NRA Approves Decommissioning Plan of Japan's Monju FBR Plant

摘要

Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authorityrnhas approved a plan to decommissionrnthe Monju prototype fast-breederrnreactor over the next 30 years.rnThe decision means that the JapanrnAtomic Energy Agency can movernforward with the plan, which callsrnfor dismantling the reactor in FukuirnPrefecture in four phases, beginningrnwith removal of 530 spent fuel rodsrnbetween Fiscal Years (FY) 2018 and 2022,rnand ending with the demolition of thernreactor building by FY 2047. It still needsrnto solve how to remove the reactor'srnsodium coolant and where to movernspent nuclear fuel. Decommissioningrncosts are estimated at ¥375 billionrn(US$3.5 billion), with ¥150 billionrn(US$1.4 billion) dedicated to the actualrnplant work and the remainder forrnmanaging related facilities.