The team, headed by James Lyons (pictured), endorsed and was very impressed by the work done. EFE

• The IAEA supports the safety tests which should be made on plants

Is restricted for the first time in the Asian country the operational life of the atomic reactors to 40 years, with exceptions of maximum 20 years more

TOKYO, Japan (04/Jan/2012)-Japan of the Government today approved a plan that limits the life of its nuclear power plants to 40 years with exceptional by 20-year extensions, the same day that the international agency of Atomic Energy (IAEA) endorsed the safety tests carried out in the Japanese plants.

The draft law approved by the Japanese Cabinet, which now goes to Parliament, is intended to strengthen the safety of Japan plants after the nuclear crisis triggered in the plant of Fukushima Daiichi, the worst in 25 years in March.

The measure, which restricts for the first time in the Asian country the operational life of the atomic reactors, establishes that they may work 40 years with the possibility of that this period should be extended, in an exceptional way, up to a maximum of another 20 years.

Before granting this extraordinary extension, the Japanese Government will review the degree of wear of the reactors and the technological capacity of the operator to ensure its maintenance.

54 Commercial reactors in the Japanese archipelago there are three who already have at least 40 years (including the number 1 of the rugged Fukushima plant) and many others are on the verge of reaching that age.

The Government plan also requires operators of power plants they like their preventive measures at the prospect that a disaster could damage their reactors.

It also urges them to take action against the mass emission of radioactive substances into the environment in the event of accident and prevent cases such as Fukushima, who came to issue 800 trillions of becquereles per hour immediately after the disaster of March.

Bill proposed to also establish a supervisory body which will depend on the Ministry of environment and will replace the current agency of Nuclear Safety (NISA), under the Ministry of industry and much criticized for his advocacy of atomic energy.

Approval of the Government’s plan coincided with the delivery nuclear authorities of a preliminary report by a team of IAEA at the end of a mission of nine days, which have assessed tests for security in Japanese plants.

The team, headed by James Lyons and consisting of ten experts, endorsed and was “very impressed” with the work done by the NISA and operators of power plants when applying stress on reactors-testing.

Nevertheless he made some recommendations, such as the need to improve the communication of operators with citizens and other stakeholders to foster dialogue and transparency.

Also urged that the second phase of resistance tests expand so-called “seismic safety margins” i.e., that takes into account the possibility of the occurrence of earthquakes of intensity greater than expected and accident management measures to address more comprehensively.

During his mission the delegation visited the central of Oi (Japan Center) to inspect the results of the tests on the reactors 3 and 4 of the plant, arrested by routine revision.

Experts were satisfied by the central labour, although they ruled out deciding on the appropriateness of its reopening: “is a decision that must take the Japan Government, not us”, said Lyons at a press conference in Tokyo.

51 Of 54 Japan reactors are currently detained by security or maintenance, which has been forced to increase the activity of the power plants of a country which before the accident was getting 30 percent of its energy from nuclear power plants.

None of the unemployed reactors has permission to resume its operations until they do not overcome resistance tests and get approval from local authorities, up to now contrary to its revival.

The Japan Institute of energy economics predicts that, where unemployed reactors will not restart, Japan will suffer an energy deficit of at least 7 percent this summer, one of the periods of higher consumption.