Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited (JNFL) officially announced that it has postponed the completion of the Rokkasho reprocessing plant. The plant is expected to begin operations in FY2026 (which ends in March 2027). This is the 27th delay since the construction began in 1993. In December 2022, the plant was projected to be completed by mid-2024.

This newly announced delay, assumed to be of two and a half years, is required to address serious issues raised by Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA). One major reason for the slow pace of the process has been the need to complete a review of the "ground model" for the earthquake-resistant design attempted by JNFL. The NRA is concerned about the project being "schedule-driven".

The completion of the MOX fuel fabrication plant, previously scheduled to start in the "first half of fiscal year 2024," has been postponed as well, with the new date in FY2027.

UPDATE: JNFL has published process charts for both the reprocessing plant and the MOX facility.

Reprocessing plant

MOX fabrication facility