Japan OKs draft safety report for Tomari-3

The review took nearly 12 years to complete.

Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) has approved the draft safety assessment report for Tomari-3 (PWR, 912 MWe), with formal approval expected this summer.

According to Japan Atomic Industrial Forum (JAIF), the process took nearly 12 years, the longest for any nuclear reactor under post-Fukushima safety standards. The delay was attributed to the “extensive evaluations required to confirm the absence of active faults at the site.”

Safety upgrades are generally complete, except for a 19-metre seawall designed for tsunami protection, which is still under construction.

Further steps—including approval of operational safety programs and securing consent from local governments—remain necessary, particularly from the municipalities of Tomari Village, Kyowa Town, Iwanai Town, Kamoenai Village, and from Hokkaido Prefecture.

Following this development, the total number of Japanese reactors passing the new standards has reached 18.