In a decision that will set a precedent for Japan¡¯s rapidly aging nuclear reactors, Kansai Electric Power Co. must soon choose whether to restart reactors 1 and 2 at its Takahama plant in Fukui Prefecture and operate them beyond the 40-year threshold, the first time a Japanese utility has faced such a dilemma.
Under new government guidelines adopted in 2012, 40 years is the maximum limit, in principle, on how long the nation¡¯s reactors are allowed to operate.
After that, they are supposed to be decommissioned, a process that can take decades. However, if a utility decides to continue to use them, it can apply for a one-time-only extension of 20 years if it meets a series of additional safety tests the government describes as ¡°stringent.¡±
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