Japan nuclear regulator OKs new safety rules to extend reactor life

 a new government policy to scrap the current 60-year operating limit for reactors, adopted a new system in which additional operating extensions can granted every 10 years after 30 years of service. No maximum limit is specified. 

Let's pray no other Fukushima will happen in the future.

Was there ever any doubt this would be the outcome?

This is to save money. That's the reason of the extension.

Revamping the entire system is what's required.

At this point, there is no green energy without nuclear power. So, the best thing to do is to invest in safer and more efficient technology.

The politicos in Tokyo have never felt a magnitude 7+ earthquake but one day they will and that will alter their perception on nuclear power

All while the left hand is saying that the Nankai trough earthquake will be a catastrophe. They haven't learned from Fukushima.

So, I guess our electrical bills will plummet now...

60 years should at least be the limit which is double the original one. The US has also increased its 100 reactor lives to 60 years. Further increases can be applied after that.

So, I guess our electrical bills will plummet now...

Well, the Japanese power companies who've increased their prices the least are Kansai and Kyushu. The two companies who've restarted their nuclear reactors. People in other parts of Japan are paying near double. This is a fact, not my opinion.

The article is paywalled, but here is a chart from Nikkei. The average bill in the chart will not include electric water heating or space heating and will assume gas or kero. If you have electric heaters or an Eco Cute, your bill will be much higher on the June 23 tariff.

https://article-image-ix.nikkei.com/https%3A%2F%2Fimgix-proxy.n8s.jp%2FDSKKZO6798821027012023EA2000-2.jpg?ixlib=js-2.3.2&w=550&h=550&auto=format%2Ccompress&ch=Width%2CDPR&q=45&fit=crop&bg=FFFFFF&s=ccaaee1ab359f3e3c30ef9d1350f0560

Celsium 137 has a half life of 30-years. Most of Europe is still contaminated from the Ukraine Chernobyl accident in 1986. Yes, nuclear power is cheap, but the effect of a single accident will last a century.

All major parts of a reactor are supposed to be replaced every 25 years. But the reactor vessel and the concrete and steel containment vessel cannot be replaced.

The concrete containment vessels at Fukushima were cracked by the earthquake which now leaks cooling water leading to the contaminated water problem.

Substantial testing of the reactors before there are extensions.

The concrete containment vessels at Fukushima were cracked by the earthquake

That's not my understanding. I've read the damage to the containment vessels was due to explosions that were an eventual result of the failure of the emergency generators which were damage by the tsunami.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_Daiichi_nucleardisaster(Unit_2_Reactor)

Thats really NOT OK at all !!

Unscientific LDP regime with large corporation-first. Japan's "Nuclear Regulation Agency" who gradually lost independency during about decade and now virtually support nuclear industries as same as before Fukushima disaster.

They distract their eyes from huge natural disaster risk that no one knows when it happen, prioritize benefit of major power corporations than safety of general citizen, depend on superannuated nuclear plants that passed design service life with lower seismic resistance than general quakeproof designed residence. 

Because they can escape from responsibility in Japanese court.

It's nice to know they are moving the goal posts to suit their pockets.

But you’re going to need more electricity for your cool EV. Should Japan build more coal or oil fueled generating plants?

albaleo

   The concrete containment vessels at Fukushima were cracked by the earthquake

> That's not my understanding. I've read the damage to the containment vessels was due to explosions that were an eventual result of the failure of the emergency generators which were damage by the tsunami.

If the reactor containment vessels cracked because of the explosions due to the meltdowns then firstly they did not provide the protection they were supposed to provide. Contain a nuclear meltdown.

Since the radiation levels in those areas are very high no one has actually been in there for a close inspection.

The explosions damaged the pressure-suppression system at the bottom part of the containment vessels.

At least one emergency generator was damaged by the earthquake twisting the spinal.

The cracks were probably a combination of the earthquake and the explosions.

@wallace,

I'm no expert and can't say exactly what caused the sequence of problems. I was thinking of the difference between earthquake damage and tsunami damage. I think the intensity of the earthquake at the power plant was a 6+. I'd like to think power plants are built to withstand that level of shock. (Thinking of the Kobe earthquake where most - not all - modern buildings survived a level 7 intensity shock.)

I don't think any structure will withstand powerful explosions. It's a case of preventing them, and they failed at Fukushima.