The NFRC was established in 2002 to promote the construction and operation of nuclear reprocessing facilities. NFRC promotes reprocessing commercial spent nuclear fuel that is generated by commercial nuclear power plants.

Reprocessing dramatically reduces the amount of high-level radioactive waste that would have to be stored in a geologic repository. We also support reprocessing plutonium and highly enriched uranium from nuclear warheads into fuel for use in commercial nuclear power plants.


Monday, February 13, 2012

Japan Nuclear Power Plants Off-Line & Being Replaced

Japan's nuclear-power crisis has left the country dependent on aging conventional plants that are being pushed well beyond their normal limits to keep the lights on and businesses functioning. The Fukushima Daiichi accident in March 2011 has increased public opposition to any restarts of the nation's 54 nuclear reactors, which remain idled due to shut down for  periodic maintenance checks.
 
Only three units are now operating and even those will be shut down as early as April. On Monday, Japan said the average nuclear power capacity used for power generation in January was 10.3%.

Among thermal power plants, coal-fired plants generally are operated near full capacity, but gas-fired and oil-fired plants, which use more expensive fuels, typically are brought online only when demand rises to peak levels.

Demonstrating the heavy load, thermal power plants at Japan's 10 regional power utilities were operating an average of 66% of the time last December, up sharply from 45% in the year ended in March 2011.

Japanese utilities are working on small-scale portable gas turbines that can be used in a pinch.  (WSJ, 2/13/2012)
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