'49-Year-Old' Japan Takahama Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1, Restart Possible After 12 Years

Japan's oldest nuclear power plant, Takahama Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 in Fukui Prefecture, which began operation in November 1974, is set to be restarted on the 28th after 12 years, Kyodo News reported on the 27th.

Takahama Nuclear Power Plant, Japan
[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

According to Kyodo News, Kansai Electric Power, which operates the Takahama Nuclear Power Plant, plans to withdraw the control rods that suppress nuclear fission and start the reactor on the afternoon of the 28th. If the nuclear fission reaction remains stable the following day, power generation and transmission will begin on the 2nd.

Takahama Unit 1, which began operation in 1974, is the oldest nuclear power facility in Japan based on its start of operation. Although it has been shut down for over 12 years since the regular inspection following the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, it is now able to restart after the Nuclear Regulation Authority of Japan approved an extension of its operating period.

After the Great East Japan Earthquake, Japan revised the Reactor Regulation Act in 2013 to phase out aging nuclear power plants with high accident risks by setting the basic operating period to 40 years, allowing only one extension of up to 20 years, making the maximum operation period 60 years. However, with the law being revised again this year, periods of suspension due to restart reviews and other reasons will be excluded from the operating period, allowing operation beyond 60 years. According to this, Takahama Unit 1 is expected to be able to operate for more than 70 years from its initial startup.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.