ICAPP2017, Fukui, Japan, April 25 2017

Nuclear Power Plants
history and the role
Yoshiaki oka
Chairman, Japan Atomic Energy Commission
Emeritus professor, the University of Tokyo

The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of JAEC nor the government

Nuclear Power in the World Today• There are over 440 commercial nuclear power reactors
operable in 31 countries, with over 390,000 MWe of total
capacity. About 60 more reactors are under construction.
• They provide over 11% of the world's electricity as
continuous, reliable base‐load power, without carbon
dioxide emissions.
• 55 countries operate a total of about 245 research reactors,
and a further 180 nuclear reactors power some 140 ships
and submarines.
Source: world nuclear association

2PWR development
PWR was developed based on nuclear submarine reactor
technology of US Navy by Westinghouse
Nautilus （1954, north pole voyage 1958）
Shippingport PWR（1957, Westinghouse, demonstration
reactor, 60MWe）
Yankee Rowe（1961, 1st commercial plant,185MWe）
Saxton(1960, testing reactor,20MWt)
Mihama I (1970, 340MWe, Kansai EPCO, Japan)
Standardization ; 2 loop (600MWe), 3 loop (900MWe), 4loop (1200MWe): same design of steam generators andcoolant pumps
VVER, Konvoi, EPR, KPR1400, AP1000, Hualong1

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USS Nautilus (Nuclear submarine)

Source: http://www.hnsa.org/ships/nautilus.htm

4Shippingport Atomic Power Station

Source: http://www.mbe.doe.gov/me70/history/photos.htm

5BWR development
BORAX‐I; Inherent safety, power excursion test
BORAX‐II; Pressurization, instability study
BORAX‐III; Power generation test
BORAX‐IV; UO2 fuel, stability, radiolysis, radioactivity in turbine island
BORAX‐V; High power density core, nuclear superheat
EBWR ( Argonne national lab. 5MWe）; Power demonstration, Accumulation oftrouble experience
VBWR（GE）； Economic improvement, natural/forced circulation, direct/indirect
cycle, materials testing
Dresden‐I (Demonstration reactor, 180MWe,1959, Zircaloy fuel)
JPDR（Japan, JAERI, demonstration reactor, 12.5MWe, 1963）
Dresden‐II、Oyster Creek（1st generation of commercial plants, 1965）
Tsuruga 1（357MWe, 1969, JAPC), Fukushima I （460MWe, 1970, TEPCO
Swedish BWR, German BWR, ABWR

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Source: S.M. Stacy “Proving the principle” DOE/ID‐10799

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Evolution of BWRSource: Y.Oka (editor) “ Advances in light water reactor technologies”, Springer 20118

Evolution of BWR containment

Source: Y.Oka (editor) “ Advances in light water reactor technologies”, Springer 20119

Advances in LWRtechnologies
An example,

Computer aided design, engineeringand construction
10Design by Hand drawing (1975’s)“Source: Kawahata, Hitachi‐GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd., Intn’l Summer School of Nuclear Power Plants, Tokai‐
mura, Univ. Tokyo 2009"11

Design by plastic model (1985’s)“Source: Kawahata, Hitachi‐GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd., Intn’l Summer School of Nuclear Power Plants, Tokai‐
mura, Univ. Tokyo 2009"12

Design by 3D CAD (1990’s)“Source: Kawahata, Hitachi‐GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd., Intn’l Summer School of Nuclear Power Plants,
Tokai‐mura, Univ. Tokyo 2009"13

Plant integrated CAE system (present)“Source: Kawahata, Hitachi‐GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd., Intn’l Summer School of Nuclear Power Plants,
Tokai‐mura, Univ. Tokyo 2009"14

Walk – through simulation with CAE

Source: Y.Oka (editor) “ Advances in light water reactor technologies”, Springer 201115

Modular construction“Source: Kawahata, Hitachi‐GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd., Intn’l Summer School of Nuclear Power Plants,Tokai‐mura, Univ. Tokyo 2009"16

Nuclear Power Utilization in Japan
43 LWR plants; BWR and PWR
9 utilities (TEPCO, Kansai, Chubu etc.) by region andJAPC and J‐Power(EPDC)
First LWR demo (JPDR, 12MWe BWR) in 1959
First commercial plant (GCR) in 1965, LWR in 1970
Developed ABWR and APWR
3 Manufacturers; Toshiba/WH, Hitachi/GE and MHI
3 nuclear fuel manufacturers; GNF, Mitsubishi NF, NFI
Commercial nuclear fuel cycle program by JNFL
(enrichment, spent fuel reprocessing and low level
radioactive waste disposal) in Rokkasho‐mura
Only for peaceful use, no nuclear weapon by law17

Follow‐up of Fukushima Nuclear Accident(off‐site)
Evacuation Orders were Lifted in Most of the Restricted Areas【Iidate, Kawamata, Namie, Tomioka 】 (April 2017)
Evacuees of Fukushima ： 164,865 (May2012) → 77,283 (March 2017)

IidateDifficult-to-Return Zone
Namie
Kawamata

The area that needs physical protective
measures such as barricades and seek evacuation
because the radiation dose is at a very high level,

Restricted Residence Zone
The area that aims to enable the residents toreturn home and rebuild the community in thefuture by decontaminating and restoring theinfrastructure for early recovery.
Tomioka

Zone in Preparation for the Liftingof the Evacuation Order
The area that aims to improve the environment
for residents to return home by prompt support
measures for restoration and reconstruction.

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Inspections of All Bags of Rice inFukushima PrefectureRadioactive inspections have been carried out on all bags of rice since 2012.
● Results in 2016 show that all bags of rice were within the limit (100Bq/kg).
●Evaluation of monitoring, etc. by IAEA (Excerpts from IAEA report (November 2015))• According to the information provided, although many food restrictions remain in force, it has not beennecessary to implement new food restrictions over the reporting period and several such restrictions havebeen lifted where extensive testing confirms that food collected no longer exceeds the regulatory limit.
• The IAEA continues to acknowledge that systems are in place and are being implemented to prevent foodand agricultural products with levels of caesium radionuclides in excess of the national regulatory limits fromentering the food supply chain.
• The Joint IAEA / FAO Division understands that the measures taken to monitor and respond to issues
regarding radionuclide contamination of food are appropriate, and that the food supply chain is under control .

19Results of Surveys of Marine Fishery
Products in Fukushima Prefecture
Between April and June 2011 immediately after the disaster, the percentage of marine
fishery products in Fukushima Prefecture that exceeded the standard limit (100Bq/kg) was
52.7%. This percentage has continued to decline, and has fallen to 0% since April 2015.
Toal Number of Specimines:46,536

100Bq/kg over
100Bq/kg or lessIidate

100Bq/kg over Specimens:2,453
100Bq/kg or less Specimens:44,083

Excess Rate(Excess Rate)

IidateoverSource: Fisheries Agency HP “Results of radioactive material survey of marine products” ‐ Update on 24th March ‐http://www.jfa.maff.go.jp/j/housyanou/kekka.html

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Thorough monitoring inspections are conducted foragricultural, forestry and fishery products prior to shipment
The foods exceeding the standard limit (100 Bq/kg) have decreased sharply in recent years .
Those exceeding the standard are restricted from shipping.
Food categories

Number oftypes

Brown Rice

Number ofTested Items

Number of Items
Exceeding the Standard
Limits(100Bq/kg)

Number of Items
at/below the Standard
Limits(100Bq/kg)

Grain (excluding Brown rice)
Vegetables
Fruit
Raw Milk
Meat
Chicken Eggs
Honey
Grass/Feed Crops
Seafood (Marine Seafood)
Seafood (River Fish/Lake Fish)

154
16

Seafood (Fish Farmed in Fresh Water
Mountain Herbs(Wild)
Mountain Herbs (Cultivation)
Mushrooms(Wild)
Mushrooms (Cultivation)
Tree Nuts
Total530

Source: Monitoring inspection results of agricultural, forestry and fishery products in FY2008 (as of March 31)
http://www.pref.fukushima.lg.jp/site/portal/89‐4.html

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Source: http://www.fepc.or.jp/library/pamphlet/zumenshu/pdf/all_english.pdf

22Source: http://www.fepc.or.jp/library/pamphlet/zumenshu/pdf/all_english.pdf

23Source; http://www.fepc.or.jp/library/publication/pamphlet/nuclear/zumenshu/index.html

24Source: http://www.fepc.or.jp/library/pamphlet/zumenshu/pdf/all_english.pdf

25Role of nuclear power• The world will need greatly increased energy supply in thefuture, especially cleanly‐generated electricity.
• Electricity demand is increasing twice as fast as overall
energy use and is likely to rise by more than two‐thirds
2011 to 2035. In 2012, 42% of primary energy used wasconverted into electricity.
• Nuclear power should meet the needs of anenvironmentally benign way of producing electricity on alarge scale.
Source: world nuclear association

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G7 Leaders’ Declaration
Ise‐Shima Summit, 26‐27 May 2016, pp.29• In those countries that opt to use nuclear energy, it
substantially contributes to the reduction of future
GHG emissions and works as a base load energy
source.
• In those countries it is also crucially important toengage the public in science‐based dialogue andtransparency to inform policymaking.
• We call upon all countries that opt to use nuclear
power to ensure the highest standards of safety,
security and non‐proliferation including an
independent and effective regulator, and to
exchange their expertise and experiences.

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Thank you for your attention