NRA proposes surprise inspections

May 30, 2016

NRA planning snap nuclear plant inspections

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20160530_35/

Japan's nuclear regulator is proposing surprise inspections of nuclear power plants.This comes in response to a recent suggestion by the International Atomic Energy Agency that Japan should make its nuclear plant inspections more effective.

On Monday, the Nuclear Regulation Authority, or NRA, held the first meeting of a team to review its inspection system. They discussed a draft reform plan prepared by the NRA Secretariat.

Japanese law stipulates when inspections are to be held and what is to be checked. This includes 4 rounds of safety inspections per year to confirm maintenance management, and regular inspections of facilities once each 13 months in principle.

The reform plan says power companies should plan and conduct checkups themselves, and then NRA inspectors should be allowed to check, without prior notice, all safety measures taken by the companies.

The NRA Secretariat says it is considering improving its training of inspectors, as the proposed plan would rely more on their capabilities.

The reviewing team hopes to come up with a final plan in a few months after consulting the Federation of Electric Power Companies and others.

The NRA says it wants to introduce a new system in 2020.