Japan urges nuke plants to prepare for decommissioning era

TOKYO — Japan’s nuclear policy-setting body has adopted a report saying the country is entering an era of massive nuclear plant decommissioning, urging operators to plan ahead to lower safety risks and costs on work requiring decades and billions of dollars.

Twenty-four reactors — or 40% of Japan’s total — are designated for or are being decommissioned. Among them are four tsunami-wrecked units at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant.

The report, adopted Monday by the Japan Atomic Energy Commission, urges utilities to learn from U.S. and European examples. Japan hasn’t yet completed the decommissioning of any reactors and doesn’t have concrete plans for the final disposal of radioactive waste.

Japanese utilities have opted to scrap aged reactors instead of investing in safety requirements under post-Fukushima standards.

The Associated Press

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