Japan’s nuclear regulatory agency has approved the operation of an interim storage facility for spent fuel, the first such facility located outside a nuclear power plant site in the country.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority endorsed the safety inspection results of the facility, which is deemed safer than traditional facilities as it utilizes natural air circulation to cool spent fuel without relying on electricity or water.

Traditional wet storage facilities are located within nuclear plant sites, where spent fuel is typically submerged in water, but space has become extremely limited.

In September of this year, 69 fuel assemblies were transported from Tokyo Electric Power’s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant in Niigata Prefecture to the interim storage facility in Rokkasho Village, Aomori Prefecture.

These spent fuel rods will eventually be transferred to other locations for reuse; however, the reprocessing plant in Aomori Prefecture is still under construction.

The facility operator, Recyclable Fuel Storage Company, has an agreement with the local government allowing spent fuel storage at the facility for up to 50 years. However, local residents are concerned that the storage period could be extended due to delays in the construction of the reprocessing plant.

Additionally, some power companies nearing storage capacity limits, such as Kansai Electric Power and Chugoku Electric Power, plan to jointly construct a new interim storage facility in Kaminoseki Town, Yamaguchi Prefecture.