Japan's Tomari Nuclear Power Plant Plans New Low-Level Radioactive Waste Processing Facility

Hokkaido Electric Power Company (HEPCO) recently announced plans to construct a new low-level radioactive waste processing facility within the premises of the Tomari Nuclear Power Plant in Hokkaido, Japan, to handle approximately 12,000 drums of low-level radioactive waste currently stored on site.

According to HEPCO, the new facility will sort waste such as paper and metal, reduce its volume through fine shredding or compression, and then solidify it by pouring mortar into the waste drums. After processing, the waste will undergo radioactivity level testing before being transported to the disposal center in Rokkasho Village, Aomori Prefecture.

Previously, the Tomari plant had stored this type of waste in 200-liter drums without further processing. The proposed facility will have an annual processing capacity of over 1,000 drums, feature a three-story structure, and cover a total floor area of approximately 4,600 square meters.

To advance the project, HEPCO submitted a request on September 1 under relevant safety agreements to Hokkaido and four local municipalities, seeking prior consent. The company estimates that after Unit 3 of the Tomari plant is restarted, approximately 300 waste tube bundles will be generated annually, and it plans to complete construction of the facility by fiscal year 2031.

HEPCO did not disclose the construction cost of the project, stating that related expenses involve contractual arrangements with suppliers.