The Nuclear Regulation Authority has approved an extension of operations for the No. 3 and 4 reactors of Kansai Electric Power Co.'s Takahama nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture.

The nuclear safety watchdog has given the green light to a 20-year extension of the service life of the two reactors, which will reach their 40th anniversary next year.

The NRA’s decision has brought to eight the total units that have been permitted to keep running beyond the 40-year service period, which is the in-principle limit set in the regulations.

Moreover, a new rule to go into effect next year will allow aging reactors to operate beyond 60 years.

However, the safety risks associated with aging nuclear power plants are dangerously high and their continued operation should not be allowed.

The Takahama No. 3 and 4 reactors began operation in 1985. The NRA approved the inspection results, which found no issues with critical equipment, and decided that these reactors can operate without serious functional problems through 2045 if Kansai Electric manages them under careful maintenance plans.

The disastrous accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant, which is operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co., led to legal changes to set the service life of all nuclear reactors at 40 years, in principle, with a provision that the service period may be extended for a maximum of 20 years just once.

Although the step was initially described as "extremely exceptional," all applications for permission to extend operations have been approved so far.

Additionally, the legislation to promote nuclear power generation enacted last year includes a new system that excludes shutdown periods during inspections from the overall period of operation, enabling reactors to continue running beyond 60 years.

In drafting the bill, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s administration decided to change the rule for the legal lifespan of reactors after only several months of deliberation.

The NRA swiftly approved the revision under the pressure of a timetable set by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

This approach undermines the policy principle of separation of “promotion and regulation,” an important lesson from the devastating nuclear accident in 2011.

The world's oldest operating nuclear reactors, commissioned 54 years ago, are still running in the United States and Switzerland, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. Operations beyond 60 years, however, are "uncharted territory."

The question is whether pushing ahead with the seemingly reckless policy change in a seismically active country is acceptable. The nuclear accident 13 years ago should have brought home to us that a serious nuclear accident could jeopardize the nation's future.

While extending reactor operations may provide short-term economic benefits to power companies and consumers, it inevitably creates age-related risks.

Even if safety measures are enhanced and old parts are replaced, the reactor core itself cannot be replaced. Since the designs of aging reactors are outdated, there will be an increased risk of unexpected technical difficulties occurring in unforeseen situations such as large-scale natural disasters.

In the devastating earthquake that battered many communities in the Noto Peninsula on Jan. 1, troubles such as damage to transformers receiving external power occurred at Hokuriku Electric Power Co.’s Shika nuclear power plant, located in a town on the western coast of the peninsula.

In the vicinity, many buildings and infrastructure were seriously damaged, with houses collapsing and roads becoming impassable, exposing the difficulties of indoor sheltering and evacuation during a major nuclear accident.

Anxiety is growing among residents of communities hosting nuclear plants in areas with limited evacuation routes.

Nuclear power generation is still dogged by significant unresolved issues, such as handling spent fuel and disposing of high-level waste. The costs of safety measures are rising and nuclear power is losing its economic advantages to renewable energy.

This month, the government began discussions on a new basic energy plan.

The policy of reducing the nation’s dependence on atomic energy as much as possible, incorporated into the basic plan after the accident, has been maintained even after the return of the Liberal Democratic Party to power.

This policy should continue to be upheld, and the government should avoid the path of reliance on aging nuclear power plants.

--The Asahi Shimbun, May 30