Operating the spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant under construction in Aomori Prefecture is projected to cost 18.91 trillion yen over a 40-year period, electric power industry officials said Tuesday.
The industry calculation for the Rokkasho plant was made public for the first time in a report submitted to a subcommittee of the Advisory Committee for Natural Resources and Energy.
The latter is a panel that advises the minister of economy, trade and industry.
Reprocessing spent nuclear fuel is at the core of the nation's nuclear fuel cycle utilizing uranium resources.
The industry's estimate is based on the assumption that the plant will reprocess about 32,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel over 40 years, starting in fiscal 2005, and will be closed by fiscal 2078.
The estimate includes 11.06 trillion yen in personnel and other expenses linked directly to the plant operations, 2.75 trillion yen in disposal and transportation costs for radioactive waste, and 1.96 trillion yen for temporary storage.