New NRA rules impose costly roadblocks to restart idle reactors

[kristopher]

New NRA rules impose costly roadblocks to restart idle reactors

For the next several years at least, Japan will probably have very limited ability to generate electricity through nuclear power.

This is because the vast majority of the nation's idle nuclear reactors are unlikely to resume operations anytime soon due to proposed new regulation standards that set high and costly hurdles.

On April 10, the Nuclear Regulation Authority released its proposal for new regulation standards that are expected to go into effect in July.

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201304110062

Good article that goes on to show only 3 reactors are eligible to restart in the near term. The two that are currently operating will be shutting down for extensive inspections.

[pipoman]

1. Finally, the NRA did something good...

[tularetom]

2. If only someone had a gun at Fukushima there would have no damage from the tsunami

[FBaggins]

3. The article doesn't say that only 3 are eligible to restart in the near term

It says:

Candidates for early resumption of operations are reactors that do not use the boiling water system for generation. These include the No. 3 reactor at the Ikata nuclear plant operated by Shikoku Electric Power Co. and the No. 1 and No. 2 reactors of the Sendai nuclear plant in Kagoshima Prefecture operated by Kyushu Electric Power Co.

Japan has far more than three PWRs (20 or so IIRC). Some of them might not meet other requirements, but not all of them.

[kristopher]

5. I think it does.

It lists the numerous disqualifying factors and isolates those three as being prepared to submit applications for restart. If there were others I feel reasonably confident they would be mentioned.

[FBaggins]

7. It doesn't isolate those three

It describes a group that could satisfy the requirements and then gives examples.

"Candidates for the diet are green vegetables. These include broccoli, zucchini, and cucumbers"

The sentence is structured the same way.. but can't be read to exclude other green vegetables from the diet.

I feel reasonably confident they would be mentioned.

So the recent news of the Takahama plant's #3 & #4 is just a misprint?

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/04/27/national/kepco-mulls-takahama-plant-restart/#.UXwnsBXD9UY

[Yo_Mama]

4. It might be a good idea for the US to look at some of those standards

Okay, maybe tsunami levees aren't needed for many of the reactors in the US, but some of these are really good ideas.

Remote controlled operations and the filtering system for the relief valve are lessons learned. Of course, without power they don't work.

I still believe personally that some of the older reactors in the US should be shut down. Not that I'm an expert, but I think we are drifting into higher risks. However, if we are not going to shut some of these down, filtering systems on the relief valves would be a good add. I don't think US BWRs have these yet.

I am curious as to whether such a system would survive the type of shaking that Fukushima Daiichi got. My guess is that it wouldn't.

For those who don't know what it's all about, this link might be helpful:
http://www.nirs.org/factsheets/bwrfact.htm

Not everything in that link applies to each BWR. For example, extensive maintenance is usually carried out on older reactors, up to and including replacement of the core shrouds.

[Nihil]

6. Standards aren't the problem ...

Getting corporations to adhere to them is the problem.