Japan: nuclear authority approves two new nuclear fuel dry storage facilities

Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) recently approved plans to build spent nuclear fuel dry storage facilities at Tohoku Electric Power’s Onagawa Unit 2 and within Kansai Electric Power’s Takahama Nuclear Power Plants site. Dry storage facilities house spent fuel, which has been cooled in pools for a certain time, within metallic containers known as “casks.” Cooling is accomplished by natural air convection without the need for water or electrical power. This method is widely utilized internationally, but in Japan, it is rarely practiced and is regarded only as temporary.
However, things are gradually changing. Dry storage is already implemented at Japan Atomic Power Co.’s Tokai Daini, and spent fuel transport began last year to the Recyclable-Fuel Storage Company in Mutsu City, Aomori Prefecture, jointly owned by Tokyo Electric Power Co. and Japan Atomic Power Co. With the recent approval, Onagawa and Takahama become the third and fourth sites to meet Japan’s new regulatory standards for dry storage facilities within nuclear power sites.