study was conducted as part of an expedition to monitor radiation safety after the water spill at Japan's Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
In August 2023, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that Japan had begun dumping water from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea. China opposes dumping and demands that the dumping process be stopped.
“Countries expect Japan to provide all necessary information about the water discharged into the sea from the Fukushima nuclear power plant,” said Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.