Although most nuclear power plants are designed for a 40-year lifespan, many European countries have approved extensions for the decommissioning of nuclear power plants within their borders.
Some countries see nuclear power plants as a good way to limit carbon emissions, but due to the high cost of building new plants and rising anti-nuclear sentiment, they prefer to replace nuclear power plant components or extend the service life of existing nuclear power plants.
In France, for example, all 34 nuclear reactors with a capacity of 900 megawatts (MW) received approval from the authorities for the second time last year to postpone their decommissioning by 10 years. Most of these plants were commissioned in the late 1970s or early 1980s. The service life of 20 nuclear reactors with a capacity of 1300 MW was also extended by 10 years in 2006.
The No. 2 reactor at the Oldbury nuclear power plant in the UK is expected to shut down by the end of this year. The Nuclear Inspectorate (NII) has already extended the service life of the No. 1 reactor to the end of next year. However, the operator, Magnox, is also waiting for NII approval to extend the operating time of the No. 2 reactor to June next year.
British authorities have also approved a delay in the planned closure of the Wylfa nuclear power plant in Wales, extending it from March of this year for at least nine months; the planned closure of the twin reactors at Hartlepool nuclear power station has also been delayed by five years.
Belgium, Finland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Croatia have all extended the operating time of their nuclear power plants by at least 10 years in recent years. The Czech Republic is also considering extending the operating time of its Dukovany power plant by 10 to 40 years.
However, some countries have prematurely closed certain nuclear power plants due to economic, regulatory, and political considerations. For example, Lithuania closed its only nuclear power plant in 2004 in order to join the European Union; Sweden, due to factors such as climate and supply security, did not extend the operating time of its 10 reactors by 40 years, and therefore they are expected to be closed between 2012 and 2025.
Although the Spanish government has reissued a 10-year operating license for the Vandellos 2 nuclear power plant this year, Spain also decided last year that the Santa Maria de Garonna plant must be closed in 2013, at which time it will have been in service for 43 years; the other seven reactors in Spain will also be closed when they have been in operation for less than 40 years.
— Source: Economic Daily
