» Decommissioning of Fukushima nuclear reactors will be an international undertaking

2013/02/28

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is planning to propose an international undertaking to decommission reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry have been taking the initiative to make decommissioning plans. However, what Japan alone can do is very limited because of lack of substantial decommissioning experience.

The idea of an international undertaking could also address concern from the international community that Japan might monopolize the technology for reactor decommissioning. There are more than 400 reactors in the world which reach the end of their service life and the development of decommissioning technology will likely offer major business opportunities.

The U.N. nuclear watchdog is planning to send an international team of experts to Japan in April 2013 to consult with local authorities about decommissioning the reactors.

Media Reports

IAEA to propose multilateral efforts to retire Fukushima nuclear reactors

http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2013/02/210493.html

IAEA mulls multilateral efforts to retire Fukushima nuclear reactors

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20130227p2g00m0dm046000c.html

Tags:decommissioning, IAEA, news, reactors

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