New regulatory guide for nuclear power plants in Japan after the Fukushima accident

OHSUGA Yasuhiko

Symbio Community Forum, Tanaka Ohi-cho 49, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8202, Japan (Ohsuga_y@yahoo.co.jp)

Abstract: This paper introduces the new regulatory guide for nuclear power plants in Japan, which the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) developed based on lessons of the Fukushima accident. The new regulatory guide consists of three parts: earthquakes and tsunamis; design basis; and severe accident measures. The design basis regulatory guide (including seismic design) is strengthened from the existing regulatory guide based on the lessons from the Fukushima accident. Before the accident, the former Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC) studied the severe accidents and recommended the utilities work on accident management voluntarily. After the accident, the former Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) listed 30 safety measures that should be reflected in future regulation. Following these processes, the NRA prescribed the new severe accident measures on July 8, 2013. It subsequently initiated safety reviews to determine whether to allow the start-up of nuclear power plants forced to shutdown after the Fukushima
accident according to this regulatory guide.
Keyword: regulatory guide; design basis; severe accident measures; Fukushima accident