Japan's Fukui Prefecture Approves KEPCO's Construction of Dry Cask Storage Facilities for Spent Fuel

Fukui Prefecture Governor Tatsuji Sugimoto announced on August 28 that he approved Kansai Electric Power Company's (KEPCO) plan to construct dry cask storage facilities for spent fuel within the premises of the Mihama and Takahama nuclear power plants in Fukui Prefecture. The decision was made in accordance with the safety agreement between Fukui Prefecture and KEPCO. KEPCO plans to apply to the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) for approval of the relevant design and construction plans as early as August 31.

KEPCO plans to build dry cask storage facilities at three nuclear power plants in Fukui Prefecture to temporarily store spent fuel and prepare for future transport to an interim storage facility outside Fukui Prefecture. Among these, the plans for the Mihama and Takahama nuclear power plants have already passed the review by the Nuclear Regulation Authority; the Ohi nuclear power plant project will await the completion of the review before Fukui Prefecture makes a judgment.

At a press conference, Sugimoto stated that Fukui Prefecture made the decision after comprehensively considering national and operator measures, the opinions of local governments hosting the nuclear plants, and discussions in the prefectural assembly. He said the prefecture will prioritize safety as the foremost prerequisite and strictly confirm the plans for transporting spent fuel in and out.

The Fukui Prefectural Assembly and local stakeholders had previously raised concerns about the project, mainly focusing on whether the dry cask storage facilities could lead to long-term retention of spent fuel and whether storage capacity might be further expanded. Japan promotes a nuclear fuel cycle policy, planning to recover and recycle plutonium and other materials from spent fuel through reprocessing. However, the completion of the reprocessing plant in Rokkasho Village, Aomori Prefecture, has been delayed multiple times, and the specific location of the interim storage facility has not yet been determined.

In response to these concerns, Fukui Prefecture submitted written requirements to KEPCO after the approval: when spent fuel is transported into the dry cask storage facilities and from the dry cask storage facilities to the interim storage facility, KEPCO must submit plans to Fukui Prefecture and the relevant towns in advance and undergo confirmation; the transport of spent fuel to the interim storage facility must begin no later than the end of 2035 and continue steadily; and storage capacity must not be increased.

KEPCO stated that the purpose of building the dry cask storage facilities is to facilitate the smooth removal of spent fuel from the nuclear plant premises, not to expand long-term storage capacity. The company said it will proceed with subsequent procedures while ensuring safety and continue to seek local understanding.