Japan Begins Storing Spent Nuclear Fuel in Aomori Facility
Aomori, Japan – On September 26th, 2023, a shipment of 69 spent fuel rods from Tokyo Electric Power Company’s (TEPCO) Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecturearrived at Japan’s first interim storage facility in Mutsu City, Aomori Prefecture. This marks the first time nuclear fuel has been moved to a dedicated storage facility outsideof a power plant in Japan.
The transport vessel carrying the fuel rods, encased in a 5.4-meter long, 2.5-meter diameter, 120-ton metal container, departed from the Kashiwazakiplant on September 24th and reached the vicinity of the interim storage facility on September 25th. The container was then loaded onto a transport vehicle and moved to the facility on September 26th. After inspection, theofficial storage operation is expected to begin by the end of October.
This move comes as nuclear power plants across Japan face a growing challenge of managing their accumulating spent fuel. The interim storage facility, operated by Recycle Fuel Storage (RFS), a company jointly funded by TEPCO and Japan Atomic Power, is designed tohold up to 5,000 tons of fuel from both companies. The facility is intended to be a temporary solution, with the fuel eventually being reprocessed for reuse. However, the completion of the reprocessing plant in Rokkasho Village, Aomori Prefecture, has been delayed due to regulatory reviews by theNuclear Regulation Authority.
The long-term storage of spent fuel has raised concerns among local residents, who fear the potential risks associated with prolonged storage. To address these concerns, Aomori Prefecture and Mutsu City have signed agreements with RFS, limiting the storage period to a maximum of 50 years.
TEPCO is moving the fuel rods to the Aomori facility as part of its efforts to restart the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant’s Units 6 and 7. The relocation of the fuel rods is a significant step in Japan’s nuclear energy policy, as the country seeks to maintain a stable energy supplywhile addressing the challenges of nuclear waste management.
References:
- Kyodo News (2023, September 26). 乏燃料今日首次被搬入青森的贮藏设施. [News article]. Retrieved from https://www.kyodonews.jp/
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