The Nuclear Regulatory Authority of Japan has announced plans to review and potentially extend the deadline for the installation of terrorism countermeasure facilities at nuclear power plants from five years post-approval to five years from the start of operation. This shift comes amidst concerns that several plants would not meet the original deadline, leading to calls from industry associations for an extension. The terrorism countermeasure facilities are designed to allow for remote cooling of reactors in the event of a terror attack, underscoring their critical role in nuclear safety.

Currently, only one of the twelve facilities completed in this regard has met the five-year deadline, while the remaining eleven have experienced delays of about a year. The industry has cited a labor shortage in the construction sector as a reason for the delays and has requested the deadline to be extended to eight years. However, during a recent meeting, the Regulatory Authority collectively decided not to extend the deadline based on changes in the construction workforce environment, although they recognized the need for a review of existing timelines due to the high number of delays.

The review of the deadline is significant for the nuclear power industry in Japan, which is still navigating post-Fukushima regulations and public sentiment towards nuclear energy. If the deadline is officially extended, it could alleviate the immediate pressure on operators to comply with safety regulations while still emphasizing the importance of completing these countermeasure facilities to ensure that plants are prepared for any potential threats.