Ikata Nuclear Power Station Unit 1 Decommissioning Phase 2 Plan Approved by Experts

An expert organization in Ehime Prefecture, Japan, regarding safety management at the Ikata Nuclear Power Station recently held a meeting to discuss the decommissioning plan for Unit 1 of the station. The report formed at the meeting deemed it “appropriate” for the unit to enter the second phase of decommissioning in fiscal year 2027.

The meeting was convened by the Nuclear Safety Expert Subcommittee under the “Ikata Nuclear Power Station Environmental Safety Management Committee.” This committee is responsible for providing advice to the Governor of Ehime Prefecture on safety management at the Ikata Nuclear Power Station. At the meeting, eight academic experts reviewed the decommissioning plan for Unit 1.

The decommissioning of Unit 1 at the Ikata Nuclear Power Station began in 2017 and is divided into four phases overall, planned to last approximately 40 years. Currently, the decommissioning work is in the first phase, primarily involving the removal of equipment outside the controlled area. After the second phase begins, equipment within the controlled area that may contain radioactive materials will be dismantled.

In July of this year, the Japanese government approved Shikoku Electric Power Company to proceed with the second phase of decommissioning for Unit 1. In its report, the expert panel deemed the relevant decommissioning plan reasonable, while also requesting that Ehime Prefecture urge Shikoku Electric Power to take measures to reduce worker radiation exposure and properly dispose of low-level radioactive waste.

The report will be submitted to the Ikata Nuclear Power Station Environmental Safety Management Committee for review.