Japan’s nuclear safety standards too costly

Complying with new rules will cost US$10.9 billion.

Nuclear power plant operators said the cost to comply with the tough new standards could rise since they cannot accurately estimate the expenses because parts of the standards have yet to be determined.

Power plant operators estimate the price tag at US$10.9 billion for 15 plants, which does not include the Dai-Ichi nuclear plant at Fukushima.

The estimates mainly cover expenses for emergency safety measures such as construction of levees to guard against a tsunami and provisions for emergency power supply vehicles.

The new safety standards concern disaster preparedness by nuclear power plant operators. A draft of the standards prepared last month by Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority requires operators to take extensive measures against natural disasters and accidents.

Since the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster, 48 of Japan's 50 nuclear reactors have been idled. These reactors can't be restarted until utilities comply with the new safety standards, which are expected to go into effect in July.